Spaghetti Thoughts

When it came to issues related to Christians and discernment regarding entertainment choices, my grandparents maintained a straight-forward, consistent position - they were against it. That is, they were against entertainment, not discernment.

They maintained a basic prohibition against modern forms of entertainment like movies, most television and, even, fictional literature. Naturally, they were opposed to jazz music. I know this because my grandmother once placed a book in my room providing an apologetic of a ban on all genres of that unique, American music form. They stood staunchly against the evils of reading newspapers on Sunday and, even, "playing catch" on the Lord's Day.

In comparison, my own parents were liberal in their attitudes toward personal entertainment choices. We bought a green and white television when the technology was still new in the Midwest. Seriously, it wasn't "black and white." It really was a phosphorescent green and grayish white. Watching it made me believe that everyone on television was nauseated - perhaps providing some basis for my grandparents general prohibition of that medium.

When possible, my parents also exposed me to live music. Gospel quartets were a favorite. Singing cowboys were certainly justification for "taking a drive." I even had the privilege of seeing (on more than one occasion) the famous, Palermo Brothers.

Phil and Louis Palermo were musical evangelists who began their ministries in 1938 with the Chicago Midnight Brigade and, later, Youth for Christ from 1947 until 1982. They ministered in the United States and other parts of the world. Just two years after the end of World War II the Palermos visited war-torn Italy holding evangelistic meetings and rallies.

One of the unique features of going to the hear the Palermo Brothers sing was that you were usually served a complete spaghetti dinner. Now, that is entertainment that mid-westerners can appreciate! Comparing notes recently, Su and I realized that we had probably both been at the same Palermo Brothers Dinner/Concert at First Baptist in Rochester, Minnesota when we were about 12 years old. I can only give thanks to God that she didn't see (or remember) what I did with those bread sticks - our romance could have died before it ever began.

There are more recipes for spaghetti sauce than I could possibly ever mention. Even Su has her special spaghetti sauce recipe - and to my knowledge she doesn't have an ounce (or milliliter) of Italian blood in her! I believe she modified her recipe from one she received from a lady named Fran Riegler... who probably got it from the Palermo Brothers, for all I know!

In one sense, it doesn't matter what is in the sauce. Unless you have the thin rods of pasta for which it is named, you do not have spaghetti. It has to have that ingredient to make it what it is.

I think the same thing is true of the church - it has to have the "main ingredient" to be true to what it is. Although many have begun to measure the entertainment value of Sunday morning (or Saturday evening), unless there is something of Jesus about the whole experience, it isn't church. If the primary message becomes something other than Him, it is not the real thing. All of this experience we call Christianity is not about prosperity, great sex or obedient kids. The primary message of the church is not stable finances, a great career or what kind of house to buy. To be the church it has to include Jesus.

I enjoy having different spaghetti sauces. However, I wouldn't think about them twice if they didn't include the basic element of pasta. I enjoy a lot of different types of church services. However, I don't want to waste my time if Jesus is not lifted up and preached there.