Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls” (Jer 6:16 ESV).
Part One
The next fifty years of church history in America will look little like the last fifty. Christendom (a situation where Christianity is dominant in culture) is passing away; secularism is on the rise. We could deny the changes taking place in our culture. We could complain that things are not the way they used to be. Or we could cultivate a more sustainable way of doing church for a potentially less agreeable future. My heart tells me the third choice is best.<!–more–> The days when the church operated from a position of privilege and power are fading. In many ways, I think this might be a good thing. I suspect the church was never intended to operate that way. At least, our founder didn’t operate that way. He said the kingdom is about planting seeds and laying down your life. Modern church planting and church growth principles borrow heavily from business strategy and popular culture. I do not want to diminish or deny the good that has been done. But I do question whether these principles will sustain the church through the next fifty years. Instead, I think our children and grandchildren will need to return to the ancient paths. Don’t you want to help lead the way for them?
Over the next six weeks, each Tuesday, I’ll offer six keys for growing a sustainable church.
Continue the series – Grow Small
Originally posted on Tuesday, 21 Feb 2012