GROW: Dialogue Reposted
Back by popular demand...just kidding. This post was taken down and reviewed due to some mis-representation/miscommunication. Special thanks to James Diggs for his techno-savvy skills for the recovery of this dialogue. Thanks for all the cooperation and patience from all those involved.
Monday, September 04, 2006 "GROW" Is this the kind of journal Nazarenes are producing?
My wife and I recently recieved a copy of GROW: A journal for the development of missional leaders and missional churches. I had never heard of it before, but thought you would be interested to see the contents of the newest issue. Apparently it has been in circulation for about 10 years, but the title is decieving...at least somewhat. The GROW part is right, it's all about church growth. However, the intention of the journal sounds like some of what we have been talking about in this circle. This is clearly not the case. Here is a quick breakdown.
Page 1: A list of the Top 50 Sunday School Gains in the USA/Canada region. Top 50 means largest % of gained membership. Being at page 1 it obviously has set the tone...nudge, nudge, wink, wink.
Pages 13-16: An interview with one of the fastest growing Naz churches Valparaiso Church of the Naz in Indiana on the use of Multi-site church growth strategy. I had not heard of this strategy until this article. Apparently, you can drop your kids off at a daycare, go to the worship center down the road, then there is a "The Java-Spot" for the teenagers, and even an Emergent Church inspired building called "The Stain" for college students. All of these are in different locations, hence multi-site. So instead of everyone worshipping together everyone has their own place. So if you don't like one service, you don't have to start going to the Baptist church, you can stay Nazarene and go to a different "site."
Pages 19-25: Basically a couple different variations to the multi-site approach.
Pages 31-34: Virtually a "Yellow Pages" for evangelist in your area. It is actually labeled "Revivalism Ministries."
Pages 37-40: One redeeming value is a piece on the Women's Clegy Conference. Thanks to Nina Gunter. It's not a bad piece. (I'm married to a female minister...could you tell?)
Pages 42-44: This piece covers Turn-around churches. Essentially another method of church growth specifically seeking to understand how churches that have nearly collapsed have found new life again. This church impliments growth through their daycare and children's ministries. The sad thing is that they fail to recognize that the success may have more to do with a prayful and sensative pastor responding in faith and obedience in a time of loss.
Pages 55-57: A piece on Biker Sunday at Grove City Church of the Nazarene in Ohio...need I say more.
I will close with this quote. They thought it was important enough for half a page and a 24 font setting.
"Seven out of the country's ten fastest growing churches offer worship in multiple locations, as do nine of the ten largest churches...we predict that 30,000 American churches will be multi-site within the next few years, which means one or more multi-site churches will probably be in your area." (The Multi-site Church Revolution: Being One Church in Many
locations-Surratt, Ligon, and Bird)
This sounds like a franchise add for McDonalds, but it really has me worried. Historically, the popular American church hasn't been a good idea. I am afraid people are jumping on this band wagon without thinking through this. What are the implications of a church that seeks growth (in numbers) as it's primary objective (this is an old question, but I'd like to hear your thoughts)? Further, what are the communal and theological implications of a multi-site congregation?
Monday, September 04, 2006 "GROW" Is this the kind of journal Nazarenes are producing?
My wife and I recently recieved a copy of GROW: A journal for the development of missional leaders and missional churches. I had never heard of it before, but thought you would be interested to see the contents of the newest issue. Apparently it has been in circulation for about 10 years, but the title is decieving...at least somewhat. The GROW part is right, it's all about church growth. However, the intention of the journal sounds like some of what we have been talking about in this circle. This is clearly not the case. Here is a quick breakdown.
Page 1: A list of the Top 50 Sunday School Gains in the USA/Canada region. Top 50 means largest % of gained membership. Being at page 1 it obviously has set the tone...nudge, nudge, wink, wink.
Pages 13-16: An interview with one of the fastest growing Naz churches Valparaiso Church of the Naz in Indiana on the use of Multi-site church growth strategy. I had not heard of this strategy until this article. Apparently, you can drop your kids off at a daycare, go to the worship center down the road, then there is a "The Java-Spot" for the teenagers, and even an Emergent Church inspired building called "The Stain" for college students. All of these are in different locations, hence multi-site. So instead of everyone worshipping together everyone has their own place. So if you don't like one service, you don't have to start going to the Baptist church, you can stay Nazarene and go to a different "site."
Pages 19-25: Basically a couple different variations to the multi-site approach.
Pages 31-34: Virtually a "Yellow Pages" for evangelist in your area. It is actually labeled "Revivalism Ministries."
Pages 37-40: One redeeming value is a piece on the Women's Clegy Conference. Thanks to Nina Gunter. It's not a bad piece. (I'm married to a female minister...could you tell?)
Pages 42-44: This piece covers Turn-around churches. Essentially another method of church growth specifically seeking to understand how churches that have nearly collapsed have found new life again. This church impliments growth through their daycare and children's ministries. The sad thing is that they fail to recognize that the success may have more to do with a prayful and sensative pastor responding in faith and obedience in a time of loss.
Pages 55-57: A piece on Biker Sunday at Grove City Church of the Nazarene in Ohio...need I say more.
I will close with this quote. They thought it was important enough for half a page and a 24 font setting.
"Seven out of the country's ten fastest growing churches offer worship in multiple locations, as do nine of the ten largest churches...we predict that 30,000 American churches will be multi-site within the next few years, which means one or more multi-site churches will probably be in your area." (The Multi-site Church Revolution: Being One Church in Many
locations-Surratt, Ligon, and Bird)
This sounds like a franchise add for McDonalds, but it really has me worried. Historically, the popular American church hasn't been a good idea. I am afraid people are jumping on this band wagon without thinking through this. What are the implications of a church that seeks growth (in numbers) as it's primary objective (this is an old question, but I'd like to hear your thoughts)? Further, what are the communal and theological implications of a multi-site congregation?
posted by L. Hamilton | 4:16 PM
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