We are the church not bricks and mortar

EVALUATING THE SEEKER FRIENDLY MOVEMENT Part 8

Perhaps you haven’t noticed, but we are living in the fastest changing society in the history of man. As society changes at a rapid pace, so the church is in tension to also change…

One of the changes is the movement toward megachurches Small churches today have a difficult time competing

Question Should the church change to keep up with the times? Only in the realm of freedom, never in the area of essentials…

I. REVIEW OF THE ESSENTIALS

THE ESSENTIALS These are the required form in the church which the Bible instructs us to do. They are not optional. They include the proclamation of the gospel, teaching the Body the Word and caring for one another.

THE FREEDOM Freedom: These have to do with how the church applies the form in any given culture at any particular time. These are optional and flexible. They include the use of the organ, the weekly bulletin or the architectural design of the church building.

ESSENTIAL #1 – PROCLAIM THE WORD OF GOD I Tim. 3:15 – The Church of the living God is the pillar and support of truth

ESSENTIAL #2 – EDIFICATION Eph. 4:11-16 – The Church is to build mature Christians. Hence, the Church is a spiritual fitness center

ESSENTIAL #3 – THE EXERCISE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS I Pet. 4:10 – Each believer I Pet. 4:10 – Each believer to “employ” their gift to “employ” their gift I Cor. 14:12 – Purpose of I Cor. 14:12 – Purpose of gifts for edification gifts for edification I Thess. 5:19-20 – Danger of I Thess. 5:19-20 – Danger of throwing out baby with the throwing out baby with the bath water bath water

ESSENTIAL #4 – KOINONIA FELLOWSHIP Philemon 6 - Koinonia Philemon 6 - Koinonia Heb. 10:24-25 – Our call Heb. 10:24-25 – Our call is to connect with the is to connect with the body on a level of body on a level of spiritual intimacy spiritual intimacy The “One Anothers” The “One Anothers”

ESSENTIAL #5 – SHEPHERDING Heb. 13:17 – Description Leaders are to watch over Leaders are to watch over Believers are to obey and Believers are to obey and submit submit

ESSENTIAL #6 – SPIRITUAL SONGS – WORSHIP The book of Psalms was the Jew’s hymnal Psalm means, “a striking of musical strings.”

ESSENTIAL #7 – PRAYER Matt. 18:19-20 – Although the context is about church discipline, vs: 20 has application about any praying church

ESSENTIAL #8 – THE LORD’S SUPPER The four essentials of Acts 2:42 Teaching Teaching Fellowship Fellowship Breaking of Bread Breaking of Bread Prayer Prayer

ESSENTIAL #9 – EVANGELISM Matt. 28:19-20 The Great Commission As you go… Make disciples Make disciples Baptize them Baptize them Teach them Teach them

ESSENTIAL #10 – MINISTRY - GOOD DEEDS Eph. 2:10 “…created in Christ Jesus for good deeds.”

Key Point As the church continues to change in the next twenty years, it is our calling to make sure that it is the “freedom” things that change, not the “essentials.” Even so…

Remember “The Fiddler on The Roof?” Tevye had to draw a line somewhere… The first daughter chose her own husband The first daughter chose her own husband The second didn’t ask permission to marry The second didn’t ask permission to marry The third married a gentile The third married a gentile

II. The Birth of the Church Growth Movement (Later it will be called the Seeker Friendly Movement)

Southern CA has been the birth place of many Christian movements Pentecostal movement (Azusa St.) Pentecostal movement (Azusa St.) Campus Crusade Campus Crusade Dr. McGee’s Bible Bus radio program Dr. McGee’s Bible Bus radio program Jesus Movement (Calvary Chapel) Jesus Movement (Calvary Chapel) Focus on the Family Focus on the Family Vineyard Vineyard Fuller - Church Growth Movement Fuller - Church Growth Movement (CGM) (CGM)

The Start of Seeker- Movement CGM, "is that discipline which seeks to understand, through biblical, sociological, historical, and behavioral study, why churches grow or decline." CGM, "is that discipline which seeks to understand, through biblical, sociological, historical, and behavioral study, why churches grow or decline."

Names in the movement… Donald McGavran was born in India 1897 to missionary parents and is considered to be the father of modern CGM – Donald McGavran was born in India 1897 to missionary parents and is considered to be the father of modern CGM – After college, he returned to India in 1923 and was bothered by the slow growth of the church After college, he returned to India in 1923 and was bothered by the slow growth of the church Wrote a controversial book called, The Bridges of God Wrote a controversial book called, The Bridges of God

The work was very pragmatic The work was very pragmatic stressing numbers in order to determine what is and what is and is not effective evangelism stressing numbers in order to determine what is and what is and is not effective evangelism In 1965 became founding dean of Fuller School of World Missions In 1965 became founding dean of Fuller School of World Missions In 1970 McGavran wrote Understanding Church Growth In 1970 McGavran wrote Understanding Church Growth

In the early 80’s one person comes to the forefront of CGM at Fuller – C. Peter Wagner In the early 80’s one person comes to the forefront of CGM at Fuller – C. Peter Wagner Wagner introduced something called, Power Evangelism (emphasizing sign gifts) which limited his acceptance to non- Charismatics Wagner introduced something called, Power Evangelism (emphasizing sign gifts) which limited his acceptance to non- Charismatics

In the early 1990’s three new names appear… Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago Rick Warren of Saddleback Community Church in Lake Forrest, CA Rick Warren of Saddleback Community Church in Lake Forrest, CA George Barna of Barna Group, a marketing research group in Glendale, CA George Barna of Barna Group, a marketing research group in Glendale, CA

Main Opponent John MacArthur Jr. His book “Ashamed of the Gospel” subtitle, When The Church Becomes Like The World, attacks the SFM

Key Verse of the SFM… I Cor. 9:22b “…I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.”

Key Verse of the opponents of the SFM… Rom. 12:2a “And do not be conformed to the world…”

III. Question: Is being a Seeker-Friendly church Biblical? Answer: What do you mean by Seeker- Friendly?

If you mean in general that the church ought to present a winsome environment without compromising the Gospel the answer is Yes!

Look at Jesus’ approach with the Samaritan woman in John 4:10. This is definitely Seeker-Friendly This is definitely Seeker-Friendly

Now look at Jesus’ approach with the Jews in John 6: Jesus is definitely uncompromising and loses 82.8% of His congregation

If Jesus was a pastor of a mega church in America today and did what He did in John 6, He would have been fired! (Well, you know what I mean)

The real issue at hand is, “What aspects of the Seeker-Friendly movement are Biblical and which aren’t?”

IV.Ten Main Tenants of The Seeker Friendly Movement Note: In fairness, not all proponents would agree on any one list

Grading System Accept Accept Neutral Neutral Reject Reject

1. Marketing research to appeal to “non-church going people” to get them in the door Neutral

2. Making the worship service primarily evangelistic Neutral Note: If you do make your worship service primarily evangelistic, then you need to make another service primarily for edification

3. Contemporary music 3. Contemporary music Neutral

4. Need-based approach Reject

5. Shorter sermons which are light, non- confrontational and relevant Reject

6. Casual church wear Neutral

7. Sophisticated lighting, sound and visual imagery Neutral

8. Drama, dance, and video clips Neutral

9. Eliminate anything that would offend the unbeliever that is Biblically based. Don’t talk about sin, hell, and repentance. Reject

10. Eliminate anything that would offend the unbeliever that is culturally based. Ex. dirty restrooms, poor parking, Christianesse, and unfriendly people. Adopt

V. WHERE IS EVANGELISM PRIMARILY TO TAKE PLACE?

In the Church – Bring them to church so that the pastor can give them the gospel In the Church – Bring them to church so that the pastor can give them the gospel Outside the Church – Believers are to be equipped to share and help bring someone to a saving knowledge of Christ Outside the Church – Believers are to be equipped to share and help bring someone to a saving knowledge of Christ

HOW MANY OF YOU WERE SAVED AS A RESULT OF THE GOSPEL BEING PREACHED DURING A CHURCH SERVICE?

ANSWER: Primarily outside the Primarily outside the church – I Thess. 1:8-9 church – I Thess. 1:8-9 Secondarily inside the Secondarily inside the church – I Cor. 14:23-25 church – I Cor. 14:23-25

Only two places in the Bible do we see an unbeliever coming into a Christian worship service: James 2:1-6 – James implies a rich unbeliever entering the service but no description of his experience is recorded James 2:1-6 – James implies a rich unbeliever entering the service but no description of his experience is recorded I Cor. 14:23-25 – An unbeliever enters and his reaction to the worship service is recorded I Cor. 14:23-25 – An unbeliever enters and his reaction to the worship service is recorded

IF THE WORSHIP SERVICE IS TOO CENTERED ON SIN, HELL, AND JUDGMENT, WILL IT TURN THE UNBELIEVER AWAY?

An Examination of I Cor. 14:23-25 Context: Misuse of the gift of tongues Misuse of the gift of tongues Only passage that Only passage that describes an unbeliever’s describes an unbeliever’s reaction to a worship reaction to a worship service service

What can happen when an unbeliever hears prophecy?

What is prophecy? Gk. Word προφητεύω (propheteuo) Two aspects: Foretelling the future Foretelling the future Forth telling. To speak Biblical truth under the power of the Holy Spirit (carries some “in your face” overtones) Forth telling. To speak Biblical truth under the power of the Holy Spirit (carries some “in your face” overtones)

Five things can happen when the unbeliever is confronted with convicting Biblical truth: 1.Convicted by all 2.Called to account 3.His secret life exposed 4.Worship God 5.Recognition of God’s presence

Jesus approach with the rich young ruler Matt. 19:16-30 Matt. 19:16-30 Mark 10:17-30 Mark 10:17-30 Luke 18:18-27 Luke 18:18-27

VI. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

The problem of human The problem of human methods methods The problem of The problem of attempting replication attempting replication

This is not the Church, you are.