obstacles churches face in accomplishing their mission howard culbertson southern nazarene...
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Obstacles churches Obstacles churches face in accomplishing face in accomplishing their missiontheir mission
Howard CulbertsonHoward Culbertson
Southern Nazarene UniversitySouthern Nazarene University
www.turnbacktogod.com
Obstacle #1Obstacle #1
• Inherited religious forms may Inherited religious forms may obscure biblical spiritualityobscure biblical spirituality– Gospel is communicated Gospel is communicated
ineffectively ineffectively – Caveat: There is a good side to Caveat: There is a good side to
“tradition” “tradition”
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Obstacle #2Obstacle #2
• Legalistic and moralistic Legalistic and moralistic distortions go uncorrecteddistortions go uncorrected– Message and practices send wrong Message and practices send wrong
meaningsmeanings– Church participation becomes a Church participation becomes a
painful, mechanical pilgrimagepainful, mechanical pilgrimage
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Obstacle #3Obstacle #3
• Wrong questions are being Wrong questions are being askedasked– ““What does the church need to do What does the church need to do
for me and my family?” rather than for me and my family?” rather than “What does God require of our “What does God require of our community of faith?”community of faith?”
– ““What will What will makemake our church grow?” our church grow?” rather than “What is keeping our rather than “What is keeping our church from growing?”church from growing?”
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Obstacle #4Obstacle #4
• Failure to deal with nominalismFailure to deal with nominalism– Too many “Christians” in name Too many “Christians” in name
onlyonly• Norm today: church membership is Norm today: church membership is
double attendancedouble attendance• Lyle Pointer estimates only 20% of Lyle Pointer estimates only 20% of
church members are “Biblical church members are “Biblical Christians”Christians”
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Obstacle #5Obstacle #5
• Too many church members are Too many church members are pew-sitting consumerspew-sitting consumers– Up to 80% of some congregations Up to 80% of some congregations
are simply consumersare simply consumers– Results:Results:
• Entertainment focus and ratings gameEntertainment focus and ratings game• Insufficient ministry leadershipInsufficient ministry leadership• The Reformation theme of the The Reformation theme of the
“priesthood of all believers” remains an “priesthood of all believers” remains an ideal rather than a realityideal rather than a reality
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Remember . . .Remember . . .
If a basketball team is awful, it If a basketball team is awful, it doesn't mean that the game doesn't mean that the game itself is bad. itself is bad.
It doesn’t mean that there isn't a It doesn’t mean that there isn't a team somewhere who plays team somewhere who plays the game the way it should be the game the way it should be played. played.
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Obstacles churches Obstacles churches face in accomplishing face in accomplishing their missiontheir mission
Let’s bulldoze them out of the way
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