PEOPLE IN PRINT
October 1, 1989
Beyond Conventional Church Wisdom
Reflections of a Contrarian: Second Thoughts on the Parish Ministry by Lyle E. Schaller, Abingdon, $10.95
Reviewed by Dave Wilkinson, pastor, Moorpark Presbyterian Church, Moorpark, California
CW. Conventional wisdom. There is CW in politics. There is CW in the church. And there is Lyle Schaller, parish consultant with the Yokefellow Institute, who aims his well-honed lance at church CW. Take, for example, his Reflections of a Contrarian, where he puts his finger on twelve key issues facing the modern parish.
In Chapter 1, "Is There a Price Tag on Diversity?" for instance, he challenges the belief that a local parish can or should represent a cross section of the American population-CW in many church quarters. Perhaps, says Schaller, but at the cost of interpersonal relationships. Churches with great social diversity, like many independent, charismatic churches, usually unite around shared religious experiences. But that very social variety inhibits congregational intimacy. In many such congregations, after all, some may use Spanish or Korean as their primary language. On the other hand, churches where members share closeness are usually characterized by a homogeneous culture, like a typical middle-class, mainline congregation. But you can't have it both ways.
Chapter 4 focuses on the generation gaps. Plural. Schaller identifies at least four of them. He describes in rich detail the demographics of our nation's churches, as well as the different experiences and expectations of each generation. He also raises questions about the role each generation plays in the average church, and how that affects outreach, especially to the younger generation.
Schaller's fifth chapter, "What Is the Influence ...
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