This article is much like a host of other similar articles.
Kind of like the debate on whether electric cars will eliminate internal combustion engine vehicles — good arguments from all sides.
Many at SI believe that the large churches will continue on and prosper, for example.
Nobody, not even Thom Rainer (whom I respect) knows the future. But I have to ask this question: this same article can be and often has (in differing words) been published for decades as the “fix” for churches. Maybe it is time to think more out of the box.
Agreed with Ed about this, and probably a big issue is that if he says some very specific things about real problems, he’s going to tick off his constituency. And quite frankly, we fundagelicals are so fractious, it strikes me that the only way to resolve the issues is for many to quietly show the rest of us how it’s done—how do you transform church growth from “pillaging the members of other churches who may have minor complaints” to “winning the lost for Christ.”
Of course, when some do that, others will accuse him of heresy or something, I’m sure, but at a certain point, that will become irrelevant.
Discussion
NewGood, But Not Impressive
This article is much like a host of other similar articles.
Kind of like the debate on whether electric cars will eliminate internal combustion engine vehicles — good arguments from all sides.
Many at SI believe that the large churches will continue on and prosper, for example.
Nobody, not even Thom Rainer (whom I respect) knows the future. But I have to ask this question: this same article can be and often has (in differing words) been published for decades as the “fix” for churches. Maybe it is time to think more out of the box.
"The Midrash Detective"
NewPure Rainer, really
Agreed with Ed about this, and probably a big issue is that if he says some very specific things about real problems, he’s going to tick off his constituency. And quite frankly, we fundagelicals are so fractious, it strikes me that the only way to resolve the issues is for many to quietly show the rest of us how it’s done—how do you transform church growth from “pillaging the members of other churches who may have minor complaints” to “winning the lost for Christ.”
Of course, when some do that, others will accuse him of heresy or something, I’m sure, but at a certain point, that will become irrelevant.
Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.