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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2014 13:35:42 GMT -5
I’m currently reading a book called Autopsy of a Deceased Church – 12 Ways to Keep Yours Alive by Thom S. Rainer. He’s the president and CEO the Lifeway Christian company, for those familiar. Anyway, thought I would post some things from his book for discussion here.
First, a couple disclaimers: 1) while this will likely be a discussion centered around the F&W’s church, it would be helpful for those of us attending other churches to keep these things in mind also, and 2) this is in reference to the local church…we know that Jesus promised His Church, as in the Body of Christ as a whole, would never die.
So Thom looked at roughly 15 churches that had “died” and came up with 8 things that they had in common. The first 3 all deal with the church being “inward-focused” instead of “outward-focused”. I'll share just those 3 for now.
1). the church refused to look like the community. This is in regards to how the members of the church look compared to the community…things like age, race, socioeconomic status, etc. Perhaps the people in your church are growing older and there are not many young families replacing them. Perhaps the church is your “fortress”, keeping your people and possessions safe on the inside and keeping people on the other side out. In simple terms, a dying church will be more focused on protecting the way they do church than reaching the residents in the community. This makes people in the community not feel welcome. Phil. 2: 1-4 tells us that vibrant and living churches look after the interests of others and are concerned for their communities.
2). the budget moved inwardly. One example of this is a church that has increasingly less to spend, but personnel costs are the last thing to be cut. The church personnel were expected to spend most, if not all, of their time visiting and counseling members – members saw them almost as their personal caretakers. This means church personnel are not reaching out to others beyond the church, they aren’t involved in the community…they’re just hired hands for church members. Not all of the deceased churches died broke. It’s not about how much money you have, it’s your attitude about your money. Instead of asking how the church can make a difference for the Kingdom with their money, they hold on to it and focus it inwardly. This is symptomatic of a heart problem: a church that cares more for their own needs than for the needs of the community and the world. Read the parable of the rich young ruler in Mark 10.
3). the Great Commission becomes the Great Omission. When the methods used become the focus rather than the Great Commission itself, then it becomes the Great Omission. Read Matthew 28 – we’re commanded to go, make disciples, baptize and teach. Those are a lot of action words! In doing this, we are to depend totally on the power of Christ. Members of a dying church aren’t willing to go into the community to reach and minister to people. They aren’t willing to invite over “unchurched” friends and relatives. And an even bigger issue: even if the church did start to magically grow on its own, members would only accept the growth if the new members were like them and if the church would continue to “do church” the way they wanted it. Members of a dying church really don’t want growth unless that growth meets their preferences and allows them to remain comfortable.
So...would you consider the F&W's church to be one that is "dying"? Why or why not? Do you think the above 3 issues are present in the F&W's church? If not, what do you see that is different that encourages you? If so, do you have any thoughts or solutions to "revive" the church and keep it from dying???
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Post by snow on Jul 25, 2014 13:45:57 GMT -5
Interesting Beth. Since I haven't been in the church for a long time, I really don't have anything to offer. But those points are very thought provoking. I think it would be good guidelines for just about any organization that wanted to continue thriving.
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Post by findingtruth on Jul 25, 2014 14:28:14 GMT -5
As you stated, any church can be "dying". One issue that seemed problematic about the F&W church was their claim (and prideful one at that) that they weren't interested in how many were in their congregation but was pleased to have a small but intimate church group. Nothing really wrong with this but what was rather alarming to me was the lack of effort to go out into the community and encourage others to accept Jesus as their savior. After all, isn't this what any good "Christian" church should be doing? Instead, they rely on younger generations in the 2x2 church to keep the numbers in the fellowship and if by chance "outsiders" come into contact with those in the meetings and express some interest in attending gospel meetings the workers are most happy about this and will hold gospel meetings in order to win new "members" to the "fellowship".
Never really did seem to me that they were as interested in outsiders coming to know Jesus as their personal savior as they were about potential new converts. New converts would bring knew topics of conversation outside of meeting. Seems like the church is really not living.
Of course, I'm not about "church" anyway but this is my personal view of the 2x2 fellowship.
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Post by fixit on Jul 25, 2014 14:45:43 GMT -5
And an even bigger issue: even if the church did start to magically grow on its own, members would only accept the growth if the new members were like them and if the church would continue to “do church” the way they wanted it. Members of a dying church really don’t want growth unless that growth meets their preferences and allows them to remain comfortable. This is very much the case with the 2x2 church. When all the women wore black stockings, one without black stockings was not welcome. Same goes for hats, hair up instead of down, hem length. Not just women, and not only in appearance issues. Even today when appearance issues are no longer the big deal they used to be, conformity is key.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2014 1:58:17 GMT -5
Forget it. In ten years there will be ten percent (or more) fewer people attending churches in Western countries. A quarter of current active members will be gone in a generation. In the Australian Catholic Church ONE THIRD of the congregation has vanished since 1996.
Better take up tree hugging or saving panda bears if you want to start or keep a community of like-minded people.
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Post by BobWilliston on Jul 26, 2014 2:32:24 GMT -5
What is the point of worrying about a dying church? Things die for lack of life in them. There will always be churches as along a people want them -- that's how they came into being in the first place.
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BaPa
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Post by BaPa on Jul 27, 2014 22:27:41 GMT -5
"What is the point of worrying about a dying church? Things die for lack of life in them. There will always be churches as along a people want them -- that's how they came into being in the first place."
Such as life. We will have "Governments" as long as people will support them and want them. We will have "Schools" as long as people want them and will support them. and the list goes on and on.
Sounds like "Supply and Demand". Shall we consider "Reaganomics"?
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Post by BobWilliston on Jul 27, 2014 23:43:15 GMT -5
"What is the point of worrying about a dying church? Things die for lack of life in them. There will always be churches as along a people want them -- that's how they came into being in the first place." Such as life. We will have "Governments" as long as people will support them and want them. We will have "Schools" as long as people want them and will support them. and the list goes on and on. Sounds like "Supply and Demand". Shall we consider "Reaganomics"? I don't get your point. What do governments and schools have to do with the life in a religion?
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