Hollywood is a very formulaic town. They make things they know have worked in the past and will more than likely make money in the future. Which is why we have six of these horrible movies, four of these confusing movies, and three of these tearjerkers.

The Hangover is literally the same story three times over!

And TV is not immune to this effect either. Take a look at this little math equation:

American Idol = The Voice = America's Got Talent

For as much we might think that the movie or TV business if full of creative people and innovative ideas, it really is a very conservative town.

The same is true for the Church. We tend to do thing that we know had success in the past. So we keep doing things exactly the same.

Over. And over, And over.

Back to Hollywood for a second. Everyone knows that the Office should have stopped before the last season was made. Even me, a fan of the show, admits the last season had very few good moments. But Hollywood knew it would 'sell' and so they made it. And now the greatness of the show is tainted because of one 'should not have been made' season.

The Church will do the exact same thing. We have a great idea, then we will run it into the ground until everyone is tired of it. Then we will, for tradition sake, keep on doing it.

Over. And over. And over.

Until we are left with a ministry that no one wants to do, and it has drifted from the original brilliance and now limps along tarnishing the otherwise golden legacy it created.

So I wonder how could it be that if the entertainment business is not very risk taking, and Churches set themselves up as entertainment producers then I suppose we will continue to function as Hollywood: Formulaic.