Just read this article and it reminded me of the sad result of a powerless, miracle-less gospel. We owe this world a better representation of Jesus.
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 1 Cor. 4:20
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power. 1 Cor. 2:4
Showing posts with label Church Growth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Church Growth. Show all posts
Monday, March 9, 2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
Evangelical Churches Growing - Catholic And Mainline Decline
Interesting stats about church attendance in America.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Great Commission Commercialization
A thought provoking post HERE from Jim Thomas about the Church's approach to trying to fulfill the Great Commission:
"We have abandoned the leading and directing of the Holy Spirit in search of another way to fulfill the great commission and see numerical results. So in doing this we embraced the corporate world marketing methods and learned who to sell a product, gain a consumer, retain that consumer, and get them to tell a friend about us. I believe the church has taken the 'Great Commission" and modernized into a corporate business model. We are now operating according to principles that most effectively and efficiently generate growth, incorporate name recognition, produce satisfied customers, and maintain customer retention."
"We have abandoned the leading and directing of the Holy Spirit in search of another way to fulfill the great commission and see numerical results. So in doing this we embraced the corporate world marketing methods and learned who to sell a product, gain a consumer, retain that consumer, and get them to tell a friend about us. I believe the church has taken the 'Great Commission" and modernized into a corporate business model. We are now operating according to principles that most effectively and efficiently generate growth, incorporate name recognition, produce satisfied customers, and maintain customer retention."
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Heartbreaking Statistics
In America we are closing 7 more churches a day, than we are opening. - Charles Arn
The United States of America remains the third largest unchurched nation in the world!
In 1900 there were 27 churches for every 10,000 Americans. In 1950 there were 17 churches for every 10,000 Americans. In 1996 there were 11 churches for every 10,000 Americans. -George Gallup
Evangelical churches have failed to gain an additional 2% of the American population in the past 50 years. In other words, we are not even reaching our children! - George Barna
Estimated America Unchurched Population - 195 million (January 1996, Gallup Princeton Religion Report).
Half of all churches last year did not add one new member through conversion growth. - Charles Arn
During the last 10 years, the combined communicant membership of all Protestant Denominations has declined by 9.5% (4,498,242) while the national population has increased by 11.4% (24,153,000).
-ASCG Journal of Church Growth
Monday, August 18, 2008
Reasons People Attend Church
Apparently the music, coffee bars, kiddie play lands, etc., don't really matter that much after all. Haven't we been saying this all along?
Monday, May 5, 2008
The Biggest Churches In 1969: How Are They Doing Today?
Elmer Towns wrote a book back in 1969 that detailed the 10 largest Sunday Schools in the country. In that time Sunday School attendance was measured preferably over worship attendance because more people typically attended Sunday School. How are those top ten churches doing today, nearly 40 years later?
Check it out HERE.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Why Unity In Doctrine Is Essential - Part 1
By Dr. Opal Reddin
We agree with David Wells when he says, "there is no Christian faith in the absence of 'sound doctrine' (1 Tim. 1:10; Tit. 1:9)." Without it, we have neither the Father nor the Son (2 Jn. 9). We are told to "contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3). We must "guard" this faith (2 Tim. 1:13-14; 4:3). We know that this faith was stated in propositional truths, for Paul wrote to the Corinthians: "I plead with you that you all speak the same thing and that there be no division among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" (1 Cor. 1:10). It is on this basis that churches have statements of fundamental truths. Belief and practice are inextricably linked (1 Jn. 2:3-3:18).
There are two kinds of division, one of God and the other of Satan. When Paul warned against division, he was referring to bad division, caused by false doctrine. Some "depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons" (1 Tim. 4:1). In John's Epistles he warned, "Many antichrists have come . . .they went out from us, but they were not of us" (1 Jn. 2:18-19). Regarding fellowship, he wrote, "If anyone comes with another doctrine, do not receive him . . .for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds" (2 Jn. 10,11). Paul told the Romans to "mark those who cause division contrary to the doctrine which you have learned" and avoid them (16:17).
There is good, necessary division, the result of being separated from Error by the Truth (Jn. 17:17). Jesus said, "I came to bring division" (Lk. 12:51); He separated His Church from the Judaism that rejected Him (Jn. 1:11). Paul maintained this separation by exposing the Judaizing heresy as "another (accursed) Gospel" (Gal. 1:6-9). Without this division, Christianity would have gradually become merely a sect of Judaism.
We agree with David Wells when he says, "there is no Christian faith in the absence of 'sound doctrine' (1 Tim. 1:10; Tit. 1:9)." Without it, we have neither the Father nor the Son (2 Jn. 9). We are told to "contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3). We must "guard" this faith (2 Tim. 1:13-14; 4:3). We know that this faith was stated in propositional truths, for Paul wrote to the Corinthians: "I plead with you that you all speak the same thing and that there be no division among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" (1 Cor. 1:10). It is on this basis that churches have statements of fundamental truths. Belief and practice are inextricably linked (1 Jn. 2:3-3:18).
There are two kinds of division, one of God and the other of Satan. When Paul warned against division, he was referring to bad division, caused by false doctrine. Some "depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons" (1 Tim. 4:1). In John's Epistles he warned, "Many antichrists have come . . .they went out from us, but they were not of us" (1 Jn. 2:18-19). Regarding fellowship, he wrote, "If anyone comes with another doctrine, do not receive him . . .for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds" (2 Jn. 10,11). Paul told the Romans to "mark those who cause division contrary to the doctrine which you have learned" and avoid them (16:17).
There is good, necessary division, the result of being separated from Error by the Truth (Jn. 17:17). Jesus said, "I came to bring division" (Lk. 12:51); He separated His Church from the Judaism that rejected Him (Jn. 1:11). Paul maintained this separation by exposing the Judaizing heresy as "another (accursed) Gospel" (Gal. 1:6-9). Without this division, Christianity would have gradually become merely a sect of Judaism.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Why Have Doctrines?
I came across an old letter written by Dr. Opal Reddin in response to some A/G ministers asking this question years ago. Given the current struggle that many face as to why it is important to believe the right things about Christianity and the Bible - thought this letter brings up some great points:
"Do we want doctrinal purity? Do we want doctrines? Referring to Pentecostals and Charismatics, one very popular speaker/author recently said that "people don't want doctrine, they just want Him (God)." The writer seems to believe that people can experience God without all the fuss about doctrine.
The Assemblies of God has been delineated as being strong on Experience and weak on Doctrine. Admittedly, we have been too busy trying to evangelize the world to take time to write many "scholarly" tomes, but we have known what we believe. In my time at Fuller Theological Seminary, I was often asked, "What does the AoG believe about this?" I suffered no embarrassment whatever as I always had an answer for any who asked about any doctrinal belief.
It's true that when the 300-plus Pentecostals met in Hot Springs, April 2, 1914 to form the General Council of the Assemblies of God they disdained a formal doctrinal statement. It indeed was a biblical experience they could not deny that had caused them to be driven out of their respective denominations. Since the majority were already "Bereans" and well grounded in the Word, they saw no need for a rigid creed.
(However) It was new "Revelation" that made the young movement realize the need for written "Statement of Fundamental Truths". The (new) "Revelation" was also termed "The New Issue", "Jesus Only", "Oneness", and "Pentecostal Unitarianism". To counteract what the majority could not accept, sixteen doctrines were enunciated at the fourth General Council in 1916. The second doctrinal statement, "The One True God", is almost as lengthy as all the others combined because of the need to defend Trinitarian doctrine against the errors of Unitarianism.
In Anointed To Serve, Dr. William Menzies wrote, "It is remarkable after all of these years the Statement of Fundamental Truths, as it was called, has remained virtually unchanged, with but minor rewording for the sake of clarification in recent years." (GPH, 1971, 119). Presently we face a deja vu: Many Pentecostals and Charismatics are saying ones belief about the Godhead does not matter. I urge each of you to review your understanding of the Trinity. In fact, since many of the "Latter Rain" false teachings are being recycled, why not teach our 16 fundamental doctrines to your congregation? A member of the board of directors told me last week that he's teaching them in Sunday school and the class is growing! They love doctrine, well taught."
In Spirit and Truth,
Opal Reddin
My note: We are definitely having deja vu again today! This time around I would urge our ministers to review their understanding of the Virgin Birth, Substitutionary Atonement, Inerrancy of Scripture and the reality of Hell, just to name of few. Because there are so called "Evangelicals" today who are questioning the veracity of these core doctrines of Christianity. People do love doctrine well taught. We've been doing a Wednesday night study of these 16 fundamental truths and the groups are growing. In fact, we've had better attendance for this study than any other - and folks even had to buy a book for their study groups. I think too often pastors underestimate the desire their people have to learn Biblical doctrine and be versed well enough to never "suffer embarrassment" from not being able to answer a question about their faith. In fact such knowledge may just keep them out of divorce court, the counselor's office, the Kingdom Hall, the Mormon Temple....
"Do we want doctrinal purity? Do we want doctrines? Referring to Pentecostals and Charismatics, one very popular speaker/author recently said that "people don't want doctrine, they just want Him (God)." The writer seems to believe that people can experience God without all the fuss about doctrine.
The Assemblies of God has been delineated as being strong on Experience and weak on Doctrine. Admittedly, we have been too busy trying to evangelize the world to take time to write many "scholarly" tomes, but we have known what we believe. In my time at Fuller Theological Seminary, I was often asked, "What does the AoG believe about this?" I suffered no embarrassment whatever as I always had an answer for any who asked about any doctrinal belief.
It's true that when the 300-plus Pentecostals met in Hot Springs, April 2, 1914 to form the General Council of the Assemblies of God they disdained a formal doctrinal statement. It indeed was a biblical experience they could not deny that had caused them to be driven out of their respective denominations. Since the majority were already "Bereans" and well grounded in the Word, they saw no need for a rigid creed.
(However) It was new "Revelation" that made the young movement realize the need for written "Statement of Fundamental Truths". The (new) "Revelation" was also termed "The New Issue", "Jesus Only", "Oneness", and "Pentecostal Unitarianism". To counteract what the majority could not accept, sixteen doctrines were enunciated at the fourth General Council in 1916. The second doctrinal statement, "The One True God", is almost as lengthy as all the others combined because of the need to defend Trinitarian doctrine against the errors of Unitarianism.
In Anointed To Serve, Dr. William Menzies wrote, "It is remarkable after all of these years the Statement of Fundamental Truths, as it was called, has remained virtually unchanged, with but minor rewording for the sake of clarification in recent years." (GPH, 1971, 119). Presently we face a deja vu: Many Pentecostals and Charismatics are saying ones belief about the Godhead does not matter. I urge each of you to review your understanding of the Trinity. In fact, since many of the "Latter Rain" false teachings are being recycled, why not teach our 16 fundamental doctrines to your congregation? A member of the board of directors told me last week that he's teaching them in Sunday school and the class is growing! They love doctrine, well taught."
In Spirit and Truth,
Opal Reddin
My note: We are definitely having deja vu again today! This time around I would urge our ministers to review their understanding of the Virgin Birth, Substitutionary Atonement, Inerrancy of Scripture and the reality of Hell, just to name of few. Because there are so called "Evangelicals" today who are questioning the veracity of these core doctrines of Christianity. People do love doctrine well taught. We've been doing a Wednesday night study of these 16 fundamental truths and the groups are growing. In fact, we've had better attendance for this study than any other - and folks even had to buy a book for their study groups. I think too often pastors underestimate the desire their people have to learn Biblical doctrine and be versed well enough to never "suffer embarrassment" from not being able to answer a question about their faith. In fact such knowledge may just keep them out of divorce court, the counselor's office, the Kingdom Hall, the Mormon Temple....
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Building Blocks Of The Church
From the Preface:
"There is a strong possibility that Jesus will completely reject many of the ministries that are currently conducted in His name - even some of the ministries that boast about pulling down demonic strongholds in the name of Jesus, as well as ministries proclaiming false, extra biblical prophecies as special communications from God: 'Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness!' Matthew 7:22-23."
Friday, April 14, 2006
Is Your Church Growing?
This is the million-dollar question that every pastor and many parishioners are asked about their church. Translated, that question means, “Are there more people attending your church now than when I asked you last time?” Depending on the particular Monday, or month of the year, this question can bring a lot of angst. No one wants to feel like the loser and say, “Well praise God, actually, we’ve lost a few people, and have less today than this time last year!” In the American church this seemingly has become the singular measuring stick of whether a church is healthy or not – “Is your church growing?” Don’t get me wrong; numerical growth is a wonderful thing. The problem is statistics tell us that at least 85% of all church numbers growth is transfer growth. Therefore some will gladly say that they are growing, but what they really mean is that they’ve merely added some “kingdom furniture” from another church. Also given the fact that the church has failed to gain an additional 2% of the population in the last 50 years (meaning we’re not even keeping our own children saved) glowing reports of American church growth can mostly be disregarded.
Believe me, my heart and prayer is that every church that preaches the true Gospel of Jesus Christ would grow large in every facet. But my question is – is it really right or even accurate to use numerical growth as a measuring stick for how healthy a church is?
I know the verse that is oft quoted justifying numbers as a measuring stick is Acts 2:47 – “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Certainly this shows what happens when a New Testament church is functioning in its proper capacity of preaching a Biblical Gospel - souls will be truly saved. But notice these numbers came from actual conversions – not from other churches.
My point is, this question of “Is your church growing” is only partially right. The correct version of this is “Is your church growing spiritually?”
If we are going to use the Bible as our measure (and correctly so) why stop at numerical growth? Let’s look at all the signs in the book of Acts of what a church should be. If your church is growing spiritually then are people in your church devoted to the Word of God? Are they given to prayer? Are the gifts of the Holy Spirit flowing in your church? Are they even welcome in your church? Are people being baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues? You see these are ALL indicators of whether a New Testament church is growing or not.
Since it’s the Holy Spirit who decides when we are saved (John 6:44), we truly don’t have control over numerical growth! Perhaps Jesus really meant what He said when He stated, “I will build my church…” (Matthew 16:18).
Author Os Guinness states: “…(there can be) an improper emphasis on the health of a church being judged according to unbelievers’ response to the gospel. Who, after all, is really giving the increase? Who is responsible for the response?” He goes on to say: “But theologically, (this) means the difference between the church growth as true faith and church growth as a form of streamlined humanistic engineering.”
Simply stated when we resort to marketing the church for the sake of numbers we have resorted to ‘humanistic engineering’ instead of New Testament Holy Spirit induced growth. Manipulating the growth of numbers through “marketing” appears to be unscriptural at best.
We do, however, have a hand in spiritual growth among our adherents. Our mandate from Christ Himself is not to produce numbers, but to produce quality disciples: “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you...” Matthew 28:19-20.
Here’s a great test for any Pastor or Christian. Survey your congregation. Are people reading their Bibles more this year than last? Are more people showing up for your prayer meetings? Are more of your people sharing their faith in Jesus Christ? Are people in your congregation leaving sinful lifestyles and turning to Christ as a result of being a part of your church? Or do they continue to live in sin and attend week after week unchanged by your message?
Instead of saying, “Is your church growing”, perhaps we should greet each other with the language of the early revivalists, “Are you still burning for Jesus?” Are people in your church on fire for God? Are you? Am I?
Answer this my friends, and we will not be able to contain the numbers that come to our churches across this land.
Believe me, my heart and prayer is that every church that preaches the true Gospel of Jesus Christ would grow large in every facet. But my question is – is it really right or even accurate to use numerical growth as a measuring stick for how healthy a church is?
I know the verse that is oft quoted justifying numbers as a measuring stick is Acts 2:47 – “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Certainly this shows what happens when a New Testament church is functioning in its proper capacity of preaching a Biblical Gospel - souls will be truly saved. But notice these numbers came from actual conversions – not from other churches.
My point is, this question of “Is your church growing” is only partially right. The correct version of this is “Is your church growing spiritually?”
If we are going to use the Bible as our measure (and correctly so) why stop at numerical growth? Let’s look at all the signs in the book of Acts of what a church should be. If your church is growing spiritually then are people in your church devoted to the Word of God? Are they given to prayer? Are the gifts of the Holy Spirit flowing in your church? Are they even welcome in your church? Are people being baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues? You see these are ALL indicators of whether a New Testament church is growing or not.
Since it’s the Holy Spirit who decides when we are saved (John 6:44), we truly don’t have control over numerical growth! Perhaps Jesus really meant what He said when He stated, “I will build my church…” (Matthew 16:18).
Author Os Guinness states: “…(there can be) an improper emphasis on the health of a church being judged according to unbelievers’ response to the gospel. Who, after all, is really giving the increase? Who is responsible for the response?” He goes on to say: “But theologically, (this) means the difference between the church growth as true faith and church growth as a form of streamlined humanistic engineering.”
Simply stated when we resort to marketing the church for the sake of numbers we have resorted to ‘humanistic engineering’ instead of New Testament Holy Spirit induced growth. Manipulating the growth of numbers through “marketing” appears to be unscriptural at best.
We do, however, have a hand in spiritual growth among our adherents. Our mandate from Christ Himself is not to produce numbers, but to produce quality disciples: “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you...” Matthew 28:19-20.
Here’s a great test for any Pastor or Christian. Survey your congregation. Are people reading their Bibles more this year than last? Are more people showing up for your prayer meetings? Are more of your people sharing their faith in Jesus Christ? Are people in your congregation leaving sinful lifestyles and turning to Christ as a result of being a part of your church? Or do they continue to live in sin and attend week after week unchanged by your message?
Instead of saying, “Is your church growing”, perhaps we should greet each other with the language of the early revivalists, “Are you still burning for Jesus?” Are people in your church on fire for God? Are you? Am I?
Answer this my friends, and we will not be able to contain the numbers that come to our churches across this land.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Relevant irrelevance
I recently read some statistics from Josh McDowell's book, The New Tolerance, that concerned me. He cites a study done that shows that:
* 57% of churched youth do not believe that an objective standard of truth exists.
* 53% of those who identify themselves as conservative Christians do not believe in absolute
truth.
* 84% of first year Christian college students cannot defend or explain their beliefs.
* 66% of those who say it is important to follow the teachings of the Bible reject moral absolutes.
Of course all Bible truth hinges on the doctrine of Divine Inspiration of Scripture. Everyone who believes in the Divine Inspiration of Scripture must then believe that the Bible is inherently and infallible (true and without error). Therefore if Christians believe this, then they must believe that the Bible is absolute truth.
Here lies the problem: If "conservative Christian" adults and "churched youth" don't believe in absolute truth, then they are in fact rejecting the very Bible and the very God they claim to believe in. Ever wonder why Christianity and so many Christians seem so weak in America?
This leads to the next question: Why would so many Christians embrace this false view and why would 84% of first year Christian college students not be able to defend their faith?
These facts present incriminating evidence that the church is not teaching Bible doctrine like it should. Why is that? The answer is simple. Many churches have a new boss. His name? Relevance. In many cases today, churches and ministers are so concerned about bowing at the altar of being relevant, that sound Biblical doctrine is being tossed aside. The new paradigm is preaching that which attracts the crowd by meeting the "felt needs" of the audience in order to build the crowd. While this may lead to happy group therapy sessions on Sunday morning, this has wreaked havoc on the Body of Christ - leading to Christians who neither know the Word of God nor solid Bible doctrines that will keep them living for God in tough times. They can, however, give you a scripture from the Message Bible about how God wants you to have a Coke and a smile while getting a pay raise at work. (The sarcasm font was on during that last sentence.)
Most "felt needs" preachers would agree with me in principle concerning lifting up Bible doctrines, but would add something like, "We merely preach a timeless message with modern methods." Apparently for 84% of our college students the "timeless message" is being lost in the "modern methods". One could even argue that if Jesus was concerned about being relevant to the culture He came to 2,000 years ago He would have come as a King on a throne or a high powered religious leader. Instead His truth and His reality that liberates sinners makes Him relevant - no side shows needed.
Truth, in and of itself, is relevant and doesn't need to be excused or apologized for - just upheld, proclaimed and declared without the "bait and switch" methods reminiscent of parents trying to sneak the healthy vegetables onto their child's dinner plate. Jesus said that knowing truth would set us free. God's truth, therefore, must be our primary objective.
If knowing God's Word and Bible doctrine isn't a value among Christians today, then the onus is on the person standing behind the pulpit to teach it's value. In the effort to be relevant, many in the church growth movement are actually becoming irrelevant - How ironic.
* 57% of churched youth do not believe that an objective standard of truth exists.
* 53% of those who identify themselves as conservative Christians do not believe in absolute
truth.
* 84% of first year Christian college students cannot defend or explain their beliefs.
* 66% of those who say it is important to follow the teachings of the Bible reject moral absolutes.
Of course all Bible truth hinges on the doctrine of Divine Inspiration of Scripture. Everyone who believes in the Divine Inspiration of Scripture must then believe that the Bible is inherently and infallible (true and without error). Therefore if Christians believe this, then they must believe that the Bible is absolute truth.
Here lies the problem: If "conservative Christian" adults and "churched youth" don't believe in absolute truth, then they are in fact rejecting the very Bible and the very God they claim to believe in. Ever wonder why Christianity and so many Christians seem so weak in America?
This leads to the next question: Why would so many Christians embrace this false view and why would 84% of first year Christian college students not be able to defend their faith?
These facts present incriminating evidence that the church is not teaching Bible doctrine like it should. Why is that? The answer is simple. Many churches have a new boss. His name? Relevance. In many cases today, churches and ministers are so concerned about bowing at the altar of being relevant, that sound Biblical doctrine is being tossed aside. The new paradigm is preaching that which attracts the crowd by meeting the "felt needs" of the audience in order to build the crowd. While this may lead to happy group therapy sessions on Sunday morning, this has wreaked havoc on the Body of Christ - leading to Christians who neither know the Word of God nor solid Bible doctrines that will keep them living for God in tough times. They can, however, give you a scripture from the Message Bible about how God wants you to have a Coke and a smile while getting a pay raise at work. (The sarcasm font was on during that last sentence.)
Most "felt needs" preachers would agree with me in principle concerning lifting up Bible doctrines, but would add something like, "We merely preach a timeless message with modern methods." Apparently for 84% of our college students the "timeless message" is being lost in the "modern methods". One could even argue that if Jesus was concerned about being relevant to the culture He came to 2,000 years ago He would have come as a King on a throne or a high powered religious leader. Instead His truth and His reality that liberates sinners makes Him relevant - no side shows needed.
Truth, in and of itself, is relevant and doesn't need to be excused or apologized for - just upheld, proclaimed and declared without the "bait and switch" methods reminiscent of parents trying to sneak the healthy vegetables onto their child's dinner plate. Jesus said that knowing truth would set us free. God's truth, therefore, must be our primary objective.
If knowing God's Word and Bible doctrine isn't a value among Christians today, then the onus is on the person standing behind the pulpit to teach it's value. In the effort to be relevant, many in the church growth movement are actually becoming irrelevant - How ironic.
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