Geoge Barna's Latest Assesment of the State of Evangelical Christianity

Christianity Today ^ | 7/26/2002 | Tim Stafford

[sonrise57]

I would love some of you who know about this subject, especially those who are religious professionals to comment on this artile. Is it just me or is Barna consitently negative about the prospects of the Church?

[Illbay]

Which "church?" There are over seven hundred Christian denominations in the United States alone, and they all teach something different.

Many of the "evangelical" ones are headed by some charismatic soap-salesman whose visage is plastered on huge, oversized billboards all around town, and who upon his death passes the baton to his son, the one with the identical toothy grin.

Evangelical Christianity has run its course. You can't base an entire religious movement strictly on emotion; people don't work like that. The disillusionment was inevitable.

[drstevej]

Here's a question for your "religion:"

If God created the first man who became the first God, and God was once a man, how did God become God in the first place if he was once a man?

[RnMomof7]

I am no professional But as a believer I am sick of the chuch marketing itself..

I believe if it is of God it will prosper. I fear this goes to the idea that the salvation of a man depends on the correct circumstances or the right music or the right message

This is Gods church..we need only be faithful and HE will build HIS church

[drstevej]

Agreed there can be excesses and dependance upon advertising & marketing rather than the Lord. Where to draw the line is the challenge.

The following are advertising to a degree:
- a sign on the church facility
- a name written on a church vehicle
- an ad in the yellow pages
- a listing in the church section of a newspaper
- a church website
- an event (say Easter or an evangelistic event) in the newspaper
- a radio broadcast of the church services

On the other end of the spectrum...

A local church here ran radio spots prior to Fathers' Day Sunday services announcing that they would have Dale Earnhart's racing car on the church lot prior to the services so people could come and get their picture taken prior to the service.

[Wrigley]

This is one area I have a particular interest in. Before the school I went to for my MBA changed the program, I had planned on doing a paper on the marketing of churches, and the effects on the members.

Self bump for re-read later.

[RnMomof7]

Steve there is a difference letting people know where you are and your doctrinal stand and marketing

I have read the Saddleback books and know their method of targeting. I have read about Willow and the jazz and no worship seeker friendly services..Unless the Lord builds the house the builder builds in vain IMHO

BTW My sons SC Baptist chuch had the car too:>)

A church can fill it's church with tares or it can wait till the Lord plants the wheat..that is every pastors choice

[RnMomof7]

I have one more observation the church grows the most under persecution.....it has the most life under ground...

That is just the opposite of the marketing that seems to obsess the modern church

[drstevej]

Our church offers ESL (English as a Second Language) classes without charge. We have over 150 enrolled from 20+ countries. We are on a major university campus and many are spouses of internationals at the University.

We do not present the gospel in the ESL classes but do "advertise" a bi-annual International Friendship Banquet (attended by 200+), special events, Vacation Bible School, and an International SS Class. Over the past 30 years we have seen many come to ESL who later came to Christ and are solid believers -- some even now missionaries to their countries of origin.

Our approach is deliberate yet we realize it is the Lord that has given the increase.

As an elder and pastor I wrestle with what we decide to do and the spiritual propriety of our approach. For me, it is the responsibility of church leadership to exercise wisdom and their convictions. No two churches need come to identical convictions to be honoring to the Lord.

[sonrise57]

By evangelicalism I mean protestant churches that are committed to the inerrancy of scripture and profess historic chalcedonian Christianity. The creeds say, "I believe in one holy catholic church" catholic meaning "universal". Most evangelicals would say that the Church is an ivisible and mysterious organism under the headship of Jesus Christ, consisting of everyone who professes that Jesus is Lord and that God raised him from the dead. The commentary that you are making on contemporary evangelical churches and the cult of personality we have fallen into is unfortunately not unfounded.

However, unlike Barna, I believe that evangelicalism is not coming to end, but rather is going a through a change. What we will become remains to be seen.

[sonrise57]

Huh!?!?!?!?

[sonrise57]

To me, the emphasis on marketing and method that is charachterized by Barna's approach is a legacy of modernity.

[sonrise57]

I am extemely interested in hearing some of your conclusions.

[sonrise57]

Is what your church did with ESL ministry or marketing?

[Wrigley]

I never did the paper. The program switched from an individual to a group format. And over the past 5 years, I haven't gone back to look.

[drstevej]

Illbay is LDS, the question related to Mormon theology.

[drstevej]

We market our ministry (ESL and others) in a way we feel honored the Lord.

[drstevej]

***I have one more observation the church grows the most under persecution.....it has the most life under ground...***

I do not disagree. But the church has more freedom in some countries than others. We are to glorify Him in either circumstance. In prison or in freedom He is to be presented...

Phil. 1:12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; 13So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; 14And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

[don-o]

Great find, sonrise. Thanks for posting it.

I read it all. It is clear that Mr. Barna, through his life work has discovered something important. His mileu is in Evangelical Christianity; but the failure of all expressions of Christianity to impact on our current slide into irrelevance needs some looking at.

I liked the point made about the reaction off 9/11, when chuches were packed for two or three weeks. When nothing else happened, folks went back to their usual routine.

I wonder about those Easter and Christmas Christians, who felt it proper and even necessary, to be in church on the Sunday after 9/11.

Why did they go to church then?

And what did they come away with?

And why do they not come back?

[sonrise57]

You know I have read most of Barna's stuff with great relish. I think he is a great researcher and analyst. What I don't agree with is his assesment of contemporary evangelicalism or his prescription for the cure to current problems he is proposing. My objection is not to marketing or getting the message out by any means possible.

What I have a problem is the belief that new programs, new technologies, new methods, a repackaging of the message of the Cross in more palatable forms is going to stem the tide.

What is needed is for the Church to get on our knees and pray for a heaven sent revival. The revivals that have been spawned throughout the history of the western church have always come during times when the church had lost its relevence to the culture and have resulted in tremendous cultural shifts and the overthrowing of ungodly strongholds in our society.

Modernity expects predictable results through application of certain technologies. To me this is trap that Barna has fallen into, and the reality that the results he expected have not come about is at the root of his disappointment.

Again, our response to the realities about the Church that he describes, should be calling the church to repentence, fasting and prayer as we wait for God to do what is next in His agenda for us. While we wait we need to continue to be faithful to what He has clearly commanded us--preach the gospel and minster healing to the broken and poor.