Years ago our church had a successful bus ministry that brought about 200 kids every Sunday morning. From a socio-economic standpoint, the members of our church were upper-middle class, while the bus kids (that's actually what we called them) came from "the wrong side of the tracks." They were fed donuts, cookies, soda, and other snacks. No doubt that some parents sent their kids to church for the food - and to get them out of their house for a few hours each Sunday.
My mother (think Church Lady from SNL) didn't like this at all. She said "We shouldn't have to bribe people with food to come to church. They should want to come here on their own. Jesus didn't have to do this!" (Maybe she missed the feeding of the 5,000). Perry Noble, Senior Pastor of New Spring Church recently wrote this on his blog: "If you have a passion to reach people far from God…AND you begin to do that very thing with ANY amount of success then believe me…other pastors (who are not reaching ANYONE) are going to accuse you and your church of using gimmicks and “watering down” the Gospel. I mean…heck…if people’s lives are being changed then you MUST NOT BE PREACHING the Gospel, right?"
You could argue that more often than not these critics know very little about the churches they are criticizing. Instead, they see a number of their own congregation heading out the doors and feel the need to defend themselves.
But is there something behind the quantity over quality argument? What happens after hands are raised every weekend?
Are we creating true Disciples of Christ, or are we guilty as charged?
2 comments:
It is true we have a huge task in getting people from hands raised to baptism, from seat warming to lifegroups. We are working hard on those two things. The "quality" I think lies in our hearts. Do we have a heart like God's? Or is it just about "me?" If we have a heart like God's then I believe God will stand in the gap for my efforts. I believe He will do that for our church. Why? Because our leadership has a heart like God's. Yesterday I had a swift reminder of why we do what we do, and who it is we are reaching out to. To me, this is quality over quantity. I had two interesting conversations yesterday with two different people looking for a lifegroup.
It always amazes me the people that God puts right in my path since coming to this church, and just by being involved. One was a girl who along with her boyfriend have been really
convicted by the current message series on sex. They are trying to do the "right' thing and are at a loss. They are struggling in more than one area of their lives. I was able to talk to her for a long time, and was also able to recommend lifegroups for she and her boyfriend, counseling, etc. This girl could describe 1000s of individuals lining our church pews.
The other was a guy who is struggling with alcohol addiction, very aware
of his struggle and trying to surrender it completely to God. It was like a watershed of emotions coming from two
total strangers into my "comfortable little life." I was very humbled to be used by God. Here are two people from two
varied backgrounds, struggling with two different sins, but their head is not in the sand, they are not pointing the
finger at anyone but themselves. They are just looking for a non-judgmental place to unload their
baggage, be accepted and get the encouragement they need in order to be fully devoted followers of Christ. That is what it is all about.
This makes me think that when you answer the question of "quality over quantity." we focus so much on how a CHURCH can be authentic and not enough on how WE as individual staff members, volunteers, and members can be authentic. Do our jobs with passion and integrity. When all Christ followers within the church are doing this,(not just relying on the campus pastors or our child's teacher) therein lies the key to "quality" in any church.
Judy
It is not about the standards you set to bring people to hear the Gospel; it is about the standard you maintain in teaching the Gospel and changing lives through loving them.
Everyone is using the same Gospel here, just with different approaches and insights, or at least someone else's insights with a better delivery.
Jesus fed the 5,000 but poured his life into the 12...He then wanted the 12 to pour their lives into their 12. And Jesus found those 12 in the least likely of places and they were the least likely of disciples and he did the most outrageous of things to demonstrate his deity.
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