Karaoke Then Lecture — E.A. Johnston

The Karaoke-Then-Lecture Pattern

A Japanese pastor visited several churches in America in a search to find good preaching. When asked his opinion of the typical American church, he replied, First karaoke, then lecture. I believe the old boy saw right through us and summed up our American brand of Christianity by his comment, First karaoke, then lecture.

Lukewarm, Man-Centered Worship

And that's the title of my message today, friends. Like a lobster becomes comfortable in warm water, it doesn't realize it's in a death trap until the water begins to boil. And in our churches across the land, we have settled into the lukewarm water of man-centered worship and some light Bible teaching.

We stand in our million-dollar sanctuaries under strobe lights with our big TV screens as we sing along karaoke songs, and sway our hips, and raise our hands. And you can get the same effect at the local bar on karaoke night.

Then out walks the pastor, who's an entertainer, who knows how to work a crowd. And he dishes out some light Bible teaching, which looks like a Band-Aid, and works like a Band-Aid, and lasts just as long as a Band-Aid, until you come back again next week for more of the same.

The Need for Authoritative Preaching

That Japanese pastor had a difficult time trying to find good preaching. On his visit to America, because most churches only have teachers in the pulpit, and not preachers, as in the Gospel of Matthew, in the end of chapter seven.

But where Jesus winds up his sermon, we read. And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that people were astonished at his doctrine. For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

From Dry Lectures to Spiritual Transformation

Meaning, the scribes were dry lecturers, with no mantle of authority from on high. And the big difference, friends, between teaching and preaching, is that teaching informs and preaching transforms. The main reason why folks come to church one way, and leave it the same way every week, is that there is no spiritual transformation taking place, because there is so little preaching going on.

Awakening from Lukewarm Christianity

But we have plenty of, first karaoke, then a lecture. I reckon, like that lobster in a pot, we have grown accustomed to the water. And we are content to sit there and raise our claws occasionally, as we slowly die and call it Christianity.