Do you agree or disagree with this statement by Kim Fabricius?
How should the church respond to congregational decline, financial deficits, and vocational shrinkage? The answer is obvious: make ministerial selection more stringent, theological education more demanding, and spiritual formation more exacting. And burn anyone who proposes a managerial or entrepreneurial solution.
Me?
I disagree.
1. The answer is not that obvious. (No answer usually is).
2. While helping make the ministerial selection more stringent, it really doesn’t address another problem… who’s in charge of the selection process. In many of the more formal denominations, it is the people that are actually a part of the system, and thus, a part of the problem. The idea that they will somehow fix a problem they are a part of is kind of silly.
3. Making theological education more demanding will not necessarily stop congregational decline. Many are educated well beyond their need already.
4. Many problems in churches are caused because there is no entrepreneurialship. Not that the church needs to be run like a business, but there, in my opinion, needs to be a real leader at the helm… someone who will not only preach the Word without compromise, but one that will ultimately be responsible for leading life change and congregational health and unity.
5. And let’s not forget the spiritual element. God many times chooses to work through individuals. Sometimes he even does that through someone with no formal education. And many times he does that through extremely smart and capable entrepreneurial types who have yet to succumb to Kim’s prescribed burning.
Shrinkage is never a good thing. (Just ask George Costanza).
The the answer to congregational shrinkage is much more complex than more education and better selection.
What do YOU think?
Todd
Couldn’t agree more. Especially #3 & 5. Reading “Pagan Christianity?” by Barna and Viola, and they burn the idea that theological education is essential to church health and wholeness.
THE answer to “congregational decline” is Spirit-filled pastors and lay-people doing whatever it takes to win more people to Christ. In our city (Colorado Springs, CO) 83% (over 500k) don’t attend ANY church. We have several Christian colleges and universities. We have over 150 Christian ministries headquarters located here. We have the largest church (10k+) in several surrounding states here. What we lack is pastors and people who are surrendered to the Lordship of Christ and His command to “Go and make disciples…”
Shrinkage needs to be examined more deeply; it is a symptom which can linked back to several different causes. Depending upon the cause the solution will also vary.
Two things have to be addressed up front: 1. You may have a fiercely obedient, Christ honoring, Spirit-filled godly church which is numerically declining. 2. You may have a Godless, spiritually vapid, ear tickling church experiencing tremendous growth.
The spiritual message, motives, mission and methodology all need to be closely examined. There are several ways to examine the health of a church. One of the keys is to examine the prayer and worship life of the church. Do the members regularly come together for corporate prayer? Do they recognize their utter dependency upon God not only in crisis (this is when most people recognize the need for prayer) but also in day to day normal life? Does your church sing motivational songs or do they actually pour themselves out in worship?
The membership process also should be examined and scrutinized. Does the church let anyone join or do they screen applicants for membership to ensure people have a transformed new life?
Examine the preaching; is the Gospel preached from a Jesus centered perspective or a man centered self-help viewpoint? Do members want to only feel good about themselves or do they crave holiness? What the church is producing in terms of disciples needs to be closely examined.
Is the church missionally engaged outside its four walls or does it spend most of its time and energy in social events tailored for its own current members?
As for making theological education more demanding I tend to think this leads to churches being lead by big brains with small hearts. Character is more important than education. The most important elements of Christianity can not be taught in a book, it must be learned by life application. Yes give Pastors the best schooling possible, but examine their lives, know their character. Make sure leaders radically love Jesus and share His passion for people.
Remember many of the external characteristics of a healthy and a spiritually dead church will be the same, you have a dig a bit deeper to see if it is producing white-washed-tomb Christians or empty-grave-new-life Christians.
“screen applicants for membership to ensure people have a transformed new life”?
Isn’t part of what the Church is for is helping people to realize that transformed life? Why would we want to screen them first to see if they exhibit that already? I’m sure some will if they are already mature Christians simply moving their membership. However, others may not be at that place in their walk yet. Some in fact may be completely new to faith.
Part of a problem I saw at a previous church was making the membership process about being “qualified” to join, thus keeping a lot of people from becoming members. Many were active in the church, some more so than actual members, but because of points they disagreed with in church doctrine or practices that they know would not be accepted, they did not join but continued to worship and serve the church. Membership, in my opinion, should not be a barrier and we should be willing to dialogue with people about differences rather than turning them away.
This must be a tongue in cheek comment because in all but the rarest cases I would do the opposite of every suggestion…and I have helped turn around 3 churches.