Church "levels"
Jan 17, 2017 15:55:26 GMT -6
Post by Todd on Jan 17, 2017 15:55:26 GMT -6
We can be a little more objective (perhaps) in judging churches by comparing them to different levels of public school. We can compare their characters and apparent goals just as we do of the content and goals set forth for schools by the board of education. We may also notice the “corporate attitude,” and the overall atmosphere. These are reflected in overall dress and demeanor. For example, how people are dressed for church shows exactly what and how they think of God (a dangerous proposition in the age of relativism, where every opinion is of equal weight). “Dressing down” by wearing anything from jeans to beachwear unmistakably reflects an attitude of “God doesn’t care how I look as long as I show up,” or “God won’t mind if I am comfortable.” These attitudes make God an “accessory” to our own desires and appetites. And should one protest that his appearance is not a true reflection of his feeling about or attitude toward God, it still shows a selfish lack of respect for God’s “position.”
Now granted that there is no official “uniform” for church attendance and that, short of legalism, there is no way to control how church members dress for Sunday services, we may still get a feeling for the corporate attitude by noting the overall habits of dress. Are all the people dressed down? Most of them? Some of them? Perhaps only a few “oddballs”? The rough percentage of those dressed down give a pretty good index of corporate attitude.
“Atmosphere” may be a bit more tricky, because so many things contribute to it. Examples would include the degree of formality in the service, the overall nature of sermon topics, the degree of solemnity invoked by and observed in the service, the attention paid to the sermon, and humility of the congregation and pastor during worship, and such things as allowing coffee and tea in the sanctuary during the service are also clues. Putting these and similar phenomena together, might an unbiased observer rate a church service (and over time, the church itself) as day care for adults, or at a kindergarten, grade school, junior high school, high school, or university level?
Thus, kindergarten is like day care with some preparation for following instructions and working in groups. The emphasis is on learning through fun in a nonthreatening environment, and so on. Dress is playground suitable, drinks are always nearby, and nothing unduly serious takes place, for the little ones have little discernable attention span anyway.
Looking at churches today, we find many, perhaps the majority, are on the kindergarten level. They sing lots of contemporary “praise songs,” very light on theological content, and heavy on subjective states and conditions. They even dance in the aisles in many churches. These churches are largely, but certainly not entirely, charismatic in orientation. There is little or no teaching that requires more than memorization, and application to life is minimal. Like kindergarten, these churches teach us to get along together, stand in line, and work and play nicely with others.
Grade School level churches still sing the same nursery rhyme “praise songs” that lack content, but make us feel better about ourselves (“We’re King’s kids! Etc.) There are easy lessons on basics, but nothing that might sound threatening or “negative,” and certainly nothing doctrinally difficult, challenging, or controversial. The aim of grade school is to acquire the basics upon which learning might later be achieved and life might be lived at a level above animals, and to continue providing a “nurturing environment.” There is little awareness of cultural relevance of Christianity. In fact, church has, in some sense, become just another cause, like Pro-life, or Green Peace, which prevents hearers from seeing Christianity as THE answer to all problems, social, economic, moral, and political.
As an aside, it should be obvious that while these criteria may not project an entirely accurate characterization of public school, but may seem old fashioned or idealistic, that is because at the same time we dumbed down our churches, we also dumbed down our schools. So perhaps elementary students DO know something about Sex ed. But can they read as well as grade school children did 75 years ago?
At the Junior High School level, churches may teach a few more basics, and review them ad nauseam. A few more doctrinally advanced teachings may be given. Real hymns are occasionally interspersed with “praise songs.” While they are still unoffensive and nurturing, cultural awareness grows, and some spiritual growth may become evident in some of the members. However, Church still seems to be just one answer among many, one cause among several that might interest one.
High school level churches introduce more ideas and cultural applications. Causes may be occasionally critiqued from a position of Biblical doctrine. Real hymns are sung, and music carries its own weight polemically.
A university level church is unafraid to take on tough topics, Biblical and cultural. The atmosphere is respectful and humble. The people are able to survive for an hour or two without coffee or tea, and they attend the services faithfully, reverently, and studiously. They shows up wearing their “Sunday best,” or, as the old timers used to say, their “Sunday, go-to-meetin’ clothes.” There is no fear of offending anyone, although most denominational churches will stop short of any truth that may challenge their denominational distinctives. In either case, though, such churches are certainly not deliberately offensive, and do not browbeat people into compliance. On rare, but threatening occasions, public figures and social movements are called out, analyzed, and condemned insofar as they are found to be unbiblical or ungodly. The advanced concepts such as separation, witness, and apostasy are dealt with. Sanctity of God, Life, and the Church are stressed. The only music sung during the church service are hymns. Controversy is welcome, but is handled in a spirit of love.
Regardless of the level at which a church starts, its goal should be to reach the university level. This is church growth, not merely an increase in numbers. Who cares if the church eventually becomes the World’s largest day-care-center-for-adults?
Another way to determine the “grade level” of a church is to get a feel for how much of the Bible is preached, retained, and practiced. Is it a New Testament only church? Is its interest mostly doctrinal? Mostly behavioral? Mostly cultural? Instead of flowery expressions like “God has blessed us so greatly,” do we hear conversations about what the Bible teaches, or questions about the sermons? How about critique of culture from a Biblical perspective.
Now granted that there is no official “uniform” for church attendance and that, short of legalism, there is no way to control how church members dress for Sunday services, we may still get a feeling for the corporate attitude by noting the overall habits of dress. Are all the people dressed down? Most of them? Some of them? Perhaps only a few “oddballs”? The rough percentage of those dressed down give a pretty good index of corporate attitude.
“Atmosphere” may be a bit more tricky, because so many things contribute to it. Examples would include the degree of formality in the service, the overall nature of sermon topics, the degree of solemnity invoked by and observed in the service, the attention paid to the sermon, and humility of the congregation and pastor during worship, and such things as allowing coffee and tea in the sanctuary during the service are also clues. Putting these and similar phenomena together, might an unbiased observer rate a church service (and over time, the church itself) as day care for adults, or at a kindergarten, grade school, junior high school, high school, or university level?
Thus, kindergarten is like day care with some preparation for following instructions and working in groups. The emphasis is on learning through fun in a nonthreatening environment, and so on. Dress is playground suitable, drinks are always nearby, and nothing unduly serious takes place, for the little ones have little discernable attention span anyway.
Looking at churches today, we find many, perhaps the majority, are on the kindergarten level. They sing lots of contemporary “praise songs,” very light on theological content, and heavy on subjective states and conditions. They even dance in the aisles in many churches. These churches are largely, but certainly not entirely, charismatic in orientation. There is little or no teaching that requires more than memorization, and application to life is minimal. Like kindergarten, these churches teach us to get along together, stand in line, and work and play nicely with others.
Grade School level churches still sing the same nursery rhyme “praise songs” that lack content, but make us feel better about ourselves (“We’re King’s kids! Etc.) There are easy lessons on basics, but nothing that might sound threatening or “negative,” and certainly nothing doctrinally difficult, challenging, or controversial. The aim of grade school is to acquire the basics upon which learning might later be achieved and life might be lived at a level above animals, and to continue providing a “nurturing environment.” There is little awareness of cultural relevance of Christianity. In fact, church has, in some sense, become just another cause, like Pro-life, or Green Peace, which prevents hearers from seeing Christianity as THE answer to all problems, social, economic, moral, and political.
As an aside, it should be obvious that while these criteria may not project an entirely accurate characterization of public school, but may seem old fashioned or idealistic, that is because at the same time we dumbed down our churches, we also dumbed down our schools. So perhaps elementary students DO know something about Sex ed. But can they read as well as grade school children did 75 years ago?
At the Junior High School level, churches may teach a few more basics, and review them ad nauseam. A few more doctrinally advanced teachings may be given. Real hymns are occasionally interspersed with “praise songs.” While they are still unoffensive and nurturing, cultural awareness grows, and some spiritual growth may become evident in some of the members. However, Church still seems to be just one answer among many, one cause among several that might interest one.
High school level churches introduce more ideas and cultural applications. Causes may be occasionally critiqued from a position of Biblical doctrine. Real hymns are sung, and music carries its own weight polemically.
A university level church is unafraid to take on tough topics, Biblical and cultural. The atmosphere is respectful and humble. The people are able to survive for an hour or two without coffee or tea, and they attend the services faithfully, reverently, and studiously. They shows up wearing their “Sunday best,” or, as the old timers used to say, their “Sunday, go-to-meetin’ clothes.” There is no fear of offending anyone, although most denominational churches will stop short of any truth that may challenge their denominational distinctives. In either case, though, such churches are certainly not deliberately offensive, and do not browbeat people into compliance. On rare, but threatening occasions, public figures and social movements are called out, analyzed, and condemned insofar as they are found to be unbiblical or ungodly. The advanced concepts such as separation, witness, and apostasy are dealt with. Sanctity of God, Life, and the Church are stressed. The only music sung during the church service are hymns. Controversy is welcome, but is handled in a spirit of love.
Regardless of the level at which a church starts, its goal should be to reach the university level. This is church growth, not merely an increase in numbers. Who cares if the church eventually becomes the World’s largest day-care-center-for-adults?
Another way to determine the “grade level” of a church is to get a feel for how much of the Bible is preached, retained, and practiced. Is it a New Testament only church? Is its interest mostly doctrinal? Mostly behavioral? Mostly cultural? Instead of flowery expressions like “God has blessed us so greatly,” do we hear conversations about what the Bible teaches, or questions about the sermons? How about critique of culture from a Biblical perspective.