A few months ago, NBC took a big risk. The network killed five hours of popular (and expensive) dramatic shows and filled those hours with what was essentially a retooled Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Critics were merciless, viewers defected, local news ratings took a nosedive and affiliates began to panic. Less than a year later, NBC called off the experiment. After the Winter Olympics are over, the network will begin moving most of the furniture back to where it used to be. Jimmy Fallon will stick around and the dramas won't all return right away, but for all practical purposes, the risk-taking is over and things at the peacock will be returning to normal.
Like NBC, the United Methodist Church is an institution whose heyday appears to be long gone. Consider the similarities:
- NBC was a pioneer broadcast network, and is still one of the "big three four." The UMC was "America's church", and grew up with the United States. Circuit riders went wherever there were people in the 18th and 19th centuries, planting communities of believers along the way.
- NBC is losing its audience to hundreds of cable channels, video on demand and the internet. The UMC is losing its "audience" to more innovative, specialized churches that go where the people are and to non-Christian religions and spirituality.
- NBC was once known for top-notch programming. Remember its "Must See" comedy Thursdays and its legendary dramas? Most of those are gone now. Leno was moved to 10PM (9PM here in Texas) to save a buck, but by making that decision, NBC sold its soul. Dramas and comedies helped build NBC. The UMC was built on the foundation of an evangelical gospel with a social edge. We helped the poor and built schools and hospitals, but it all went back to a warmed heart and a pursuit of holiness. Somewhere in the 20th Century, we moved this Gospel out of "prime-time" to make room for a "nice guy" social gospel. (Leno's a good guy too, but he works best outside of prime time. He really messed things up at 10:00. )
- NBC will probably never have the same influence it enjoyed years ago. Neither will mainline denominations like the UMC. That's not necessarily a bad thing, and the sooner we realize that, the more likely we will thrive as a movement. You see, NBC isn't just a broadcast network, it's part of a larger company that also owns cable channels, motion picture companies, TV production companies, local stations and theme parks. NBC as a network may be losing market share to cable, but if NBC Universal's cable properties are growing, then the big picture is not so bleak. If the UMC is losing people to nondenominational megachurches and emerging congregations, then we need to plant our own! Ultimately it's about the Kingdom of God anyway, not our particular brand of Christianity.
In the world of TV, people don't care as much about NBC as much as they care about good content. And in the world of faith, substance trumps denominational loyalty and brand names every time. To thrive, the United Methodist Church needs to forget about surviving and go back to its Gospel foundation. By majoring on the majors, keeping the minors in "late night", and diversifying our distribution channels, our church could once again become a potent force on the spiritual landscape. Time will tell.
