I know. I have been a
spokesman for gloom and doom of the local church. I’ve even written a book about church autopsies
not necessarily a topic of hope and joy.
There have, however,
been reasons for my notes of caution and pessimism.
First, we must face facts
if we are to do something about them. We can’t expect to move forward if we
have our metaphorical heads in the sand. Such is the reason I wrote a book on
church deaths. Second, the negative situation I have described is a reality. It
would not demonstrate integrity if I said something differently.
But, in the midst of
the gloomy facts, I remain an obnoxious optimist about local congregations. I
do believe there is a very good possibility that we won’t go the way of many
other places that have seen the decline of churches to the point of
irrelevance. Allow me to share twelve reasons why I remain hopeful.
1.
Leaders
in congregations are demonstrating a willingness to face reality. They are no longer playing games as if
everything is okay. We must face the facts as we seek God’s power to do
something about them.
2.
Prayer
movements are developing in many churches. These movements are typically more spontaneous
than planned. When God’s people start praying, revival has already begun.
3.
Both
church planting and church revitalization are being emphasized. These two emphases have historically been
viewed as competitive with one another. Today, more church leaders see them as
complementary and vital. That is good.
4.
There
is a wedding of theology and practical ministry. In the 1970s and 1980s, the church growth
movement advocated practical ministry often to the neglect of biblical and
theological foundations. For the past 15 years, there has been a needed
emphasis on good theology, but often to the neglect of practical issues. Today,
there is a growing balance that realizes good theology should birth healthy
practical ministry.
5.
There
is a growing emphasis on local church evangelism. Related to the issue in number four, more
church leaders are now realizing they are in congregations bereft of
evangelistic health. That is changing for the better.
6.
Almost
everywhere is a mission field. The bad news is that fewer people are Christians today, at least
in America, than any point in known history. The good news is that our towns
and neighborhoods are mission fields ready for workers.
7.
The
“multi-” movement is reaching into new areas. Church leaders no longer view a single church
site or service as the limits of ministry. The growth of multi-service,
multi-venue, multi-site, and multi-campus has provided more opportunities to
reach more people.
8.
More
church leaders are engaging culture rather than isolating themselves from
culture. While the degradation
of biblical values in our culture can be a temptation to withdraw from the
world, more church leaders are moving into culture to be “salt and light.” We
don’t have to compromise our biblical values, but we can be gracious
ambassadors in this new and often strange world.
9.
Church
acquisitions and mergers are saving many congregations from death. In the recent past, there was little hope for
congregations on a rapid downward spiral. Today, more and more of these
congregations are willing to be acquired or to merge; thus the witness of the church
in that community remains alive.
10.
Meaningful
church membership is becoming a greater reality. It is heartening to see more congregations
embrace a higher-expectation membership. As a consequence, local churches will
soon become healthier and more impactful in their communities.
11.
The
worship wars are waning. Three decades of worship wars have taken their toll on our
congregations. I wrote about this issue in a recent post.
And, despite a few protestations to the contrary, I stand by my thesis. There
will be more energy to focus on ministry rather than to fight one another.
12.
Church
members are doing greater ministry in the local communities. We can largely credit Christian Millennials
with this trend. Local church ministry is moving from “you come” to “we go.”
I am not suggesting
that these developments are indicative of a quick turnaround of our
congregations. Many are still in dire straits. But I am hopeful. Above all, my
trust is in the one true God who is still working among His people. I am
excited to see what He will do.
Let me hear from you.
Tell me what you think about these twelve reasons. Tell me what you are seeing
in your churches.
Taken from a post from Thom Rainer
Thom S. Rainer is the president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources. Prior to LifeWay, he served at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary for twelve years where he was the founding dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions and Evangelism. He is a 1977 graduate of the University of Alabama and earned his Master of Divinity and Ph.D. degrees from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
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