The Seduction of Church Growth

So, where am I going with this site? To tell you the truth, I’m not terribly certain that I know. As I observe the unfolding of events in this world vis a vis the Church, it seems apparent that something is wrong and needs to be dealt with in some way or another. One phenomenon that appears to be new and seems to be troubling in nature is the emerging of the emergent. To those of us who are only now beginning to become aware of the thrust toward emergent theology, much investigation, with integrity, needs to be engaged at this point.

Here’s how I see the thrust of much of current Christianity: There exists a methodology that appears to be an umbrella covering three dove-tailing tactics. That umbrella would be the methodology of the business-like efforts to promote church growth. The first tactic is to be observed through the efforts of the purpose-driven movement. See what the people want and give it to them. The second becomes a fruit produced by that movement and a major tactic at the same time. Be seeker friendly. The third, and the one to be most feared, is self-described as The Emergent Church. Your standards and absolutes may not be mine. God loves all peoples. Stop quenching those who are not Christians with your fundamentalist (read tyrannical) absolutes. Let’s reason together. These three seem to dove-tail. If not sisters, they, at least, appear to be cousins. Should they be feared? Perhaps they should; perhaps they should not. Let’s explore such things as we observe those unfolding of events in the near future. The damage that becomes potential to the Church lies in the fact that such tactics may be removing barriers to apostasy. The participant may, or may not, be apostate in nature but may be removing barriers to apostasy. Emergent says no to fundamental and authoritative systems of belief. Indeed, all three tactics seem to be growing at the expense of the absolutes that have been traditional evangelical thought.

In observing such efforts it becomes quite clear that church growth techniques have been, and will continue to be, spectacularly successful. This is a good thing; not so? They certainly become seductive, and even addictive in nature. Questions beg to be asked however: Are we becoming Laodecian-like in nature? Are we reasoning with an enemy that hates Christ and His people? Many more questions await. Hopefully some answers will arise. Perhaps I will become a missionary to the missionals.

TAFTCom