Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Gimmick Theology
Do gimmicks or programs guarantee success within a church? I guess another blog article might be the subject of just what is “success” within a church? Considering my years of being involved with different communities of faith I asked myself if there had been a “program” that had an impact on my life?
This may sound shallow but my initial answer was “Church softball.” It was the invitation to play softball that started me on the path that I currently find myself on at the tender age of 49. Nevertheless most of the other “church programs” that I have been a part of not only had no lasting effect but I can’t remember most of their names.
Is this news to most of you? Probably not. I remember Greg in the mid to late 80’s espousing the benefits of “Body ministry” over various programs that a church could attempt to use on it’s members.
Two years ago at the Pepperdine Bible Lectures, Bob Russell, the now retired minister of the 20,000 member Southeast Christian in Louisville, KY, made an interesting statement. He said someone asked him what his approach / gimmick was in growing a 20,000-member church. He said he had no gimmicks or programs other than the preaching and teaching of God’s Word.
My good friend Curt sent me the following link to an article on the Willow Creek Church. (http://blog.christianitytoday.com/outofur/archives/2007/10/willow_creek_re.html)
Here is an exert:
Hybels confesses:
“We made a mistake. What we should have done when people crossed the line of faith and become Christians, we should have started telling people and teaching people that they have to take responsibility to become ‘self feeders.’ We should have gotten people, taught people, how to read their bible between service, how to do the spiritual practices much more aggressively on their own.”
In other words, spiritual growth doesn’t happen best by becoming dependent on elaborate church programs but through the (emphasis mine) age-old spiritual practices of prayer, bible reading, and relationships. And, ironically, these basic disciplines do not require multi-million dollar facilities and hundreds of staff to manage.”
Any of you guys feel vindicated out there? You should. It seems that if we are to provide a conduit for our people to be transformed into the image of Christ, we need to teach, challenge, and expect our people to be in prayer, to study their Bibles, and to be in relationship with God and each other in the spirit of John 4:23 –
“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”
This may sound shallow but my initial answer was “Church softball.” It was the invitation to play softball that started me on the path that I currently find myself on at the tender age of 49. Nevertheless most of the other “church programs” that I have been a part of not only had no lasting effect but I can’t remember most of their names.
Is this news to most of you? Probably not. I remember Greg in the mid to late 80’s espousing the benefits of “Body ministry” over various programs that a church could attempt to use on it’s members.
Two years ago at the Pepperdine Bible Lectures, Bob Russell, the now retired minister of the 20,000 member Southeast Christian in Louisville, KY, made an interesting statement. He said someone asked him what his approach / gimmick was in growing a 20,000-member church. He said he had no gimmicks or programs other than the preaching and teaching of God’s Word.
My good friend Curt sent me the following link to an article on the Willow Creek Church. (http://blog.christianitytoday.com/outofur/archives/2007/10/willow_creek_re.html)
Here is an exert:
Hybels confesses:
“We made a mistake. What we should have done when people crossed the line of faith and become Christians, we should have started telling people and teaching people that they have to take responsibility to become ‘self feeders.’ We should have gotten people, taught people, how to read their bible between service, how to do the spiritual practices much more aggressively on their own.”
In other words, spiritual growth doesn’t happen best by becoming dependent on elaborate church programs but through the (emphasis mine) age-old spiritual practices of prayer, bible reading, and relationships. And, ironically, these basic disciplines do not require multi-million dollar facilities and hundreds of staff to manage.”
Any of you guys feel vindicated out there? You should. It seems that if we are to provide a conduit for our people to be transformed into the image of Christ, we need to teach, challenge, and expect our people to be in prayer, to study their Bibles, and to be in relationship with God and each other in the spirit of John 4:23 –
“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”
Comments:
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Canned programs should stay locked in the can! We have found that the ministries that work best are those that originate in Christ-centered hearts and work from the inside out, not the other way around.
I would recommend two books here: Simple Church by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger and The Leader's Journey: Accepting the Call to Personal and Congregational Transformation by Jim Herrington, Robert Creech, and Trisha Taylor.
These resources encourage a spiritual disciplines-centered, Christ directed ministry in the personal lives of leaders and in the lives of members.
Peace.
I would recommend two books here: Simple Church by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger and The Leader's Journey: Accepting the Call to Personal and Congregational Transformation by Jim Herrington, Robert Creech, and Trisha Taylor.
These resources encourage a spiritual disciplines-centered, Christ directed ministry in the personal lives of leaders and in the lives of members.
Peace.
I read that article and was a little amazed that it was admitted. I agree with Steve about "The Simple Church". I read it this summer and am trying to incorporate it into my worship whether the church does or not.
The only "programs" that have made a difference or an impression on me was those in which we actually served someone else..... 'nuff said!
The only "programs" that have made a difference or an impression on me was those in which we actually served someone else..... 'nuff said!
I was just talking to our preacher this week about this very idea. I had made the comment to him that I sometimes feel "programmed to death." It is easy to get so caught up in the concept of being busy that we lose our true focus. Activity is not an automatic indicator of true growth. Great insights, thanks.
I couldn't agree more. Of course, saying that we will teach people to do those things themselves is easy. Teaching them to actually do them is much harder. We have to put our time and effort there and, probably most importantly, we have to model it constantly. We have to show the necessity of it, the reality of it, and the fruits of it.
When it comes to the spiritual disciplines, I find that we are usually big fans of the spiritual, but not such big fans of the discipline.
When it comes to the spiritual disciplines, I find that we are usually big fans of the spiritual, but not such big fans of the discipline.
When I think of programs, I always go back to the bus ministry program my congregation had many years ago. As I recall the events, our elders, et al made a trip somewhere (Texas, I think) to learn from a congregation which was thriving due to a bus ministry. They came home and we got one, too. At first, it went really well, and I don't doubt that some of those kids were touched by God's Spirit. But what I personally remember the most about it was when we had to watch a mother-daughter teaching team that I respected a great deal pick up their purses and walk out the door because some black children were brought into their classroom. I guess the teachers and congregation had not been prepared for the fact that we were reaching out to real people, some of whom would not look exactly like us. Said bus ministry fizzled and eventually stopped, and the busses were sold.
However, some of you may remember John R.'s trip with us through his spiritual journey. If I'm remembering correctly (and my memory gets fuzzy sometimes), he was originally reached by a bus ministry? Is that right, or did I dream it?
Anyway, I can remember a time in rural Arkansas when the Church of Christ had no programs. The Bible was taught and people came to the Lord and did try to incorporate the Bible into their daily lives.
Obviously, some programs work and some don't. There is some good and some bad, but I do think we can have too many and that we get away from what we're actually supposed to be focusing on.
That's all I got to say about that! :)
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However, some of you may remember John R.'s trip with us through his spiritual journey. If I'm remembering correctly (and my memory gets fuzzy sometimes), he was originally reached by a bus ministry? Is that right, or did I dream it?
Anyway, I can remember a time in rural Arkansas when the Church of Christ had no programs. The Bible was taught and people came to the Lord and did try to incorporate the Bible into their daily lives.
Obviously, some programs work and some don't. There is some good and some bad, but I do think we can have too many and that we get away from what we're actually supposed to be focusing on.
That's all I got to say about that! :)
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