Karaoke Then Lecture
E.A. Johnston challenges the lukewarm, entertainment-driven church culture by urging a return to authoritative preaching that transforms lives rather than mere teaching that informs.
In "Karaoke Then Lecture," E.A. Johnston critiques the entertainment-driven worship culture prevalent in many American churches. He contrasts superficial teaching with the authoritative preaching of Jesus, emphasizing the need for spiritual transformation rather than mere information. Johnston calls believers to awaken from lukewarm Christianity and embrace preaching that truly changes lives.
Full Transcript
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.
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.
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, it's in the Gospel of Matthew, in the end of chapter 7, 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, 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. 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 in, call it Christianity.
Sermon Outline
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I
- Observation of American church culture by a Japanese pastor
- The analogy of karaoke followed by a lecture
- The problem of lukewarm, man-centered worship
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II
- Description of modern worship settings and entertainment
- Critique of superficial Bible teaching as temporary band-aids
- Comparison of church experience to a lobster in boiling water
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III
- Jesus’ authoritative preaching in Matthew 7
- Difference between teaching (informing) and preaching (transforming)
- Call for spiritual transformation through true preaching
Key Quotes
“First karaoke, then lecture.” — E.A. Johnston
“The big difference, friends, between teaching and preaching is that teaching informs and preaching transforms.” — E.A. Johnston
“Like a lobster becomes comfortable in warm water, it doesn't realize it's in a death trap until the water begins to boil.” — E.A. Johnston
Application Points
- Evaluate your church’s worship style to ensure it fosters genuine spiritual growth, not just entertainment.
- Seek out preaching that challenges and transforms your heart, not just teaching that informs your mind.
- Avoid becoming complacent in your faith by recognizing the dangers of lukewarm Christianity.