"Church Growth Movement": Wednesday's Word Of The Week
The Church Growth Movement is an approach to the church which claims that if certain sociological, psychological and practical principles are followed, the church will grow.
The Church Growth Movement grew out of the mission field in the last century and started being applied to congregations in southern California in the 1980's.
Some of the teachings from the Church Growth Movement are good, in that they make sense. Having and adequate size parking lot and good signage are good common sense things that the Church Growth Movement addressed. However, the idea that we need to survey the wants and desires (i.e. felt needs) of the church and then attempt to meet the needs has led to a culture of church consumerism.
Furthermore, the CGM has also been detrimental in that it many times its teachings deemphasize the importance and work of the Word and Sacraments as God's means of building and sustaining the church. Good marketing and a common sense plan is good, however, it is the means of grace that builds and sustains the church.
To learn more words and definitions, go to The Lutheran Lexicon.
The Church Growth Movement grew out of the mission field in the last century and started being applied to congregations in southern California in the 1980's.
Some of the teachings from the Church Growth Movement are good, in that they make sense. Having and adequate size parking lot and good signage are good common sense things that the Church Growth Movement addressed. However, the idea that we need to survey the wants and desires (i.e. felt needs) of the church and then attempt to meet the needs has led to a culture of church consumerism.
Furthermore, the CGM has also been detrimental in that it many times its teachings deemphasize the importance and work of the Word and Sacraments as God's means of building and sustaining the church. Good marketing and a common sense plan is good, however, it is the means of grace that builds and sustains the church.
To learn more words and definitions, go to The Lutheran Lexicon.
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