Co-opted

I think this is pretty much incontrovertible proof that suburban American evangelicism has been fully co-opted by the American dream. I'm not against churches having non-spiritual activities, but when the focus becomes amenities and fun, then you've lost sight of the vision of the church. Historically, many Christians have erred by being in the world, but also being of it - that brought the downfall of socially liberal denominations in the early part of this century. On the other end of the spectrum, some have withdrawn so much that they become not of the world but not in it either.

Never before, however, have I heard of churches that seem to be of the world but not in it! They withdraw into a church-supercenter-community, but that community is so worldly in its focus that they bear no resemblance at all to traditional withdrawn religious communities (monasteries, etc).

Maybe I'm being a little harsh, but honestly, with this much stuff built around the church, one can hardly see Christ any more.