As a general rule, most Christians in this country are against the idea of genetic manipulation that leads to cloning. We recognize God’s role in creating and forming each of us as individuals and are very concerned when we use science to cross lines that shouldn’t be crossed. Mainly Christians are against cloning because we are worried that someone with our exact genetic make up will undoubtedly try to steal our regular seat at church. Don’t mess with someone’s seat at church now! I can’t really ever remember a Christians advocating for cloning. I am sure there are Christians who think that two of them means they can stop working with the middle school youth group , but for the most part it just seems like we would be messing with something we shouldn’t.
Our proper fear of cloning somewhat begs the question as to why we are so bent on trying to clone the church. There is a pretty significant cottage industry within evangelicalism where churches grow, get famous, have a pastor who writes a book (always with their picture on it, why do we love that so much?), host conferences, and work to convince other churches that they should become clones. Obviously this is an over simplification of any church and their motives, but it feels as if this is the reality within evangelicalism. In our commitment and zeal to the Gospel we frantically search for new ideas to make us successful.
I probably receive 15-20 pieces of junk mail at the church every week that are vying for my budget dollars and attention with promises of program success, changed lives, and something different. (Does anyone have statistical evidence that ending just Christians junk mail is enough to reverse global warming and feed all of Africa? If so please send the link to every ministry on the planet) It is wonderful that we are so well resourced in our country that our biggest problem is choosing between all the well marketed products, but why do we think someone else’s success is something we can duplicate?
What makes churches successful is their ability to uniquely identify their gifts and contextual calling. They study their people, their community, and the needs of those outside their walls and they find creative ways of bringing Christ into those situations. But the whole point is that what we do as a church is so contextualized to our community. No two churches have the same staff or the same people, so why do we think they can be successful doing the exact same things? There is no greater trap for a pastor coming into a new church than thinking the ways they achieved success in their last congregation is the same way they will be successful in their new one. I have struggled to move beyond this one. I have decided that I am going to do my best to stop telling stories from NC in sermons and meetings for the next couple of years. I need give as much ministerial distance to myself as possible so that I don’t stop being hungry for new ideas.
Preaching is the same way. It is amazing the resources available to preachers for sermon ideas, illustrations, outlines, whole sermons, whole series, audio visual help and more. These tools are a huge time saver, but a sermon is best when it is crafted in response to and in knowledge of the particular people and needs of a local congregation. The best preachers are the ones who know their people and craft a sermon that brings the scripture alive and makes is applicable to their lives.
Are there other examples you can think of where we are missing the point through our efforts to clone our churches?
March 25, 2009 at 8:34 am
Excellent post. Several churches on my district split alike amoeba over being pushed to purchase into one of these plans. Desperation is a sad thing. Some don’t realize that culture in different areas can cause these programs to fail. What works in Southern California may bomb in East Tennesee.
March 25, 2009 at 9:58 am
Marsha,
The pressure to find a formula for success definitely flows from the top down in denominations. But success in the local church is almost never because of anything the denomination has sent down hill, it is usually home grown.
March 25, 2009 at 10:45 am
Greg,
I agree. Attempting to force growth or a spiritual movement does not work. Where people are faithful, there is no need.
March 26, 2009 at 9:26 am
Greg,
While, sadly, many pastors and churches do try to re-create themselves as clones of one of the mega-successes, I’ve never felt like those successful churches or pastors were working, as you put it, “to convince other churches that they should become clones.” In fact, I’ve heard just the opposite. I’ve been to my share of conferences over the years (though I kind of burned out on them and haven’t been to one in a while). At most of them (or maybe all of them), I’ve heard it clearly communicated that “this is what has worked for us in our situation. You have to know your situation and figure out what will work there for the people you’re trying to reach.”
I’m thankful for their willingness to share their ideas and stories with the rest of us. Often they help us break out of our ruts and spark some creativity. I’m especially thankful for those who do this for free through blogs and online videos!
But…. still there are pastors and churches who walk away from these books or conferences determined to become clones. And that almost never works.
March 26, 2009 at 9:46 am
Rich,
Good to hear from you. We need to grab lunch soon.
I agree with you that many of the conferences I have been to, and I am a bit burned out on them as well, have been intentional about saying that they weren’t recommending you go back and recreate what they are doing, but I always struggled with a feeling that the words and the actions don’t match up some times.
There is often a here is what we do and why we do it presentation and then the encouragement to go and do it on your own. But that presentation is always followed up by a commercial to buy their resources so you can do it like they do it or join their organization so that you can better understand how they do it, or to bring in one of their staff to help you do what they are doing. None of this is because a Willow or Saddle Back or Northpointe is trying to do something other than encourage and equip the church the best they can, but the end result of these conferences, materials, and speaking engagements often is something akin to cloning.
March 26, 2009 at 1:19 pm
I don’t have stats on church junkmail, but I could foreward all the one’s I still get with your name on it to you, if you want!
You should write a book with your picture on it called “Don’t Do What I’m Doing” or “This Probably Won’t Work for Your Church” about this topic.
If each Church is doing the right thing, they will be looking for a vision of who God is and then they will look around and see how that revelation is to be lived out in thier context.
March 26, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Shay,
It gives me a big smile to think of you sorting through my junk mail still, especially since I am no longer the one putting it in your mail box. It reminds me of Felts and the dryer sheets.