Wednesday, April 22
So...what should be on the scoreboard?
Continuing from Exponential…Craig Groeschel spoke this morning at conference here in Orlando on different elements of a movement….One point he spoke of is that “You will not lead a movement based on the old measurements of success”.
The ‘old measurements’ he refers to are number of people who come to church, amount of money given each Sunday, and how many baptisms did you have.
He quoted Reggie McNeal who said in today’s church culture ‘the scorecard has changed’…
Because of these ‘old measurements’ we are tempted in churches to teach messages that are intended to bring people to come to church, to bring people to give, etc… What happens is that our identities (both the church and the pastor gets caught up and wrapped up in those numbers…
So…if that’s all true…what are the ‘new measurements’…what should be on our ‘scorecard’…?
Mark Nelson at 5:36 PM 4comments
4 Comments
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at 8:30 AM
jason said... Life change. I've heard the church described (ideally) as a place where believers come to be renewed, so they can go out and be Jesus to their community the rest of the week. But, until recently, I've never really seen this actually happen.
It seems that we should not be inviting non believers to our church so that they can be changed. It's like we turn over all the responsibility to the pastor..if he teaches a great message, then the person we invited will be influenced to follow Jesus. If not, then shucks, let's try again next week.
It seems rather that we should help affect life change in those who don't believe, and THEN invite them to church to engage in a deeper faith.
Measurement - are the "members" (sorry) of your church affecting lives and spreading faith OUTSIDE of the church walls? Are you overwhelmed with stories of service, giving, friendship, community, and sacrifice OUTSIDE of Sunday mornings? I would think this might help describe a healthy church.-
at 12:28 PM
ragamuffinminister said... not sure what the new ones are yet. hopefully can discuss that soon.
i do know, in my heart, that the old ways just don't measure up to ancient ways. westernized faith and church practice seems so monotone. what most consider to be 'deep' is nothing more than scratching the surface anymore...or it means something more academic than it should.-
at 12:47 PM
bill said...
Keeping score is so modern. I can't believe we are even talking about this. A true Donald-Miller-church would never keep score.
Just kidding. But I will say...I think 'baptisms' is still an okay thing to keep on the scorecard. Its certainly not the only thing, but I'd be hard to convince that it is not some thing. I think it fits into Jason's life-change response (which I really liked).-
at 1:38 PM
said...
Effectiveness as applied to the life of the individual. Is the individual effective in staking claims for the Kingdom in the world by being surrendered to serving God in whatever capacity He chooses?
Jesus brought life change to your life, but it doesn't start and end there. Are you allowing God to use you to purpose that same life change into the lives of others?
If the body as individuals are effective in being instruments of God, the the body as a collective will be as well.
It is easy to forget that we, as individual Christ followers, are the instruments that God uses. The "church" as an institution or building is not where the measure need be applied.
Jesus took 12 ordinary guys who embraced His mission, turned the culture of the 1st century on it's ear and bounced it off the ground a few times.