The
following 17 individuals participated in a 48 hour conversation
at Beeson Divinity School, Samford University, Birmingham,
Alabama, on August 27-29, hosted by dean Timothy George:
|
Mark
Mittelberg
|
Willow
Creek Association
|
| Rodney
Clapp |
InterVarsity
Press |
| Ed
Delph |
New
Apostolic Churches |
| Mark
Dever |
Capitol
Hill Baptist Church |
|
Ray
Ellis
|
Free
Methodist Church |
| Timothy
George |
Beeson
Divinity School
|
| Michael
Horton |
Alliance
of Confessing Evangelicals |
| Susan
Laney |
Presbytery
of Sheppards and Lapsley (PCUSA) |
| Jill
McCool |
Beeson
Divinity School |
| Bishop
George McKinney |
St.
Stephens Church of God in Christ |
| David
Melvin |
National
Association of Evangelicals |
| Jesse
Miranda |
Azusa
Pacific University |
| David
Neff |
Christianity
Today |
| Dan
Reeves |
Reeves
Strategic Consultation Services |
| Canon
Susan Sloan |
Cathedral
Church of the Advent |
| Elmer
Town |
Liberty
University |
| Charles
Van Engen
|
Fuller
Theological Seminary |
| (back)
|
|
What
is the presenting problem that necessitates a serious dialogue
on the church? In brief, there is an enormous confusion
over the proper nature and function of the church. Although
there are multiple causes which we need to better understand,
one under-appreciated factor is certainly our indigenous
tribalism.
In a recent editorial in Christianity Today, entitled, "Promoting
Renewal, Not Tribalism," senior advisor Timothy George
suggests that todays evangelicals,
We
do not have the luxury of arguing over the niceties of
church polity. More fundamental issues are at stake. The
erosion of a Christ-centered faith threatens to undermine
the identity of evangelical Christianity. Real revival
and genuine reformation will not be built on flimsy foundations..
Is it too much to hope that all evangelicals concerned
with theological integrity and spiritual renewal will
pray for one another and uphold one another as they seek
to live their entire lives before the face of God, under
the authority of God and for His glory alone? Where serious
problems exist in evangelical life, they should be addressed
fraternally and prayerfully, not with bombast and bluster."
In,
Selling Out the Church: The
Dangers of Church Marketing (Abingdon, 1997), authors
Philip Kenneson and James Street assert,
"We are most concerned about those congregations who eagerly
adopt the latest techniques for helping their churches
to grow by making them more responsive without pausing
to consider fully the theological ramifications of such
practices. We hope that our brothers and sisters in Christ
will carefully consider the ways in which marketing practices
are rooted in convictions that are at odds with the convictions
Christians are called to embody as Christs church."
Whether
one agrees of disagrees with this view is not as important
as the fact that its popularity is increasing at the grass
roots level in every region of the country, in most seminaries
and publishing houses, and in most denominations.
It becomes quickly apparent in studying books in the attached
bibliography, that fragmenting convictions concerning the
21st century church are emerging among today's evangelicals.
Unfortunately, these and numerous other books are being
written from contrasting viewpoints without the benefit
of clear communication between the various Christian leaders.
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One
view sees the church as being seriously eroded, with doctrinal
compromises and critical diluting and polluting of the Gospel
occurring. Another view sees unprecedented cohesive unity
in the movement, and an unparalleled, divine positioning
of evangelical churches to effectively enlist and equip
new disciples amidst a steadily ripening worldwide harvest.
When the average Christian is confronted with these contrasting
views, there are feeling of confusion and disappointment.
The church deserves better. When the non-Christian hears
about a widening crisis among churches he or she is less
likely to be drawn towards any evangelical church.
In his Consulting The Faithful: What
Christian Intellectuals Can Learn from Popular Religion
(Eerdmans 1994), Richard Moew describes these two views
as linked to a hermeneutic of suspicion and a hermeneutic
of charity.3 Others have framed similar discussions in terms
of polemics and irenics. But this contrast in viewpoints
is far more than attitude or an orientation. It represents
a profound and unfortunate set of differences in perspective
concerning the new ministry models, that if left unattended
can do a great deal of unnecessary harm.
One example of this confusion can be seen in the vastly
differing reactions to the "new models," such as Willowcreek
Community Church (Independent, South Barrington, IL, Saddleback
Community Church, (Southern Baptist, Mission Viejo, CA),
or Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church (Tipp City, OH).
Another example can be observed in the more radical New
Apostolic Reformation churches, which are only beginning
to appear on the radar screens of most evangelicals.
A
series of important questions about these new congregational
prototypes are being raised in books and conferences throughout
America. When combined, these questions represent perhaps
the single most important issue for American churches:
What
is the nature, mission, and function of the church in
the midst of cataclysmic change?
The
situation is serious. Out of all evangelicals a rough estimate
would place about a third as advocates, and a third as critics
of the new ministry models. Another third of the evangelical
populations, who fall roughly in the middle, are unaware,
uncertain or ambivalent. Indeed, the issues are complex
and volatile.
Without
an effective intervention, considerable harm for American
Christianity could result. The emerging differences over
the new ministry models can potentially polarize any church.
Without some prayerful and wise counsel there will likely
be great injury. We appear to be on a collision course.
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Yet
there is room for hope, if we act prayerfully and proactively.
As a missiologist / mediator who has been tracking the acceleration
of these polarizing forces since 1990, I believe that for
the most part, the contrasting viewpoints are based more
on surface than upon substantive differences.
Having studied the primary literature it is my conviction
that strategic dialogue at the highest levels would make
a great deal of difference. Such a project is more than
worth the effort, considering the alternative of doing nothing.
The benefits outweigh both the risks, and the consequences
of indifference.
I believe it is time for some of us to ask, "Can we talk?"
I believe that those of us concerned for all of the evangelical
churches must gather whatever forces are necessary to breakthrough
these issues, rather than breakdown. Who is the author of
confusion? What a cunning strategy, to cause disarray in
our evangelical forces by having us once again shoot at
each other rather than to concentrate our forces on reaching
the lost.
Before
we write too many more books we need to listen to one another.
Many of the misconceptions, which are imaginary rather than
real barriers, can be cleared up by simply listening to
what is actually being said. I believe the rhetoric can
be greatly reduced in the differences that remain, and that
we can concentrate as a more unified force in reaping the
greatest harvest of souls in the last 2000 years.
The
purpose of our various exchanges will not be to prove who
is right once and for all.! In contrast, I would hope that
we could design a series of constructive dialogues in such
a way that there would be:
-
a lifting of much of the fog among evangelicals
- greater
clarity of evangelical core doctrines on the church
-
a healing of unnecessarily strained relationships within
evangelicalism
- a
higher level of unity manifested throughout our diverse
bodies of churches
- a
lowering of the rhetoric injurious statements, which range
from straw man thinking with false dichotomies galore,
to more serious false accusations which slander other
Christian leaders.
Numerous
observers of Evangelicalism have expressed concerns during
the past several years, hoping that something constructive
could be proposed. Now, a group of respected Christian scholars
and church leaders began the process at an initial two-day
discussion at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama,
August 27-29. These individuals, who represent various streams
within evangelical Christianity, were able to focus the
issues more clearly, and to design a realistic process for
addressing the most important issues.
Many
of the perceived issues, upon careful examination, were
reclassified as secondary or non-issues. Other perceived
issues, with the aid of the council's collective wisdom,
eventually gained constituency and worked their way to the
top of the list. Surprises are anticipated as we continue
to seek God's wisdom together and submit ourselves to His
perfect will. (back)
- To
clarify, unify and constructively influence evangelical
churches during a time of enormous theological confusion.
- To
encourage adequate theological/missiological reflection
among traditional and contemporary expressions of evangelical
churches. (back)
- To
pray for wisdom, understanding and unity.
- To
get better acquainted with each other; explore what we
have in common, and understand where we have our greatest
difficulties with each other's views.
- To
identify the top ten real issues facing churches during
the next decade.
- To
create work teams that can effectively address these issues
over a period of several years.
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Donald
A. McGavran, The Bridges of God,
Friendship Press, 1955
Hans Kung, The Church, Image
Books, New York, 1967
G. C. Berkouwer, The Church,
Eerdmans, 1976
Bill Hamon, The Eternal Church,
Christian International, 1981
Darrel Guder, Be my Witnesses:
The Churchs Mission, Message and Messengers,
Eerdmans, 1985
Timothy George, ed., John Calvin and
the Church, Westminster/John Knox Press, 1990
Charles Van Engen, Gods
Missionary People; Rethinking the Purpose of the
Local Church, Baker, 1991
Douglas Webster, Selling Jesus,
Inter-Varsity Press, 1992
Michael Horton, ed., Power Religion:
The Selling Out of the Evangelical
Church?, Moody, 1992
Os Guiness, Dining With the Devil:
The Megachurch Movement Flirts with Modernity, Baker,
1993
David F. Wells, No Place For Truth:
Or Whatever Happened to Evangelical Theology; Eerdmans,
1993
Rex Koivisto, One Lord, One Faith:
A Theology for Cross-Denominational Renewal, Victor
Books, 1993
Marva J. Dawn, Reaching Out
Without Dumbing Down: A Theology of Worship for the Turn-of-the
Century Culture, Eerdmans, 1995
Edmund P. Clowney, The Church,
InterVarsity Press, 1995
Lynne and Bill Hybels, Rediscovering
Church: The Story and Vision of Willowcreek Community Church,
HarperCollins, 1995
Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Church:
Growth Without Compromising Your Message and Mission,
Zondervan, 1995
Alister McGrath, Evangelicalism
and the Future of Christianity, InterVarsity Press,
1995 and A Passion for Truth: The Intellectual
Coherence of Evangelicalism, InterVarsity Press,
1996
John H. Armstrong, ed., The Coming
Evangelical Crises: R. Kent Hughes, John MacArthur, Jr.,
R. C. Sproul, Michael S. Horton, Albert Mohler, Jr.,
Moody Press, 1996
James Montgomery Boice and Benjamin E. Sasse, Here
We Stand: A Call From Confessing Evangelicals, Baker,
1996
George Hunter III, Church for the Unchurched,
Abingdon, 1996
Johannes A. Van Der Van, Ecclesiology
in Context, Eerdmans, 1996
Michael Slaughter, Spiritual Entrepreneurs:
Six Principles for Risking Renewal, Abingdon, 1996
David Cannistraci, The Gift of Apostle;
A Biblical Look at Apostleship and How God Is Using It to
Bless His Church Today, Regal, 1996
Rodney Clapp, A Peculiar People; The
Church as Culture In a Post-Christian Society, InterVarsity,
1996
Philip Kenneson and James Street, Selling
Out the Church: The Dangers of Church Marketing,
Abingdon, 1997
Donald E. Miller, Reinventing American
Protestantism: Inside Calvary, Vineyard, and Hope Chapel,
University of California Ð Berkeley, 1997
Russell Chandler, Feeding the Flock;
Restaurants and Churches You'd Stand in Line For,
Alban Institute, 1998
Peter C. Wagner, The New Apostolic
Churches, Regal, 1998
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Rodney
Clapp: Author and senior editor for general and academic
books at InterVarsity Press, representing evangelical publishers.
Ed
Delph: Pastor of Hosanna Christian Fellowship, Phoenix,
AZ, traveling extensively with the New Apostolic Churches.
Mark
Dever: Pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington,
D.C. As a speaker and writer, he represents the Southern
Baptist Convention.
Ray
Ellis: Pastor of Willow Vale Community Church, San
Jose, CA, while holding several regional and national positions
with the Free Methodist Church.
Timothy
George: Dean of Beeson Divinity School, Samford University,
Birmingham, AL. As a senior advisor for Christianity Today,
he is a recognized scholar in church history and historical
theology.
Michael
Horton: Writer, speaker, and co-pastor who provides
leadership for the Modern Reformation magazine, the White
Horse Inn weekly radio broadcast, and the Alliance of Confession
Evangelicals.
Susan
Laney: Specialist of Mission with the Presbytery
of Sheppards and Lapsley (PCUSA), bringing a mainline judicatory
perspective.
Jill
McCool: Director of the Supervised Experience in
Ministry Program, Beeson Divinity School, bringing the perspective
of a practical educator.
Bishop
George McKinney: Founding pastor of St. Stephen's
Church of God in Christ, responsible for sixty congregations
in the San Diego, CA, area.
David
Melvin: Vice-president and interim president of the
National Association of Evangelicals.
Jesse
Miranda: Professor of multicultural studies at Azusa
Pacific University, representing 23 denominations as president
of the primary association of Hispanic congregations.
Mark
Mittelberg: Represents the Willow Creek Association
as author, executive vice-president and prior pastor of
evangelism.
David
Neff: Executive editor of Christianity Today, representing
the evangelical press.
Dan
Reeves: President of Pacific Consultation and Mediation
Services, representing the American Society for Church Growth,
as recent president.
Canon
Susan Sloan: Represents Episcopalians as rector of
Cathedral Church of the Advent, Birmingham, AL.
Elmer
Towns: Dean, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA, and
author of over 30 books on churches in America.
Charles
Van Engen: Professor of Theology of Mission, Fuller
Theological Seminary, representing the Reformed Church of
America as a recent president.
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