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American Baptist Churches of Wisconsin |
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In This Issue:Do you invite people to "come to church" or to "come to Jesus?" Do you think the two invitations are the same? Fred Peatross, in the introduction to his book, Misso Dei in the Crisis of Christianity makes a statement that I totally relate to but wonder if others do. He says: It's important to mention that I'm not totally, 100-percent opposed to the attractional mode.* What I am opposed to is church leadership taking the primary stance that by tweaking, or making relevant, the weekly 'church worship service' the people Jesus misses** will come, stand in line, and like a Saturday night rock concert rush the entrance once the door is opened. A come-to-church priority has unknowingly and insipidly taken precedence over come-to-Jesus." (p. XIX-XX) I make the assumption that the church in today's culture has lost almost all of its standing in the culture. If that is true, then the "come-to-church" invitation is getting more difficult to make and less and less effective. Have you ever heard yourself saying, or heard others say, "I invite my friends to church but they never come." There was a day when the way you introduced someone to Jesus was by inviting them to come to church and "in church" the pastor introduced them to Jesus. But today, people see no need to "come to church." So what is the church to do? Some churches are finding renewal by not waiting for people to come to church but by taking the church to the people. The church door is open, but instead of waiting for people to walk into church, congregations are walking out the door and into the mission field where the people Jesus misses most are living. Your church door is open. Which way are people moving? Are they coming in or are they going out? *An approach to Christian mission in which the church develops programs, meetings, services, or other 'products' in order to attract unbelievers into the influences of the Christian community. **Commonly thought of as the 'lost' or 'pagans' or 'unbelievers. Sam Brink So you think you want to "change" the way you "do" church or the way you live out your faith. You do know don't you, that change is not easy! Just ask the Green Bay Packers! "What sayeth thee? Should Brett Favre come back or should he stay retired?" While it may be a discussion you have grown tired of, it is a great example of what happens when you try to change! When dealing with change you will find that usually three groups of people form: Group I: What was wrong with the way it was. Of course Brett should be able to come back. He's what football is all about. After all, some of our best years were with him at quarterback. Besides, how do we know this new quarterback will be able to get the job done? Group II: It's time to move on. Nothing against Brett, but the game has changed and it's time to try something different. Group III: I don't care who the quarterback is. I just want to be entertained and enjoy the game. The change leader must be able to navigate between the three groups. She/he must honor the past while calming the fears of the future; live through the future even when the future is not clear; and be able to move some who just want to enjoy the game into greater participation. Change is not easy, but it can happen! According to research by the Barna Group (June 23, 2008) what is important to Americans is: Integrity, a comfortable lifestyle, having children, deep commitment to the Christian faith, and making a difference in the world. I wonder what would happen if the last two traits became the first two? What happens when our deepest desire is our commitment to our faith and making a difference in the world? I have to wonder if we are indeed a Christian nation or a nation in need of Christ. The Tangible Kingdom: Creating Incarnational Community by Hugh Halter/Matt Smay |
