Quitting the ice cream store

This post is from the defunct blog "Dying Church"

In Barna's new book Revolution, Barna describes a group of people that are faithfully serving God, often outside of a church structure. "They are not willing to play religious games and aren't interested in being part of a religious community that is not intentionally and aggressively advancing God's Kingdom," he writes. Listen to what happened as Barna told a pastor friend about this group over lunch:

The reaction could not have been more cordial - or confrontational. Our scheduled ninety-minute luncheon turned into a three-and-a-half hour marathon in which I spent the last two hours on the receiving end of a lecture decrying the scriptural justification of the Revolution. Harry's closing volley summed up his position. "So you see, God has no Plan B. The local church is God's Plan A, His chosen vehicle, and He does not need any other plan. Anything outside of that means is simply indefensible from a biblical standpoint. Never second-guess God, my friend. Follow Him and accept His paths. No church has ever been perfect, but that's no reason to abandon it. Remaking the Church into the form you desire, rather than the form God ordained, is simply not legitimate. Let God be God. Help the local church become more effective, but don't ever, ever take any steps to replace it."

If Barna is right, and I think he is, we are seeing a rise of large group of people who are committed to follow Christ, but are largely abandoning the institutional structures of church. This is obviously threatening to a lot of people, like this pastor. How should we react? By the way, it's not just church attenders who are doing this. It's pastors too. They are quitting the ice cream store, and many others are wondering if it's time. I'll reflect more on this in coming days, but for now I'll say this: We need to be careful how we define church. Here is a list of what some people are quitting:

• Church buildings
• Sitting in rows
• Worship as an event led from up front
• Preaching as lectures
• Programmatic expressions of church
• Professional clergy
• Internally focused budgets

Whatever you think of these - and not all of them are bad - these are not the church. In other words, it's possible to give all of these up and still be every bit as faithful a follower of Jesus Christ. In fact, I'll go further: none of these describe the church that existed in the book of Acts. So when we talk about quitting the ice cream store, from my parable, I think we need to say two things. First, not everyone has to do so. But second, for those that do, we need to understand that they may be quitting something familiar and even desirable to ourselves - but they are not quitting on God, just on one expression of church.

Comments

[neal w.]

As a minister who is quitting for the spiritual health of his family, I agree totally. Don't read much Barna, but this one may be worth it. As for Pastor Harry, he needs to read Exodus 32 (specifically verse 10). God's people are definitely plan A, but if they aren't faithful, he doesn't seem to be unwilling to incinerate them and try again.

[fr'nklin]

This is the first time I've visited your site and I'm blown away. I work in the ice cream store, and not only do I hate the ice cream, I can't sell it anymore. I'm quitting the ice cream store. I've thought about opening a new restaraunt, but not a franchise. I guess if I do, I hope it is more like a "mom and pop". We'll c...keep up the good work friend! Peace.

[george]

I don't think its so much the church as an institution that's the problem, its the people in the church. A church with fired up people is going to be contagious regardless of what kind of a church that is, institutional or otherwise. How do we get a church with fired up people? People who want to serve Christ and work for Christ and win souls for Christ? I think it has to start with the leaders and what they are modelling to their people. Anybody agree with that?

[Subversive Influence]

Running from the Ice Cream storeDarryl Dash continues his Dying Church chronicle with The parable of the ice cream store which kicks off with an ominous scenario… Imagine working at an ice cream store. One day you wake up and realize the importance of eating right. It’...

[Darryl]

George: To use the parable a bit, do the people who go to the ice cream store make the ice cream healthy? There's some truth in what you say, but it still goes back to what the ice cream store (the church) is selling.

[Lorrie]

My husband "quit the ice cream store" two years ago after an almost 20-year-career as what most people would see as a very successful "ice cream seller." The journey since then has been: 1. Confusing--who are we now and what the heck are we doing? 2. Lonely--We've lost many friends and the respect of our former community of ice cream makers. 3. Scary--how does he support three young boys and a wife who are used to a great paycheck and benefits? 4. Mind-blowing--as we redefine what it means to love and serve God outside of the context of the ice cream store. 5. Rewarding--as we have had more and more opportunities to truly "be the church" and build deep relationships among the "sick" who need a Doctor. 5. Truly amazing--As I look back on the past two years, I am moved to tears as I remember how God has provided EVERYTHING we need--not just the physical needs, but EVERYTHING we need. It has been an incredibly hard two years and we are nowhere near done, but for what it's worth, I am starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel and wouldn't/couldn't go back.

[Jacob]

I agree with you George. A lot of models (even one's in Darryl's ice cream church) can be effective with workers and leaders that have proper hearts. Examples. 1. Kids programs/Sunday School Teachers/ Nursery workers. One type of worker can mechanically get through the time by running through a prescribed package like he was on an assembly line - this person is simply putting in time. Another person sees the kids a mission field, listens to them, teaches them sound doctrine through a book or other, applies himself, prays for them, shows genuine interested and care towards them, loves them, and yearns for their salvation. 2. Praise and Worship. One person sings a hollow song, probably doesn't even know what the song means. Another person is filled awe, glory, thanfulness, and really means it when singing the same song. I truly believe churches are the people inside them. Lorrie, if I were you I would keep searching for that healthy well balanced body of Christ - they are out there and you need them and they need you. Jacob.

[Darryl]

There's no doubt that there are some very godly people in traditional churches, and some very good ministry happens there. No question about that at all. I guess I would question if some of the structures of traditional church work against what churches intend to do. One of the struggles we're facing is that for a lot of people, church = Sunday morning service. Some churches have overcome this, but it's a lot of work to get people to think and act differently. There are other issues as well, such as the cost of staff and real estate, the fact that by any standard, most churches aren't successful in accomplishing the great commission. The solution may be that we have to do the traditional church better, but maybe the solution is also looking at other expressions of the church as well?

[Arthur]

"I think it has to start with the leaders and what they are modelling to their people. Anybody agree with that?" Yes, George, I can agree with that. But, surely YOU have to agree that, given the condition of the Human Race, there are always going to be problems, - both in the leadership and in the rank and file. Which also serves to address Jacob's "I truly believe churches are the people inside them." Programs and worship are only a small part of what churches are supposed to be about, Jacob. And the same things can be said about teachers and schools... Anybody remember the teacher who set fire to the imagination, genuinely cared about the kids in the class and made his/her subject come alive? How about that teacher who sat at the desk "running through a prescribed package like he was on an assembly line," making that one period seem like an entire week? But, I think it is precisely BECAUSE the Church has become an institution rather than a state of mind, a way of living out one's Faith, that many people are abandoning the ship, from the captains right on down to the stewards. As Darryl has pointed out, "for a lot of people, church = Sunday morning service." Many people have the attitude that if they do "church" on Sunday morning, they can do anything they like the rest of the week and still be "okay." I, for one, am tired of the existing paradigm. I am opting for the switch to frozen yoghurt.

[Arthur]

Re: "I am opting for the switch to frozen "yoghurt." I hasten to add that I prefer mine served from the ice-cream cart in the local park, rather than the ice cream store in the mall.

[Darryl]

Still better than ice cream eaten at home alone in front of the TV I guess. ;)

[Rob Auld]

This post is so important. Scary, but important. Rob

[Arthur]

Oh, I don't know Darryl. Sometimes that ice cream eaten at home in front of the TV sure is comforting, and tastes better than parlour bought.