A little something from the Christian Renewal found on:
Posted on 04/27/2005 2:09:17 PM PDT by thePilgrim
by Johan D.Tangelder
April 2005
One of North America's most prominent religious movements in the last two decades of the 20th century was “effective evangelism.” It seeks “to grow” churches by using tools from the fields of management, marketing, psychology, and communications. Its reliance on business methods was lifted to great heights by the “church growth” school movement. Theology gave way to technique. The concern “Will it work?” began to overshadow the question “Is it true?”
CHURCH GROWTH MOVEMENT
Many people identify this movement with the late Donald McGavran, a missionary to India, who coined the term “church growth.” In 1959 he founded the Institute of Church Growth at Eugene, Oregon, an organization dedicated to enlarging evangelical congregations by means of analyzing successful churches and using the tools of the social sciences. In 1965, the Institute of Church Growth became part of the School of World Missions at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California. McGavran's research led him to the conclusion that the largest and most successful churches are relatively homogeneous congregations, “a section of society in which all members have some characteristics in common.” The key to church growth, then, lays in targeting discreet communities of homogeneous individuals. In other words, the church growth movement concentrates on “winnable people.” McGravan's pragmatic theories have been embraced by many evangelical leaders who use them to build large and growing congregations, especially in white, middle-class, family-focused, career-centered, baby boomers' suburbs.
THE CUSTOMER IS KING
The church growth school gives the distinct impression that it is all about techniques, methods, and marketing. Os Guinness points out that megachurches have been built on the philosophical and structural pattern of America's recent shopping malls. He writes that “one-stop-shopping” is a theme common to all megachurches. The biggest churches offer not only spiritual attractions but also features such as movie theatres, weight rooms, and saunas. And in his book, The Body, Charles Colson comments, “Church growth has become the hottest business in the religious world today. If ‘the customer is king,’ then the church has to react as any organization does to consumer demand, which means find the right marketing strategy.”
The relativism lurking in Purpose-Driven fad.
ping for later read.
Thank you. (permit me a few additional bumps of those who may be interested)
You must read real fast. I was barely done with the first post when your one showed up.
In the service of the Lord,
Christian.
I'd like to support this excellent article. 8~)
I read it immediately - this is an underdiscussed phenomenon that fascinates me.
Lots of MSM articles on emgachurches, but no substance like they are writing articles about a roller derby or a swap meet.
lots of propaganda from Rick Warren pumping the movement.
Very little critical analysis from a Christian perspective out there.
The best indicator of health, I think, is our habit of spinning off daughter churches at the rate of approximately one per year. When the soviet empire fell, our people started planting churches in Ukraine, Poland, Austria. Our current pastor went from campus ministry to church planting in Guam. This year, our denomination is sending teams to plant churches in Edinburgh, Scotland, and Istanbul, somewhere else.
pingaponga
Explains a lot about his attitude.
Theology gave way to technique. The concern “Will it work?” began to overshadow the question “Is it true?”
This guy seems to think that if a presentation is not boring, it can't possibly be true. Is it any wonder the CRC is losing members?
AMEN! Good work.
More local churches which conform to correct doctrine, by the grace of God. Not bigger, monolithic bureaucracies.
So, while it takes the catholics nearly 20 years to train a priest, we can get laborers into the harvest far more quickly.
Weekly attendance hovers between 750 and 1,000 worshippers. A denominational conference, however, drew 2,300 students from more than 200 east coast colleges.
Nowhere in the article does he say or imply this in any way.
Theology gave way to technique. The concern “Will it work?” began to overshadow the question “Is it true?”
750-1,000 sounds like a good group.
Places like Saddleback have claimed a membership of 30,000.
That's a lot of folding chairs.
Theology gave way to technique. The concern “Will it work?” began to overshadow the question “Is it true?”
Perhaps you think "theology" is "boring." Or "truth?"
?? Starting from where? Fifth grade?
Seminary is usually 4 years to ordination, if a man has a Catholic theology undergrad degree, six years otherwise, I believe. That's 8 or 10 years from high school graduation, not 20.
But it's the laity, not priests, who are primarily called to evangelize the world.
Orthodox: We recognize the truths of historic Christianity as found in the Apostle's Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Chalcedonian Creed.
Reformation Protestants: We embrace the theological understandings of salvation recovered through the work of the early reformers such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Uhlrich Zwingli. Specifically, we celebrate the biblical doctrines highlighted during the reformation of sola fida, sola gratia, sola scriptura, and the priesthood of the believer.
Commitment to Holiness: We recognize the immense contribution of John Wesley in calling a generation out of dead religious traditions to a whole-hearted pursuit of Christ marked by obedience to His Word.
Evangelical: We believe in the necessity of conversion as a requisite for salvation. We honor the great gospel preachers throughout the annals of church history who have faithfully proclaimed the message of repentance from sin and faith forwards God.
Charismatic: We embrace the doctrine and the experience of Spirit baptism at or subsequent to conversion and the accompanying gifts that God bestows upon believers. William Seymour was one of the early pioneers of this movement.
Apostolic: We affirm the restoration of ministry gifts described in the New Testament and recognize the legitimate role of extra-local ministries to help the local church become all God has destined it to be. We practice a style of leadership that focuses more on vision and results rather than committees and processes.
Orthodox: We recognize the truths of historic Christianity as found in the Apostle's Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Chalcedonian Creed.
Reformation Protestants: We embrace the theological understandings of salvation recovered through the work of the early reformers such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Uhlrich Zwingli. Specifically, we celebrate the biblical doctrines highlighted during the reformation of sola fida, sola gratia, sola scriptura, and the priesthood of the believer.
Commitment to Holiness: We recognize the immense contribution of John Wesley in calling a generation out of dead religious traditions to a whole-hearted pursuit of Christ marked by obedience to His Word.
Evangelical: We believe in the necessity of conversion as a requisite for salvation. We honor the great gospel preachers throughout the annals of church history who have faithfully proclaimed the message of repentance from sin and faith forwards God.
Charismatic: We embrace the doctrine and the experience of Spirit baptism at or subsequent to conversion and the accompanying gifts that God bestows upon believers. William Seymour was one of the early pioneers of this movement.
Apostolic: We affirm the restoration of ministry gifts described in the New Testament and recognize the legitimate role of extra-local ministries to help the local church become all God has destined it to be. We practice a style of leadership that focuses more on vision and results rather than committees and processes.
What signs?
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