I recently asked the question, “Who is the Church service for?” The two basic answers are that the church service is for believers, or that it is for unbelievers. Some churches focus on teaching and training Christians, while others focus on reaching out to unbelieving seekers. Both approaches have strengths and weaknesses.
The Church Service in Teaching Churches
Teaching churches focus on training Christians, but do a relatively poor job of reaching the lost. They will often say that outreach and evangelism is the job of the individual Christian, and you will hear them say things like “Healthy sheep naturally reproduce.” But in reality, little evangelism actually takes place.
And as it turns out, though many of the believers in these churches know their Bibles well, few of them actually live out what they know in their day-to-day lives, nor are they reaching out with the gospel, which challenges the idea that these sorts of churches are actually doing a good job making disciples.
So teaching churches often fail at reaching out, and ultimately, fail at making disciples.
The Church Service in Seeker-Sensitive Churches
Seeker sensitive churches try to correct the weakness of teaching churches by making their church programs and services more welcoming to unbelievers. They seem to do a great job at this.
They often offer Saturday or weeknight services for the Christians to help them mature, or will encourage believers to get involved in home groups for discipleship.
But in reality, seeker sensitive churches often fail to bring new disciples to maturity.
Furthermore, it has become increasingly evident that although seeker sensitive churches do grow numerically, most of their growth is transfer growth from other churches, rather than actual evangelism growth. So in reality, unbelievers are really not being reached by seeker sensitive churches either. Seeker sensitive churches often fail at reaching out, and ultimately, fail at making disciples.
The Problem with Both Types of Church Services
The problem with both church models is the same: the church cannot focus primarily on training believers or primarily on reaching unbelievers. Both are needed. But even churches that try to do both are generally quite weak in one or the other. So who is the church service for – believers or unbelievers? The answer is: “Wrong question.”
The correct questions are “What is the church?” and “What is the church service?” We will look at these questions in future posts.
If you want to read more now, try two books I have written on these topics:
To answer the “What is the church?” question, I wrote Skeleton Church. There is now a free online course that goes along with the book. Join the discipleship area so you can take the course today.
To answer the “What is the church service?” question, I wrote Put Service Back into the Church Service.
I like where you’re going with this, and I agree that “Who is the church service for?” is the wrong question.
The question of “What the church is?” is something that I’ve actually be studying a lot myself during the last year, and I’m looking forward to reading some of your thoughts on the issue.
Many blessings
~Amanda
Amanda,
Truly, I’m a little excited to see where I’m going with this too! Ha ha. I think best when I write, and sometimes, I don’t know where I’ll end up as I’m thinking/writing my way through something.
I have read some of your comments on other blogs, and read your own blog. You’ve had quite the church experience, and I appreciate what you are saying. Keep the faith!
Jeremy
Thank you Jeremy, I just hope that whatever I say and whatever I write brings glory to God and encourages others. I too think better when I write, but I then have to be careful that I don’t let my mind run away with my words and to keep my focus on the LORD, and let Him do the work through me. Otherwise I’m prone to let my emotions control my words, instead of Him. He gave me my emotions, and I don’t try to deny them or push them away, but I know that they should never control me. That’s one thing He’s been teaching me a lot lately. 🙂
Thank you for the encouragement, and for the fellowship.
~Amanda
The answer is: “Wrong question.” – Ha! I love it! You’re absolutely correct. I’ve been in many leadership meetings and classes that ask the questions, who is the church service for? what kind of services should we have? etc. I have often thought the same thing – “Wrong question”. It’s becoming clearer everyday that christianity in America has sadly been reduced to a church service. Although I’m not anti-church service per se, I do believe it’s becoming more and more a waste of time and energy. The amount of effort put in is grossly disproportionate to the fruit coming out.
Wade,
Great comment! We have kindred spirits and kindred names! Are you a pastor or ministry leader?
I have heard a lot of I’s We’s, and Me’s BUT What about God, the church is for us (believers) to worship God. Prayer, Singing songs that praise God, Listening to His Word, Given back to Him a portion of our earnings.
Amen. Agreed. I think we need to be very careful whom we invite into “Church” that is the corporate time of Worshiping GOD, Prayer, Fellowship, Discipleship, Communion, and Meeting of The Local Body of Christ in The Holy Spirit. The following is simply my (imperfect) opinion and I realize that we all see through the mirror dimly. I am not personally interested in cordially inviting the world, that is non-believers (The Word says that we have nothing in common with unbelievers, and cautions us about letting wolves and/or swine – God’s Word not mine, those who are led by a/the Spirit of disobedience into our midst.) into the very heart of our intimate fellowship, worship, and communion as we meet in the Body Of Christ. Firmly set in Christ we serve, build one another up, equip for discipleship making, and reach out to one another in the Body first. Secondly our diligent service/work to the Lost, firmly set in Christ, in His Spirit, and supported by His Body, the Church, is conducted (aside from prayer for the lost) outside of our corporate worship time. We serve Him in the world all week long and our Worship, Fellowship, Our serving, discipleship making, outreach, and building up, within the Body is conducted as we come together corporately as a local Body to worship GOD.