Article-Failure of Mega Church Worship Services to Win the Lost!

[Pastor Keith]

Very good article, long but worth the read for those interested in Church Culture at large.


http://www.the-next-wave-ezine.info/...ref=COVERSTORY

[Pastor Keith]

Quote from article:

The upshot? For all the money, time, and effort we've spent on cultural relevance—and that includes culturally relevant worship—it seems we came through the last 15 years with a significant net loss in churchgoers, proliferation of megachurches and all.

[Pastor Keith]

Another quote:

The 100-year-old congregation that's down to 43 members and having a hard time paying the light bill doesn't want to be told that the "answer" is living life with the people in their neighborhoods. Relationships take time, and they need an attendance infusion now

[Pastor Keith]

Another great quote:

JCPenney stores adopted a new motto a few years ago: "It's all inside." That may work well for clothes and housewares, but it doesn't work so well for spreading the gospel. Ah, but aren't buildings important? Yes, they are. Jesus himself spent crucial time in synagogues and the Temple. He affirmed that the worship of God is central to what it means to be a disciple. But here's the catch. He did not make the building—or corporate worship—the destination. His destination was the people God wanted to touch, and those were, with few exceptions, people who wouldn't have spent much time in holy places. Jesus' direction was always outward. Centrifugal. Even in death, he was broken and poured out for the sake of a needy world. God's work may not be "all outside," but if we look at where Jesus spent his time, I think we can safely say that most of it is.

[Pastor Keith]

Last quote from author:

I am currently headed further outside my comfort zones than I ever thought I could go. I am taking time for the preacher to heal herself. As I exit the world of corporate worship, I want to offer this hope and prayer. May you, as leader of your congregation, have the courage to leave the "if we build it, they will come" world of the last two decades behind. May you and the Christ-followers you serve become worshippers who can raise the bar of authenticity, as well as your hands. And may you be reminiscent of Isaiah, who, having glimpsed the hem of God's garment and felt the cleansing fire of grace on his lips, cried, "Here am I, send me."

[CC1]

A few Sundays ago Dan Scott said that if it is just a crowd you are looking for you can set a clown on fire and get one!

[Pastor Keith]

Originally Posted by CC1

A few Sundays ago Dan Scott said that if it is just a crowd you are looking for you can set a clown on fire and get one!

I hope people take the time to read this eye opening article, on one hand it's depressing because it does present the model that most church planters have been handed, set up a user friendly church plant, nice worship music, friendly workers, great art work/graphics etc. come to find out it doesn't even work.

This lady should know, she helped it get started. Total Abject failure.

It's coming down to community and getting involved in peoples lives.

[CC1]

Originally Posted by keith4him

I hope people take the time to read this eye opening article, on one hand it's depressing because it does present the model that most church planters have been handed, set up a user friendly church plant, nice worship music, friendly workers, great art work/graphics etc. come to find out it doesn't even work.

This lady should know, she helped it get started. Total Abject failure.

It's coming down to community and getting involved in peoples lives.

I don't think you can take one example of failure and lay it at the feet of the concepts you outlined.

Always you need community and getting involved in peoples lives but you can do that AND have the user friendly church plant, nice worship music,etc, etc.

Sometimes people fail for reasons other than the ones they blame.

[Pastor Keith]

Originally Posted by CC1

I don't think you can take one example of failure and lay it at the feet of the concepts you outlined.

Always you need community and getting involved in peoples lives but you can do that AND have the user friendly church plant, nice worship music,etc, etc.

Sometimes people fail for reasons other than the ones they blame.

That is why I want people to read the whole article, she doesn't take one example she has done the research to show otherwise. Please read the whole thing!

[Steve Epley]

Originally Posted by keith4him

That is why I want people to read the whole article, she doesn't take one example she has done the research to show otherwise. Please read the whole thing!

I wonder how many house meetings have shut down?