Denominations Reach Non-Compete Agreement

ATLANTA — Hoping to reverse on-going membership losses, several denominations have entered into a non-compete agreement that carves up certain U.S. cities into exclusive evangelism areas.

"We all need breathing room to build our congregations back up," says a Southern Baptist Convention representative who was at the negotiations. "Instead of competing head to head now we can plow our own fields."

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Mature congregations

Mark Beeson, pastor of Granger Community Church, made an interesting comment on his blog about what the mature church looks like (it is worth reading in full):

"The 'mature church' is the church filled with immaturity."
Anywhere in the world, whether plant or animal, the clear delineation of
"maturity" is the ability to reproduce.


I like his thoughts in general, but it seems to me that a mature church needs to have an intentional way of going about taking the spiritual newborns and leading them to maturity. The analogy breaks down if you try to take it too far. For example, we use the word "mature" to describe human beings who are more than just able to physically reproduce, but a mature human being is someone with emotional and psychological balance that often comes several years after physical maturity. Maturity is more complex than just having the capacity to reproduce.

The Entertainment-Driven Church

C. Michael Patton visited a glitzy megachurch and wrote about church growth techniques that focus on seducing people with consumer products and entertainment:

The biggest fear that I have is that this is representative of so many well meaning people who start churches. I imagine the person who started this particular church grew up in a very boring church and set it as his primary goal to someday have a church that was fun. That is nice, but, more often than not, totally destructive. The pews are filled with people who are weak and totally unestablished in the faith. Most really don’t know what the Christian message is outside of “Jesus loves you and wants you to have a wonderful life.” Many claim Jesus, serve Him, and lift up their hands in praise, but what happens when someone or something challenges their faith? Where are they going to turn? To the shallowness of the entertaining commercials or out of context self-help lessons? Where will they go when the foundations are destroyed?

A faith that prepares us only to receive good things in life and not the cross is not even contemplating spiritual maturity. Michael Spencer reflected on Patton's post and fortold:

The is “the end” of evangelicalism, and it’s not dying with a whimper. Oh no. It’s going out with party hats and noise-makers. And Bratz dolls. And Barbie. And video games. And an elf. And the Word-faith message. And Starbucks.

The end of evangelicalism isn’t the deep vacuum of space. It’s the Borg ship. With pizza, a band and great commercials.

Is this Christianity? If you realize you answer no longer has any basis in reality, consider just being honest: No, it’s not.

Are the living dead in a George Romero movie “people?”

HT: Thinklings