The Postmodern Call to Change Source: Doug Murren To insert your company logo on this slide From the Insert Menu Select “Picture” Locate.

The Postmodern Call to The Postmodern Call to ChangeChange

Source: Doug Murren

www.square1.org

Reasons This Age Reasons This Age Demands ChangeDemands Change

• 62%– The percentage of Americans today who

do not go to church

• 52%– The percentage of the unchurched who

said they would go to church if ...– a friend asked them – the experience was relevant

Sobering Facts about U.S.Sobering Facts about U.S.

• We no longer hold a religious monopoly.

• We are considered unintelligible in most arenas of culture.

• 39% US churches in serious decline.– Another 40% plateau at best– … and it’s not due to lack of devotion!

14 Characteristics 14 Characteristics of Our Cultureof Our Culture

• 1. Relativistic– postmoderns have trouble grasping anyone

speaking from a posture of final authority

• 2. Eastern Bent in a Secular World-View– from Beatniks to New Age – “life is cyclic and you are reincarnated”

Culture CharacteristicsCulture Characteristics

• 3. Hyper-Individualistic– “joining anything” doesn’t fit this world view

• 4. Syncretic– truth is found by taking a little bit from

every faith or school of thought and making it your own, “cafeteria style”


• 5. Highly skeptical– leaders of churches, schools, government

are to be scrutinized and assumed guilty

• 6. Emotionally broken– depressive disorders rampant– sometimes irrational due to stress


• 7. Multi-sensory learners– communication conveyed through music– interactive video habits shape learning style

• 8. Participators– churches where 2-3 people do presentational

worship won’t cut it– want interactive hands-on ministry immersion


• 9. Hyper-segmented– not just ethnically, but life-style and values– churches of future will tend to reach more

narrow segments of society

• 10. Time-starved– they’ll give money before giving day-timer


• 11. Addictive behaviors– 12-step groups flourishing– recovery ministries key to dealing with

substance and process addictions

• 12. Overly stimulated– pace keeps from contemplating – anesthetized against “talking-head” talk


• 13. Commitment resistant– fear closing off options– eternal commitment to Christ flies in face

• 14. Guilt resistant– foil manipulative devices– respond well to a model of servanthood

How Should We Change?How Should We Change?(10 places to start)(10 places to start)

• 1. Small group meetings will become more strategic than large meetings.

How Should We Change?How Should We Change?

• 2. Messages and services will need to be understood by the least initiated.– 1 Corinthians 14


• 3. Replace ministry measured against the past with ministry focussed on aims.


• 4. Change the purpose of church from satisfying consumers of religious experiences to reaching and discipling lost people.


• 5. Encourage more emphasis on and creative methods of church planting.


• 6. Pastors develop more skills of leadership and vision-casting.– from

Pastor/Counselor model to Pastor/Evangelist model


• 7. Deploy women and single people in significant ministry roles.

• over 50% of the US population over age 18 is single


• 8. Churches need to become lay-ministry driven rather than professional-ministry driven.


• 9. Invest more time in training bi-vocational ministers.


• 10. Raise the overall level of excellence in our churches.

• our sound systems stink, our services are not prayerfully planned, & our music is too often a distraction due to its poor quality

ConclusionsConclusions

• Sociologists tell us a new culture is appearing in the U.S. every 5 years

• The rate of change in culture is accelerating

ConclusionsConclusions

• We must aggressively change how we do business to thrive in this environment.

The Postmodern Call to The Postmodern Call to ChangeChange

Dr. John P. [email protected]

Copy right John Chandler, 2000

The Postmodern Call to Change Source: Doug Murren To insert your company logo on this slide From the Insert Menu Select “Picture” Locate.

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