Modern American Religiosity: Christian Church, Country Club, or Comedy Central?

Week after week, another self-proclaimed “pastor” mounts the pulpit—if there even is a pulpit—not as a humble messenger of God, but as a flamboyant entertainer craving the cheap applause of men. Have our sanctuaries been reduced to stages and our worship services mere performances? Is the Word of God now a script to be dramatized rather than a truth to be internalized?

We find these so-called pastors bedecked in the latest fashion, sporting their skinny jeans and tight v-neck t-shirts, strutting under spotlights, and their stand-up comedy gigs sprinkled with gimmicks more fitting for a late-night talk show than a house of worship.

On of the most notorious of these clowns entertaining the goats, David Crank comes to mind—a man whose charisma is as polished as his designer shoes. Whether he’s cracking marijuana jokes or preaching in front of Rihanna’s exposed breasts, he never fails to deliver.

But does charm equate to spiritual depth? Is he leading souls to the fountain of life or merely performing for a valley of dry bones?

Then there's this clown, Shaun Nepstad, who takes theatrics to an entirely unconventional level—even hauling a garbage dumpster on stage and climbing inside of it to preach. Clearly he believes that the gospel requires shock tactics to penetrate hearts dulled by routine.

But does delivering a sermon from a dumpster elevate the gospel, or does it degrade it? Is the Church drawn into a deeper communion with God through such shenanigans, or are they merely intrigued by the novelty of the spectacle?