From the Pastor's Desk
I want to take this opportunity to invite you to journey with me on my blog. It is here each week 
that I will share my thoughts. Most of the time these thoughts will deal with a book that I am reading or leading a discussion in. I may point out something that I agreed with or disagreed with or maybe something that made me think.
This journey will focus on Classical Pentecostal’s response to postmodernity. If you would like to join in the discussion you can click on the link below to see what it's all about and send an email to pastorchris@curtisroad.com requesting permission to join my discussion board.
Rethinking the Church by James Emery White
February 11, 2012
Introduction
I found several things in the introduction section very interesting. Not the least of which was the declining number of those attending church in America. White noted the Southern Baptist lists numbers of 20 million, while only about 8 million were actually inside the church on any given week. Isn’t it the same in most churches? We have large membership rolls yet there is a vast difference between those on our rolls and those sitting in our seats. Within our denomination (Church of God – Cleveland) our membership rolls have increased, yet the number of those actually attending Sunday Morning worship has decreased in many church/areas. The health of our church can never be based on our membership rolls. What good is the fact that membership is 20 million, as in the case of the Southern Baptist, or over 10,000, as in the case of Illinois COG, if only 40% attend? On page 20 White records that British demographer David Barrett says that in America, each week about 53,000 people leave the church, never to return again. White goes on to say that in 1991, 24% of America was unchurched, but in 2002 that number had risen to 34% (p.21). We must be willing to ask the question, “Why are so many leaving out our doors, not to return. Why is it that the number of those calling themselves ‘unchurched’ increases so drastically?”
The survey White conducted was quite interesting. Of the reasons that people gave for not wanting to attend church, a rejection of God was at the bottom of the list at number 8. Two things got my attention in this list. Most of the reasons for not wanting to come had to do with form and style, not theology. It was not that they are rejecting God, but they do not want to go somewhere to see, hear, and participate in something that had not changed in 50 years.
The second thing that stood out to me was reason number 2, which dealt with the fact that churches had too many problems. Division within the church body is a major problem within the body of Christ. Sometimes it is over weighty matters such as theology (Heb. 6:1), but most of the time it is on nonessentials (color of carpet, style of music, etc.). The only litmus test that Christ gave for the true church was that they would know that we are His disciples by the way we love one another (John 13:35).
The illustration of the Swiss watch makers is a stark reminder of how quickly things can change within a society. In the span of 12 years (1968-1980) the Swiss went from 65% of the watch market to less than 10%. Furthermore, how ironic it is that they invented the very technological improvement that put them out of business. The invention of the quartz movement took the Swiss off the map and placed Seiko on the map because they could not stop looking at what had worked in the past and failed to see the possibilities of the future. The lesson is simple, what worked in the past may not work in the future.
Before someone rejects what I am writing, understand that I know we need God’s direction, that His Word CAN NOT be compromised and that His church will thrive. The question is, “are we going to be part of that?” The principles will never change but the methods must. We must learn a lesson from Jesus. He would talk to different people differently. As He was walking down the road, He would see a farmer and would bend down and get a piece of wheat and teach a lesson. Later on as He walked, He would come upon some businessman and would reach into His pocket and take out some coins and teach. The people today are different than they were in 1970 and the way we reach them is different, as well. The strength of the church is tied to our willingness and ability to adapt to the unique conditions we find ourselves in. As we face a postmodern world-view, may we be like the men of Issachar who understood the times and knew what Israel should do (1 Chronicles 12:32).
March 8, 2012
Chapter 1
After reading the first few pages of the first chapter I believe that church leaders have more than made up for the price of the book. The illustration that White uses about the train companies not understanding what business they were in is a visible reminder for today's church. They thought they were in the train business, but in reality they were in the transportation business. This narrowing in their focus called them to not be able to see the bigger picture. Because of the railroad baron’s narrow focus, it caused them to be left behind.
Famous business guru, Peter Drucker, often says that there are only two questions in business that really matter. The first question is, “what business are you in?” and the second question is, “how’s business?” A foundational issue for today's church is to understand what business we are in. This goes to the very core of the church, what is our purpose?
Rick Warren, in his book, The Purpose Driven Church, talks about a survey that Win Arn conducted in which they asked nearly one thousand churches the simple question, “Why does the church exist?” Of the church members surveyed, 89 percent said, “The church’s purpose is to take care of my family’s needs.” Only 11 percent said that the purpose of the church was to win the world for Jesus Christ.” The survey also asked the pastors of those churches the same question, to which the pastors responded just the opposite, with 90 percent saying that the church’s purpose is to reach the lost for Jesus Christ. It is imperative that the church understands what our purpose is. If leadership is going in one direction and the laity is going in a different direction then two things will happen. First, nothing gets accomplished. Secondly, everyone gets frustrated. We must be focused outwardly to complete the Great Commission as well as inwardly to prepare people to focus outwardly. The church must become/remain missional instead of being in maintenance mode.
April 27, 2012
Chapter 2
In this chapter White deals with the subject of society’s awareness to the Christian message. Things are so much different today than they were in Mayberry with Andy and Barney. I can remember a few years ago talking to a friend of mine about Christ and I referred to John 3:16 in passing. He looked at me with a blank stare; he had no idea what I was talking about. We must understand that on the scale from 1-10 for Christ awareness, many people now are not on the upper end but on the lower end.
The church wants to use the same methods that their grandparents did and this simply will not work. In White’s studies, cultivating relationships is the largest factor for growth. We must look at evangelism as more than an event but as a process.