Why is it that the Pentecostal churches are exploding in growth across the world while churches with more standard theology are declining? Why is it that the Presbyterian attempt to establish a church in a community can struggle at best while independent Hispanic churches pop up all over?
Is there a relationship between this above phenomenon and the lack of transformational impact that our mainline churches have on their membership? People can attend a Presbyterian worship service and leave feeling good but not having their life transformed in any way. Does anything happen that causes them to turn their life around? A friend recently mentioned that mainline churches are afraid to be too specific about what salvation means.Twenty-five years ago, Karl Menninger asked “Whatever Happened to Sin?” in challenging mainline churches. Why is it that there is no appreciable difference between the lives of mainline Christians and those of non-Christians in our society when it comes to ethics?
The problem in Pentecostal churches is that salvation is such an individual experience and their leadership depends so much on the charisma of a particular leader. Yet they are able to reach the individual whose life is in despair and give him or her hope. If the Pentecostals have the ability to transform despair into hope, is it possible for mainline churches to build on that transformation and bring hope to the community nature of our world? Can we learn to bring hope out of despair in the more corporate aspects of our world? Can we learn to worship in a way that brings our members into contact with the great mystery that can touch their lives beyond the rationale. Is there a way that we can blend the rationale of our “proper” theologies with the emotional power of the Pentecostal experience?
Steve –
Seems to me that Carl and I talked with you about this topic at least 10 years ago – we had gone with Mary Ellen to a Christmas Eve service at a Pentecostal church in Florida. It was a big church with what appeared to be a large congregation (of course, lots of churches have crowds on Christmas Eve). But whoah! Did the place ever rock! Great music – and miracle of miracles – EVERYONE sang! No mumbling the words or just moving your lips (my approach to singing in church!). It seemed like everyone was participating. And they SWAYED to the music! A video screen at the front of the church was displaying the words to the music, plus showing intermittent pictures that related to the lyrics. Talk about an emotional experience!
By the time the minister delivered his very simplistic sermon where he pulled out all the stops, it was like “Hey, Uncle Sam, I’ll join up right now! Just show me where to sign-up!” And ACTION was what the preacher requested – asking for commitment by basically telling the congregation to put there money and actions where their mouths were. And from what we heard about the church’s activities, it appeared that they had a growing, committed membership who believed in outreach.
Personally I felt suffocated and couldn’t wait to get out of there!
Ellen