I’ve been saying for a long time that the key to the church being effective is for it to rely less on programs and gimmicks and talk more about discipleship and personal growth. For that I was told that I was just “jealous” of the big churches.
Today I read in Leadership magazine that Bill Hybels of Willow Creek (who I’ve never criticized) is admitting that all of the programs were not really that effective in making for better Christians (which is what I’ve been opining).
Here’s a snippet of the article (but please, go read the whole thing), you can read the whole article here:
Hybels confesses:
We made a mistake. What we should have done when people crossed the line of faith and become Christians, we should have started telling people and teaching people that they have to take responsibility to become ‘self feeders.’ We should have gotten people, taught people, how to read their bible between service, how to do the spiritual practices much more aggressively on their own.
In other words, spiritual growth doesn’t happen best by becoming dependent on elaborate church programs but through the age old spiritual practices of prayer, bible reading, and relationships. And, ironically, these basic disciplines do not require multi-million dollar facilities and hundreds of staff to manage.
I’m glad to hear Bill Hybels say this. It’s not an attack on the megachurch or the big time ministries, it’s just an observation that people need to have a personal relationship with Jesus, not just “get fed” by the church organization. Small churches can fall short on this point just as easily as big churches (and often do!). And big churches could do this just as easily as small churches with mentorship, bible study, and small groups.
Still, I wonder if people will just say that Bill Hybels is “jealous” of Willow Creek.
You know some of what Hybels did was great. I really like Contagious Christian. It was a good book. But he is realizing like most ministers and churches that they swing from one extreme or the other. His was reaching out and making that first and important conversion. The discipleship and follow up is what is needed and all of us fail in that area.
I agree with it. Christians need to be self feeders. They need to see what is needed to themselves grow. Often times when Christians come and say they just are not growing where they are the first thing I will ask them is what their spiritual life outside of the church is like.
You think of all the Christians are growing w/out programs and carnival like fun. The Christians in countries that are attacking Christians. Do they have a great worship team or a small group program? No they have a cell full of people and defication and disease. Yet they grow spiritually at leaps and bounds.
Yep your on it. Growth starts at home not in how cool the church is they go to. Funny how we are so independent in our lives but want to be spoon fed on Sunday.
So many churches just sell conversion and then you are saved so they can leave you alone. It is good to see someone taking up the stance of continual feeding and training.
Skubalon and Curtis,
I’ve said in my last two sermons that most evangelistic churches are very passionate about getting someone saved, but then they don’t seem to know what to do with them. It’s like they come out of the baptismal waters and we say, “Good, now go sit over there on the pew until Jesus comes back.”
I don’t mean to suggest that I or the church I’m at have it all figured out or are doing all that we should… far from it, I’m just hoping that people will start thinking about discipleship. Instead of “what’s the next big thing that we can do to draw a crowd” we should be saying, “how can we lead the people here to a place where they will have a personal relationship with Christ.”
The thing is, we’ve focused so much on the “seekers” that we’ve neglected those who have found Him. Neglecting scripture, neglecting to talk about God, watering down the Gospel… all these things are making for shallow Christians (if Christians at all).
What can we do? Bible study. Service in the community. An emphasis on spiritual discipline. Mission trips. Mentorships.
I think all these things are a step in the right direction.
Sprocket,
I agree with what you are saying. We are currently looking at discipling materials. I want my church to be one that teaches people how to sefl feed.
-M
I agree with the thrust of all of this. I’m tired of the latest & greatest fad happy approach that abounds in today’s church. I also hope, however, that the proverbial pendulum doesn’t swing too far the other way. We need to teach people how to feed themselves spiritually but there is always an indispensable need for others in our Christian walks too. I’m not saying anyone here is suggesting we dispatch community, but I can see some folks out there determining that they don’t need anything but their Bible & a prayer closet. We all need real church, just not the imitation stuff we have today. Often the truth is between the extremes. I know we really need authentic discipleship lived in genuine community but I honestly struggle with how to get there. I think we have to streamline & simplify and go retro: apostles doctrine, breaking bread, fellowship & prayer…love…truth… Okay I’m rambling…
I so completely agree with your words. The ache of my heart in the most recent churches I have been in is such an overwhelming (and appropriate and grace-filled) willingness to receive those with a surface-level faith that they hesitate to encourage or teach anyone how to go deeper on their own. By the grace of God, I have come into a position in the last several months where I have been able to influence that a bit, an opportunity I am both thankful for and humbled by.
David, if I may be allowed to sidetrack, I am intrigued by your comment, simply because of the juxtaposition between being “tired of the latest & greatest fad-happy approach” and your desire to “streamline and simplify” by way of the early church model. I am a believer in and a current encourager of today’s church in the model of the old church – stressing the elements you highlighted of basic doctrine, community, prayer, sharing a meal, etc. However, I am also beginning to notice that this tendency, in and of itself, is becoming a trend. I hope and pray that it stays around long enough to genuinely transform the Church and that individual churches take that model far more seriously than the latest Christian bestseller. But it begs the question, where, in my own life, is the line between me sincerely believing in the love, depth, simplicity, and community of the early church and me following along with yet another fad?
I know that was somewhat off-topic, but I truly do pray for a Church that pours its efforts as much into creating true DISCIPLES as it does converts.
(Incidentally, while I hardly would consider myself a United Methodist, the words John Wesley preached on such topics are inspiring, if you’re interested at all.)
Retro church…
I like that, it sounds so hip. I’ve been doing retro church for years and yet we still need to be reminded to practice the spiritual disciplines.
Last sunday nite, during our prayer meeting I was pointing folks to the spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting, bible study, memorization, meditation, spiritual reading, and the like. In the middle of it all there was an urge to “do something”, an idea to use this big tent and have an outdoor meeting.
Seems to me that we dont view the spiritual disciplines as doing something for the King. Its pretty telling I think
Keri,
I appreciate your thoughts.
“I am also beginning to notice that this tendency, in and of itself, is becoming a trend.”
Well said and something i need to think about. Thanks.
I’ll definitely checking out your blog.
So maybe every generation is doing what each is called to? There’s a million good choices out there. The kingdom is not gonna fall apart because I picked “program” over “personal” approaches. As much as we all pray and sincerely seek the best way to reach our community, and then do that out of who we are…which is our community…at the time. I think what he did then was what they did with what they had and I’m doing the same now and so are you. I really respect pastors who can just do something for God’s sake and still have the courage to move with the winds of the Holy Spirit and continue to try everything we know to reach the lost and build disciples.
I actually found this blog very meaningful and also insightful. One thing that i personally am pushing if for us to get back to the church of Acts as many of you have said “breaking bread, fellowship, prayer, reading of the word” etc. It is very sad how the modern church swings with the pendulum whatever is popular thats how we should go about it. If only many of them would allow God to lead because in the end only he knows what is needed and what is always best. I really like the comment (excuse the paraphrase) “we seek to save them then put them in the pew waiting for Jesus” I found that very true and also convicting.