Thanks to Guy Muse’s blog, I was reminded of Reggie McNeal’s book “The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church.” Although this book is over ten years old, it still addresses key issues that the church, if we are willing to be honest about who/what we are meant to be, must continue to face head on.
1. The collapse of the church culture.
- Wrong question: How do we do church better?
- Tough question: How do we deconvert from Churchianity to Christianity?
2. The shift from church growth to kingdom growth.
- Wrong question: How do we grow this church?
- Tough question: How do we transform our community?
3. A new reformation: Releasing God's people.
- Wrong question: How do we turn members into ministers?
- Tough question: How do we turn members into missionaries?
4. The return to spiritual formation.
- Wrong question: How do we develop church members?
- Tough question: How do we develop followers of Jesus?
5. The shift from planning to preparation.
- Wrong question: How do we plan for the future?
- Tough question: How do we prepare for the future?
6. The rise of apostolic leadership.
- Wrong question: How do we develop leaders for church work?
- Tough question: How do we develop leaders for the Christian movement?
I am particularly struck with #4 and the way we have churned out ‘members’ en masse over the past thirty years rather than active, passionate, intentional, risk-taking followers of Jesus. The church has paid the price! We have too often become comfortable rather than comforters, guardians of doctrines and traditions rather than advancers of the Kingdom, externally religious rather than internally passionate, and generally sleepy rather than alive in Presence and Spirit.
McNeal’s challenges are still relevant and will, hopefully, continue to propel us toward the center of God’s purposes for His bride on earth.
