I was doing some research for a work project (really!) and I came across this article about the X-factor in American Idol. What struck me is how easily this article could translate to the church in America. Have our means of evaluating a church (or worship leader, or pastor, or …) become as superficial as that of “Reality” TV. Are these (a sylish outfit, good grooming, good looks, stage presence, marketability) the things we look for when visiting a church? Are these the qualities that seminary professors and denomination leaders look for when recommending young people to full-time ministry/pastorate? Do we say to people in seminary, “you should be a pastor, because you are called by God AND you have great marketability and good looks and the appearance of being a positive role model”!?

Are we as the church looking for the next big thing, instead of remembering the biggest thing God has already done via the cross and the notably small way Christ came into the world?

This, of course, is not a perfect analogy and I’m not trying to make it out to be more than it is, but it caused me to think all the same (and that’s usually a good thing).