We all feel like we have to offer a church much like the Wal-Mart Supercenter down the street. People want a vast array of inexpensive products, convenient times and locations, and a smooth checkout, so we structure our churches the same way. The problem with this, obviously, is that nothing in Wal-Mart transcends the ordinary. The same is true for most of our churches. We have little or no awareness or expectation of the presence of God directly speaking and ministering to His people. The entire ministry is mediated by well-dressed and polite people with name tags and the professionals on stage. The way the room is arranged, the worship music timed down to the second, the sermon with three points and two illustrations, the closing hymn – all these can point to human beings doing their best to be substitutes for God’s work in the lives of His people. No wonder clergy are blowing out in massive numbers. We’ve changed what church is and what pastors do – so much so that very few are able to keep this up for long. Our definitions of success are too often aimed at bigger, better, and more, and we work ourselves into exhaustioon as mini-messiahs who are poor substitutes for the real thing.

Mike Erre

(from Death By Church)