from Jeff
I read a stat the other day that said 97% of people can not imagine anything organizationally beyond what they have already experienced. In other words, only 3% of the population are inventors and have the ability to see something that has yet to be. The rest are innovators at best - using new combinations of things to enhance what already exists.
Carry that over into church. If this is true, then 97% of people who have been raised in church or exposed to it will never be able to imagine anything different than what they have known. They will spend their time, money and energy on developing, improving, supporting what they have always known. Only 3% then will be able to see something entirely new. Perhaps this accounts for the small number of people who have led great reformations in Church history.
So, as we consider what church is and why we are committed to it, our image of church is most likely locked in. We can't imagine anything outside of what we have always known. Church, then, must consist of a pastor, trained professional leaders, classes, groups, programs, property, etc. A good church has good, professional, charismatic, engaging people in the public positions.
That's at least how people tend to evaluate a church. This stat sounded true to me. Perhaps there is another way for us to evaluate things altogether. I know one person who evaluates church this way...not, "what can this church do for me?" but, "how does this church meet the needs of Jesus?"
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Following the Crowd
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Have you ever encountered a differnet way to exercise your spirituallity only to hear, “Baptists don’t do that.” Has anyone ever asked why? In my own spiritual walk, I follow the lectionary, celebrate commemoration of saints who inspired me, pray the Daily Office and pray with prayer beads desinged by a protestant group. When I share these things, I hear, “that is odd. That’s not Baptist.” Most, I think would be surprised to find that many of the early baptist and protestant leaders were influenced my medieval Christian mystics. I’m not sure that I would consider myself a mystic, but I do favor a more contemplative approach to my faith at this time. Does that mean that I can no longer be Baptist. I often feel that way.
It seems that more churches are opening up to things that before would seem strange to them a few years ago. Lutherans have a set of prayer beads and a prayer book for daily prayer. The Presbyterian church USA also has a prayer book. One baptist church in North Carolina has a celtic service which is attended by younger adults and senior citezens. Only Baby Boomers seem to go to their contemporary service.
Some social scientists see three direrent ways to approach change. The first group are the tradidionalists who circle the wagons and attempt to hold change off. They often end in stagnation. The second type are the radicals. They are all about change. They reject tradition and pursue the new with gusto. They often fail, loose their identity or self destruct. The final group acknowledges tradition and their debt to it, but also reach out to some change. I think that they represent the most grounded approach to handling change.
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