Comments on: 7 Megatrends of Church health http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2008/01/19/7-megatrends-of-church-health/ Let these stones be a witness to what we have done here this day. Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:54:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Kevin Bussey http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2008/01/19/7-megatrends-of-church-health/#comment-11286 Kevin Bussey Sat, 19 Jan 2008 15:31:32 +0000 http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2008/01/19/7-megatrends-of-church-health/#comment-11286 The solution to #1 is simple. Disciple students and make church relevant. The churches that are allowing/encouraging their students to serve are keeping them when they get older. The solution to #1 is simple. Disciple students and make church relevant. The churches that are allowing/encouraging their students to serve are keeping them when they get older.

]]> By: David Phillips http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2008/01/19/7-megatrends-of-church-health/#comment-11271 David Phillips Sat, 19 Jan 2008 12:58:19 +0000 http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2008/01/19/7-megatrends-of-church-health/#comment-11271 There are a couple that are jumping out at me that I'll comment on. The first is #3 about the desire for deeper teaching. It's funny, because every time I hear that said I've tried to do something about it. And when I do, nobody shows up for it. Whether its sermons or small groups or whatever. So that tells me that either they're not being honest or they don't really know what they want or what they want is what Willow Creek found out - they want to be taught how to go deeper themselves. #4 is interesting as well. I believe I heard Reggie McNeal say that the only state where Christianity is growing is Hawaii. I've tried to find that reference via google and can't, but what I did find was that Hawaii is the only state where the growth of Christianity is outpacing population growth. Another study I read put out by Outreach Magazine and found on the Christianity Today website describes how small churches and large churches are growing but medium size churches are declining. The cause is small groups Large churches have to have small groups for pastoral care. Small churches are a small group. A friend asked me once: Why do they only build movie theaters that seat around 300? The answer to this question may be an indicator to ministry in the future. #5 was not surprising, though the idea that seminary grads don't want to pastor white collar churches is. When I was leaving seminary, that was where everyone wanted to go. I think it's going to be tough for rural and traditional churches in the future, because of their general resistance to change. What these trends have intimated overall, however is quite interesting. It is telling me that our discipleship processes suck. We have heard that we need to give people more information for so long but more information never leads to change. It's not information that's needed, it's environments and experiences. Transcendency, mystery, and relationship. Thanks Art for sharing this... There are a couple that are jumping out at me that I’ll comment on.

The first is #3 about the desire for deeper teaching. It’s funny, because every time I hear that said I’ve tried to do something about it. And when I do, nobody shows up for it. Whether its sermons or small groups or whatever. So that tells me that either they’re not being honest or they don’t really know what they want or what they want is what Willow Creek found out – they want to be taught how to go deeper themselves.

#4 is interesting as well. I believe I heard Reggie McNeal say that the only state where Christianity is growing is Hawaii. I’ve tried to find that reference via google and can’t, but what I did find was that Hawaii is the only state where the growth of Christianity is outpacing population growth. Another study I read put out by Outreach Magazine and found on the Christianity Today website describes how small churches and large churches are growing but medium size churches are declining. The cause is small groups Large churches have to have small groups for pastoral care. Small churches are a small group. A friend asked me once: Why do they only build movie theaters that seat around 300? The answer to this question may be an indicator to ministry in the future.

#5 was not surprising, though the idea that seminary grads don’t want to pastor white collar churches is. When I was leaving seminary, that was where everyone wanted to go. I think it’s going to be tough for rural and traditional churches in the future, because of their general resistance to change.

What these trends have intimated overall, however is quite interesting. It is telling me that our discipleship processes suck. We have heard that we need to give people more information for so long but more information never leads to change. It’s not information that’s needed, it’s environments and experiences. Transcendency, mystery, and relationship.

Thanks Art for sharing this…

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