I've heard it said that the ice bucket challenge is another case of "slacktivism," like the failed KONY2012 and other wanton attempts to make the public feel empowered whilst simultaneously demanding little to no action in return. While it can hardly be disputed that flippant cash donations are probably not going to change the world, I think some action on a given subject is better than no action at all, don't you?
When it comes to raising awareness for ALS, I'd say the ice bucket challenge has been an overwhelming success. Not only have they filled up your news feed with their viral marketing strategy, they've actually raised a very respectable amount of money for research, and in doing so have also made this formerly virtually-unknown disease now a household name. That sounds like a win to me.
When it comes to church life, I find a similar trend of slacktivism at work in almost every corner of the Body. It seems every week a new outreach ministry or building project is announced, to the joy of many members of the congregation. Worse still, there are even more people, like the ice bucket naysayers, who are content to simply sit at the back of the church and roundly criticize anything and everything going on at the front. When the church announces some new pet project, it's all too easy to sit at the back with folded arms and wonder aloud how that money might better have been spent. To be sure, I too have been guilty of such a crime.
In Philippians 1, Paul mentions that there are an entire faction of preachers within the upstart church who, frankly, are terrible. While Paul is quick to point out that their outward appearance of piety is not at all genuine, he also acknowledges what I believe is a very important point: they're still preaching Christ.
Even though I have at several times in the last few weeks and months taken aim at the motives and methods of several people who claim to be doing God's work, I think it bears acknowledgement that, at the very minimum, these people are all behaving in line with what they believe to be God's Word. Though their interpretation of God's commands may drastically differ from my own, it would be unbecoming of me as a believer to say that their interpretation of the Scripture is wholly wrong.
When it comes to church ministry, as when it comes to raising money for medical research, I think that some action is better than no action, and half-hearted support of a semi-worthy cause is far better than idle naysaying. Better still, would be to put your money where your mouth is, if you'll pardon the pun, and come up with what you believe is a suitable alternative.
When it comes to raising awareness for ALS, I'd say the ice bucket challenge has been an overwhelming success. Not only have they filled up your news feed with their viral marketing strategy, they've actually raised a very respectable amount of money for research, and in doing so have also made this formerly virtually-unknown disease now a household name. That sounds like a win to me.
When it comes to church life, I find a similar trend of slacktivism at work in almost every corner of the Body. It seems every week a new outreach ministry or building project is announced, to the joy of many members of the congregation. Worse still, there are even more people, like the ice bucket naysayers, who are content to simply sit at the back of the church and roundly criticize anything and everything going on at the front. When the church announces some new pet project, it's all too easy to sit at the back with folded arms and wonder aloud how that money might better have been spent. To be sure, I too have been guilty of such a crime.
In Philippians 1, Paul mentions that there are an entire faction of preachers within the upstart church who, frankly, are terrible. While Paul is quick to point out that their outward appearance of piety is not at all genuine, he also acknowledges what I believe is a very important point: they're still preaching Christ.
Even though I have at several times in the last few weeks and months taken aim at the motives and methods of several people who claim to be doing God's work, I think it bears acknowledgement that, at the very minimum, these people are all behaving in line with what they believe to be God's Word. Though their interpretation of God's commands may drastically differ from my own, it would be unbecoming of me as a believer to say that their interpretation of the Scripture is wholly wrong.
When it comes to church ministry, as when it comes to raising money for medical research, I think that some action is better than no action, and half-hearted support of a semi-worthy cause is far better than idle naysaying. Better still, would be to put your money where your mouth is, if you'll pardon the pun, and come up with what you believe is a suitable alternative.
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