In days gone by the "Three Rs" referred to basic educational elements of: "readin', writin' and rithmatic."
Today I believe there are "Three Rs" that relate specifically the Church in America today (and to some extent the model of the church we export to the world through media and mission work). Those three Rs are: Relevance, Riches and Retention. Unfortunately these three Rs are having a negative impact on the church and need to be addressed.
Before I get started I want to say that I think the best days of the Church of Jesus Christ are just ahead of us. I believe wholeheartedly that a massive move of God -- through the Church -- will usher many into the Kingdom and bring back many who have fallen away. How you define "best days," however depends a lot on your theology. If it means more fancy church buildings, programs and a socio/political system that looks favorably on Christianity, I think we are in for a nasty let-down. If we define "best days" as the Church functioning as the Body of Christ, standing up for and expressing a genuine Christianity with a love and power that draws people to Christ (not our church or particular flavor of doctrine) we will be pleasantly surprised. I am not a doomsdayist. I believe God will powerfully impact and transform the church in the last days and that Church -- empowered and emboldened by the Holy Spirit -- will impact the world during an all-out clash of spiritual kingdoms.
I have always said God will have a church on earth in the last days that fully displays Christ, through the many-membered Body of Christ. That there will be a church that displays God's power, love and glory is not the question. The question is, "Will you and I be a part of that Church?"
Something HAS to change.
Most statistic show that church membership across the board is declining -- especially in mainline denominations. The churches that are showing significant growth often are forced to attribute that growth to transfer membership rather than evangelism. If you talk to many pastors you discover the plight of revolving door membership. In many churches membership remains relatively stable, with the same amount of people coming in as going out over the long run. If you are growing and sustaining that growth - congratulations. We cannot simply afford to take a head-in-the-sand approach any more and ignore the fact that something is fundamentally wrong with church as usual. The easy answer is to blame the people who won't come or won't stay. "They are just a bunch of sinners that don't want God," we might be tempted to say, therefore making it about them and not us. This approach allows us to justify ourselves and our efforts. Is it really everyone else's fault? I mean really? Is there not something we could do differently? Do we really have all the answers and the perfect way of doing church?
I believe this is where the "Three Rs" (Relevance, Riches and Retention) come into play -- and not in a positive way. Let's examine the issues:
Is the Church relevant to today's lives and issues? I want you to understand that I am not talking about the Gospel message or the Bible itself - those don't change and don't need to change. They are applicable and adaptable to every culture in the world. I am talking about the model of church we practice. The way we teach and preach. Our evangelistic models. Our worship. Our measure of success. Our goals.
Many people are leaving church because it has simply lost relevance for them.
They aren't necessarily turning from God, they just refuse to sit in church Sunday after Sunday without their real spiritual needs being met. They are refusing to go through the motions when their lives are broken. They are struggling with addictions, broken relationships, parenting, the economy and a world that is constantly assaulting their worth and values. Frankly, the American church -- for the most part -- is not meeting these needs is a real and significant way.
Realizing the need for RELEVANCE, but missing the point entirely, churches have turned to a world based model. "We need to reach the younger generation," they say, "so let's make church like the world, then we will be relevant. Enter stage right: lights, fog, modern dance, huge-screen TVs, Starbucks, etc. We need to ask the question though, "Will a tall, skinny, sugar-free, Caramel Mocha with soy milk fix a broken heart (for more than a few minutes)? Will an extra big screen focusing on the drummer make a difference in someone's life (other than perhaps a backslidden drummer)? How does a fog machine reach into a soul?
Now, lest I offend anyone, if you have or want those things, it is ok (to some degree) with me. My point is, that is not the relevance people are needing or looking for. There is nothing inherently sinful about technology or theatrics, if they are tools to help us minister. If they become the "ministry" in and of themselves, it is a problem. If we think we can attract people with flash and then spoon-feed them the gospel, there is a problem.
Paul lived in a society that was built on Greek philosophy. He said, "My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom (competing with the philosopher's of the day) but with power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit. In a direct apples-to-apples comparison, if Paul were around today I don't think he would be advocating the use all the worldly entertainment devices we depend on to make our churches "relevant."
So what would relevance look like if it doesn't come with lights and a show?
I believe real relationships would be number one on the list. Not the kind that requires a mask to protect one's self from criticism and judgement. Relationships that allow us to feel comfortable with who we are and where we are on our spiritual journey. Relationships that involve give and take. One day you are the giver and the next you may be the receiver. One-sided relationships are never real relationships. Mostly churches offer a one-sided relationship: We are here to talk and you are here to listen. Small group dynamic are essential for this type of two-sided relevance.
The second thing on the relevance list would be the power of God. While this might seem primary, I think that for many the idea of the miraculous is a bit overwhelming. People who have been in a church that does not pray publicly for people will feel very intimidated about "going down front for prayer." Many see the people on TV with lavish lifestyles and hear about the scandals and form an opinion about everyone based on a few. Relationships will pave the way for people to be open to the power of God. People are simply tired of being told about a powerful, loving God and failing to realize that in their lives. For many there is a real disconnect between what they hear and believe and what they experience. They are simply tired and don't know anything else. I have often said that religion is like getting an inoculation: people get just enough of something to keep them from getting the real thing.
The third thing on the relevance list would be significance. One of the seven deep psychological needs of a person is to be involved with something bigger than themselves. People want significance and they settle for success. The church in America has often promoted success as a means of significance.
Success and significance are not the same thing. (I wrote an entire blog article on the difference between success and significance - read it here). The most significant thing a person can do is find their place in the Body of Christ and serve God in the power of the Holy Spirit - whatever that might be. Jesus said, "I ordained you to bear fruit and that your fruit should remain." Churches must get past the "noses and nickels" mentality of Church growth. We must realize that to stop the revolving door we must become relevant. We must actively purpose to disciple people, help them find their spiritual gifts, their place in the Body of Christ, and allow them the opportunity to develop and grow in their particular ministry, If people are not developing a sense of significance, they will not stay in a church. To put it another was, to be relevant we need to make people relevant. There is even a danger that this statement can be taken wrong. Someone could read this and think we have to make the person feel more welcome or special. This is not what I am talking about. I am talking about helping people find their relevance in the world through the Kingdom of God -- and that may or may not look successful in the eyes of the world.
Stop back for Part two of this article and I will discuss Riches and Retention and how they need to be adjusted for sustained growth.
