Comments for Church Change

Comment on Important Research Projects Focused on American Youth by tbascom

tbascom — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:32:09 +0000

Thank you, Drew, for the great work and reflection you’re doing. It is definitely in the “formation,” imo. Children are megaphones. They naturally amplify what their circle of adults do and value, including luke warm commitments and even hypocrisy. So if a church and its members practice hesitancy in teaching their faith convictions to their youth, those youth will magnify hesitancy in their faith convictions! No surprise there! What too many mainline churches are missing, then, is a robust culture of faith that is lived and modeled by caring adults. Hence, we make “almost Christians” and wonder why our pews are getting steadily emptier.

On the flip side, those congregations that put a high priority on children, and fully integrate their youth, as you advocate, experience a vitality that often leads to growth in ministries and members. To date, the more conservative congregations seem to do a better job of “traditioning” their children into their faith convictions and practices, but the evidence is clear that when mainline churches engage their next generations they are also more successful.

Clearly, it is not a question of theology, but of discipleship – first on the part of the adults, then transmitted to the church’s children.

Comment on Important Research Projects Focused on American Youth by Drew Downs

Drew Downs — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:02:39 +0000

Thanks for the recommendation! I’ve just started reading “You Lost Me” by David Kinnaman (as listed in the related section) and am fascinated. It seems to validate Dean’s argument in “Almost Christian” that the problem is in formation. Incredible stuff! Thank you!

Comment on Hospitality by Design by A Simple Hospitality Idea

A Simple Hospitality Idea — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:53:22 +0000

[...] that includes greeters, brochures, books and take-aways (such as San Diego’s Kaleo Church does), you have to indicate to your visitors that you appreciate them – in terms that they [...]

Comment on 12 Easy Ways to Kill Your Church – Part One by chesapeake church

chesapeake church — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 11:23:14 +0000

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Comment on Help Your Pastor Deal with Ministry Stress by Andy McAdams

Andy McAdams — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 20:11:42 +0000

Thank you for posting the article that I posted some months ago. I must give credit to where this article began.

Read this page for answers to overcoming burnout

This nameless brother over at pastorburnout.com for his fine work on this subject.

Pastor Andy, Multiplication Ministries/Pastor to Pastors