Podcast Episode #319
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A recent post on the urgency needed in many churches struck a nerve with many readers. Today, we unpack that post and talk about nine much needed changes for many churches.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
- We must be intentional about reaching people instead of depending on easy growth in the church.
- We cannot go into our holy huddles wanting church to be about ourselves.
- Comfort and stability when unchecked can often lead to entitlement in the church.
- Churches that have an entitlement mentality are churches who are already on the path to death.
- The intentionality about sharing the gospel has faded away in many churches.
- There are so many good things churches do to the neglect of the best things they could be doing.
- A church’s inward focus ultimately leads to inward fighting in the church.
The nine changes we discuss on the episode are:
- Churches must stop bemoaning the death of cultural Christianity.
- Churches must cease to see the church as a place of comfort and stability in the midst of rapid change.
- Churches must abandon the entitlement mentality.
- Churches must start doing evangelism.
- Churches must stop using biblical words in unbiblical ways.
- Churches must stop focusing on minors.
- Churches must stop shooting our own.
- Churches must stop wasting time in unproductive meetings, committees, and business sessions.
- Churches must become houses of prayer.
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Feedback
If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here at ThomRainer.com. If we use your question, you’ll receive a free copy of Who Moved My Pulpit?
May I add that churches need to stop treating people’s doubt and questions as a one way ticket to hell.
Agreed! If the questions are not asked and answered in the church, the World will be happy to provide a (wrong) answer.
Mark, good comment. In my experience churches avoid questions like the plague, however they must embrace them. Cordial debate can only be healthy and a means of searching the Scriptures to see if these things are true. One line answers and a verse here and there are more damaging than most realize.
A book I have used at work “Essentialism” has transformed my spiritual life as well as work life as a leader in healthcare.
Churches would do well to invest in some leadership thinking and pondering about what is “essential” for a church. It is far less than we think. This podcast forces one to think about what is truly essential in a church.
Nothing can take the place of prayer. A church will move forward when it remains on its knees. All of the other issues have there place, but if the local church stops seeking GOD first and foremost, it’s bound to dry up and die.
Russ, I couldn’t agree with you more. It doesn’t matter what else a church does, if it does not pray, it is doomed.
Churches need to embrace the personhood of the Holy Spirit individually and congregation ally. How can we truly serve God by neglecting or avoiding the Holy Spirit. Engaging the the Holy Spirit in a real and tangible way.
If you are referring to Your worship as a “holy huddle” then you are in a down turn. The Great Commission is go-grow- send; not go- grow- serve
One thing dying churches in the northeast especially New England need to embrace is pastors with Bible college training but not necessarily an M.Div.
Seeing too many churches become picky with what their candidates have for a degree and not how sound their theology already is or how long they’ve been serving as associate pastors. The dying churches here can’t pay part or full time, and most pastors are becoming bivocational
I agree !
Thom, would love to see a report on New England.
DJ’s right, many New England churches don’t understand that denominations, maybe even their own, are ordaining qualified men to the ministry with only their BA in a field of religion.
I saw one dying church in New Hampshire turn down a very qualified man who had served 18 years bivocational ministry. Two churches as an associate, the last church he served 7 years under a pastor who mentored him in church revitalization. They where at a church that was dying at 20 and in two years brought it to 150. The church he applied at didn’t want him because of his lack of an MDiv, even though he was willing to work on one.
Alex C. after reading, ” The Great Commission is go-grow- send; not go- grow- serve.” a couple times I’m clueless what you are talking about. What do you get out of 1 Timothy 6:18, “Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.” Or Ephesians 2:10, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” It seems to me in your zeal to “save souls” you have forgotten the other things God has planned for us to do.
Just an observation, correct me if I’ve misunderstood your intent.
Matthew 16:19-20 says “Go ye, therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy spirit. Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the ends of the age.”
I believe the comment is based here. We, as Christians, are charged by Jesus to duplicate His model. To go out into the world. To teach them the truths of the gospel. To baptize and anoint them to “go” themselves.
I’m a little bit late to this discussion, but I tend to disagree with #6. George Barna has done extensive research in the importance of reaching people below the age of 17, and more specifically, below the age of 13. His research shows a high percentage of children whose spiritual direction being pretty much set by age 13.
I believe where we fail (and #6 becomes relevant) is in two areas. First, we are not intentional in our discipleship from birth through 12th grade. We should make a much more purposeful attempt at age-appropriate teaching and a real investment with our “minors.” We must also give minors the opportunity to participate in real ministry not just activity.
Second, we don’t actively pursue parental involvement in the process. Too many parents have given up their role as spiritual leaders in the home. And, too many churches and church leaders have accepted – if not validated and defended – their position as the only qualified spiritual surrogate. Even with the breakdown of the traditional family, we must involve significant adults in the lives of our children as active participants in their spiritual development.
Just a few more deep thoughts from the shallow end.
Hey Bob J,
I’m assuming you only read the list? It isn’t minors as in ‘young people’ but minors as in majors and minors, sweating over the small stuff. The podcast itself jokingly even said something like ‘now we don’t mean minors as in children.’
What you say about the need to focus on families, parents and lifelong discipleship is great 🙂