Random thoughts about the church growth movement (Part 5)

Why was I feeling down and sorry for myself after reading a church growth magazine? It was because there is something about the church growth movement that makes you want to compare yourself with those “successful” pastors and churches that are being touted today throughout evangelicalism.

It is my belief that the church growth/“seeker-sensitive”/“purpose-driven” movement is inherently man-centered. The philosophy of the church growth movement causes one to focus on other people and on oneself. And that’s the heart of the problem! Once you get your eyes on people and on yourself, and start comparing yourself to other people, you’re going feel discouraged if you don’t “measure up”.

This is wrong. This is unbiblical. This is sinful.

God wants His people to be God-centered and God-focused. With our eyes on God, we won’t be discouraged and we won’t be proud. We’ll “think with sober judgment”, as we ought (Romans 12:3). It is my belief that churches would be better served (though, some of them might become a bit smaller) if they just stuck to the Bible.

In contrast to the man-centered rhetoric of the church growth movement, there is this encouraging word from the apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 1:17-31):

For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

When I read God’s Word, I’m encouraged, because I’m certainly not "wise according to worldly standards", powerful by any definition, or “of noble birth”. I’m sure the average, highly-trained, mainline, Protestant minister would consider me “foolish” (Perhaps even some of my unsaved family members would think so, also). I certainly feel weak when I consider the immense responsibility that goes along with being a minister of the gospel. But, look at what we’re told: “[God] is the source of your life in Christ Jesus…” It’s not about me and how qualified I am by man's standard; it’s about God. This is all about God’s wisdom, His power and His ability!

That’s not only an encouraging word; it’s liberating!

I pray that more evangelical churches would conduct themselves as if God’s Word were really true. You know what I mean? We’ve simply got our focus in the wrong place. We think too highly of ourselves.

You know, I think I’ll just stick to what God has to say.

(Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4)