By: Dr. Thom Rainer |
Thom Rainer: "In
my research of churches, I have kept a checklist of potential signs that a
church might be moving toward inward obsession."
Any healthy church must have some level of inward focus.
Those in the church should be discipled. Hurting members need genuine concern
and ministry. Healthy fellowship among the members is a good sign for a
congregation.
But churches can lose their outward focus and become
preoccupied with the perceived needs and desires of the members. The dollars
spent and the time expended can quickly become focused on the demands of those
inside the congregation. When that takes place, the church has become inwardly
obsessed. It is no longer a Great Commission congregation.
In my research of churches and consultation with churches,
I have kept a checklist of potential signs that a church might be moving toward
inward obsession. No church is perfect; indeed, most churches will demonstrate
one or two of these signs for a season.
But the real danger takes place when a
church begins to manifest three or more of these warning signs for an extended
period of months and even years.
1. Worship wars
One or more factions in the church want the music just the
way they like it. Any deviation is met with anger and demands for change. The
order of service must remain constant. Certain instrumentation is required
while others are prohibited.
2. Prolonged minutia meetings
The church spends an inordinate amount of time in different
meetings. Most of the meetings deal with the most inconsequential items, while
the Great Commission and Great Commandment are rarely the topics of discussion.
3. Facility focus
The church facilities develop iconic status. One of the
highest priorities in the church is the protection and preservation of rooms,
furniture and other visible parts of the church’s buildings and grounds.
4. Program driven
Every church has programs even if they don’t admit it. When
we start doing a ministry a certain way, it takes on programmatic status. The
problem is not with programs. The problem develops when the program becomes an
end instead of a means to greater ministry.
5. Inwardly focused budget
A disproportionate share of the budget is used to meet the
needs and comforts of the members instead of reaching beyond the walls of the
church.
6. Inordinate demands for pastoral care
All church members deserve care and concern, especially in
times of need and crisis. Problems develop, however, when church members have
unreasonable expectations for even minor matters. Some members expect the
pastoral staff to visit them regularly merely because they have membership
status.
7. Attitudes of entitlement
This issue could be a catchall for many of the points named
here. The overarching attitude is one of demanding and having a sense of
deserving special treatment.
8. Greater concern about change than the gospel
Almost any noticeable changes in the church evoke the ire
of many, but those same passions are not evident about participating in the
work of the gospel to change lives.
9. Anger and hostility
Members are consistently angry. They regularly express
hostility toward the church staff and other members.
10. Evangelistic apathy
Very few members share their faith on a regular basis. More
are concerned about their own needs rather than the greatest eternal needs of
the world and community in which they live.
My list is not exhaustive. You may have some items you
could add. Have you ever been a part of an inwardly obsessed church? What signs
were evident that led you to know the church was inwardly obsessed? Do you
affirm some of the items on my list?
No comments:
Post a Comment