Our family had the privilege of going away on a mini-vacation for about six days with two other pastors’ families. Through some helpful connections, we were able to spend time together in Disney World. We just got back today. In spite of the 90+ weather and all the walking, it was such a treat for the parents to see the children so happy.
It was quite a trip – 4 days, 4 theme parks. I was all Disney-ed out! But as we were going through the various theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, MGM Studios, and Universal Studios), I could not help but to ask some questions to the Church. In essence, I could not help but to ask these questions to myself:
Here are the 10 questions:
1) Why does Disney do things with excellence more so than the Church? (Disney does it for profits but shouldn’t we do it for bringing more honor and glory to the King of Kings?)
2) Why is Disney more creative and innovative than the Church? (If God is our “Creator,” then shouldn’t His creatures be “creating” things that reflect His “creativity”?)
3) Why is Disney more passionate about what they do than the Church? (Doesn’t the Church have something to be more passionate about? We cannot let fairy tale characters beat us out in passion.)
4) Why is Disney more service oriented than the Church? (If the Church served one another and the community like Disney, there will be transformation!)
5) Why does Disney know how to inspire people more than the Church? (I don’t know how many of the shows that we saw left me almost awe-struck. It left me wanting to do something great. But shouldn’t the Church, with the greatest message of hope, be the most inspirational voice?)
6) Why is Disney more concerned about people than the Church? (If we were more others-centered, we would be able to help other people’s God-given dreams come true.)
7) Why does Disney produce people with better attitudes than the Church? (Attitude is always contagious and Disney infected a lot of people. Maybe that is why people are drawn to Disney World year after year, while people are repelled by the Church.)
8) Why is Disney better at creating an unforgettable experience than the Church? (The sad fact is that we sometimes have only one opportunity to share the beauty of Christ. If we knew that this coming Sunday was the only Sunday our friend would ever attend, I am wondering if we would do things differently.)
9) Why does Disney know how to portray “good vs. evil” better than the Church? (I am wondering if Mickey knows the Gospel message better than the Christians in the Church.)
10) Why does Disney claim that it is the “Happiest Celebration on the Earth” more than the Church? (Of course, in heaven we will have the greatest celebration but why do we allow Disney to have a claim on the “happiest celebration on the earth?” Shouldn’t we be filled with joy and celebration because we have been rescued from sin and death? Saying it is one thing but really living it out is a completely different matter.)
As I was asking these questions, I thought about how much Disney World believes in its mission and purpose. It challenged me to think about the Church of Jesus Christ. We need to raise up more people who are passionate about God’s glory and fame. We need to raise up more people who are convicted and challenged to beat out an oversized mouse in living out a purposeful life with passion.