Worship as Evangelism (is not working)
Worship as Evangelism (is not working) by Sally Morgenthaler
Here is a recent article by Sally Morgenthaler published on “Next Wave”
You may have seen it already - if not, it is worth reading. It is highly significant because of who is writing it - Sally is the author of “Worship Evangelism” and other related books, and was instrumental (pun intended) in the US and beyond in stimulating the huge wave of “worship music” and the “contemporary Sunday worship experience”, which support the myth 'if we build it, they will come'.
Now, almost 10 years since she wrote 'Worship Evangelism' in 1998, Sally concludes that worship-driven churches, despite their best efforts, are not attracting the unchurched. This is a complete turn-around from when she wrote her book. You will see that her article is filled with wonderful honesty as she acknowledges that the worship culture is often self-absorbed and the unreached are not attending these Christian “parties.”
This article on the problems with Worship Evangelism is an honest reflection which makes some astute and insightful comments, especially considering the author's background & the influence she has had historically.
Interestingly Sally's latest collaborative effort is a chapter in An Emergent Manifesto of Hope, released in April 2007 by Baker Books. Her chapter, “Leadership in a Flattened World: Grassroots Culture and the Demise of the CEO Model,” has been hailed as a prophetic work—a clear alternative to the ego-driven ministry leadership paradigms of the 1980s and 1990s.
A few quotes from the article -
Worship Evangelism had helped to create a "worship-driven subculture." As he explained it, this subculture was a sizeable part of the contemporary church that had just been waiting for an excuse not to do the hard work of real outreach. An excuse not to get their hands dirty.
In 2001 a worship-driven congregation in my area finally did a survey as to who they were really reaching, and they were shocked. They'd thought their congregation was at least 50 percent unchurched. The real number was 3 percent.
By 2002 a few pastors of praise and worship churches began admitting to me that they weren't making much of a dent in the surrounding non-Christian population, even though their services were packed and they were known for the best worship production in town.
Here is a recent article by Sally Morgenthaler published on “Next Wave”
You may have seen it already - if not, it is worth reading. It is highly significant because of who is writing it - Sally is the author of “Worship Evangelism” and other related books, and was instrumental (pun intended) in the US and beyond in stimulating the huge wave of “worship music” and the “contemporary Sunday worship experience”, which support the myth 'if we build it, they will come'.
Now, almost 10 years since she wrote 'Worship Evangelism' in 1998, Sally concludes that worship-driven churches, despite their best efforts, are not attracting the unchurched. This is a complete turn-around from when she wrote her book. You will see that her article is filled with wonderful honesty as she acknowledges that the worship culture is often self-absorbed and the unreached are not attending these Christian “parties.”
This article on the problems with Worship Evangelism is an honest reflection which makes some astute and insightful comments, especially considering the author's background & the influence she has had historically.
Interestingly Sally's latest collaborative effort is a chapter in An Emergent Manifesto of Hope, released in April 2007 by Baker Books. Her chapter, “Leadership in a Flattened World: Grassroots Culture and the Demise of the CEO Model,” has been hailed as a prophetic work—a clear alternative to the ego-driven ministry leadership paradigms of the 1980s and 1990s.
A few quotes from the article -
Worship Evangelism had helped to create a "worship-driven subculture." As he explained it, this subculture was a sizeable part of the contemporary church that had just been waiting for an excuse not to do the hard work of real outreach. An excuse not to get their hands dirty.
In 2001 a worship-driven congregation in my area finally did a survey as to who they were really reaching, and they were shocked. They'd thought their congregation was at least 50 percent unchurched. The real number was 3 percent.
By 2002 a few pastors of praise and worship churches began admitting to me that they weren't making much of a dent in the surrounding non-Christian population, even though their services were packed and they were known for the best worship production in town.
Labels: church, general, ideas from the edge
posted by David Allis @ 7:57 AM
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