Jesus Express
Rushing through Chicago Airport, I hustled to make my connecting flight after experiencing a delayed flight in Lansing. I sighed in relief when I found my gate and still had 10 minutes to spare before boarding, only to receive a text from the airline that my Chicago flight had also been delayed. All my hurry was for nothing. But honestly, I was okay with the inconvenience because it gave me time to eat lunch.
I found a small restaurant named Wolfgang Puck Express in the airport. I ordered a burger, sat at a wobbly table with the least amount of leftover food crumbs—grabbed a book out of my backpack, and waited for my food. After three bites into my very average burger, I ate a few poorly cooked fries, and I thought to myself, I wonder who Wolfgang Puck is. And I wonder if he knows his name was used to sell this below-average burger.
“In the rush and busyness of our western commercial culture, have we created a church experience that is just tailored to getting people in and through so that we can get on to other “more important destinations”? Have we commercialized a “Jesus Express” type of church experience, used His name, and inadvertently kept people from the real and rich “spiritual meal” Christ had intended? ”
I had heard the name Wolfgang Puck before and presumed that he was a famous chef. I literally laughed out loud and shook my head when I looked him up and read how he describes his restaurants. He states, “The name Wolfgang Puck is synonymous with the best of restaurant hospitality and the ultimate in all aspects of the culinary arts. The famed chef has built a brand that encompasses fine dining, casual dining, catering, and consumer products. Wherever your adventures take you, let Wolfgang Puck fuel your culinary hunger.” (wolfgangpuck.com)
After reading that description, I was sure that Mr. Puck had no idea of what was happening at Wolfgang Puck Express at Chicago International Airport. My guess is that Mr. Puck studied and worked very hard in his career and personally oversaw and created amazing restaurants around the country. He most likely made a name for himself by pouring his time and passion into his catenary art, and people came in droves to taste and see his talents in food and fine dining. I bet he took personal care and attention to make sure every meal was interesting, flavorful, and up to his standard of culinary perfection. Yet somewhere along the line, I estimate he was convinced to release his name to others who would use his fame to promote restaurants and imitate his menu, but would eventually fall far from what he had intended his dining experience to be.
Now, before you tune me out as another dissatisfied restaurant customer, hear me out. I don’t intend this blog to be a negative review of Wolfgang Puck Express at O’Hara; I really don’t. I get it. In an airport, people are moving from place to place. Running to catch flights, and they may have 30-45 minutes to sit down for a quick bite. Hardly the right atmosphere for a 5-star restaurant that needs time to perfect each meal presented. For a fast-paced environment, most have to cut quality corners and reduce value to meet that more important demand of time. Like many business professionals often say, good, fast, cheap … you can only pick two.
As I ate my nominal burger (which, deep down, I was thankful for…edible food is better than no food), I wondered to myself, is this what the church has done with Jesus’ name? Have we slapped His name over a church experience that is far from what the Master had worked so passionately to make available to all? In the rush and busyness of our western commercial culture, have we created a church experience that is just tailored to getting people in and through so that we can get on to other “more important destinations”? Have we commercialized a “Jesus Express” type of church experience, used His name, and inadvertently kept people from the real and rich “spiritual meal” Christ had intended?
Paul, the Apostle of Jesus Christ, wrote “For we are not, like so many, [like hucksters making a trade of] peddling God's Word [shortchanging and adulterating the divine message]; but like [men] of sincerity and the purest motive, as [commissioned and sent] by God, we speak [His message] in Christ (the Messiah), in the [very] sight and presence of God” (2 Corinthians 2:17 AMPC).
The term “adulterating” is a sobering critique we must examine. It means “to prepare for sale by replacing more valuable with less valuable or inert ingredients.” For example, fraudulent wineries would attempt to multiply aged wine by adding water so they had more produce to sell. But as you know, adding water (a lesser substance) to fine wine dilutes the taste, potency, and experience of the wine for those who drink it. Paul, in his letter to the church of Corinth, was warning them against such men. Hucksters in Paul’s day had used Jesus’ name, but what they were peddling was far from the spiritual experience and powerful word that Jesus had intended for people.
Paul said, “We speak [His message] in Christ (the Messiah) in the [very] sight and presence of God”. He was saying that they prepare and present the Gospel as if Jesus Himself is looking over their shoulder—the Master Himself examining and nodding in approval that the power of their words, the purity of their lives, and the moving of the Spirit of God amongst the people was just as He had intended for His people. And when that type of spiritual experience is served, people come in droves!
The express nature of the church today must change. If time and brevity are our greatest concern with our church experiences, then we have valued some other “destination” more important than the worship of Jesus and the teaching of His Word—and that is an arrogance and pride we all must repent of. The holy gathering of Christ’s Body, His Church, ought not to be an express service. It ought to be a 5-star encounter that takes time, passion, and deep meditation to fully appreciate.
If you are a pastor, support minister, or church leader, I invite you to pray and wrestle with these questions, as I am. Allow God’s Spirit of Truth to examine your heart and cut away or calibrate anything that doesn’t represent the original work of the cross and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ:
Have I adulterated the Word of God and replaced the potency of His Word with something of lesser substance? Have I replaced the truth with cultural relevance to commercialism?
Is the church experience I present consistent with what Jesus labored so passionately to make available to all who believe?
Does the church experience I steward allow people to linger, slow down, and make His presence and His Word the most important “destination” of their week?
Is the motive of my heart pure before God? Do I prepare and preach each week in the sight of God, or am I peddling His word for my benefit, selfish ambition, or financial gain?
By Joseph E. O. Mead