Jun

13

This REALLY Hurts …

Posted on June 13th, 2009 in Church Life, Faith by Fred McKinnon

RE:  You Can’t Advertise Problems Away: Ad Campaigns of the Mainline Denominations
(copied from ChurchMarketingSucks.Com, HT from a Tweet by @tpaulding)

“Study after study has shown that religions that grow are the ones that are hard-core in some way. They have something that differs sharply from the culture in which they operate,” says Boston University’s [Stephen] Prothero. “That’s the problem with mainline Protestantism: It’s not different enough from mainstream America.” (emphasis mine)

Do you tend to agree or disagree with that quote?


  • http://heatherblankenship.wordpress.com heather b

    absolutely agree! Why would anyone want more of the same thing? People are looking for something different, something powerful, something fulfilling.

  • http://www.SaintLewisMusic.com/ Shannon Lewis

    Not only is it a problem with “Mainline Protestantism” (which has long ago grown liberal and been in numerical decline for years), but has even begun to affect portions of what was once considered “evangelicalism” (i.e. – the “Bible Believers’). But yes, very true.

  • http://www.SaintLewisMusic.com/ Shannon Lewis

    p.s. – I mean, seriously, if you don’t really believe that the Word is inspired, and aren’t convinced that Jesus is the only way, you don’t have much, do ya?

  • Tracie

    I disagree. Religion can be the same. The different has to be the God in us.

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com Fred McKinnon

      I think that’s the essence of what is being said – people aren’t seeing the “difference of God” – we, Christians, don’t walk and talk much differently than mainstream non-Christian america in many ways. We watch the same trash on TV, we cheat on our spouses (same ratio of divorce as non-Christian), etc ….

  • Tracie

    Yeah but what I mean is that we are humans too. We fail. We hurt people. But we could, or I know I could, stop pretending since I am Christian, that I am superhuman. So I think we should not abuse grace, but show that we are the same. Get out of the way of trying to pretend we are not. Then that allows God to show up. SO in a way we will be different in the end. We will show the world that Christians do screw up but the difference is let’s offer grace, and forgiveness that we believe Jesus offers us.
    That is my soap box I suppose. :)

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com Fred McKinnon

      True, true … but I think our christian culture has shifted and spends a LOT of time on grace, acceptance, and relevance (to the extremes of becoming entertainers), and the message of holiness, being set apart, different … it’s essentially gone.

  • Tracie

    Yep true true. The only thing I have is that
    message you speak of I think should be a part of how we live our Sat-Monday lives. So yes we should be set apart different on how we live. But there is that whole concept I hear how Christians are hypocritical. They are better than us. I just think we should be different on how we love. I dunno if that makes any sense. Hope so.

  • http://www.SaintLewisMusic.com/ Shannon Lewis

    If we are to stay true to the quote, they are talking about “Mainline Protestantism”, which is the opposite of Evangelical Protestantism – the liberal church’s vision of the faith is no different than the philosophy of the world, which is why their numbers have been declining for so long – why go to church, when they offer nothing different from what you’ve already got. All Mainline Protestantism offers if moral relativity, vague hope, ‘nice’ ideas, but their God is powerful, their Bible is merely a book of opinions, as is their view of morality – what motivation is there within that worldview to seek after God or attend church? I can’t think of any whatsoever, unless one just likes the traditions and formality of it all.

    Evangelicalism – which literally means “Centered-on-the-Good-News-of-the-Evangel (ie – Gospel of Christ)” – however offers something different: absolute truth, morality, grace, and an experience of a God who reveals Himself in humanity. That IS different from what the world has, and isn’t mere tradition for tradition’s sake. It is true that many who try to wear the word “Evangelical” these days, really aren’t – neoEvangelical at best – so it blurs the picture a bit. But among those who truly believe and are attempting to live the Gospel as set forth in God’s revealed Word, there really is a different between what we live and offer than what the world has, which is no different from what most of Mainline Protestantism offers.

    • http://www.SaintLewisMusic.com/ Shannon Lewis

      All Mainline Protestantism offers is moral relativity, vague hope, ‘nice’ ideas, but their God isn’t powerful, their Bible is merely a book of opinions, as is their view of morality – what motivation is there within that worldview to seek after God or attend church?

  • Tracie

    What I don’t understand is this is just one man’s point of view in studies of non objective information so how can it really be of much value. Very good points. It makes a point that I could pray for that mainline Protestantism religion to have motivation for seeking after God. But the truth is Jesus never walked this earth questioning religions. He spoke of questions of the heart. He made the people of the bible look inside themselves and question their own actions. The same goes for us now.

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  • http://www.themusiciansmind.com Eric Frisch

    Agree – I wrote about this a couple of days ago:

    http://www.themusiciansmind.com/1/post/2009/06/changing-faith.html

  • Deane

    I think Paul stated it this way:

    Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)

    If those in the church are or appear to be conformed to the patterns of the world, then it appears to have nothing to offer to those outside of the church.

  • https://bradhafnersfa.wordpress.com Brad Hafner

    http://www.etpalestine.com/podcast.html

    This sermon is from last week about how the church has been influenced by American culture. It’s a great word. Listen if you want.

  • http://www.mandoron.com Ronnie Burgess (MandoRon)

    If people don’t see anything different in our lives, then they’ll end up saying “what’s the point of God?”. It’s important that we talk about how God is changing us and what he’s doing in our lives. And we must live differently, too.

  • Louise

    oh ouch

    in the world and not of the world

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