OK... So I've been a little behind on blogging (OK... A LOT!). Let's see if I can change that a bit.
Next week I will be speaking at the West Visalia Lectures. I'm addressing two topics: Evangelism in a Postmodern World, and Church Growth God's Way. These are two subjects I've spent a lot of time in so I'm excited, and scared, to be asked to present them. So much to say in so little time. The art of preaching is figuring out what not to say.
Here is the live feed to the lectures below.
Sow the Seed,
Caleb
Showing posts with label Church Growth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Church Growth. Show all posts
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Friday, May 16, 2008
Fred Thompson, Postmodernism, and Change
Today I found out that Fred Thompson was going to be writing for Townhall.com. As I read through his first blog post I found his words to be profoundly parallel with the church. Notice what he says in the context of thoughts that have been confirmed to him in the process of the presidential race: “Second, change – whether it “real change,” “bold change” or the “change we can believe in” variety others are selling – isn’t itself an innovative policy or a particularly strong leadership stance…. The challenge for conservatives is calibrating whether the change being proposed is consistent with our principles and our philosophy, and whether that change is appropriate.”
Today people are looking at numbers. They are looking at truth from a pragmatic perspective. They have been sold a faulty premise which has been reinforced blatantly, and many times unknowingly, from the pulpit, eldership, our Christian colleges, and our papers (many of whom would proudly ware the label of conservative). There are others who have bought into an unbiblical worldview of what truth is or isn’t, if it exist, and if it does can I so claim to know it? There is lots of talk about postmodernism amongst the churches of Christ. I hear people chiming in about knowing lots about it or not knowing much of it. I read of people claiming to be for or against it. Recently I read a blog where the author said he had a teacher who said he was against postmodernism. I’m not sure what the teacher meant, I was not there, but there is a way in which the teacher would be correct in what he said.
The fact is we live in a country filled with people who are evaluating truth through the lenses of postmodernism. Is it helpful to understand this mindset? No doubt! But here is the rub. What is one to do when he is faced with a country filled with people who have a particular worldview that is not allowing for the results you want (i.e. the church to be increasing in numbers through the roof in a matter of years)? The following is a synopsis of the progression amongst the Lord's church.
Let's start with when a problem was set on the table. Many of the “big dogs” amongst the churches of Christ began giving blistering lectures at our “big shows” about how many are not “growing” (what that means is increasing in numbers) like we once were so we must “change” something. So how are we going to fix the problem of not growing numerically by leaps and bounds?
First, these men began advocating that we must “change” our methods of evangelism. This went on for some time amongst us. We had programs from the Jule Miller Films, to We Care, to Friendship Evangelism, to Fisher’s of Men, to Small Groups, and this list could get really long, but if you have been involved you can make your own long list here. Then the experts went back to the tables to see what the “results” were of their endeavors. The numbers came in and they did not improve. In some cases they got worse. The change the method idea didn’t seem to work.
Second, we were faced with a major fork in the road. We began to question our message. Is it really true that we have the truth on these matters of faith if nobody else is accepting them? The next natural avenue to “change” was doctrine. If the method being “changed” didn’t bring the results then the only thing left to “change” is the message. It was/is rather slow at first. A little change here or a little change there and then it quickly blasts forward into wholesale change of the message.
Let’s bring Fred Thompson back into the picture for just a moment. Pay attention to these words, “change – whether it “real change,” “bold change” or the “change we can believe in” variety others are selling – isn’t itself an innovative policy or a particularly strong leadership stance.” What Mr. Thompson is saying is that careful scrutiny needs to be applied to the source of the conflict because “change” is not in and of itself a virtue. Is there a problem? What is the problem? Is the problem real? If so how do we change to fix this problem? To use some words of Mr. Thompson, the challenge for the Lord’s church is calibrating whether or not the change being called for is founded, and if it is consistent with God’s word and His principals. Here are a couple thoughts.
First, in all the bantering amongst the churches of Christ I scarcely hear the voice that challenges the validity of the “problem.” All of this “change” is based upon the need to bring dramatic increase in numbers. But what if the problem is not really a problem? What if God never obligated His church to be the manufactures of numbers? What if God never said nor implied he was going to judge His people based upon the numbers they produced? What if we CHANGED our understanding and realized that the problem is not a problem?
Second, how do we address the postmodern culture? When the old methods didn’t work we tried lots of new ones. So when that didn’t work we changed the message. But why is it that the postmodern mind is never challenged to change? We are told we must just embrace the postmodern mind – bologna! All have conceded, from Earl Edwards to Rubel Shelly, the reality that the majority of people living in our culture have that mind, but that by no means dictates the necessity to change the MESSAGE to fit the mind. No, rather it means our job is ever before us to challenge the minds of the majority of people in our culture to change!
The task is heavy to take a message to a world that does not want to hear it, but for crying out loud have we read the Gospels? Have we read the New Testament? And have we read the Old Testament prophets and the task they bore on their backs!!! Noah, Elijah, Jermiah, Isaiah, Amos, Jonah, John the Baptist, Jesus, Peter, Paul, and every other spokesman of God in the Bible were prophets of change! Change the message? Never! Change the method? Sometimes. Change the thinking of the culture they lived in? Every single one of them! Was the soil different in different places at different times? For sure. Was their success and pleasing-ness to God based upon their number of converts? Not a single one of them. They were all pleasing to God, without exception, when they held fast and proclaimed His word regardless of the culture they found themselves, and their receptivity to the message.
Is change needed? Yes. Do we need to change the methods? Sometimes. Do we need to change the message? NEVER! Do we need to change our faulty premises? No doubt. Must we proclaim a message to the people in a postmodern culture to change their entire way of thinking? That is the task at hand – to preach the foolishness of the cross to our culture and let God handle the rest.
Sow the Seed,
Caleb O’Hara
Today people are looking at numbers. They are looking at truth from a pragmatic perspective. They have been sold a faulty premise which has been reinforced blatantly, and many times unknowingly, from the pulpit, eldership, our Christian colleges, and our papers (many of whom would proudly ware the label of conservative). There are others who have bought into an unbiblical worldview of what truth is or isn’t, if it exist, and if it does can I so claim to know it? There is lots of talk about postmodernism amongst the churches of Christ. I hear people chiming in about knowing lots about it or not knowing much of it. I read of people claiming to be for or against it. Recently I read a blog where the author said he had a teacher who said he was against postmodernism. I’m not sure what the teacher meant, I was not there, but there is a way in which the teacher would be correct in what he said.
The fact is we live in a country filled with people who are evaluating truth through the lenses of postmodernism. Is it helpful to understand this mindset? No doubt! But here is the rub. What is one to do when he is faced with a country filled with people who have a particular worldview that is not allowing for the results you want (i.e. the church to be increasing in numbers through the roof in a matter of years)? The following is a synopsis of the progression amongst the Lord's church.
Let's start with when a problem was set on the table. Many of the “big dogs” amongst the churches of Christ began giving blistering lectures at our “big shows” about how many are not “growing” (what that means is increasing in numbers) like we once were so we must “change” something. So how are we going to fix the problem of not growing numerically by leaps and bounds?
First, these men began advocating that we must “change” our methods of evangelism. This went on for some time amongst us. We had programs from the Jule Miller Films, to We Care, to Friendship Evangelism, to Fisher’s of Men, to Small Groups, and this list could get really long, but if you have been involved you can make your own long list here. Then the experts went back to the tables to see what the “results” were of their endeavors. The numbers came in and they did not improve. In some cases they got worse. The change the method idea didn’t seem to work.
Second, we were faced with a major fork in the road. We began to question our message. Is it really true that we have the truth on these matters of faith if nobody else is accepting them? The next natural avenue to “change” was doctrine. If the method being “changed” didn’t bring the results then the only thing left to “change” is the message. It was/is rather slow at first. A little change here or a little change there and then it quickly blasts forward into wholesale change of the message.
Let’s bring Fred Thompson back into the picture for just a moment. Pay attention to these words, “change – whether it “real change,” “bold change” or the “change we can believe in” variety others are selling – isn’t itself an innovative policy or a particularly strong leadership stance.” What Mr. Thompson is saying is that careful scrutiny needs to be applied to the source of the conflict because “change” is not in and of itself a virtue. Is there a problem? What is the problem? Is the problem real? If so how do we change to fix this problem? To use some words of Mr. Thompson, the challenge for the Lord’s church is calibrating whether or not the change being called for is founded, and if it is consistent with God’s word and His principals. Here are a couple thoughts.
First, in all the bantering amongst the churches of Christ I scarcely hear the voice that challenges the validity of the “problem.” All of this “change” is based upon the need to bring dramatic increase in numbers. But what if the problem is not really a problem? What if God never obligated His church to be the manufactures of numbers? What if God never said nor implied he was going to judge His people based upon the numbers they produced? What if we CHANGED our understanding and realized that the problem is not a problem?
Second, how do we address the postmodern culture? When the old methods didn’t work we tried lots of new ones. So when that didn’t work we changed the message. But why is it that the postmodern mind is never challenged to change? We are told we must just embrace the postmodern mind – bologna! All have conceded, from Earl Edwards to Rubel Shelly, the reality that the majority of people living in our culture have that mind, but that by no means dictates the necessity to change the MESSAGE to fit the mind. No, rather it means our job is ever before us to challenge the minds of the majority of people in our culture to change!
The task is heavy to take a message to a world that does not want to hear it, but for crying out loud have we read the Gospels? Have we read the New Testament? And have we read the Old Testament prophets and the task they bore on their backs!!! Noah, Elijah, Jermiah, Isaiah, Amos, Jonah, John the Baptist, Jesus, Peter, Paul, and every other spokesman of God in the Bible were prophets of change! Change the message? Never! Change the method? Sometimes. Change the thinking of the culture they lived in? Every single one of them! Was the soil different in different places at different times? For sure. Was their success and pleasing-ness to God based upon their number of converts? Not a single one of them. They were all pleasing to God, without exception, when they held fast and proclaimed His word regardless of the culture they found themselves, and their receptivity to the message.
Is change needed? Yes. Do we need to change the methods? Sometimes. Do we need to change the message? NEVER! Do we need to change our faulty premises? No doubt. Must we proclaim a message to the people in a postmodern culture to change their entire way of thinking? That is the task at hand – to preach the foolishness of the cross to our culture and let God handle the rest.
Sow the Seed,
Caleb O’Hara
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Is Jesus the Way or Not?
The modern "Church Growth Movement" naturally leads itself to this end. Must one come through Jesus to get to the Father? It's a simple yes or no question that Jesus Himself answers (John 14:1ff). Apparently even if the Scriptures say it it's not good enough for those in the Church Growth Movement. It might turn people away, and if people are turned away the numbers go down, and if the numbers go down we must be doing something wrong!!!
UPDATE:
Think About It...
Sow the Seed,
Caleb O'Hara
UPDATE:
Think About It...
Sow the Seed,
Caleb O'Hara
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
What About the Numbers?
Today was our last full day in Tennessee. It has been a lot of fun but I simply cannot wait to be back in my own house and with my church family in Ripon. We are still at Ed and Penny’s house. It’s been so nice getting to spend time with them. They have been more than generous in letting us stay with them. They have taken care of me since they first met me and I believe with all my heart that the Lord knew I needed them.
Today we went to the Gospel Advocate bookstore. I had a good time visiting with the book dude there. His name has left me at one in the morning – go figure. While I was there I picked up a few books which you will probably be hearing more about in the future. The deal with my knew project I’m going to work on and possible use as my Master’s Thesis at Bear Valley.
I was reading Phil Sanders blog and posted below was my comment to his post on “For a More Balance Approach” which you can read by clicking on the title. Remember to sow the seed faithfully!
Today we went to the Gospel Advocate bookstore. I had a good time visiting with the book dude there. His name has left me at one in the morning – go figure. While I was there I picked up a few books which you will probably be hearing more about in the future. The deal with my knew project I’m going to work on and possible use as my Master’s Thesis at Bear Valley.
I was reading Phil Sanders blog and posted below was my comment to his post on “For a More Balance Approach” which you can read by clicking on the title. Remember to sow the seed faithfully!
Although it be true that the "progressive" churches are losing just as many if
not more than they are gaining (I read on Mike Cope's blog a while back him
trying to justify why so many were leaving his church), a large area of concern
to me is anytime we try to justify our existence based upon numbers. Where did
we ever get the idea that increase or decrease in numbers meant the blessings or
cursings of God? At some point the Lord's church born on Pentecost began losing
numbers. Was it at that point that the Lord's church was no longer following
Christ or blessed by God? If my understanding of church history is at all
correct the majority of the church went with Augustine. Did the numbers justify
the doctrine?
Did hear me to be argumentative of the stats - they
are encouraging. My question deals more primarily with the whole idea of trying
to rationalize right or wrong based upon numbers. What if the numbers did show
we were dying? Does that mean it's time to give up the tripartite hermy and
embrace the ever enigmatic "new hermeneutic?" What if the numbers showed that
Instrumental Music churches were increasing in number and A Cappella churches
were loosing numbers? Does that mean it's not time to depart from the
understanding that silence can be prohibitive and God really does want to be
worshiped with mechanical instruments? Am I making any sense at
all?
Let me give you a real life example. The congregation where I
am at we have experienced an increase in numbers sense I got here 2 years ago.
Am I supposed to take from that we are doing everything right, if anything? How
about this... I know a man who has been preaching the gospel since Noah built
the ark and the congregation where he is at has dropped at that same time frame
(and he is one of the most evangelistic men I know). Does that mean his message
is not valid and "my" ministry is approved of by God more than "his" ministry?
Does that mean I'm successful and he is not?
I fear greatly that we
have put trust and faith in numbers instead of putting trust and faith in God's
word. It says what it says and I will follow regardless of the numbers – as I am
confident you will too. I think the great lesson to learn from all of this is
that their (progressives or whatever you want to call them) rational for
existence is entirely built upon numbers. They can stand on their numbers and I
will take God’s word.
Just my thoughts,
Caleb
Friday, January 4, 2008
Souls are at stake in 2008
It's a new year! This year I'm going to do my best to blog about once a week. I'm also going to try and do a lot of audio blogging on here. I enjoy speaking... I can't really say I "enjoy" writing. Why? I don't know.
This Sunday will be the start of my third year with the Ripon church of Christ. Wow - what a great family to be a part of. In my humble opinion, one of our greatest assets here is that the leadership stands strongly together. We are in constant communication and always working on projects together.
It's a new year. I've been here over 2 years now. I made it! The statistics are shattered! It's amazing that most preachers don't make it past 2 years. I think I know many of the reasons why. Maybe someday I will share those thoughts with you all. But today what I want to talk about is my new theme for the year in Ripon: "Souls are at stake in 2008." This Sunday I will kick the year off with a message that is designed to inspire the congregation to start thinking evangelistically. Last year we spent a lot of time talking about what biblical church growth is, and this year we are going to start implementing some of those things we talked about. To summarize, the main idea of church growth is to become more like Christ (Ephesians 4:11-16). Christ came to preach so as to seek and save the lost (Mark 1:38; Luke 19:10). Therefore, if I am becoming more like Christ I will be preaching to seek and save the lost.
Many times we make "evangelism" way too complicated. We think of it as a program. We think of it as a marketing plan. We look at it from an ungodly perspective of numbers in the water. So we design an "evangelism" program that gets as many people in the water as quickly as possible. It's time for an exegetical theology towards evangelism.
In brief, Jesus described evangelism as showing people who Jesus was, making people disciples (that means they start to become like Christ - Matthew 10:25), baptizing them, and teaching them to endure all things Christ has commanded (Matthew 28-28-20). Evangelism is "good newsing." We take the good news and we preach it, and then we live it, and continue to teach it. Much more is in store as the year moves on! This is just a teaser. I'm looking forward to preaching this message on Sunday.
Sow the Seed Faithfully,
Caleb O'Hara
This Sunday will be the start of my third year with the Ripon church of Christ. Wow - what a great family to be a part of. In my humble opinion, one of our greatest assets here is that the leadership stands strongly together. We are in constant communication and always working on projects together.
It's a new year. I've been here over 2 years now. I made it! The statistics are shattered! It's amazing that most preachers don't make it past 2 years. I think I know many of the reasons why. Maybe someday I will share those thoughts with you all. But today what I want to talk about is my new theme for the year in Ripon: "Souls are at stake in 2008." This Sunday I will kick the year off with a message that is designed to inspire the congregation to start thinking evangelistically. Last year we spent a lot of time talking about what biblical church growth is, and this year we are going to start implementing some of those things we talked about. To summarize, the main idea of church growth is to become more like Christ (Ephesians 4:11-16). Christ came to preach so as to seek and save the lost (Mark 1:38; Luke 19:10). Therefore, if I am becoming more like Christ I will be preaching to seek and save the lost.
Many times we make "evangelism" way too complicated. We think of it as a program. We think of it as a marketing plan. We look at it from an ungodly perspective of numbers in the water. So we design an "evangelism" program that gets as many people in the water as quickly as possible. It's time for an exegetical theology towards evangelism.
In brief, Jesus described evangelism as showing people who Jesus was, making people disciples (that means they start to become like Christ - Matthew 10:25), baptizing them, and teaching them to endure all things Christ has commanded (Matthew 28-28-20). Evangelism is "good newsing." We take the good news and we preach it, and then we live it, and continue to teach it. Much more is in store as the year moves on! This is just a teaser. I'm looking forward to preaching this message on Sunday.
Sow the Seed Faithfully,
Caleb O'Hara
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