Flashy Lights

Ok, so I am at Hot Hearts and I look around at what is a pretty good worship service and wonder how much of what we do in places like this is just off of emotions or just for show. Are we sincere and real when we come to a place like this and sing loud, raise our hands, clap, and amen everything? It seems to me a lot of what I see is for show. I ask myself how many youth here act like this at their home church. Maybe they are truly worshiping and I say praise God if they are. But what if what I see all around me is merely a show. The response we have to the flashy lights and loud music of the bands. Does the concert type music detract from the speaking of the WORD. Jeff Magnum really challenged us last night but I wonder how many actually heard him?
I got to look around the youth room here at First Baptist Moores Lane and let me tell you, it is pretty amazing. Their stage is bigger than my youth room at Providence. They have a huge game room with like seven tv’s all with a different video game hooked up. They have like 5 other flat screen tv’s and even have a little cafe style area with computers with internet access. But I find myself asking if any of this is necessary. Or does it really take flashy lights to get the youth to come.
All of these things are good do not misunderstand me. It is a wonderful thing to be blessed and be able to have nice things like these. But i just wonder do the things we have and the “concerts” we go to as christians make us better? Do these things cause us to be stronger in our faith? Do they help us to witness to others? Or are they merely flashy lights that attract a crowd. Do the youth speakers at a church like this have to be exciting and goofy or can they merely just preach the word of God. Does preaching draw the crowd or do the lights I see? I hope and pray someday that maybe I can be a part of a church that can provide so much like the one I see here. But I also hope and pray that I do not have to use gimmicks to get the kids to come. I hope I do not get distracted by the stuff we can have or the stuff we can do. I hope that my focus in my ministry is always first and foremost the Word of God.
Flashy lights are cool but they do not bring about a radical lifestyle in our youth of today. All they see from us is it is ok to be like the world as long as you try and live the Christian life. We are called to be radically different than the world. We are called to DIE in order to LIVE. That is crazy. We have to die to self but all I see is a constant feeding and thriving of ourselves. In the words of Jeff Magnum there has to first be a crucifixion before there can be a resurrection.
Do we DIE to ourselves or do we live our lives and maybe make time for God. Do we get distracted by the flashing lights or do we focus on a radically different life than we live?