I read a recent article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that chronicled
the surprising fact that many people don’t make significant changes to their
lifestyles following a heart attack or stroke.
The article referenced a study by the Journal of the American Medical Association,
which shows one in four men do not make ANY (as in none) lifestyle changes after
a heart attack, stroke or other major cardiac event.
I was amazed to read that a near-death experience was not enough
motivation to bring about a change. In
addition to that, how many symptoms or indicators of poor health was ignored
prior to these major cardiac events? Why
are we so slow to make the necessary changes?
Is it denial, apathy, or a symptom of how difficult change is?
Thom Rainer estimates that about 40%, or around 150,000 churches in America,
are very sick. He writes, “They are one stage away from being terminal.” As pastors who are serving in these churches
or churches that are beginning to show signs of illness, what can we do to help
shake up our churches enough to get them to make the necessary changes that
will not only avoid death, but also restore life and vitality?
In a recent conversation with Dr. Lyle Pointer he made the following
observation: “I think leaders have to create a
cardiac event. Most churches die because they ignore the symptoms and
nobody has the courage to sound sufficient warning to serve as a crisis. Losing members and decreasing numbers are
accepted as a part of the normal cycle—it’s not alarming to them.”
One of our jobs as leaders in church renewal is to be
truth tellers, to tell the truth about the current reality of the church. This “truth telling” can serve as a cardiac
event in the life of the church and serve as a wake up call to the congregation
that change is necessary.
A useful tool in this truth telling process is the Nazarene Missional Church Assessment. This tool
measures the churches health/vitality in six key areas (Spiritual Vitality, Worship,
Discipleship, Leadership, Missional Outlook, Missional Partnership). This assessment can help a church begin to
look at its current condition and develop an action plan to make the necessary
“lifestyle” adjustments that lead to a healthy church.
Some, even a majority, may look at the signs of sickness
in their church and still choose not to make any changes, but there is hope for
those who are willing to face reality and make the changes necessary. God can still heal and restore the church
today if we are willing to allow him to shape us into the missional communities
He’s called us to be.
To use the NMCA please contact:
Rich Houseal
Research Services
Church of the Nazarene Global Ministry Center
17001 Prairie Star Parkway • Lenexa, KS 66220
1-800-306-9928 • direct 913-577-0652
A barrier stands in the way of more people coming to faith
in Christ. The obstacle is our church
people. They experience an uneasiness
about inviting the unchurched to church. Meanwhile polls indicate people want
to be asked to church. They want to be
wanted and to feel included. They want
to be asked but not pressured. Asking
them multiple times is okay with them.
They want to think about the invitation. The pressure comes when we say,
“You ought” or “You should.” 