[This is 25th of 25 factors that may impact the survivability and vitality of your congregation. A new factor is being posted each weekday for five weeks. See all the posts at www.BullardJournal.org. Order the whole collection at http://congregationexistpersonal.eventbrite.com/.]
Your congregation is more likely to exist ten years from now with vitality and vibrancy if it is obviously Christ-centered in its character and nature. It is marginal or uncertain to exist if it is confused as to whether it is Christ-centered or focused on its internal culture. It is less likely to exist with vitality and vibrancy ten years from now if it is obviously culture-centered.
A Christ-centered congregation regularly makes choices that enhance their spiritual character and nature. They are on an obvious spiritual and strategic journey to live into God’s full kingdom potential for their congregation. They are not hesitant to ask the simple question of what is the Christ-like thing to do every time they are faced with a significant decision surrounding a great opportunity or challenge. Guests and new members feel the obvious spiritual atmosphere in the congregation. Authentic discipleship is a high value and people connected with the congregation are urged to be on an intentional Christ-centered discipleship journey. Worship is clearly a Christ-centered experience in these congregations.
Many congregations are confused about their character and nature. They are not clear about being Christ-centered or culture-centered. Over many years they developed cultural patterns as to how they function. When crucial opportunities and challenges face them they debate with one another on whether they will take the Christ-centered pathway or the culture-centered pathway, although they seldom use these terms in their debate. Longer-tenured members as a group tend to focus more on a culture-centered approach. Increasingly guests and new members are attracted by the cultural patterns of the congregation rather than the Christ patterns. Worship develops cultural patterns that become institutionalized in the congregation and lose some of the freshness of unique encounters with the Triune God.
The longer a congregation has been in existence, and the longer since it has been captivated by God’s vision for its spiritual and strategic journey, the more likely it is that culture dominates its character and nature. Too many congregations get to the point when their response to great opportunities and challenges is a culture-centered approach. Regularly, if not a majority of times, when one fork in the road is Christ-centered and the other is culture-centered they take the cultural-centered path. Eventually they may get to the point that culture blinds them to Christ. Their language and habits have Christian rhetoric and a focus that cares for people, but evidence of a proactive Christ-centered character and nature is difficult to find. Worship in these congregations is primarily a cultural event and attempts to infuse fresh Christ-centered approaches are opposed because they are not how this congregation does things.
What is the evidence your congregational is obviously Christ centered? Please leave a comment and participate in the dialogue.
Copyright 2009, George W. Bullard, Jr. at GBullard@TheColumbiaPartnership.org.
