The
Tragedy of Compromise
by Ernest
Pickering
Salad Bar
Sanctuaries
Multiplying
Activities
One
of the secrets to building a successful church, we are told,
is to have something for everyone. The large megachurches
are like their secular counterparts—the megamalls. The more
specialty shops one gathers in one place, the more shoppers
they are likely to attract. This same principle is being
applied to church growth. "Too often the megachurches
grow, not because they are superior in their evangelism
or better in their preaching or more apt to produce genuine
discipleship, but because they have the resources to create
special activities appealing to the desires of many different
types of groups."16
The
New Testament gives a rather thorough description of the
divinely appointed ministries of a local church. A handy
summary of these is found in Acts 2:42: "And they continued
stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and
in breaking of bread, and in prayers." New Testament
churches were marked by preaching (Acts 20:9), praying (Acts
12:5), singing (Eph. 5:19), giving (I Cor. 16:2), baptizing
(I Cor. 1:14-16), observing the Lord's table (I Cor. 11:20-34),
and generally encouraging one another (Acts 14:22). The
ministry of the church is to be a spiritual ministry. The
church is not to become a religious sports and health club,
but to be a source of spiritual nourishment and instruction.
Getting on Top
of the Heap
One
of the religious wonders of modern America is the Crystal
Cathedral, pastored by Robert Schuller, a leading guru of
the church growth movement. Schuller is a self-confessed
disciple of Norman Vincent Peale, the noted New York preacher
and religious psychologist. Years ago Schuller went to Southern
California and started his ministry. It has grown to tremendous
proportions and has become a model for many. What kind of
church is it?
The
whole church is program-oriented, the full-time pastoral
team functioning as corporate executives. Management
principles forged on the anvil of the successful business
world are easily transformed into this model. Profit
is measured in numerical figures, whether in first-time
decisions, membership, or offerings. The team is highly
qualified and professional. The undergirding goal is
"find the hurt and heal it." This model raises
some serious questions as to the extent to which it
may have accommodated the Gospel to this expression
of the consumer society.17
What
is motivating so many pastors and churches toward this consumer-driven
concept of the ministry? Michael Horton evaluates it this
way: "There is something exalting about being a part
of something that is respected by society. If we can build
larger buildings, have larger gatherings, create larger
enterprises, and compete with other mass-produced products,
we will be a part of something powerful, something relevant,
and the world will have to sit up and take notice of us . . . . That
is what was driving the Corinthian believers, too, who had
forgotten their roots."18
It should
be noted that the growth of many churches is not always
a result of the evangelization of the lost. "Churches
are growing by the rearranging of saints. Evangelicals are
simply playing musical churches, moving around to more exciting,
larger churches."19
Evaluation
What
has caused the people of God to get their eyes off of scriptural
principles and priorities and to become enamored with fleshly
church growth schemes? Os Guiness lists at least four factors
which have contributed to the rise of "consumer religion":
"(1) The break-up of the monopoly of the old-line denominations
upon the religious life of America; (2) the glorification
of success; (3) the wide-spread commercialization of our
culture; and (4) the effort of Christians to influence the
culture."20
To these factors could be added at least one more: the abandonment
of God-centered theology in favor of a pragmatic, man-centered
theology. The perception is very common that somehow the
sovereign God needs help in accomplishing His purposes on
earth. We mortals, therefore, must rush to the rescue of
the Almighty, armed with the latest marketing ploys to help
deliver the Lord's church from its failures. In an insightful
article, Bill Hull asks the question, "Is the Church
Growth Movement Really Working?"
Regretfully,
I must answer, "No." And yet, the evangelical
church seems to be like a child with a new toy. As churches
and pastors expect a more clever gadgetry from the marketing
wizards, the latter are encouraged to become increasingly
creative until the methods eventually bury the message
in obscurity. For that reason, church growth should
not be a primer for building effective churches; it
has a sociological base, it is data-driven, and it worships
at the altar of pragmatism. It esteems that which works
above all and defines success in worldly and shortsighted
terms. It offers models that cannot be reproduced and
leaders who cannot be imitated. The principles of modern
business are revered more than doctrine….Yet churches
are supposed to be driven by scripture teachings, not
by the latest marketing surveys or consumer trends.21
It is
the nature of the flesh to want recognition and greatness.
The sons of Zebedee were supremely concerned about their
status in the coming kingdom. "Grant unto us that we
may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left
hand, in thy glory" (Mark 10:37). On another occasion
the disciples enquired, "Who is the greatest in the
kingdom of heaven?" (Matt. 18:1). Their question sounds
hauntingly familiar, similar to the present-day scramble
among evangelicals for "bragging rights." The
Scriptures give an antidote for this problem: "And
seekest thou great things for thyself? Seek them not"
(Jer. 45:5). How many of God's servants today are spending
much thought, time, and energy seeking "great things?"
Our goal should be the honor and glory of the blessed Lord.
"For I know that the Lord is great" (Ps. 135:5).
Establishing
a Comfort Zone
New
Evangelical pastors and churches feel a heavy obligation
to make all their hearers feel comfortable. They are not
to be "threatened" by either the nature of the
worship or the message delivered. "Services are often
created to minimize discomfort for the unbeliever so that
he or she begins to accept Christianity as an affirming
influence. People ought to leave church feeling good about
themselves, it is said, instead of being called to self-examination,
sincere repentance, and faith toward God."22
The Tradedy of Compromise. ByErnest Pickering. ©1994. BJU Press.
Reproduction prohibited. This work is available for purchase at the Bob Jones
University Campus Store (phone: 1-800-252-1927; web address:
www.bju.edu/store.) Permission must be obtained from www.itib.org
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