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Changing church? Let's hope so!

My friend Scott Hodge just blogged about the subject of change.  It reminded me of two questions that I had filed away about the subject of the church and change.  First, How much influence does the church have on our culture? In order for the church to gain authentic spiritual influence in our culture, leaders will have to move beyond traditional paradigms of ministry and thinking (THIS WILL MEAN BIG CHANGE).  Second, How does the church "infiltrate the soul of our culture"? (This will mean BIGGER CHANGE). 

• What do your think?  How can the church connect with and build relationships in the business, political (be careful), educational, family, media, and the arts/entertainment arenas in our culture? 
• How does your local church influence your community? 
• What is your church's strategy to infiltrate the soul of our culture?

The Church and Influence in the Culture:

* The church is more than just an environment that impacts the people in it. 

* It is a voice that impacts all other environments. 

* The church needs more than a well-crated message to voice its opinions to the culture.  It needs a strategy to infiltrate the soul of the culture. 

* What impact could the Christians in your local culture accomplish if they leveraged their connections to serve the community around you? 

* Its about becoming an organic part of the culture itself. 

* Churches should try to resist the impulse to think in terms of getting people from those environments to come to church.  Instead, view them as legitimate venues for experiencing the grace and love of God in all its fullness.

What kind of Christian "Brand" are you drinking?

I love Mel Gibson as an actor!  I am a big fan of Braveheart (one of my all-time favorites), Lethal Weapon, Ransom, and of course The Passion of the Christ. I recently came across an interview with Mel Gibson ( Mel's tirade ) on Google video.  Remember...his outlandish tirade against Jews.  Mel's tirade became "another" public failure that continues to damage the image and reputation of the Christian community.

A recent research study done by David Kinnaman examines this whole issue of how Christians are perceived today in our culture.  Kinnaman say, "the 'brand' of Christianity-the set of perceptions and imagery that people maintain about the Christian faith--is not flattering (a.k.a. see Dan Kimball's findings as well).  Kinnaman looks at three ways that the Christian community bears responsibility for cheapening the image of God in our society today:

1. Spiritual Apathy: Lazy Christianity is devastating because it undermines the compelling difference Christ makes in people's lives.  Kinnaman gives an alarming stat, he says, "less than 1 in every 10 churched families spend any time in a typical month in spiritual pursuits in the home, aside from praying at mealtimes." 

Question: Is your Christian faith a dusty trophy sitting on the self somewhere in a cluttered life?

2. Spiritual Arrogance: Think for a moment about the terms we have use(d) to define THEM---"lost" and "non-believers" - Kinnaman suggests that the implicit message of our terminology being that those outside of churches are not spiritually minded. 

Question:  If Followers of Christ are the best to communicate the answers that Jesus provides-where are you neutralized by your own spiritual pride?

3. Self-Absorption: Kinnaman says, "Our research among non-churched people shows tat their perception is that Christians feel the world revolves around them. 

Question: How is your spiritual conversations with others?  Are we operating out of a pure spirit to help people find the living Christ?  our Does our concern for others come with a not-so-hidden agenda, another notch in the convert belt?