Remnant-Online

Can Church be Relevant and Survive?

A Call For Revival and Reformation PART 1

by Jay Gallimore

When we look around us, we cannot help but see these great Mega churches. Their highly visible ministries are so well executed that every thing about them seems to breathe success. Then we look at our churches. Many of them seem so small and struggling. "What's wrong with us?" We ask. "They must be doing something right and we must be doing something wrong." In some respects, we Adventists, are too hard on ourselves. Like Israel we forget all too easily about God's mighty acts in our movement. Before we rush to compare "them and us" perhaps it would be wise to first count a few of our own blessings.

Flying international flags, as a Mega church does not far from me, does not make you international. They can only dream about what we already have. Seventh-day Adventists penetration over the world is absolutely astounding! Our humble beginnings would never have predicted this. It is not just the numbers. Consider the breath and depth of the Adventist presence. Today we can rejoice that each year the Adventists' ratio to world population continues to grow. Not only has our church growth been phenomenal but our world wide educational system is really a class act. Then there are ADRA and our Community Services. Think of our contribution to religious liberty. What other church has the health ministry like ours? Think of our great youth camps across North America. Who succeeds at public evangelism like we do? Look at our beautiful churches and schools that dot the land. Let your eye sweep over our camp meetings where thousands gather for spiritual refreshment. Think of the printing presses and publishing ministry in hundreds of languages. Then there are Adventist world radio and the TV and other broadcast ministries. Think of the hospitals and clinics around the world. The list goes on. For our size, we Adventists pack a lot of influence.

Yet I know what some are thinking. "But look at North America. While we are growing in ethnic communities, our growth in the mainstream is, at best, very slow. It is in "middle class" communities that these Mega churches are having such great success. If we don't do something, we are going too loose a great deal of talent and support that is badly needed to move the world church." There is no question that these are urgent concerns. But will our creative energy be spent on change that hurts or helps? Do we opt for change believing that change alone will work? Do we really know what the church should be like when we are done changing it? In our rush, have we carefully considered what God wants? Or have we simply tried to shape Him into our own ideas? Have we studied carefully how the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy define success? Is it wise to let non-Adventist churches define success for us? For the last ten to fifteen years some Adventist congregations have been experimenting with the growth methods of non Adventist churches. First there was the "celebration worship." According to the promoters, this charismatic face lift, was going to transform the Adventist Church. In the estimation of the proponents, Adventist churches were stuck in a time warp. Their message to all of us was change or become a dinosaur. Of course, the scary message that always ignites our fear, was that "if we didn't adopt their methods we would lose our young people."

What happened to the Adventist Church that became famous for starting the "celebration" movement among us? It's arrival captured the imagination of many North American Adventists. At its height it had more than a thousand members. However, with the passing of time, some interesting developments took place. It's leading pastor developed an independent spirit. This led to internal problems in the congregation. This coupled with his unwillingness to take counsel from his conference leadership led to him leaving the ministry. Today he has joined forces with those who are most bitterly attacking the Adventist church and it fundamental doctrines. Buying into the same spirit, one his leading elders left the church and started his own Sunday keeping church. The church went from one sadness to another. The two new pastors that replaced the founding pastor were dismissed over doctrinal issues. As a result of all this turmoil the church went through several splits. Decline in attendance and membership followed. They could no longer keep up the payments on their large new facility. The conference kindly assumed the payments while it was being sold. This series of sorrows finally led the group that was left to merge with another congregation.

Of course the celebration movement among us developed a life of it's own. Not every difficulty found in it can be blamed on its initiator. Yet certain attitudes seem to be genetically impressed on it from the begriming. They go something like this. "We should not be afraid to copy the methods and worship of other churches. Success is defined as a large attendance and lot's of excitement. This is the way to reach the community and save the youth. Life style values are funny 18th century holdovers. Love and acceptance is the theme. Justification is big. Sanctification is small. Preach about grace but don't get too intense about sin. Remember you are to be a friendly church. Preach Jesus not doctrines. Stay cool. At all costs have fun. Small Adventist churches are at best relics without any future. Conference and church organization, who needs them? They get in the way of what we want to do." At least these are the perceptions that seem to keep ringing, even as the church growth/worship debate continues.

For the last few years, one of the new Meccas for Adventist leaders has been the non-Adventist Willow Creek church near Chicago. Lots of Adventist ministers have gone there to learn how to imitate their methods. Already we are seeing the fruit of this approach. One Adventist Church inspired by these methods, was featured in one of our leading denominational papers. However, in the mist of the success and attention, the pastor and the church broke away from the conference. You can guess the reasons. They didn't want the "restrictions" of the body. They wanted freedom to do their own thing. Then of course there was the money. They wanted the tithe to fund their Mega church dream. Oh yes, they were going to continue to keep the Sabbath. They would still be part of us, but just at a distance. Another Adventist Church near a large east coast city did something very similar. They were going to teach us how relevancy could help us grow. They were going to reach their communities. Guess what these would be Adventist Mega churches discovered? You see, they could not be relevant and get a community crowd on Sabbath. So they opted for relevancy. That shouldn't surprise us. Relevancy, not truth, was driving their mission to start with. The results were predictable. Today, both of these churches are keeping Sunday and have left the Adventist Church completely. By the way, they were drawing young people -but to where? Lately there has been a steady stream of Adventist churches who have or are following a similar course.