Today's Church pt 5
Say, “I’m a Christian” to these pilgrims, and they flee for their lives. Say “I’m a disciple of Jesus,” and they gather round to hear more.[1] America is tired of seeing spirituality not being played out in the Church. Sheldon Vanauken cites:
The best argument for Christianity is Christians; their joy, their certainty, their completeness. But the strongest argument against Christianity is also Christians – when they are somber and joyless, when they are self-righteousness and smug in complacent consecration, when they are narrow and repressive, then Christianity dies a thousand deaths.[2]
The word “Christian” carries a different demeanor and stereotype today than 2,000 years ago. The terms “non-Christian” and “non-believer” are rejected because most of the unchurched deem themselves to be Christian.[3] To be a Christian in today’s society means that she can do anything she wants throughout the week, but she has to be spiritual on Sunday in Church. The meaning has been watered down. Someone who says he goes to church means he is a Christian in today’s culture.
Yet people are still attracted to the name of Jesus. Jesus Christ has been discussed more than any other man that has walked on the face of the earth. He has been studied and picked apart. The reality is people are searching for spiritual aspects in their lives and are desperate. The Bible remains the best-selling book in America, several centuries after its initial release date.[4]
However, Christian and Protestant Churches are on the decline. There are over 20,000 denominations around the world, plus thousands of independent groups and para-church organizations.[5] There is so much division within Christianity that the people looking from the outside are disgusted with the way things are handled. Sunday is the most divided day of the week.
The Muslim church is the fastest growing religious body in America.[6] People are searching for friends, a place to belong, and a ministry, and if the Church does not give that to them, then they will find it in another place. George Barna states these facts:
Less than 1 out of 10 non-Christians stated that the Protestant church in America is very sensitive to their needs. For three-quarters of the people groups studied non-Christians were less than half as convinced that the Protestant churches are very sensitive to the needs of people in those groups. Given these perceptions, how attractive can the Church be to these non-believers?[7]
Every day people are leaving the Church and trying to go back to God in some form. Leith Anderson says it best when referring to the society stating, “Because society is dynamic, those churches that do not become dynamic and refuse to change, they will die. The only question is how long it will take.”[8] Another one of the fastest-growing religions in America is Buddhism, because its followers tend to practice what they believe.[9]
The Church is failing to recognize and take fully into its heart the wonder and glory of Christ’s churches.[10] Jesus placed more emphasis on His relationship with lost people than programs in the synagogue or temples. Authentic relationship must be the key. Leaders have to realize the needs of the community. Gary McIntosh says, “Faithful churches become effective not simply because they do the right things but because they understand why the right things need to be done.”[11] As the culture changes and people manifest different needs, the Church must update its techniques to accomplish the task at hand. This means that a strategy for listening to people must be in place. How can the Church better serve the family’s needs? Needs are discovered through effective listening.
The best argument for Christianity is Christians; their joy, their certainty, their completeness. But the strongest argument against Christianity is also Christians – when they are somber and joyless, when they are self-righteousness and smug in complacent consecration, when they are narrow and repressive, then Christianity dies a thousand deaths.[2]
The word “Christian” carries a different demeanor and stereotype today than 2,000 years ago. The terms “non-Christian” and “non-believer” are rejected because most of the unchurched deem themselves to be Christian.[3] To be a Christian in today’s society means that she can do anything she wants throughout the week, but she has to be spiritual on Sunday in Church. The meaning has been watered down. Someone who says he goes to church means he is a Christian in today’s culture.
Yet people are still attracted to the name of Jesus. Jesus Christ has been discussed more than any other man that has walked on the face of the earth. He has been studied and picked apart. The reality is people are searching for spiritual aspects in their lives and are desperate. The Bible remains the best-selling book in America, several centuries after its initial release date.[4]
However, Christian and Protestant Churches are on the decline. There are over 20,000 denominations around the world, plus thousands of independent groups and para-church organizations.[5] There is so much division within Christianity that the people looking from the outside are disgusted with the way things are handled. Sunday is the most divided day of the week.
The Muslim church is the fastest growing religious body in America.[6] People are searching for friends, a place to belong, and a ministry, and if the Church does not give that to them, then they will find it in another place. George Barna states these facts:
Less than 1 out of 10 non-Christians stated that the Protestant church in America is very sensitive to their needs. For three-quarters of the people groups studied non-Christians were less than half as convinced that the Protestant churches are very sensitive to the needs of people in those groups. Given these perceptions, how attractive can the Church be to these non-believers?[7]
Every day people are leaving the Church and trying to go back to God in some form. Leith Anderson says it best when referring to the society stating, “Because society is dynamic, those churches that do not become dynamic and refuse to change, they will die. The only question is how long it will take.”[8] Another one of the fastest-growing religions in America is Buddhism, because its followers tend to practice what they believe.[9]
The Church is failing to recognize and take fully into its heart the wonder and glory of Christ’s churches.[10] Jesus placed more emphasis on His relationship with lost people than programs in the synagogue or temples. Authentic relationship must be the key. Leaders have to realize the needs of the community. Gary McIntosh says, “Faithful churches become effective not simply because they do the right things but because they understand why the right things need to be done.”[11] As the culture changes and people manifest different needs, the Church must update its techniques to accomplish the task at hand. This means that a strategy for listening to people must be in place. How can the Church better serve the family’s needs? Needs are discovered through effective listening.
Paid in Full
[1] Leonard Sweet, Aqua Church (Loveland: Group, 1999.), 41.
[2] Leonard Sweet, Carpe Mañana: Is Your Church Ready to Seize Tomorrow? (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001), 102.
[3] Barna, Grow Your Church From Outside In, 93.
[4] George Barna and Mark Hatch, Boiling Point: Monitoring Cultural Shifts in the 21st Century (Ventura: Regal, 2001), 225.
[5] Krupp, 145.
[6] Barna and Hatch, 212.
[7] Henry Klopp, The Ministry Playbook: Strategic Planning for Effective Churches (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2002), 11.
[8] Klopp, 82.
[9] Michael Slaughter and Warren Bird, Unlearning Church: Just When You Thought You Had Leadership All Figured Out! (Orange: Group Publishing, 2002), 109.
[10] Medford Jones, Building Dynamic Churches (Joplin: College Press Publishing Company, 1991), 22.
[11] Gary L. McIntosh, Biblical Church Growth: How You Can Work with God to Build a Faithful Church (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2003), 25.
