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****************************************************** webminister@webminister.com January 2000 - #1
IN THIS ISSUE:
****************************************************** Within the churches of Christ practicing research church growth scholars are few. Flavil Yeakley, John Ellas, and possibly Mac Lynn are the major publishers. Others have or are working on degrees in church growth outside the brotherhood colleges and universities just as many have taken a class or two in church growth. Thus, most of the conclusions presented in these Newsletters come from sources with which some may have problems, but too few writers are active in the brotherhood. Church growth research and writing before 1972 generally fell in two categories according to Kenneth Inskeep (chap 5 in Roozen and Hadaway "Church & Denominational Growth," 1993 p. 135). Inskeep states: "The contemporary literature on church growth developed in two very different cultural worlds and under very different circumstances. Studies of mainline denominations are undertaken by professional social scientists working within academic communities. Their goal is to develop theoretical models that are useful in describing or explaining the membership declines suffered by mainline denominations since the 1960s. ‘Church growth' researchers, on the other hand, are largely conservative Protestant church professionals who began studying church growth out of the perceived need to ‘save as many souls' as possible. Their goal is to develop practical and successful techniques for bringing people to church." With this background, Dean Kelley put the social scientists on the defensive. In 1972 Kelley wrote "Why Conservative Churches Are Growing" and presented evidence that conservative churches were growing faster than liberal churches. This complemented church growth precepts, but it drew the criticism of many church growth researchers. Kelley argued that growth in membership in conservative churches and the decline of membership in mainline churches was DIRECTLY RELATED TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF RELIGIOUS COMMITMENT (emphasis mine). For example, conservative churches offer an incentive of salvation and offer it persistently, instead of a social agenda. In the preface to the 2nd edition published in 1986 which included additional research and updated charts, Kelley stated he is more opinionated that he was right. Growing churches emphasized a distinctive life-style and morality with an emphasis on local and community evangelism. On the other hand, theological liberalism, affirmed individualism, and pluralism in belief were rarely found in conservative churches. Basic "Core Values" may vary in interpretation, but they help explain where Christianity, as a religion, differs from a philosophy of Judeo-Christian ethics.
****************************************************** More on "Core Values" in the next issue of this Newsletter.
****************************************************** Stated another way, Rick Warren in "The Purpose Driven Church" presents what he calls the "Nehemiah principle." Just half way through building the wall the people got discouraged and wanted to give up after being overwhelmed with fatigue, frustration and fear. Nehemiah reminded them of the importance of their work and that God would help them fulfill His purpose (pp. 111 - 112). They just had to be told again, so they would not forget their mission every 26 days. Warren points out four different groups the church must address in motivating people to fulfilling the Great Commission. First, the community (the unchurched) must be invited to become regular attenders. Second, the attenders must be taught what to do to become baptized members. This is the "go to" and the starting of "teach" of the Great Commission. Third, the new members must continue being taught until a mature Christian exists. Fourth, in completing the circle of the Great Commission, a "core group" must be developed for inviting the unchurched, and training and teaching attenders, and members. Does leadership know how many people are in each of these four steps and how many have moved to a higher level? What efforts are in place to keep track of how many in each group? And is a plan in effect to move the "core group" to do ministry? Using the Nehemiah principle, are attenders encouraged to become a ministering congregation? More people are moved by church members than by the minister! Charles Arn in "How to Start a New Service" (p. 226) wrote of a minister at a church growth seminar saying "Ministers are paid to be good, but church members are good for nothing." The point is that the community puts more "faith" in a member's invitation to church through love and fellowship, than the minister's invitation because that is what the minister is paid to do. The return rate of first time attenders "will double when a [church member] makes the follow-up contact." Or in humbling the minister, he is only half as effective. The church definitely needs a well trained ministering "core group."
****************************************************** Over 21 churches have joined a "church sermon web ring" as well. http://nav.webring.org/cgi-bin/navcgi?ring=churchofchrist;list The same principle applies with 135 sites by Kerusso's "church sermon ring." http://members.xoom.com/KerussoForum/. Kerusso covers many religious groups. When looking at other church web sites that contain links to other churches, exchange links to each others church web sites. A number of churches have built a list of church web sites.
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****************************************************** I need your comments, so e-mail me at webminister@webminister.com. Let me know if you want to "unsubscribe." In His Service, The Webminister |