In 1969, Elmer Towns published The 10 Largest Sunday Schools And What Makes Them Grow. Over 40 years later, most of those churches have disappeared from the lists highlighting the largest churches in America. Why is that?
Often times, as a church grows larger the tendency grows to focus on maintaining and servicing what is already there. Internal ministries overwhelm outward mission. This is not strictly a large church phenomenon. Any church can be overwhelmed with by this temptation.
1 Peter 4:10 (HCSB) says, "Based on the gift each one has received, use it to serve others, as good managers of the varied grace of God." The key word is each one. Each and every church member. But unfortunately, there is a huge chasm between this verse and what happens on a regular basis in our churches.
According to the research from the book I co-authored with Thom Rainer, Transformational Church, the majority of people in the majority of churches are unengaged in meaningful ministry and mission. There's this passage in 1 Peter, but then there's the practice in our churches.
So, how can we avoid having a church full of customers rather than a church full of co-laborers in the Gospel—develop a culture and implement a structure.
Churches need a culture that encourages and a structure that enables people to move from passivity to activity, from being passive spectators to active participants in the mission of God.
Today, I want to focus on developing the culture. Here are three steps to develop a missional culture within the megachurch environment: instill it, repeat it, and celebrate it. Read more
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