Seeker sensitive FYI

Not a robust enough theology...lol God be praised for all those "dissenters" who have been crying out against the CG movement for years.

 

For many years believers have been avoiding real contact with the world and have become as though a light in a building. Nothing replaces the personal contact with people and personal discipleship. No program how true its aim and how perfect it is will not reach people. People reach people.

A lesson reaches a mind.
A life reaches a life.

 

My understanding is that it was not those on the outside but those on the staff who left.

 

I'm completely lost. What does CG mean and is your post about this particular church (Willow Creek)? I'm in the UK and don't know much about Willow Creek.

 

Hello neighbor accross the sea. I used CG for Church Growth Movement and Willow Creek is the church (not to exclude Saddle Back, Rick Warren) in reference to the Church Growth Movement.

Alot of Christians have taken issue with these movements, and now the main leader of it, Willow Creek, has told everyone that their great plan hasn't worked. That perhaps they need stronger theology....

There is a novel idea...let's just preach the Word of God and see what happens...lol I seem to remember a church in Texas doing this...saying they were going to start in Genesis and finsih in Revelation, teaching verse by verse through the Scriptures...and revival broke out.

Sorry for the sarcasm. lol

 

I wouldn't say that they believe the seeker sensitive approach is wrong. I applaud them for making an honest evaluation of their situation, finding some very important areas to be lacking and making the necessary adjustments to address them.

 

Sensitive to Seekers

It's not original, but I kinda like the idea of being Savior Sensitive- since it's His body.

 

There's nothing wrong with using some seeker-sensitive programs within the church, but to do a 180 and virtually leave out conventional approaches and traditions is not wise. You become a lukewarm church, neither here nor there to your membership or your community.

Many years ago, I was a member of a moderately conservative church who at that time, under a new pastor, really bought into emulating Willow Creek and its programming - even to the point of sending teams of church members to Chicago for training and immersion at CG HQ. It was gonna be the next big 'thing' in our area. I always remember feeling really uneasy about how our church members were being (what I thought) railroaded onto the Willow Creek bandwagon. It just seemed to be a lot of flash and splash. Well, it fizzled out after a couple of years and in hindsight, I'm glad, because it seems from this report in CT that even Willow Creek has come back to its senses and realized that there is much to be said for training up and discipling the believers in the body to help them grow in their faith.

I for one, am pleased that Willow Creek is re-thinking its vision and mission.

 

Truly the critical evaluation of various aspects of a churches ministry is often lacking.

We (as a church leaders and as a church body) do things because we think they will work but we often fail to evaluate them for efficiency.
And if an evaluation ever does occur, it is often amateurish and biased.

I applaud this church for their ability to humble themselves and change.

A big problem I have with a seeker-sensitive driven ministry is that those that are most highly educated are teaching the most basic aspects of the gospel, leaving the less able to attempt to grow those that have been reached.

It's topsy-turvy ...and a bit dangerous IMHO.

Rob

 

Just to clarify what appears to be a few inaccuracies in the posts on this thread, here is a blog entry by Willowcreek executive pastor Greg Hawkins who co-wrote the book Reveal: Where are you?. In it he states that Willowcreek is not repenting and not rethinking its seeker-sensitive focus.

 

Since the bible says theres none who seeks God, there can't very well be any seekers.

 

Which makes the point I intended to make when I read the OP. Even though they might be taking a turn in the right direction, they still have their parameters wrong. They continue to measure themselves against surveys instead of the Bible. Surveys have been their MO all along. When the blind fall into a pit, are they still blind? Apparently, yes.

 

It also says:

Prov 8:17 "I love those who love me;
And those who diligently seek me will find me.


Jere 29:13 `You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart

[FONT=&quot][/FONT]

 

For the sake of argument, let's say that you have successfully contradicted the Bible verse that Donna posted (you haven't, but let's just say you have). How would you resolve that apparent contradiction? Or would you accept it as a flat-out contradiction and leave it there?

 

Take a look at the historical context and literary genre first. That will give tremendous clues on how to interpret. We do the same thing iun every day communication with people and in letters.

 

There are many, many people out there who are seeking something to make their lives meaningful and to comfort their pain. You're right in that they don't know what it is. That's where we come in.

Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

 

Ro. 3:11
There is none who seeks after God.

 

That's probably true in some cases. It can be difficult to evaluate yourself objectively.

Good point. Thing is, most people within a church could explain the basics, it doesn't need the pastor or elders to do it. Whereas not everyone can explain the more complex stuff. It's best to have the Pastor doing that. You don't play your strongest side against weak opposition; then play a weakened team against tougher opposition.

 

In most churches I've visited, this approach is go to church, close the doors and hope people show up.