Calvin Miller has an excellent piece up on the Christianity Today website called “Rethinking Suburban Evangelism,” which is of broader application than the title suggests. Though focused on “the push-button Zion of those who have made it and therefore have it made . . . the new Eden with little need for God: Paradise Found, where churches ulcerate themselves trying to sell self-denial to the pampered,” when he asks, “Can the urgency of the Cross ever be made real to those who cocoon in front of an entertainment center and insist on defining hell as dandelions and heaven as the proper side of town?” he’s raising a question that applies far beyond the bounds of suburbia—and his conclusion speaks to every ministry setting: “We become the most like Christ when our motivation is distilled love.”
I was somewhat surprised by his comment that people reached through “confrontation” tend to be more committed Christians. I would think that would depend as much on discipleship programs as on how the person first came to hear about Christ.
I’ve listened to quite a few testimonies from people in our church during the three years we’ve been here. (It’s not exactly a suburb, but a small city the size of a large town.) All the ones I can remember have come because a friend, neighbor, or relative invited them – there was always a relationship there first. And while I don’t know all these people well enough to say how committed they are, I don’t see anything to make me think that their commitment is less than that of people who came to Christ through “confrontation.”
Yeah, I wasn’t sure what he meant by that; I don’t know if it’s actually distinct from relational evangelism or not. Insofar as it refers to drawing people in through serious presentation of the gospel, though, that makes sense to me; as Jared (of Gospel-Driven Church) likes to say, what you win them with is what you win them to.
What we struggle with is providing those ministries to felt needs (like marriage enrichment, children’s ministries, etc.) without turning into a church full of consumers. People often “shop” for a church that has certain programs, successfully run (i.e., large), and if their needs aren’t met for what ever reason, they go on to the next place. We are wrestling with this right now. Our goal is to be missional, rather than consumer oriented. It’s a big challenge.
Yeah, it is; I think that might be the biggest one facing the American church right now, at least in matters of practice. Something you might find of interest–I posted on this in early February of last year, you can find it in the archives–one of our Presbyterian magazines did a whole issue on the missional church, including two pieces from one of our congregations in Cincinnati on their efforts to make that transition; the issue is here. You might perhaps find some value in College Hill’s experience.