The Krispy Kreme Church.
When I was a kid in the summer my family would venture off to the shores of South Carolina for a family vacation at the beach. Right down the boardwalk from the hotel was a Krispy Kreme Donut shop. Dad would give my older brother a few bucks and soon he would return with a dozen or two of hot freshly made Krispy Kreme donuts. The donuts would actually melt in my mouth and I would wash them down with ice-cold whole milk. My brothers and I would boast as to how many donuts we could eat. Once I ate four donuts and thought I was king.
Each donut is about 210 calories.
Four donuts and a cup of milk are about 1,000 calories—empty calories.
As a child I thought I could live off of Krispy Kreme donuts but as you know, sugar-glazed donuts and whole milk are not very nutritious, and ultimately not very filling.
Just because one is consuming massive quantities of Krispy Kreme donuts doesn’t mean he is healthy.
Spirituality is a lot like Krispy Kreme donuts.
At some point you have to change your diet or you will die.
I think there are many folks who are being fed sugar-glazed theology and they leave the building with a sugar rush having consumed 1,000 calories of bad theology thinking they have been fed when in realty they are just buzzing from the sugar.
After a half-hour nap they are hungry again. Many go back to the donut shop not realizing that they are being fed white flour and sugar, or that they cannot get healthy off the white flour and sugar regardless of how much you eat.
They have the Church of Krispy Kreme tee-shirt,
the Krispy Kreme Church Study Bible,
the Krispy Kreme Church Praise CD,
the Krispy Kreme Church Small Group
but no one is getting healthy.
Folks get addicted to the sugar buzz rather than God.
And when the sugar buzz diminishes they think God has gone some where and so they create a new version of the same donut. It’s still white flour and sugar no matter how you serve it.
That’s the problem, eventually folks wake-up sick and in great need of spiritual food.
Their minds attempt to send them back to the Church of Krispy Kreme, but their bodies are begging for something nutritious. Consuming massive amount of sugar-glazed theology only makes them sicker.
Just because there are long crowded lines at Krispy Kreme doesn’t mean the food is healthy.
Will someone please tell this to the church?
18 Comments:
Once again, you have told it like it is. Good analogy.
Amen. I'd be happy to tell it to the church, but they have this annoying tendency to pick up rocks and throw them. After getting stoned, burned and tortured a few times, well, it can make you hestitate. Well said.
What can I say? You just summarized the bulk of my "Christian" life.
Rick,
I have avoided the Krispy Kreme Church in my area...but the problem is I have avoided church for the last six months. My body has become thristy and hungry for real spiritual food. I honestly am not sure how to find it, it hasn't been at any of the churches I've visited so I gave up.
Any suggestions for someone like me who is aware that they need some "nutrious food" back in their life?
It's funny you mention donuts - and important to note the difference between donuts as fellowship and donuts as nourishment - spiritual or physical.
The church I've been attending fries up nearly 1,000 donut holes (real, solid, cake donuts - not this wispy Krispy Kreme fried-air things) for each of their three Sunday services.
Why? Because they believed in welcoming, in fellowship, in building community long before the C-word got as trendy as it is today. That's a GREAT use of donuts.
But while their fellowship may be dusted with powdered sugar, when it comes to preaching, to their commitment to service to the inner-city, in their involvement in social-justice, they are a 100% red-meat community - no children's milk being served here. They welcome people - but they encourage visitors to get involved and committed - whether they are "members" or not.
I agree with Jon - so much of my life (especially before the last 15 years) was tied to "sugar and fluff" and not to any substance. So I'm grateful for those who are willing to offer substance, and not sugar- coat it either.
we all need to be fed; it really does matter what is going in and how long it stays in.
but rick - is there a happy medium? where is the perfect church that balances where we need to be fed with the *correct* theology, the *correct* doctrine?
i don't want sugar-coating. i don't want it all to be complex yet i know it isn't all that simple because we mess things up so bad.
we need to come back to Jesus and sit at His feet. isaiah had the perfect idea for church:
All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; Come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk!
2
Why spend your money for what is not bread; your wages for what fails to satisfy? Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare.
3
Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life. I will renew with you the everlasting covenant, the benefits assured to David...
how do we get there?
Thanks for the comments.
How do we get there? How 'bout we get over the doctrine and the "selling" of personal belief systems and move to a relational aspect of the faith. Let's set at the feet of Jesus whee we are real about ourseleves, our struggles with God, faith and life.
I think we need to spend less time in attempting to get it "right" and more time on getting it "real."
Something simple would work. A few prayers, a few readings, perhaps a sermon/personal faith story, eucharist and some time sharing our expereince, strength and hope we find in GOd. No one gets to tell others WHAT or HOW to believe, we can only pray together and share our hopes and fears as we attempt to reflect what God is doing in our midst.
That's a start. :)
wow, you hit me between the eyes...where are you planted, kind sir?
is it a commutable distance from new jersey??
Rick, I don't understand. I started using a study bible that focuses on life application a few months ago and it has already enriched my life in unexpected ways (even though I don't agree with everything the editors say) A few years ago, when I worked in sales, I spent all day in the car and listened to praise and worship cd's endlessly. I have to tell you, at a dark and difficult time in my life God comforted and strengthened me through the medium of music - many times I knew He was in the car with me. And, for the first time, my wife and I have become part of a small group where we have felt love and acceptance without the overpowering need to conform. I've experienced an ever deepening relationship with God through all of these.
And honestly Rick, I have a pastor at church now that I love and respect greatly. I don't want him to 'not' lead me in the faith. I want him to fight tooth and nail for me - for all of us - and I'm praying and preparing for him to enlist me in the fight for others as well.
So here's a question that has to be asked...why must a 'relational aspect' be a separate and distinct end goal? What if a holistic approach to our Christ-focused faith were to incorporate multiple modes of thinking, doing, acting and being instead of one over-riding theological construct at the expense of all others?
I'm not saying I have it figured out and Leonard Sweet doesn't. No way. But what happens to guys like me, who aren't PoMo enough?
What happens to me?
Again thanks for the responses!
RWK, I too have an application study bible that is outstanding. I highly suggest folks meditating on scripture. I too listen to music that often brings me to my knees in worship of GOd, and I love small groups that challenge me by their way of living out the Gospel. I am in favor of all of these. I did not mean to imply that these are bad or that folks don't encounter God.
At the same time, I have often encountered many folks who have shown up repeatedly week after week who are truly starving for deep spiritual nourishment who have not been feed and are malnourished in the faith. They are doing everything and continue to return to the donut shop but they are not being fed. The donuts don't taste that good any more. And because they were addicted to the sugar buzz and not God (they actually believe the SUGAR is God) they inevitable attempt to get their fix by eating more sugar and it doesn't work. Just becasue there is a long line for donuts doesn't mean that they are nourishing. The same for church. Many folks are addicted to what makes them buzz with emoton and seek to get that emotional buzz and often seek out the next latest and greatest craze in Christianity because they are truly seeking something deeper but don't know where to go because all they have eaten is sugar donuts.
I too want to be led in the faith, but I want to be led by example of the faith community who lives out their expereince of God with one another. I think mentors, pastors and priests are great-- heck, I am one!
With all that said, I appreciate your point of view and I am glad that you brought it up. I certainly needed to clairfy myself. This wasn't a criticism of bible study, small groups or worship cds. Thanks for taking the time to share your point of view and expereience!
I'm reminded of the New Testaments that were published recently in the form of teen girl and guy magazines. Revolve, the one for girls, asks such pressing questions of the text as, "Are you dating a Godly guy?" and promises to give you "Beauty Secrets You've Never Heard Before!"
I didn't look at the other one - I was too depressed after seeing the first one.
Love the analogy, Rick.
Have I ever told you you're my 'blog-hero?'
I may have to write a post about that.
Where's this krispy kreme church at? Man, I love those things!
hehehe
well said Rick, unfortuately those who need to hear this most will never read it, or dismiss it out of hand...excuse me I have to get back to reading the purpose driven life...
Rick - I do understand now... After my second go 'round I have to say that I couldn't agree with you more. Thanks for doing that.
Catch this one late.
The point is balance. Krispy Kreme is a fad as much as Atkins. The Great Commandment asked that we love God first with all our heart, mind, soul, strength before we love our neighbors. So a good dose of emotion is OK.
In fact, most of the time our mind saturated with the truth before our heart desiring it, and a long time before our action reflects it.
Thanks for the illustration. Will use it with Atkins...
Super post, and great comments!
We did a Krispy Kreme fundraiser. I have a picture of me surrounded by dozens and dozens of krispy kremes. I hope I never see one of those evil things again.
I am of mixed mind about this. I really enjoy seeing the youth come alive in an environment where "Christ is Cool," especially at the very exciting Contemporary Christian concerts. If something is going to be "hip" with the youth, it might as well be Christ! On the other hand, our faith must be more than confection and a sugar high, because the Holy Spirit doesn't work through glands and emotion, or through mental disciplines that craft theology - a science ... although these are part of the picture. The Holy Spirit works through our souls, at one with God, and we must always remember to trust and love God in the bad times, as well as in the good. It is not easy, because once the "fun" goes away, for many so does God - or so they think. Fear is nothing but denial of Christ, and war is nothing but denial of the power of God. Trust God. And may all of your days be filled with confection - spiritual manna from heaven.
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