Tuesday, September 22, 2009

OUT OF THE BOX

Fifty years ago, there were about 1 1/2 kinds of different churches out there. Most all of them had steeples, were led by men with seminary degrees in three-piece suits or robes, in pew-filled sanctuaries with hymnals and an organist, with a sermon delivered from behind a big wooden pulpit.

Today? There are 500 1/2 kinds of churches, including an amazing number of out-of-the-box churches. Many of these - an exponentially growing number - are meeting in rented auditoriums, theatres, schools and gymnasiums, sitting on stackable chairs, singing along with rock bands, listening to conversational teaching by a guy in blue jeans.

Church growth expert Peter Wagner estimates the number of out-of-the-box churches now exceeds the number of churches in the largest Protestant denomination.

Donald Miller outlines twelve characteristics of the "New Paradigm Church:"

1. They began after 1970.

2. The majority of members were born after 1950.

3. Seminary training of clergy - optional.

4. Worship - contemporary/modern.

5. Lay leadership - highly valued and deeply empowered.

6. Small groups are intensive and extensive.

7. Clergy and congregants dress informally.

8. Tolerance of differing personal styles is prized.

9. Pastors are understated, humble and personally transparent and vulnerable.

10. Bodily, not just cognitive, worship is normative.

11. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are affirmed.

12. Bible-centered teaching predominates over topical sermonizing.

How does your/our church stack up? Which three of these would you consider have special importance for growth and the future?

And be blessed.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Three that I believe are the most important are:

1. Worship is contemporary/modern

2. Small groups are intensive and extensive

3. Pastors are understated, humble and personally transparent and vulnerable.

I think our church compares very favorably in most areas. I think we should have more small groups....or at least access to the ones that are there. Small group life is vital if we really are a church family. We can grow together and encourage one another and enjoy the social aspects of it in fellowship.

Heidi said...

The last one is the only one I don't see happening in our church. I think our sermons are very topical, made to fit inside the series titles. Although the use of the Bible is not forgotten, I would prefer it the other way around. Just as it reads in #12.

PK's BLOG said...

HEIDI:
Thanks for weighing in. I get what you're saying. I think there is a misconception about topical preaching. The sermons are not made to fit within the series title. The subject matters are selected and then the series title is fitted around that - backwards from what you're saying. It's relatively rare that we pick a series title and then try to figure out what messages to do around it. Very rare. That said, I understand the value of expositional preaching and you can look for some more of that coming in 2010 at KFA, most likely. Now ... THAT said ... I also think expositional gets blown out of proportion just a bit. Break down any set of 10 verses in any given chapter and you basically have a general topic there. Go to the next set of 10 verses and there's another general topic. It's not much different to me. A little bit, but not a lot. :) What do you think?