Church health isn't the point

This post is from the defunct blog "Dying Church"

Bill Easum writes in Unfreezing Moves:

Growth, health, and the life cycles of institutions are not the basic issues facing Christian congregations at the beginning of this millennium. The basic issue facing your congregation is: Are you faithful? Congregations can be healthy and growing but not faithful. Some congregations grow simply because of their location and often in spite of their best efforts to support the status quo. Many congregations, which function as a family chapel, are healthy family systems with absolutely no desire to join Jesus on the mission field. These congregations are not faithful. I realize that some writers use the terms health and vitality somewhat in the same way that I use the term faithfulness. However, too much of the writing and conversation today focuses on institutional health, which is not what I mean by the word faithfulness. Faithful congregations follow Jesus into the mission field to make disciples who make a difference in their world.

This was the kick in the pants I received a year ago that began the process of thinking beyond church health or institutional survival. It's still one of the best quotes about why we need to think beyond our own church's institutional survival. That's not the point. Following Jesus into the mission field, even at the expense of our institutional survival, is the point.

Comments

[bill]

Easum produces many good quotes. I just wish he'd abandon doing church the way he promotes. I find this quote applicable to our own context.

[Darryl]

I'm curious what you mean by "I just wish he'd abandon doing church the way he promotes"?

[bill bean]

Last I remember it was still the run-of-the-mill contemporary church thing. Non-traditional setting (by that I would mean pre-1990 tradition), contemporary music, relevant messages, multi-media, programs fully staffed and ready to go (don't launch with less than 400), aggressive marketing, etc... If this has changed I need to be corrected. BTW, I'm by no means trying to bash this guy, in case it sounds that way. I've just given up this approach after 9 years of doing it.

[Darryl]

I think Easum's now moved beyond that. His latest book, "Beyond the Box" separates churches into three categories: in the box, out of the box, and those who don't even know a box exists. I think he likes the third more now. This includes home churches, etc. You're so right, though. I've given up on the contemporary church approach too.

[bill bean]

i'll take that book recommendation, sounds interesting