I don’t watch the show, so I’m not familiar with Rob LaZebnik, a writer and co-executive producer of “The Simpsons.” On November 25, 2023, The Wall Street Journal ran an essay he wrote: How to Avoid Being Boring at 60. I thought it was medium weird EXCEPT for his opening adventure, which I quote in its entirety:

Attended a megachurch.

Though I’m a skeptic about all organized religion, I went to a 2,000-person-strong service at one of America’s largest evangelical megachurches and, honestly, saw what the hype is all about. Young, very attractive singers in Bonobos pants and white sneakers launched into soaring rock songs on stage. The pastor was a charismatic woman who told us how, in the story of Joseph, his brothers decided not to kill him but to sell him into slavery. She said, “They thought, ‘We won’t be murderers, we’ll be human traffickers!’” Not John Mulaney-level comedy, but solid stuff for an evangelical church. The disappointing thing, though, was that the crowd just filed back to their cars after it all ended. I wanted to get inside the heads of these people who had such a different outlook on life.

I think Rob lives in California, but other than that, I have no idea which church he attended. The close of this story makes me sad:

The disappointing thing, though, was that the crowd just filed back to their cars after it all ended. I wanted to get inside the heads of these people who had such a different outlook on life.

Those folks missed an opportunity to interact in a positive way with someone outside the Kingdom, someone who was interested in what life might be like on the inside.

In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect. (1 Peter 3.15, ESV)

It’s not just that church… How many of us “just file back to our cars” after a service or interact only with people we know? Ought we not to have our antenna up for visitors, some of whom may be bona fide “seekers”?

Rob was impressed with the church service, but he did not appear to be impressed with the people. There’s a lesson for church leaders, maybe. We spend a lot of time planning “the service” expecting that the quality of our music and our preaching will make a difference. And it might. But if we’re not building a community of people genuinely concerned about those outside the Kingdom, the effect is diminished.

Look to the right and see: there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul. (Psalm 142.4, ESV)

PS The article ends with “You can suggest items for his list at @rlazebnik on Threads.net.” I was going to write him a note, perhaps suggesting a book by Tim Keller like Prodigal God or The Reason for God. (I was thinking the late Tim Keller because a lot of artists and media people attended his church in New York City.) However, I’m not on Instagram, which using Threads.net requires. If one of you wants to read the entire article and write him a note, have at it.