Every year, lists are published for the biggest and baddest churches. The fastest growing. The most innovative. The largest. On one hand, it’s great to see how more and more lives are being changed (assuming that the church growth is not just from church transfer) and to see what’s going on. A little inspiration now and then isn’t bad.
But on the other hand…I wonder, why should we even care who gets on these lists?
I read some Oswald Chambers the other day. He said,
“Don’t rejoice in your successful service for [Christ], but rejoice because of your right relationship with [Christ]. The trap you may fall into in Christian work is to rejoice in successful service; rejoicing in the fact that God has used you. Yet you will never be able to measure fully what God will do through you if you have a right-standing relationship with Jesus Christ…it is actually by His mercy that He does not let you know it.“
I realize Oswald is not the gospel, but I think he brings up a good point. So many churches today say this like, “We are so humbled God has chosen to use us” … “We can only attribute our growth and success to God” … I’m sorry, but isn’t that like restating the obvious?
Maybe I’m just being cynical in writing this, but of course God has chosen to use you. It doesn’t take a magazine or a bunch of parachurch organizations to figure that out. What is disconcerting about it all is the feeling of inadequacy many pastors of churches not on these fashionable lists experience. As I researched blogs of pastors and church leaders, I found more dissention than unity, more discouragement than motivation when discussing these lists.
I know there isn’t some gory battlefield where churches duke it out to make it on these lists. These churches didn’t invent the list. They just end up there. After I began writing this post yesterday, a pastor friend of mine emailed me to say “Congrats, I see the church you work at made it on both the Outreach Top 100 Lists.” I didn’t even have a clue. I know we aren’t doing what we do to get our name in black and white on some list. And I realize it’s the same with the other churches.
Maybe the problem isn’t with the churches, but with the society that has to reward everything…Is it just me, or is it sad to discover the culture in which we “do church” has cultivated another one of our famous christian subculture spin-offs.
We have our own little version of The Forbes 100.
A very smart man said, “If you can’t be idealistic in a church, something’s wrong.” Is it too idealistic to hope that pastors who see the apparent “successes” of highly publicized churches could put down their church growth magazines and tune out all the buzz words that annihilate the innocent voice that was the only thing they needed to obey? Is it too idealistic for churches who gain attention to say, “You know what? It’s cool you have a list and all, but I’d rather not be on it. We’re just being obedient.” Is it too idealistic to think that the American church culture could just slow down a bit – and instead of doing church…actually BE the church?
I’m not opposed to learning or being sharpened – but like everything else, it needs to be balanced with obedience, humility, and grace. And please don’t misread this: I’m not proclaiming churches with large crowds are bad – they aren’t. I work at one, and it has been the most amazing thing to see life change happen all the time – to see God move in fresh ways.
BUT…I don’t think any “Top 100” list encourages anything. Then again, I could be wrong.
Oswald finishes his sermon by saying this:
Our tendency today is to put the emphasis on service. Beware of the people who make their request for help on the basis of someone’s usefulness. If you make usefulness the test, then Jesus Christ was the greatest failure who ever lived. For the saint, direction and guidance come from God Himself, not some measure of that saint’s usefulness. It is the work that God does through us that counts, not what we do for Him. All that our Lord gives His attention to in a person’s life is that person’s relationship with God-something of great value to His Father.
Let’s get back to our relationship with our Creator. Let’s get back to pure, unadulterated obedience.
And let’s stop being useful.
Comments
15 responses to “The First Church of Forbes”
Excellent reminder. I know I often find value in being valuable, indespensable, the go-to gal. I know that God finds value in me because He is God.
It is strange how these “lists” place credit where credit is not due… US.
Los
some friends and i are studying 1 cor. together as we try to figure out how to do/be church… and your post reminds me of one of the points that struck me from our study so far… any and all effectiveness we have is not because of our gifts, our skills, our intellect, our strategy, our ability to influence others, but because of the power of God, because of His Spirit working in and through us. He is the One who brings transformation to individuals and communities. not us.
thanks anne. way to come back strong. :)
“Is it too idealistic to think that the American church culture could just slow down a bit – and instead of doing church…actually BE the church?”
That’s pretty much the number one question we’ve been posing to our church here. We get so wrapped up in doing programs and methods that we forget to BE the church. Want an outreach strategy/method? Here’s the one we’re concentrating on right now:
“They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.” Acts 2:42-47
Imagine that! The church just getting together and being the church in worship, in fellowship, in love, in service, and that’s what brought people in the door!
OK, preaching over. Good one Anne. Thanks as always.
Very good writing, Anne. If the church knew the difference between the face of God and immersion in their own culture, you would have had to come up with a different subject for today. In fact, if the church were actually about the Father’s business, the rapture might have happened already. Oh well, I guess you have to give the slow kid more than three strikes before you call him out.
I wish I was on a list somewhere, I confess. Really, I want reward. And, this is a good thing–to want reward. However, who it comes from is what is most important. The Judgement Seat of Christ is what will matter most to us believers. My problem is that I am not patient enough to wait. So, I hope I am on a list or at least the group I am a part of is.
I think my writing is a bit fuzzy and the sarcasm sucks…restatement here
I want reward, but the reward is the list that Christ is keeping, not others…I think that would be more clear. Wanting reward is a good thing. Wanting to be noticed is a good thing. But, all of this is in context of wanting to please Christ not please others and become a celebrity.
does that make more sense now?
Great post Anne. I too go to one of those churches on the “lists.” In fact, we/our pastor was on TV recently as well. It was a weird thing for me because I really get annoyed at America’s need to “over-recognize.” Why do we need to award ourselves for our good work in anything? Take movies and music for instance. Why can’t the fact that you sold 8 bajillion records be your reward? Why do we need to give you 18 different trophies all to say you did good? And yet, I still watch these shows….*sigh*
Anywho, the pastor made a good point in reference to all this and it really hit home with me. He said that if you have a problem with a church because it’s “too big” (which I admit I’ve said before), then you are forgetting what church is all about. So true! In the end, we shouldn’t care whether or not we get on these lists. We should worry about the one we will stand in front of someday. He doesn’t recognize “lists” made by man, He sees into the heart of man.
i don’t know why, but your post reminded me of a show we watched the other night. It was about Sweden – and a word that describes their cultural viewpoint. the word is ‘Logom’ – and it means: ‘just enough.’
Growing up in a scandinavian sub-culture (MN), i have seen this first-hand. it means you don’t need to the be the best, have the most … there is ‘just enough’ to go around — for everyone. one of the ways this is seen is in the difference between American sports fans who have a ‘winner takes all/we are the champions’ vibe as opposed to the swedes who celebrate with someone who finds themselves at the top of their game – win or lose.
anyway – the connective tissue on this is found in the idea that lists may/may not motivate or validate. our only value is in our relationship to Christ.
or … to quote Chris Tomlin:
You are my supply, my breath of life
and still more awesome than I know.
You are my reward, worth living for
and still more awesome than I know.
All of You is more than enough for all of me
for every thirst and every need,
You satisfy me with Your love
and all I have in You is more than enough.
gosh – that was long – sorry!
These are all really great comments, everyone. Stripping down to the intended church that is Biblically described is so hard in the society & culture we live in where bigger and better and the latest and greatest is what is focused on…it’s hard not to get caught up in it all.
Seems to me that the person who wrote this displays quite a lot of wisdom herself. BTW did you know that Oswald Chambers ‘trained’ in Dunoon just across the river from Greenock where we have been living? Somewhere else you could visit if you were so inclined
PS can I plug a book by a really smart man, Steve Seamands who is one of my profs and friends in which he looks at this whole issue of what motivates and sustains. The book is called Ministry in the Image of God and if I could make one law for Christendom it would be that all church leaders should read this book.
Hey, if it ain’t a mega-church, the pastor ain’t doing his job.
(just a joke)
Self propogated lists for our own pride are no good. I was just thinking how much people are like sheep, looking for somebody, anybody, out front, leading…somebody to follow. They will follow anything that says, “I’m worthy to follow…follow me.” We want their desire to be to follow Christ, but I sincerely think we need more superstars of the faith. Not self imposed or even aspiring people…just thought who land on everybody’s list because they are just that real. And I bet there are a few of them right here. Shine!
[…] P.S. (for a more verbose thought, visit my last year’s post on the most innovative church list: the first church of forbes). […]