Sometimes i am still amased at how God moves His shepherds and His Watchmen to the same place at the same time. i have been reading some of the work of a Layman named Paul Proctor who has been dealing with the subject of the Apostate Church. He cites the present Church Growth movement in particular. Note also that The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals (Michael Horton's organisation), has been dealing with this same subject since the early 90's.
i'm fighting this war within my own church. Our Leadership has decided to study and implement the Saddleback model, and are pushing Rick Warren's The Purpose Driven Church. i have informed the leadership that they will do this over their dead bodies (i don't plan on dying alone). So we see a "line in the sand" mentality.
You know, i've always wondered...If we are trying to market the church as we would a business,...
1) Who are the "customers"?Just some thoughts.
2) Who are the "employees"?
3) Who are the "Bosses"?
4) What is the "product"?
5) Didn't Jesus chase the "businessmen" out of the temple?
6) What's the difference between marketing animal sacrifices, and marketing the sacrifice of Christ?
Are they planning on wearing Hawaiian shirts in the pulpit, too?
We've been to Saddleback services a few times with relatives. Our younger son calls it "Church du Soleil."
It's "church as therapy." Their guideline is "what has church done for you lately?" They have it backwards.
Warren's made a fortune on that book, and God is not the richer for it, IMO.
"Worship is an end to itself; not a means to an end."
Great line, OldCodger. The antithesis of Saddleback.