Conflict Winter 1993

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Even traditional churches can gain a healthy flexibility.

Can a multi-generational, multi-purposed, multi-managed, mixed-motive, diversely-preferenced congregation grow and adapt to a constantly changing culture?

Of course they can. But who would want to suggest it to them?

Not many ministers enjoy tightening the tension of a congregation stretched between frustration (for moving too slowly) and fear (of changing too fast).

Yet, in an age of newly-planted, zero-history, purpose-driven, narrowly-targeted, seeker-sensitive success stories, the current love of my ministry life is serving an established congregation. My passion is to communicate to these beloved but diverse people that not only is their past worthy of celebration, but their best days are still ahead.

It is a difficult mission. Most established congregations are somewhat frightened by the thought of relating to unchurched people where they are in our culture. If you lead in that direction, being wounded by "friendly fire" is likely. It is kind of like, well, taking up your cross and following Jesus.

The heritage of our congregation is a complicated mix of history and evolving evangelistic mission. It includes complete trust in biblical authority, congregational autonomy, early Christian ideals, and evangelistic preaching. Our church emphasizes that the Bible-book, chapter, and verse-must support every point and sub-point of all public proclamations.

That solid heritage, though, and the Sunday night seminars we do each spring ("How to Divorce-Proof Your Marriage") are worlds apart. We intentionally designed these seminars to look like anything but a church service. A few modern-day translations of Bible verses are sprinkled between quotations from ...

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