I don't beg people to follow Jesus. Some might find that to be a truly horrific statement. They may wonder what I'm doing in ministry. Before you write me off completely, let me explain. The "pleading with people to come to faith" methodology stems from a few assumtions: 1) It's all about Heaven and Hell (or at least that's the most important thing) 2) "Being a Christian" comprises of holding the right beliefs in your head (or mentally agreeing with the right ideas) 3) Morality is all Jesus is really looking for.
I buy into none of these assumptions. While Heaven and Hell are realities (though most popular understandings of them are misleading at best) they most certainly are not the point. On top of that, simply holding the right beliefs in ones head is worthless, and morality as an end unto itself is an anemic goal unworthy of the Blood of Jesus. The point is Jesus. It's living in the Way of Jesus. It's living out the mission of Jesus. It's impacting and interacting with the world the way Jesus would if he were us. I try to reveal the mission. I try to point to the Way. I try to paint the beautiful picture of the Kingdom of God...of how the world would be if we let God use us to bring his dream into reality. If they aren't interested, I'm not going to beg them. Jesus didn't. When groups of His followers left because His Way was to hard or different from what they wanted, He looked at his other disciples and said "Are you going to leave too? There's the door."
On a slightly related and slightly unrelated note, I've been thinking about church growth and numeric (attendance) goals recently. To be totally honest (que hostile responses) I think such goals may be sinful. I base that on the account of David's sin of taking a census of Isreal and things Jesus said about about the man who built bigger barns. On top of that I have a real problem when we commodify people and reduce them to numbers. It seems like we are only interested in getting more butts in our pews for the glory/continuing existence of each individual congregation. It seems to me that if we instead focused on making/being disciples (apprentices) of the Way of Jesus and focus on transforming our churches into communities of faith that motivate by inclusion (rather than exclusion), we would see true growth stemming not from programs, but as a natural product of who we are. It seems to me that if we care more about who we are (supposed to be) and less about numbers, God will be more likely to bless us with the numbers. On the other hand, if we seek numbers as an end unto themselves for the glory/continued existence of our individual congregations, God may well refuse to bless such goals. Jesus said something about "if you want to save your life you will lose it, but if you pour out your life for my sake and the sake of the Gospel, you will find it"(paraphrase mine). I wonder if that applies to churches too.
AE
9 comments:
Adam,
I think you may be the first preacher I've come across who wasn't gung ho on attendance goals (or at least who was vocal about it). But I think you have some very valid points.
I don't think that setting attendance goals is wrong--having a concrete, measurable goal can be helpful. In some cases, if goals are not met, or if attendance starts dropping off, you may need to do a "check-up" on your church and try to find out why--some changes may need to be made. Setting goals in and of themselves is not sinful. We do have to question motives in goal-setting, though. Are we looking to raise our attendance so that we can bring in more money for a new church building, or so that we can be the "it" church in town? OR are we truly seeking to save souls? I don't think God's concerned with how many people are listed on our church directories; He's concerned with more people coming to know Him.
As far as programs go, I've long been of the opinion that if a program is meant to happen, God will make it happen. Programs do not equal relationship with God--they can definitely enhance it, but you can have a church with 100 different programs and no heart for God. While certain programs may attract different people to different churches--youth programs or singles programs, for instance--I think what truly keeps people coming back and brings them to accept Christ is coming to know His love for them.
I see you're reading "The Story We Find Ourselves In" -- I'm about halfway through it right now. Let's get on the email, dude. I'd love to know what you're thinking right now!
Amen and amen, Adam.
I'm not the biblical scholar that I could be - but my reading of the Gospels don't even show Jesus begging people to follow Jesus. So I can definitely get on-board with the idea that I shouldn't be doing it.
And I'm grateful for you naming those three assumptions - I've been fighting them myself for nearly 30 years, and in those 3 decades I've only found about a half-dozen churches willing to openly question their supposedly "correct" answers to them.
To your three assumptions, I'd add a fourth: the assumption that if you're in church, you're "saved" or you're somehow "in" with God. To me, this is very much like assuming that if I spent every Sunday morning for 10 years in a basketball arena, I'd be Michael Jordan. I could be like him...but I'd have to be doing things a lot differently than I do now...
Time and time again I've heard, "You've gotta be saved, boy." The question is, saved from what, and to what? It continues to amaze me that churches are willing to save my soul from the pain of an after-life of hell - but very few are willing to address how to escort me (or anyone else) out of (or through) the hell that so often makes up daily living. It comes back to Matthew 25 for me, time and time again...doing to (and for) the least of these. And that includes those inside the church who come against hard times - spiritually, mentally and emotionally.
Having the right dogma, holding one's hands just so over the communion elements, making sure that I'm right to the letter of the text when dealing with sin of any kind (the whole "I have kept all these [commandments] from my youth" idea of Christian living)...to me, they all become works-righteousness. And while James did write that "faith without works is dead," I really wish he had stated the obvious (and true) converse: that works without faith is living death; it's un-life.
At almost every AA meeting I've ever attended, at some point someone quotes from chapter 5 of the AA text that says, "If you want what we have, and are willing to go to any lengths to get it, you are ready to take certain steps." The converse is true here, also: if you don't want what we have, have it your way. I wish I could find a church that would say, "Welcome. If you find what we have worthwhile, join us. If not, we're grateful to have you join us this morning, anyway." It would be interesting to see the difference between that and "you've gotta 'have it our way' or you'll burn!" approach I hear so often.
It's funny about numerical growth, too - a 12-step principle that originated in Christianity (via the turn-of-the-century Oxford Groups) is that when we straighten out spiritually, we also get better physically, emotionally, financially, and socially. I think the same is true for the church - when we start living and serving as Jesus would have us live and serve, and focusing on Jesus instead of the church, amazing things can happen. One of the best examples of this being the testimony of Jim Cymbala (the Brooklyn Tabernacle) described in Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire. He told his congregation that the strength and success of their ministry would be measured not by what happened on Sunday morning, but by what happened and who attended the Tuesday prayer meetings. An interesting concept...
I have to be reminded that Acts 2 says that "they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer...And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved" (2:42, 2:47b). It specifically does not say that if your numbers are growing, then you must be Goliaths of spiritual discipline. (Heck, the Chicago Bears still average nearly 60,000-plus a game, and there's nothing to inspire faith there, to be sure...)
OK - forgive the comment-turned-epistle. I think you're onto some good stuff - and you've given me much to think of, as well. Thanks!
good thoughts, good conversation on this stuff - that's what's missing most of the time from "church growth" stuff. numbers are good to give a measure of whether you're doing certain things well, but they're not the end-all of the system. i'd rather have more new people than old people, more new leaders than same old leaders, more visitors than missing members, etc. numbers can be whatever you want them to be, and still not reflect that you just want to commune with and grow the kingdom.
good stuff!
Adam, GREAT insights! You got it going on, brother! I am glad that I found our blog....I will be an avid reader from now on.
It always blew my mind when I heard someone described as a "faithful" Christian on the SOLE basis that he attended church every time the doors were open. It didn't really matter what he was doing the rest of the week evidently!
God bless you in your ministry,
DU
Interesting comments. We are entering a building project at our congregation(est.$2mil.+) and I cringe everytime the elders talk about it from the pulpit. I used to be for more facilities by my thinking has changed a lot in the last 10 years. I just don't think we need a place bigger, just so we can see all 700 of us at the same time. In church business, I think smaller is better, more intimate, more personal. We have to be careful we don't fall into the trap of thinking we can't grow unless we build a facility to grow into. Growth can be defined in many ways and I am uncomfortable with any attention given to growth rates based on numbers. God says he will give the increase if we sow the seed. We need to try that. Good luck in your ministry with youth. No better calling in my opinion.
Keith
Growing bigger by growing smaller is a good perspective. It is very hard in light of tsunami damage and loss to justify millions on bricks.
YES!!! Awesome post!
Adam, this is good stuff. I love the Northpoint Community Church approach. They don't measure success by numbers, but by stories. I have so much more to say, but I won't.
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