Ok, for the last month I have been talking about the four roads. How do the Four Roads strike you? Is there one that I missed; one that is more important than those that are cited? Of these four, which is most important and which is least important? In other words, what year is most responsible for killing the passion of the rank and file church member? Why don’t you rate them in order of importance: Here is mine.
1. 1925: The Liberal/Fundamentalist Controversy
2. 1948: The Suburban Value System
3. 1939: The Parachurch Movement
4. 1964: The War on Poverty
The Liberal Fundamentalist Controversies comes first because it created such a wide gulf between the church’s leadership and the people in the pews. The first major splits among Protestant denominations in America came about following the Civil War. But those splits were not over theological matters as much as they were over Northern and Southern issues. It was then that Northern (American) and Southern Baptists, among many others, split. The second round of splits were different; they were the results of the theological issues being battled over in the Liberal/Fundamentalist Controversies. In the second round Baptists and others didn’t just split, they splintered!
Today we have a bewildering variety of Baptists, Presbyterians, etc. The battles in the Liberal/Fundamentalist Controversies were all consuming. Plus, for an entire generation, the disagreements were often mean spirited. They took on the spirit of it’s “me and God” against “you and the devil.” In this case the devil might be a post-tribulationist, or, worse yet, in favor of the ordination of females.
Some, looking at the Liberal/Fundamentalist Controversies, will see Darwin’s publication of the Origin of the Species, rather than the Scopes Monkey Trial, as its beginning. In that case the Controversies dominated the life of the church for two generations, or roughly 80 years. Forty to eighty years of leadership fights in the churches did more than dampen the ministry passions of the rank and file church member, it crushed passion for ministry.
I would really welcome your thoughts on this and you becoming part of the community. Blessings
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About Me
- Rich
- I am a slave to no man or institution. I have worked with Frank Tillapaugh for thirty years and most of the ideas are work we would like to share.
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6 comments:
Hey Rich-
Really good stuff. Thanks for sharing it to all us that don't know about church history. Just wanted to say that God seems to be doing something here in Austin. Went to a new church started by Ross Parsley, the worship leader from New Life Church in Colorado Springs. Kathy and I really enjoyed the whole service (meets in a theater; loud but enthusiastic worship team, communion, great teaching and more). Pastors are actually meeting together here in Austin!! What a concept.
Blessings to you, friend!
Fletch
Hey Rich!
I believe each of these "roads" were signposts along the way, but I think that the last - the War on Poverty - is where the Church decided to sit back and let the federal government take on her God-given responsibilities to care for the widows, the orphans, the poor, the weary, and the downtrodden.
Now, unless a major shift takes place, I believe that the Christian Church in America will continue to recede as will no longer stand as a whole for the kind of love and service mentioned above - meaning we would no longer be known by our love. The Church (and I hate characterizing as a whole because it's definitely not the case with all churches) seems to be obsessed with herself and those who are already within her building walls... building projects, programs, the next big fad...
One of the reasons that I love DayBreak so much is that I see the Church operating as the Church - as part of the body of Christ!
I would be so bold as to suggest a Fifth Road. 1980 - the Mega Church Phenom with some treatment of the effects of "performance" based worship on disciple depth, "all about me" commercial Christian music on theology, and large organizations and Christian institutions, including mega-churches, led by men and women who have on occasion proved to be corrupt, promiscuous, self-indulgent, hypocritical or otherwise tacky human beings. There should be some attention paid to the way the big box church often draws its "unchurched" following, not from the street but from surrounding churches who are less able to compete with the excitement under the big top. The net effect is that when the circus leaves town as they all have done or someday will do (or on occasion goes bankrupt), what does it leave in its wake? A Christian movement trivialized by shallow content and discredited in the eyes of those we would invite to follow Jesus.
I agree with the grateful ed.
There are and will always be those who are "passionate" about God's word, its authority and sufficiency; yes this would include those who "passionately" oppose female "ordination" myself included. Perhaps we have forgotten Christ promised to build His church?
It might help to remember John 14:17 - that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. This isn’t about one’s ability, it clearly says they cannot.
I am not sure I can I put a date on it, but I believe it starts when the church begins to yield to the world’s wisdoms and systems; the feminist and “gay” Christian movement among many others included. Solid biblical doctrine has become offensive – and daycare, entertainment, and “charismatic” leaders reign supreme. There is a “passion” alright, its called idolatry. Christ and what He has done for us has been replaced with what “we” need to do for Christ.
Just my two cents.
...responsible for killing the passion of the rank and file church member?
When the "rank and file" go to church are not taught or preached the gospel. Too many "leaders" really don't believe it alone is the power onto salvation, so we world it up a little and get surpised when folks aren't "passionate" anymore. two more cents..
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