I am thinking about the change in churches, which crept up slowly, pounced on everyone, and retreated to note their abandoned church buildings.
A member of our congregation, yet far away, discussed the collapse of a very large church in his area. They were previously red hot and the pride of Fuller Seminary. Now they are more like the locust shells that hang on trees with perfect outlines and nothing inside.
That forlorn member said, "I know what happened. It was all Church Growth!" I might have been tempted to say to him, "Purpose Driven!" Or - "Robert Schuller!" Or - "Willow Creek." I knew about 20 of them (thanks to their gushing books) and visited Purpose Driven hisself - Rick Warren. (Hisself is a correct pronoun to use with carnival clowns.)
We saw the Purpose Driven street sign, pulled in, and attended part of a session. Christina talked us into the paid-for session on the basis of my journalism history. WELS clergy were trained to echo Valleskey, Kelm, Cho, and other nonsenses. They had to pay the fees, no doubt.
Now they have a shortage of members and pastors.
One thing is needful - the Means of Grace - and they hardened themselves against that, so ardently that they do not know its efficacy.
PS - Willow Creek Community Church makes the rest of the Church Growth clergy quite mild and restrained.
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