What should our Church aspire to?
It would seem obvious that Jesus’ Church should aspire to the making of disciples as per His commission and I believe that to be fundamentally true. The Church in the West has subtly but critically shifted from that simple paradigm and embraced a more corporate-driven model of Church life. I believe this shift was an unintended consequence of the Church Growth movement begun in the 1960’s by Donald McGavran and others.
McGavran was a missionary in India and an exemplary missiologist. He, with others, applied the concepts of missiology to the gospel challenges of North America. Over time this movement began to apply developing corporate management techniques to the management and encouragement of Church growth. The subtle shift was from measures of character, obedience and faithfulness of ministry leaders to metrics and measurements of Church Growth which became more and more popular and influential throughout Church life and leadership in the 1970’s and 80’s.
“This was a period of rapid growth within the Pentecostal Churches in Australia driven primarily by transfers from mainline Churches.”
This was a period of rapid growth within the Pentecostal Churches in Australia driven primarily by transfers from mainline Churches. Success was understood to be indicated by a large and growing Church and became the aspiration of the vast bulk of Church leaders. Burn out rates in Church leadership in Australia increased dramatically which was linked to a self-perception of shame among “failing” leaders. It was no longer enough for a leader to demonstrate sound character and faithful service but that service had to result in continuous numerical growth.
The reality of the Church in Australia, and around the world, was, and remains, completely different to this aspiration. Most Churches comprise about 40-50 adults with some Churches building beyond 100 and 200 adults and few Churches growing beyond that. Only about 1-2% of Church leaders lead Churches beyond 1000 adults. My view has become that 40-50 adults is normative for Church communities with groups growing beyond that depending on a combination of contextual, leadership and sovereignty factors.
“It was no longer enough for a leader to demonstrate sound character and faithful service but that service had to result in continuous numerical growth.”
What should our Church aspire to? Building healthy communities of faith where members love each other and help their friends to become disciples of Christ. Any measurements should be focused on community, character traits, obedience to Christ’s commands and engagement with the Harvest.
Results and outcomes should remain solely in the Hands and Heart of God.
Additional Reading:
Hughes K and Hughes B. (1987/2008) Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome (Ebook ID # LIB6) Crossway Books, Wheaton, Illinois.
Stawbridge J. (2009) “The Word of the Cross: Mission Power and the Theology of Leadership”. Anglican Theological Review Vol.91.1:61-79. Accessed 29/9/2014 Proquest Data Base.
Vaters, Charles. (2012) The Grasshopper Myth: Big Churches, Small Churches and the Small thinking that divides us.(Kindle Edition) New Small Church, Newsmallchurch.com
Valleskey D. J. (1990) “The Church Growth Movement: An Evaluation”.
