Posted on 12/11/2017 1:50:26 PM PST by aMorePerfectUnion
A few months after becoming pastor of Parkway Baptist Church, a 21-year-old Armour D. Stephenson III, or “AD3” as he is affectionately known, sat down with his deacons — almost all men over 40 — and laid out plans for his own version of the great flood.
“The entire dynamic of our church was about to change,” AD3 recalls of the fateful 2006 meeting. His first decree: “Stop wearing suits on Sundays.”
The congregation’s response? An exodus. Membership dwindled from about 300 to a low of 85. “Any time you’re shifting culture, there’s going to be some casualties,” AD3 says.
(Excerpt) Read more at kansascity.com ...
“The role of the church is to see a need, meet a need,” AD3 says, sitting next to his wife, Jessica, aka Lady J, in their Lee’s Summit home. “Those changes were about doing an introspection on what the need was and being willing to do everything it takes to meet that need. If that meant tearing down walls of tradition, so be it.”
Much more at link from various churches with strong outreach and response from millenials.
The churches that are growing are culturally relevant and Biblically relevant.
And of course there are those churches that are growing just because the number of illegal immigrants flooding in, but that’s another story.
Thank goodness this guy's not in a leadership position at my church. The role of the church is to confront a lost world, preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and help save souls.
Super-fun rap-star church.
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Very good article, thanks for posting. I’ve seen both sides. I think the key is balance; but faithful preaching and teaching must be the cornerstone.
“The churches that are growing are culturally relevant”
You must have described my stupid parish. For a span, we had a TRILINGUAL mass: Filipino, Spanish, English mass at the same time to appease the immigrants or whatever pc crap they’re used to. It was only after a LOT of calls to the office about us getting a headache at mass that they stopped.
And so they do, but you will have to read more of the article. The KC Star must be excerpted legally.
AD3 and Lady J? Really?
Give me a break.
His first decree was this? This was the most important thing in his approach to the ministry?
1 Corinthians 9:19-23
19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.
20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.
21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.
22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.
23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
Yes, "moovova"
Just let it happen gradually.
If the preacher is preaching the Word, I don't care if he's wearing a suit or a pair of jeans.
Preach the Word!!
I think it is a function of culture. Less than 65% of american men own a suit.
If you make wearing a suit a requirement to attend, you automatically lose 35% of men who will not hear the truth of the gospel.
Yaroslav Urzhumov......................
Out with the miracles!!
OK, but be back in 5 minutes.
Disregard last post. Wrong thread.....................
I'm good with that. Last time I checked Jesus and the disciples didn't wear a coat and tie!
Of course, that never worked with my dad...he replied they walked also when I wanted a car!
I cannot think of a church that I attended where wearing a suit was a requirement. We didn’t have ministers issuing decrees on attire, they tended to focus on teaching the Word.
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