Has church consulting gone too far?
Or is this just the right amount?
I can admit that better facilities and better sermons might make people want to come more, but I also have to admit that this seems only like a mega-church phenomenon.
Also, the article seems to indicate that the reason for this kind of church consulting service is designed to remedy declining church attendence. But the whole country is experiencing this phenomenon. Don't we also need a return to preach gospel repentence? I'm all for making some things "user-friendly", but aren't worship, praying to an invisible God, and preaching repentence inherently counter-cultural and thus not "user-friendly?"
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4 comments:
I've got a better idea for a mega-church...
Rather than spending $1,500 on this service, why not put an ad in the bulletin, saying sum'n like, "Welcome, visitors! Because we're here every Sunday, sometimes you see things we don't see - things we need to know about ourselves. We'd love to share a meal with you to hear about your experience this morning. If you're interested, please fill out this form and drop it in the offering plate/box/hat, and we will be in touch. Thanks!"
Advantages - a meal is cheaper than a consultant; some people will want to tell you the stuff they see, and this gives them a chance (with a free meal); the more opportunities you have to engage visitors relationally, the better (over dinner, you'll have chances to minister to them in addition to hearing their thoughts); you'll hear the thoughts of actual people from your community rather than the thoughts of an outsider (maybe these visitors find the imperfection of weeds a little endearing).
I'm not sure whether I'm being tongue-in-cheek or serious...
Although I have some issues with Rick Warren, I love the story where when he was starting up his church he went door-to-door in in that neighborhood and asked people personally how a church could minister to them and what they are looking for in church.
I don't like the idea of a "choose your own church adventure" for building up a church service, but the principle of going to the people to find our their needs rather than a consultant is spot on.
Although in fairness, a church consultant can be good to help strengthen the areas that a pastor is weak in-- like administration, preaching/teaching help, or whatever else.
Daniel,
But then you're bringing in the idea that the church needs to meet the sociological felt needs of its community. That's how we got a seeker sensitive movement to begin with. Give the people what they want. The problem is, what people want is not always what they need.
Ben,
Good ideas. But I wonder if the feedback churches would get here is like the feedback politicians would hear. Politicians only get feedback from the contrarians but it doesn't represent the actual numbers and beliefs of their constituents. Any better ideas to this aim?
No better ideas. I just thought mine was an improvement on the "secret shopper" thing. I'm not saying I'd do either if I were on staff at a mega-church. I think there are other ways to get a feel for our communities... like being involved in them.
As for the seeker-sensitive stuff, I still think that's a positive impulse - we need to be sensitive to the ways of thinking of a seeker. Not to the extent of watering anything down (especially since I don't think watering anything down is seeker-sensitive - anything watered-down is unsatisfying crap, including watered-down religion...), but to the extent of being aware of how others perceive us.
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