When one of my friends read my reaction to the animated Spiderman movie, she picked up on my description of the movie as too much “flash and bang.” (I don’t mind flash and bang, by the way, as long as it doesn’t give me a headache!) She related it to how Christianity is often presented today, especially through music. She wondered if people thought God was “hard of hearing.” I smiled at that. It reminded me of the church ads that display their own flash and bang to encourage newcomers. (Yes, in Texas, churches advertise right along with the car lots and dry cleaners before the movie previews and main feature.) I’ve noticed churches tend to pick up on secular trends to make church more inviting. And you can’t deny that works for some. But there are others, like my friend, Donna, who want less “Hey, ya’ll watch this!” and more time considering “who might need my help or friendship quietly.”
Briefly Speaking 