I suppose we are all seeking what's authentic these days. Could it be because in many aspects of modern life, trust and predictability have been tossed out the window? Or is it also that our usual way of doing just about anything changes by the minute? Possibly, a newfound awareness of what's really important has made us just a bit more selective. More people want to support what's real, what's local, and what rings true.
So goes the first paragraph of a magazine article about a local restaurant I read today. I couldn't help but think about this same approach when it comes to church. People are not looking for the "brand" like they used to. They are looking for authenticity. Just as people are tired of the chain-restaurants, people are weary of the franchise churches. People want something that is organic, real, genuine.
The days of worrying about what the other churches are going to say is over. The days of competing for church people, trying to sheep steal, proselytize, or encouraging people to leave one assembly for another are numbered. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of churches that will continue to operate this way, but its a recipe for a status quo existence at best.
The old saying goes "all politics are local". I think that is what the Kingdom of God is too. Fellowships are helpful, organizations has their place, but in reality, the Kingdom of God grows as a result of local efforts. The weekly worship services, hospital visits, nursing home ministry, prison minisitry, youth/student ministries, benevolence, witnessing, community service, influencing and impacting a community, it all comes from the local assembly.
Most people are drawn to the local church, not what "brand" it is, but to its people, ministries, its leadership. Did they feel welcome? Did they sense true and authentic worship? Did they receive a message of hope and faith through the preaching? Do the people seem to be real, down to earth, non-religious, hospitable?
I truly believe, now more than ever, that the authentic, real and local church is the hope of the world.
__________________
When a newspaper posed the question, "What's Wrong with the World?" G. K. Chesterton reputedly wrote a brief letter in response: "Dear Sirs: I am. Sincerely Yours, G. K. Chesterton." That is the attitude of someone who has grasped the message of Jesus.
Church based on the corporate model ... has seen its heyday ... THANKFULLY.
It'll be back. Just look at fat ties, I was so thankful when that fad passed but now everybody's wearing their tie so fat they look like ascots! Lame-o!
Hey Ed Anglin, you said you had some other thoughts on this you were gonna post. How's about it?
__________________
When a newspaper posed the question, "What's Wrong with the World?" G. K. Chesterton reputedly wrote a brief letter in response: "Dear Sirs: I am. Sincerely Yours, G. K. Chesterton." That is the attitude of someone who has grasped the message of Jesus.
So goes the first paragraph of a magazine article about a local restaurant I read today. I couldn't help but think about this same approach when it comes to church. People are not looking for the "brand" like they used to. They are looking for authenticity. Just as people are tired of the chain-restaurants, people are weary of the franchise churches. People want something that is organic, real, genuine.
The days of worrying about what the other churches are going to say is over. The days of competing for church people, trying to sheep steal, proselytize, or encouraging people to leave one assembly for another are numbered. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of churches that will continue to operate this way, but its a recipe for a status quo existence at best.
The old saying goes "all politics are local". I think that is what the Kingdom of God is too. Fellowships are helpful, organizations has their place, but in reality, the Kingdom of God grows as a result of local efforts. The weekly worship services, hospital visits, nursing home ministry, prison minisitry, youth/student ministries, benevolence, witnessing, community service, influencing and impacting a community, it all comes from the local assembly.
Most people are drawn to the local church, not what "brand" it is, but to its people, ministries, its leadership. Did they feel welcome? Did they sense true and authentic worship? Did they receive a message of hope and faith through the preaching? Do the people seem to be real, down to earth, non-religious, hospitable?
I truly believe, now more than ever, that the authentic, real and local church is the hope of the world.
Deke, you have really been posting some substance of late. This thread-starter is one of the best I've seen in quite some time, on any forum. I'm going to comment on each paragraph, if that's okay.
Quote:
The days of worrying about what the other churches are going to say is over. The days of competing for church people, trying to sheep steal, proselytize, or encouraging people to leave one assembly for another are numbered. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of churches that will continue to operate this way, but its a recipe for a status quo existence at best.
We are in agreement. More churches are focusing inward, and trying to effect change locally, instead of working through larger organizational vehicles. The poor economy and cynicism toward the old denominational model of empire/colonization is driving this movement.
For far too long officials of Oneness organizations acted as though their headquarters buildings and programs were the seat of empires with local churches being the colonies from which those empires were funded. From governmental palaces edicts were issued, and local churches were expected to comply.
For several decades, churches did just that. They sent millions of dollars into programs that became top-heavy, bloated and inefficient. The more they gave, the more the empire demanded. In the end, most programs that began as evangelistic programs became nothing more than vehicles for the socially elite ministers of the org to get rich.
Local churches pulled back organizational giving, choosing to funnel money directly into individual missions efforts they felt were frugal and productive.
__________________ The world has lost the power to blush over its vice; the Church has lost her power to weep over it.
The days of worrying about what the other churches are going to say is over. The days of competing for church people, trying to sheep steal, proselytize, or encouraging people to leave one assembly for another are numbered. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of churches that will continue to operate this way, but its a recipe for a status quo existence at best.
There are still churches that operate this way. We experienced a raid lon our membership recently by a neighboring church that is more interested in winning the saved instead of the lost. Thankfully, the damage was minimal.
__________________ The world has lost the power to blush over its vice; the Church has lost her power to weep over it.
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