The Emerging “Lecture Culture” in our Churches is Actually Not New

The “lecture culture church” marked by short stick-to-the-script sermonizing in amphitheater style buildings is actually not new. You might be surprised to discover that it is addressed in James! 

“But prove yourselves doers of the word and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearers of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.” James 1:22-24

The Greek word for “hearers” here is akroates, which describes someone who listens passively in an audience. James was referencing the days of the Greeks who loved to hear a good lecture. They would passively and routinely gather in amphitheaters to recline and take in “a good lecture.” 

When the lecture was finished, they would discuss and debate it (perhaps at their version of Swiss Chalet), with no intention of actually applying anything that was heard. 

This “akroates” is the same word that is used to describe a person who goes to university or college, but treats the assignments and exams as optional. They have no intention of being accountable or taking responsibility for what they hear; they sit in classes only to listen or be entertained. In the end, they receive no credit towards a diploma or degree. 

In some ways, this is the kind of culture that we see in church today. We sit listening to sermons or attending conferences and have no trouble “amen’ing” and discussing the message afterwards with our loved ones and friends. Unfortunately, merely attending and discussing a message designed to change your life produces very minimal change. 

Studies say this kind of approach to any lecture bears minimal results. In fact studies have now proven that within 48 hours of hearing a sermon, you have forgotten more than 70% of it. All that is left is to come back next week and hear another sermon, hoping to hear something new. 

If this doesn’t underscore the need for training and equipping systems and Bible schools within our local churches, I don’t know what does. 

C. Niewhof says, “Churches that equip Christians will quickly eclipse churches that only gather them.”

The Sunday morning experience has its place, and there are plenty of reasons to gather, but this era’s church reformation looks like equipping and training being ADDED to the local church concept, for real transformation of our lives, families and cities.

- Derek Schneider