The Church and KISS

For my ultra religious friends this will make no sense at all. Oshawa has been given the “KISS OFF”. Too funny really. Gene Simmons and his band decided that Oshawa wasn’t big enough – they have chosen Toronto.

Last year an OnLine promotion gimmick took place to rouse the world of Old Rockers. The city that responded the best would have KISS come to play for them – actually do a concert for your city! People went wild.

But in the world of music there is no place that was more excited than Oshawa, Ontario.

A report in the STAR today states…quote..
“It worked – Oshawa placed first, ahead of New York and Toronto – but the hurting city of heavy motor metal was left off a list of tour dates released by the rockers yesterday.

The size of the production turned out to require a larger venue," KISS spokesman Erik Stein told the Star.

"In this case, that turned out to be the Air Canada Centre." End quote

Who did Oshawa think it was anyway?!? Peterborough was the city north of Oshawa that was after the rights and privileges to have the goons come here. I mean what the dickens did they think was going on anyway? Peterborough has the oldest and best rockers around. We are old and experienced in every form of Rock that there is. All of us were born way before Simmons was! We are the Old Rockers of all time.

No – No Silly – not Rocking Chair Rockers… Real Rock and Roll… “the kind that satisfies the soul..” And I am one of them! I have 8 Tracks – hundreds of them in my “Garage Studio”… the place I create all kinds of stuff. I create to the beat.

My friend Chad, who is a real Rocker, is often there with me getting down on the old stuff. I mean Chad knows the names and history of almost every old guy that has ever played a guitar… or hammered a drum. Chad is cool!

The amazing stuff that happened when Gene Simmons (and his promo people) did their thing with last year’s voting was so cool. Talk about an amazing business dude. He is very cool. He can’t really play that good and his music “kind of sucks” according to a younger rocker that I know… but this guy is way ahead of his time. He knows just what to do to create a sensation.

Poof – over to the church scene..
Over the summer I have attended a number of different churches. WOW! What a difference in styles and forms of worship. Every church had a different kind of musical presentation. Some were fun – some were boring and many had people sitting and listening.

In one church when songs were sung that they liked – they sang. When songs were sung that they didn’t know (or didn’t like) – they simply shut up.

Radical as it may seem and even heretical I think the church needs a “face lift” – some one like Gene Simmons to run it and take up the show. I mean with a little paint and lot more hype the most boring pastor could be re-made by a Simmons approach.

Can you picture the minister that you know dressed the way the photo above looks – doing his stuff on a Sunday AM? I mean – like – wow church would become a place that might be interesting to attend.

My granddaughter Emma talked to me this summer. She stated it honestly… “I can wait for the Fall when our Sunday School Class starts again. In the summer you have to sit through church and it is boring. They just talk, talk, talk…”

I grinned when I heard her honesty. She was simply expressing what others are thinking. It is a drag.

Last Sunday morning our family sat together in one pew. It was my first time to be able to do this since retirement. Emma and Clifford were sitting beside Grandma – down the row from me. As the minister, Pastor Tim, asked for people to respond to his questions… by raising their hands – Emma did so… she was listening. Pastor Tim caught her attention so maybe it ALL isn’t boring…maybe just some of it.

Clifford just sat staring straight ahead. My guess is he was solving a “War Hammer” problem miles away from the sanctuary.

I fear for the future of the church really. The world outside of it definitely has stirred the senses and the feelings of attendees – whether a concert or just the radio/TV.

A long time ago the church was the central focus of every community. It was the pause day, the concert day, the happening day of every week. It was when people came together to enjoy each other’s fellowship. The minister dressed differently from everyone else… his fancy clothes set him aside. Even after Sunday services were done – he still dressed differently than others in the community.

And as I press the thought button harder… the church was the KISS of its community… the Pastor – Reverend was the “Gene Simmons” of his community. He as the promoter and the front guy, that could wear his paint better than anyone else, was something else. When he stepped on to the stage the people stopped talking and listened up. WOW – what a show it was!

The only rival to the church in any community one hundred years ago was the once a year Fair that might come your way. The sports day might have been a very close second to the Fair.

Today… can you imagine if a church had an online poll that would ask the community if they would like the CHURCH to come and play at their community venue…? I think I can see your face either grin or grimace. The truth of the matter we as a body of people are about as irrelevant as we can be.

People on the outside don’t really give a rip or have any idea what we do inside that strange looking building. We do not fit into their world at all.

“They” are about as interested in us, as you are in the KISS concert making an appearance in Oshawa or Toronto – or where ever it might go.

And you sure don’t want your pastor to act like Gene Simmons. Nope – no way. He should act and dress like they did in the Old Days… and stay the same.

I know I can get off on a tangent with the next statement… BUT here goes… one simple example…
Question: Why do we have church starting between 10 AM and 11 AM? Why do we start so late?
Answer #1: One hundred years ago – Most churches had farmers attending… and the chores were not done until about 9 AM. 10 AM allowed them to get dressed up and get there on time.
Answer #2: Most people lived a distance from the church with the need to get their horse and buggy ready so you could drive your family to church… the horse had to be fed as well… cleaned up after and ready for the trip to church.

Sunday PM was the same – a 7:00 PM start – again after chores were done on the farm… it simply made sense.

So today as I contemplate deep and wonderful things in my Garage Studio… I thought I would share some of the thinking.

Simply – what needs to change…? Hmmm?

~ Murray Lincoln ~
www.murraylincoln.com/

Source:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/685937