I see a lot of churches follow the model the Russians do with the Lada.
The Lada is a car the Soviets designed in the 1960′s. The Russians are still making the same car.
When the Lada launched it actually was a pretty good car. The problem was none was willing to re-evaluate what worked great.
You see this happen with churches. Ever wonder why some churches are still singing hymns out of a hymnal? Ever wonder why a place of prayer for a most high God is ugly as sin?
These things happen because something went right for a church. Then the church refused to make changes.
I am starting to see the same thing happen again in churches. Churches that sing Chris Tomlin & Hillsong music, wear bluejeans, and have video projectors are stopping their evolutionary procedures.
A lot of church leaders achieve those “contemporary” milestones then immediately develop a culture that is similar to the creator of the Lada.
Think about he actions your church took 5 years ago. Do you sing the same types of music? Are you following the same actions?
A modern church isn’t a music style, bluejeans, or technology. A modern church is a church that evaluates and changes.
A modern church evaluates what works and what fails.
Actions of a successful modern church could entail letting a failing program continue until it evolves into a successful program that renews the church. If God asks a church to take on a program, then success or failure shouldn’t determine it’s destiny. A bus ministry could ultimately be a failure (low numbers, expense) on the books, but end up being the lifeline for people your church is called to reach.
Actions of a successful modern church could be canceling a successful program. Pastor Bill Hybels once spoke of the pain of canceling a ministry that reached out to mothers-in-need. He even had a relative that was fully employed running the program. Pastor Hybels felt that God wanted him to shut down the ministry. He had to fire his own family when he did it.
Killing something that works, strengthening something that fails, and trying something new even when it seems illogical. These are the actions of a church that is modern. A church that is willing to hear from God and implement with actions their faith.
A modern church is about having an attitude of change. The idea that everything is open to change is the foundation for a church that is going to survive.
