Doug Eaton's Top Ten Ways for Youth Leaders to Hinder the Church

2008-11-10T13:18:00.000-08:00

Doug Eaton put this video out on the web as a response to the lack of doctrine and true biblical Christianity within the Youth Ministries of today's church. We leave in a time where 8 out of 10 "church kids" leave the church after high school.

Doug digs into the Top Ten problems of current youth ministry.

It's tremendous advice and well worth the watch.

Church Growth and the Seeker-Sensitive Church

2008-11-07T19:59:00.000-08:00

"All this emergent church stuff, much of the church growth stuff, all the cultural sensitivity throwing out the window biblical sensitivity, it's just a bunch of little boys wanting to play church without the power of God on their life, and I'll stand on that statement. It's a lesser than David trying to fit himself in Saul's armor. To the wind with it. The more you trust in the arm of the flesh, the less you're going to see of the power of God."

-Paul Washer

Reading the blog of a dear friend of mine, I felt compelled to respond to the seeker-sensitive church model for church growth. First, however, let me say the passion and heart of this methodology I commend and dearly appreciate. It is a movement filled with men and women seeking to serve Christ and win their world for Christ. This system of growth is great for the numerical increase of the church. Now, with that said, I find this entire method for spurring and prodding growth in the church ignorant and unbiblical (for a great overview of the seeker-sensitive church model head here http://www.thepropheticyears.com/comments/Seeker%20friendly.htm).

I attended a local church here in Anderson, SC, for nearly two years founded on the principals of the seeker-sensitive system. Needless to say, I loved it. You see, I grew up in church, a church with a choir, and a band; it was a church pursuing people and discipleship, a church on a mission. These were two things I equated with success (though not equally). I saw churches around ours spurting up and quickly flourishing. I couldn't understand what was holding our church back. I so badly wanted our church, Brookwood, to be busting out the seams. I wanted our fellowship to be "the church" in our community. I wanted people to come. As I grew older, that became the determining factor of what defined a "successful" church. If the seats were filled you were doing good and "God was blessing".

Brookwood was in the metro-Atlanta area of Georgia and as a result there was plenty of opportunity to explore other church venues and experiences without conflicting with my own church's services. With that being the case, I began attending the college ministry of a large church in our area. There, I found a wealth of new experience and knowledge. I discovered that within the walls of that building, all were accepted and welcomed. I was blown away. This broke all the stereotypes. No deacons, hell, or pressure. I experienced this and found the love of the Christ (or so I thought). As I spent more time attending this church I heard messages that were aimed at me and my life. They covered topics that I wanted to hear, that helped me with my problems and my life. This would go down as my first endeavor into discovering the principles of church growth.

After graduating high school, I moved to Anderson, South Carolina, to attend Anderson University. Once there, I began to explore churches. The search however quickly ended after I was told of "the church" in the area. It was everything I could want, even to the point that it met nearly a hundred feet from my dorm. I was there nearly every Sunday for most of two years. I loved it. I saw so much love and acceptance. They were never quick to judge or push. I loved the sermons, filled with stories, that covered topics about life lessons and centered around reaching our community for Christ. I was hooked from day one. As I said, this went on for nearly two years, however, somewhere along the line, things changed. I began to realize I was not growing spiritually. I was being fed the milk of the word. I began to become enthralled with the theology of God and His word. This led to the breaking point, were I said enough is enough. Something had to change. I had to evaluate what did a successful church look like and why. Thus began my life long search into "Church Growth". My findings were very simple, numbers don't necessarily mean anything. In fact, Christ tells us as Christians that the world will hate us. Why then do we as church going believers expect to have huge churches? Yes, there are times and places where this is the reality, but the norm, hardly. Also, to evaluate the success of the church, the only place to look to is in the calling of Christ for her. The most basic purpose of the church is to glorify God. We are accountable to Him and Him alone. We as the church, are command to make disciples (notice this does not say save people). We are called to preach the gospel. Yes, it will make people mad, even furious. Yes, sharing the gospel should cost you. Yes, it is commanded of you as a slave to Christ. You see, in seeker-sensitive world, you have to make sure that the gospel is easy to hear. You have to make sure you don't offend anyone for fear that they might leave and never accept Jesus. It teaches that comfort is king. This method preaches that you never use the "r" word (repent), because people don't want to here it. They want to go to "church" and here a life coach speak about fun affirming things that on occasion will call them to open their bible (but even then it will be closed after a couple verses to sit on a table on the stage as stories flow forth). These ideas make God's sovereignty a joke and a mockery. The truth is that God's word is effective. Isaiah 55.11 tells us "so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Christ and the gospel do not need to be made cool or relevant to the culture. God's word is timeless and eternal. The word of God is penetrating and demanding. It calls people to die of themselves, to take up their cross and follow Him. It demands daily repentance. It says that road of salvation is narrow and few will find it, but broad is the way of destruction. SBC world has made God into a friend and a buddy. Yes, He is a friend that is closer than a brother, but he is also, a Judge and High Priest. God is holy and sovereign. He does not sit around like a middle school crush passing you notes in class that say "Do you like me check Yes or No". He is a God that demands everything of His people. God does not need nor want the church to dress him up in pretty clothes and make up and parade Him before the world asking them to pick Him because He is pretty and fun and loving. He is a God that is seated high and lifted up. Revelation describes Him well, "head and hair like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand were seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance". Does that sound like a being that needs any help from mere humanity?

This is the portion of the blog when I want to address the concept of "Church Growth" because I feel it goes hand in hand with the topic discussed. The idea of having a plan for effective church growth utterly blows my mind (this concept being defined as church growth numerically). My generation loves to quote Proverbs 29:18 "Where there is no vision the people parish:", the problem however, is that they leave off the latter half of the verse which reads "but he that keepeth the law, happy is he". The "vision" described in this verse is not a five year plan for church growth, but rather is portraying that when man looses scope of the law of God he has no hope. I mean, what did the disciples do after Christ' arrest and then death on the cross? Did they sit in the upper room outlining a five and ten year plan on how to grow the church? On the contrary, they began pouring their hearts out in prayer before the Father. Our generation has become obsessed with church growth and modernizing/watering down Jesus to do so. Christ makes it clear when he says, "I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it". Christ is the head of the church and her life is found in Him alone. A church can be alive and growing, yet not growing numerically, as long as they are submitting to Him, pursuing a daily death to self, and pursuing knowledge and growth in His word. You see, God has never been impressed with numbers. In Judges, we find Gideon preparing to go to war with the Midianites. He brought 32,000 men to battle however God deemed that to many. God lessened the army until only 300 remained. You see God is not enamored or impressed by your numbers. He is calling the church to make disciples, something that has became desperately lacking in our generation. God is not seeking you to do great things for Him, rather, He wants you to die, die to yourself. Matthew 7 rings loud in my ear as it declares, "Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophecy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evil-doers!'". When a church truly discovers that it's greatest efforts and achievements are like filthy rags, and their goal should be to glorify God through death of self both personally and corporately, then they will find God and His heart. You see, I have found that this is the only true, God-ordained model for "Church Growth". It is defined by two elements. First, a constant and daily realization of the filth and disgust of our sins in the eyes of the Father. Second, is coming to grips with the grace and immense love of the Father, which is overcoming and overwhelming. If God's people get ahold of these two biblical concepts, they will experience "Church Growth" in a desperate and intimate way. Be the church and Christ will grow the church.

-Phillip Mark McMinn

The Thoughts of a Twenty-Something...

Doug Eaton's Top Ten Ways for Youth Leaders to Hinder the Church

Church Growth and the Seeker-Sensitive Church