The More Things Change....

... the more they stay the same. I cannot shake this thought since returning from a recent meeting. During one particular session, the presenter noted how the models for helping churches have changed. He said that we've moved from talking about church growth to church health, and now to the missional church.

Now I've read the books and understand what he was saying. And there are certainly differences in emphasis among the models. But there is also a sense in which the better books on these models have really said the same thing. Church growth books spoke of engaging the unbelieving culture around us in order to present the gospel. Authors writing on church health described how healthy congregations do just that. Ditto now for proponents of the missional church. So I'm just wondering if we've merely been saying the same thing in different ways, even as our actual outreach diminishes. Are we giving so much effort to how we describe ministry that it's taking from our effort to do ministry?

Regardless of which model is used in describing a ministry (growing, healthy, missional, or whatever comes next), it seems to me that we're really describing a simple process. God's people must engage and build intentional relationships with unbelievers. They must then present the gospel. And those who respond must be connected with the local, New Testament church for discipleship and for engagement in Christian life and ministry. I concede that how we do this among diverse cultures in a changing world is a challenge. But the principles are no different than they were 20 years ago, or for that matter 2000 years ago.

It's just a thought.

May God grant us His wisdom and power for doing these things wherever we may serve.

To His Glory!
Bro. Jim