Sacred or Secular?

It's getting really exciting around here because we are now in the planning and preparation phase for our first public church services at Fat Daddy's. One response that I've noticed as I have been talking to different people about what will actually take place at an actionchurch service is: "You can do that in church???" From using songs you would hear on the radio, to using images and clips from television shows and movies in sermons as illustrations...we are going to break a lot of "church rules".

So why break the "rules"? Is nothing sacred? One person even told me that they listened to the kind of music we would be playing...and watched the movies we would be referencing...they just didn't think they should "be in church". Huh??? That's actually a really good example of why I believe we should break the line down between "sacred" and "secular". It's become accepted that there are "church songs" and "everyday songs", "church jokes" and "everyday jokes", "church clothes" and "everyday clothes", "church friends" and "everyday friends, "church language" and the way we actually talk the rest of the time...I could go on and on. Is that what God really intended? Are we supposed to set aside pulpits, pews, and cheap stackable chairs as "sacred" and then go home to our "secular" recliners and sectionals? Are we supposed to "set aside" a book of songs written in the 17th century or seven songs by Matt Redmond and Chris Tomlin and drive home to our ipods filled with great "secular" music? Is that really pleasing to God?

I believe we should put aside the ideas of "sacred" and "secular" and integrate God into every facet of our lives. I believe our tivo's, ipods, and lives and general should be filled with things that point us in a positive way toward the life that God has for us...no matter who wrote the material...

Want an example? Listen to this song. It's one we will be using on Sunday Mornings. Forget about whether Chris Daughtry is "sacred" or "secular", just take some time and listen to the words.(link for email subscribers)

Can you think of a better way to "portray" having a new life by following Jesus?...I can't. Will you ever "hear" the song on the radio in the same way again? That's the value of integrating God into our lives (or is it integrating our lives into God?), instead of trying to "imprison" our creator in the tiny box of the "sacred".