1) You don’t have to apologize for anything. I assure you I’ve heard much much worse.
2) I like to exaggerate. No offense to Justin, but in reality, there indeed HAVE been more invigorating topics I’ve come across this week.
3) I get excited about analogies, metaphors, and parallels. Call me a nerd…call me unworthy or even off-base, but I seriously enjoy moments when I either come up with or read or see a metaphor (for ANYTHING) that makes the reality make a little bit more sense. Whether it be comparing the spiritual discipline of fasting to WINESKINS (like Jesus did) or comparing the kingdom of God to any number of images Jesus used…or comparing the church to beer.

I was more excited about a metaphor that made sense than I was about the fact that it was beer.

(OK, so that all sounds pretty cynical….sorry about that!)

What I would love to see and be a part of is a church whose leaders would recognize some of these concerns everyone else seems to be writing books and starting conferences about, get together with younger generation leaders who want to be on the leading edge of transforming not just a church worship service but transforming people, and work together to see how these established evangelical churches (yes, some of them are mega) can do whatever is necessary to connect with culture. So far, most just seem content to go their separate ways and do their own things. But there is much these established churches can offer to the churches Barna likes to talk about (Barna’s experience as a church leader himself didn’t go so well it seems…easier to talk about it than do it I guess), and there is a lot that the established church needs from this conversation. Bottom line: they need each other.

Two resources. This one I just saw today and it made me think about all the ways it applies to the church and this conversation: http://www.youtube.com/user/dominosvids?feature=pyv&ad=3789877350&kw=dominos%20pizza%20commercial&gclid=CPCCmISCiZ8CFR8RagodTXZyuA#p/u/0/AH5R56jILag Give it a few minutes; very interesting.

Second is a book I read a couple of months ago, Why We Love the Church. http://www.amazon.com/Why-Love-Church-Institutions-Organized/dp/0802458378/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262794803&sr=8-2 It’s written by the guys who wrote Why We’re Not Emergent, by Two Guys Who Should Be. Anyway, I don’t go everywhere these guys go, but it was a nice balance to all of the other stuff I’ve read in the past 2-3 years. BTW, they do come out swinging a bit at Barna’s Revolution and Viola a bit. But its a healthy read that I recommend.

My point is that I would be slower to classify all mega-churches as Bud Light and not a microbrew. There are moments when Perry Noble’s church is spot on. There are moments when he’s not. There are moments when Rob Bell lands on a gold mine and people are getting saved all over the place. And there are moments of McDonalds balls. (Largest children’s play set I’ve seen in my entire life by the way. I wanted to be 4 feet tall and try it out myself!)

I’ve also been in PLENTY of smaller churches within my own denomination and while I was in college floating from church to church that failed to adequately disciple their people. They also failed to lead people to Christ. They also failed to do a LOT of things. I have a friend from seminary who planted an organic church which has about 6-7 house churches with monthly full group services. They do a lot of things well, but they also struggle with several things.

For those smaller churches, ones we might consider microbrews, they’re actually so watered down there’s no alcohol content or even any TASTE left! As the kid said in the movie, Can’t Hardly Wait, “The beer has gone bad! Don’t drink the beer!”

Which gets us back to Justin’s original post: What can we do to encourage the microbrew in ANY church as church leaders?

Because I’ve spent the past 9 years working on it, I have to mention it. I’ve developed a church strategy that helps churches position themselves to not only disciple people effectively (the pastors aren’t the ones doing all the discipling), but also encourage spiritual growth so that the congregation is engaged in outreach, worship and missional ministry. It’s corporate and private.

I call it the Connect-Grow-Serve model. There are variations all over the place using these words, but there haven’t been any books written yet, save two in the past 3 years, that use this type of model. You can find discussions about it on our church website: http://www.bryanfbc.com. (Shameless plug, I know!)

As for leaders, I like the definition you gave, but how often is that what we really mean? In this sense, to develop a leader is to help them live a more Godly life, to become a role model. But this should be an aim for everyone in the church, not a select few. This is why there are “elders”; they are not a different class in a hierarchy, just those who have been at it the longest. It is my belief that the leader/follower distinction is going to create a dynamic where the “followers” do not feel ownership (and consequently disengage) because “the church” is run by, and belongs to, the leaders.

“I have heard one person tell me that after attending a church for 3+ years that they were never challenged to read the Bible on their own.”
I know these stories exist…they make me as sick as you…you know that.

“This is why we have shallow Christians. This is why we have a church that can be described as light, cheap, watered-down and not life-changing. We have become places of entertainment and not discipleship.”
I have attended many churches just like this, I’ve seen friends get really hurt by churches like this…so I agree…this is the state of many “local” churches. I would also point out that there are many of the Church, sitting in these types of churches, praying that God move, bring repentance, lift up leaders that lead His people towards His Living Word, Jesus Christ. The “Church” is alive and well in the midst of the darkness we call “church.” And they are sad, upset, frustrated, mad, and they are praying for reform…they are praying for Jesus…they are praying for His Spirit. And they are reading His Word.

As far as the beer post. If I’m being totally transparent it just seem to me to be a post that our generation would write, just because it seems controversial and out of the norm. It would bring wondrous cheers and agreement from those that are younger and think as we do and it would bring shock (with no purpose) to those that don’t think like we do. Our generation has become great at walking into bars and clubs and “letting our light shine” while we belly up to the bar and drink our hip microbrews and foreign beers. We stand on that fact like it’s a badge of honor to be a Christian that is “willing” to drink one for the team, because we can and because Jesus drank and hung out in parties, with sinners. Well since we’re on the subject of the Word (and beer) I can’t remember ONE story in the Word that tells of Jesus going into a place and drinking with “sinners” that He was not preaching/teaching the Kingdom. If He was going to sit with sinners, drink with sinners, party with sinners…..He was going to teach sinners. And our generation, me included at times, has just turn that into a biblical, (almost God given) right to go have a few beers. Well that is our right, but how we use that mercy given right is up to us.

Why is it that when you or I or any of the other bloggers we read, writes a powerful, deep, insightful blog about the state of the church and we use Scripture to show what we’re saying no one seems to say, “I cannot tell you HOW thrilled I am” to hear this, “Seriously, my brain hasn’t been this sparked…er…intoxicated on a topic so far this week?” But a comparison between beer and the church can cause that reaction. I think it’s exactly what you are talking about in this blog….Scripture is not given it’s due.

But beer is.

PC I hope you take none of this personally…that is not my intention. You post is just the spark for what I think IS a worthy discussion…and I appreciate that.

As far as the beer and church analogy…I think it’s excellent. I don’t think it’s just the mega-churches that could be compared to the light, domestic, watered-down and cheap. I think it’s a result of losing one-on-one discipleship and Bible based classes/small groups. Church people are becoming more and more shallow because they are 1. Not being taught the basic biblical principles 2. They are not encouraged to read their Bibles on their own. Small groups have become times of reading christian books and sitting around talking about drama and sharing our life experiences. Christian books are great, sharing the troubles of life is needs and our life-experience is worth something…but non of those replace the wisdom that comes from God’s written Word. Therefore, the church, whatever size, has become light, watered-down, domesticated and cheap.

I have heard one person tell me that after attending a church for 3+ years that they were never challenged to read the Bible on their own. Pastors have told me that they spend 40+ hours sitting in an office and are surprised when I tell them that I spend that much time in one-on-one discipleship relationships. I heard of one couple who said that the number one reason they liked the church they attended was because their son liked the McDonald balls in the children’s ministry.

This is why we have shallow Christians. This is why we have a church that can be described as light, cheap, watered-down and not life-changing. We have become places of entertainment and not discipleship.

Perry Noble in Anderson, SC once said, “Church being boring is a sin.” This is what people actually think. Church being boring isn’t a sin. The fact that we have lost sight of the written revelation of God is the sin. The fact people choose a church based on the entertainment level/value and not based upon the fruit that they bear…that is the sin!

God forgive us! God help us!

Sorry.

I know you know this, but I feel the need to say, grassroots, un-affiliated, house church, around the table church….does NOT mean Spirit led. I’ve been in house churches that are…well…ridiculous. But I hear what you’re saying about this subject and agree. I think George Barna’s book “Revolution” is a great resource on this subject. I would definitely appreciate a “follow up” post, like Sam.

PC: I don’t know you, I don’t want to squelch creativity and I appreciate Justin’s analogy and….I like microbrews, but I’m not really sure why a post needs to be written just to be able to compare beer to the church. And I’m not really sure why it is SO thrilling. Not to be a jerk, but it just seems like a post that would be written by a guy, like the guy described in this post: http://ragamuffinpc.com/2010/01/05/identity-theft/

And even though I don’t know you, I don’t think a guy like that is really you. But like I said, I don’t know you, I really don’t mean to offend you. And if I’m way off base for even saying anything, then as Justin said, “Go for it!”

See you Just…