- the attractivity of the form the information are communicated with
- the attractivity of content of that communication
The external form (look out) is according to my opinion important for the first impression which it evokes in the people. It can either discourage them or draw their attention. In that case it is crucial.
In many churches is still popular saying that it is necessary to do the things mainly sincerely and wholeheartedly and God will use it. I have nothing against sincerity at all – it is very needy, but on the other hand – ČSSD (Czech Social Democrats) meant it sincerely and how it ended – almost nobody “bought it” – because the thoughts were not followed by the deeds. What I mean by that is that we as Christians should put our hands in those thing which we mean sincerely and so we should not be hiding behind some godly phrases when we do not want to work on something. Those things we produce should have some quality otherwise the “offered product” would be very devaluated. Yes, God can use it, He can fulfill our prayers, but on the other side in the well known story the highest price was given to the one who made most of what was given to him.
When you go to he concert of some music star you expect to see the show. Beautiful lights, sound like vine, just the experience. But when the sound from the sound system is terrible (might be fault of the sound engineer) than your whole evening is ruined. even if the band would did their best – their awesome work is not heard well.
We as Christians are like the sound engineers. We have the opportunity to ruin and destroy the gospel (the offered product) or to sustain it and point it into right direction and make out of it the life changing experience. If we want to attract people the first phase is up to us. I do not mean that all of us would look that we are happy and without any troubles. I am not talking about it. I am talking about the thing that all we do we have to do with 100% appointment even when we do not want to. It is about life. Not ours, but the life of people who might not hear the gospel and might be so discourage because of our cheap performance that they are not coming back anymore…
What is your perspective? It is the external form important for you or you are just after th content??