Transcript Slide 1

The Church Growth Movement
“They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world,
and the world hears them. We
are of God. He who knows God
hears us; he who is not of God
does not hear us. By this we
know the spirit of truth and the
spirit of error” (1 John 4:5-6).
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Obedience To The Truth Makes Men
Free--Not Something Less Than The
Truth.
• “Since you have purified your souls in
obeying the truth … having been born
again, not of corruptible seed but
incorruptible, through the word of God
which lives and abides forever”
(1 Peter 1:22-23)
• "And you shall know the truth, and the
truth shall make you free." (John 8:32)
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The Message of Repentance & Purity of Life
Has Been Left Out of Modern Pulpits.
• John preached, “Repent For The Kingdom Of
Heaven Is At Hand” (Matt. 3:2)
• Jesus preached, “Repent For The Kingdom
Of Heaven Is At Hand” (Matt. 4:17)
• Peter Preached, “Repent & Be Baptized For
The Remission Of Sins” (Acts 2:38)
• Paul Preached, "Truly, These Times Of
Ignorance God Overlooked, But Now
Commands All Men Everywhere To Repent”
(Acts 17:30)
This Is Not A Popular Message &
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Will Not Attract Large Crowds Matt. 11:20-24; Jn. 6:66
The Mega-Churches Have Sprung Up In
Almost Every Area of the Country & Many Are
Growing Exceedingly Fast.
• Factors Which Have Led To Their Formation &
Growth
– Members & Leaders Are Baby-Boomers Who
Were Influenced By The Radicals Of The Sixties
– Decline In Membership Among Traditional
Mainstream Denominations
• “At Last! A new church for those who’ve
given up on traditional church services”
(Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Church, p. 41).
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• Factors Which Have Led To Their Formation
& Growth (cont.)
– The Downward Moral Spiral Of Mainstream
Denominational Churches
Methodist
Condone—Abortion,
Gambling,
• One suggestion
made by a committee
of the
Homosexuality,
Adultery,
Presbyterian Church
wasDrinking
to “re-evaluate its
definition of sin to reflect the changing mores
Catholics
Promote—Gambling
&
Drinking
of society.” They also went on to say that the
at their
Church
Bazaars
church
should
sound “a call for widening the
circle of the faithful—not with children, but
Episcopalians
Ordain Practicing
with non-reproductive gays, lesbians, and
Homosexual
Priests
heterosexual singles who practice ‘safe sex.’
We feel that marriage is not what legitimates
sexual gratification” (“Roll Over John Calvin,” Time
Magazine, May 6, 1991, p. 59).
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Characteristics Of A Mega-Church
• A Strong Dynamic Leader
• AdoptDenominations
A Neutral, NonProtestant
Denominational Name
Martin Luther
Mega-Churches
• “Attraction
Lutheran Church Evangelism”
John Calvin
Rick
Warren
–Presbyterian
Rick
Warren
referred
to
Luke
14
Church
Saddleback
Church
“where
Jesus
compared
the
kingdom
Charles Wesley
Bill Hybels
Methodist
Church
of God to a great banquet,
the Church
Willow
Creek
Joseph Smith
Master’s
servants
are
to
go
out
and
Bob
Russell
Mormon Church
inviteT.the
hungry to come
in and
eat,
Southeast
Christian
Charles
Russell
Jehovah
Witnesses
‘so that
my house may be full’”
Mary
Baker Driven
EddyChurch, p. 235).
(The Purpose
Church Of Christ Scientists
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Characteristics of A Mega-Church
• “Seeker Sensitive” Services
–They emphasize “large outreach
events…contemporary Christian
concerts, creative presentations
that utilize drama, multimedia,
and the arts…men’s breakfasts,
women’s luncheons, leader’s
dinners” and so on to introduce
the church to unbelievers (Bill Hybels,
Becoming A Contagious Christian, pp. 207-208).
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Characteristics of A Mega-Church
• Services Are As Non-Threatening As
Possible For The Unchurched
– “Don’t hit them over the head with
everything they’re doing wrong. A lot of
their sins will be dealt with after they
come to Christ”
(Rick Warren, A Purpose Driven Church, p. 216).
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Characteristics of A Mega-Church
• Non- Guilt Evangelism – “Amnesty”
– “No matter what you’ve done or why you left,
you can come back, no questions asked”
(Bill Hybels, Becoming A Contagious Christian, p. 49).
– “Christians favor love over law-keeping, truth
over trivialities, and faith over frenetic religious
activity” (Bill Hybels, Becoming A Contagious Christian, p. 168).
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Characteristics of A Mega-Church
• No Point Of Doctrine Worth Contending For
– Some churches have “no real vision for
reaching the lost ... because they are too busy
debating internal policies and dealing with all
kinds of in-house strife”
(Bill Hybels, Becoming A Contagious Christian, p. 200).
– Rick Warren warns about legalists that “erect
theological walls to defend personal
preferences.” (Purpose Driven Church, p. 236)
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Characteristics of A Mega-Church
• Myriad Of Ministries
– Ministries For Any & Everything
“When it comesHula
to using
felt
needs
as
an
Dance
open door for evangelism,
the
possibilities
Ministry
are limitless. Saddleback has over seventy
targeted ministries to the crowd and
community, each built around a specific
Empty Arms
need” (Rick Warren, A Purpose Driven
Ministry
Church, p. 222)
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Characteristics of A Mega-Church
• Worship Takes A Backseat To
Entertainment
– “Even going to church and worshiping
God—important as these are—sometimes
leave us feeling that something is
missing. After all, we’ll worship God for
eternity in heaven; we don’t have to be
here to do that.”
(Bill Hybels, Becoming A Contagious Christian, p. 23).
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Characteristics of A Mega-Church
• Storytelling Over Bible Instruction
– Criticizes “pastors” who say “We
are not here to entertain.” (Rick Warren, A
Purpose Driven Church, P. 232).
–“I believe it is a sin to bore people
with the Bible.” (Rick Warren, A Purpose Driven Church,
P. 231).
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Characteristics of A Mega-Church
• Storytelling Over Bible Instruction
–“Stories stir our emotions. They
impact us in ways that precepts and
propositions never do. If you want to
change lives, you must craft your
message for impact, not information”
(Rick Warren, A Purpose Driven Church, p. 232).
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Characteristics of Mega-Churches
•
•
•
•
Dynamic Leader
New Neutral Name
Attraction Evangelism
Seeker-Sensitive Services
– Non-Threatening Services
– Non-Guilt Evangelism
•
•
•
•
No Contending For The Faith
Many Ministries For Felt Needs
Entertainment Over Worship
Storytelling Over Bible Instruction
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How Do Mega-Churches Affect Us?
• Vacation Bible schools geared toward fun
instead of Bible instruction:
– Secular activities planned after every VBS
service—zoo trips, outings to the park, trips to
pizza parlors, etc.
– Emphasis placed on fun during the educational
portion of the school.
– Plays worked on and acted out for audiences.
– Limbo in the auditorium.
– Tents and basketball goals in the parking lot.16
How Do Mega-Churches Affect Us?
• Changes in preaching:
– Non-controversial message: don’t call names;
don’t offend.
– Not make hearers feel guilty.
– Positive Projection from the Pulpit: cover
controversial and negative issues in classes.
– Less Scripture and almost no application.
– Over-emphasis on personal stories, humor.
– No plan of salvation given when offering the
invitation.
– Seminars with no prayers, no Bible allowed, no
reference to God by name.
– More emphasis on presentation than content;
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feelings than truth.
How Do Mega-Churches Affect Us?
• Drama videos played during youth lectures.
• Youth lecture advertisements that advertise
the secular with spiritual.
• Churches changing their name to nonoffending names.
• Change services to accommodate secular
activities—Super Bowl, basketball games, &
high school events, etc.
• Willingness to fellowship false teachers,
especially if they are popular and attract a
crowd.
• Refusal to publicly discuss current issues
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and questions among us.
What Saith The Scriptures?
• The Bible Is A Complete Guide –
Tim. 3:16-17; Psa. 119:105
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• Man Has Always Rejected The Perfect For
The Imperfect – 2 Sam. 8:5; 1 Kgs. 12:8-14
• The Light Is In God’s Word – Isa. 8:20
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There Is Always A Demand For Soft Preaching
& Preachers Who Will Satisfy the Demand
• That this is a rebellious people, Lying children,
Children who will not hear the law of the LORD;
Who say to the seers, "Do not see," And to the
prophets, "Do not prophesy to us right things;
Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits.
(Isaiah 30:9-10)
• "An astonishing and horrible thing Has been
committed in the land: The prophets prophesy
falsely, And the priests rule by their own power;
And My people love to have it so. But what will
you do in the end? (Jeremiah 5:30-31)
Jeremiah 6:13-16
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Preacher’s Responsibility
• Preach the Word (2 Tim. 4:2)
“For I am not ashamed of
theTo
gospel
Christ,
for it2:4)
• Preach
Pleaseof
God
(1 Thess.
is the power of God to
• Preach
The Whole
Counsel (Acts
salvation
for everyone
who20:27)
believes, for the Jew first
• Preach
Thealso
Truth
Inthe
Love
(Eph. 4:15)
and
for
Greek”
(Romans 1:16).
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Obedience To The Truth
•Believe Gospel – Mk. 16:16
•Confess Faith – Acts 8:37
•Repent of Sins – Acts 17:30
•Be Baptized – Acts 2:38
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