I often find myself thinking through the common patterns that lead to dysfunction and decline in local churches. While there are many factors involved in each unique situation, I have come to realize that most local church dysfunction can be traced to a single area of disobedience – choosing to focus on something other than the gospel to build a church. Over the next few months this article will focus on some of the popular alternatives to a gospel focus.
#1 – Building a Crowd Instead of a Church
At the close of the twentieth century, younger generations did not have the level of loyalty to the local church that the builder generation (born up to 1945) possessed, and Sunday morning worship was no longer the event of choice for upstanding citizens. What do you do? While some churches folded their arms and blamed the younger generations, most active churches focused on one of two responses.
Double down on evangelism.
The builder generation brought the church into the heyday of the 1950s with a strong emphasis on evangelism. We should all support more biblical evangelism, not less! Unfortunately, many churches focused on evangelism that led to baptisms, increased church membership, and little else. It was like birthing babies and placing them in the cradle to fend for themselves. The next generation learned by example and embraced the same mode of operation, often with diminishing returns. Without intentional discipleship, many people were not taught how to follow Jesus, and, when the ultimate goal was baptism, some of the baptized stayed only a few weeks because they were not born again. Numbers were often good, but discipleship was weak or absent. It was the epitome of short-term gain, long-term loss.
Fish with bait?
The church growth movement skyrocketed the number of programs and pigeonholed ministries in an effort to make church more attractive. Even worship services were watered down in some churches to make lost people feel comfortable. Crowds grew, baptisms increased, but biblical discipleship was often left to self-feeders. To keep up the pace, churches felt the pressure to have pastors with big personalities, first-rate worship bands, and slick programs that could compete with the world. The result – churches whose vitality was up and down like an EKG, depending on whether they maintained these attractions.
Sobering Thoughts.
Crowds are fickle. Like stray cats, they show up when you meet a felt need (often entertainment or emotional fulfillment), but run if you try to address their wounds. Crowd members often are not motivated to join the church; they get everything they want as spectators without becoming contributors or even sincere worshippers. Even when baptism numbers are good, the egocentrism of crowd-driven churches makes them unstable revolving doors.
Solution.
Jesus never fished with bait, and neither should we. If people don’t come to church to worship Jesus, they will either leave the church or stay for all the wrong reasons. Programs and activities can be helpful, but they are not our ultimate focus. Make sure your corporate worship is focused on Christ, and not on the whims of man. Small group ministry must also focus on exalting Christ. Community is great, but if it’s not rooted in Jesus it’s no different than secular community. Reserve baptism for people who show evidence of saving faith, not for people who just want to get baptized. Finally, make sure membership matters. Maintain membership expectations that encourage holiness and humble service in the lives of the saints. Focus on the spiritual depth of the church, and trust God for its breadth. Remember, real growth is a sign of health, but bloat is a sign of dysfunction or death. Both of them make you bigger; choose wisely!
With hands to the plow,
Troy