The New Testament writers told argumentative churches to get along. They chided immoral churches to repent. They warned sinful churches of God’s impending punishment if they didn’t stop sinning.
The apostles addressed an extraordinarily broad range of church issues. But there’s one thing they never did.
No New Testament writer ever told a sick, dying, sinful or hurting church to get bigger.
Want to reprint this article? Click here for permission. (This protects me from copyright theft.)
While the Church Growth Movement created larger churches and opportunities, it also created larger dangers.
“In the first twenty years of the movement, research focused on principles; lately the focus has been on discovering new techniques, programs, or methods.” (Elmer Towns)
A conversation with Eugene Peterson’s biographer on how simple pastoral presence is the healthy alternative to Christian celebrity.
