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tagged: Book Review, Essential Church, Geoff Baggett, LifeWay Christian Resources, Sam Rainer, Simple Church, Thom Raineressential church?
Posted by Geoff Baggett in Baptist Life, Church & Missions
Essential Church: Reclaiming a Generation of Dropouts. Thom S Rainer and Sam S. Rainer III. Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2008. 259 pp. $19.99
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Thom and Sam Rainer’s Essential Church? Reclaiming a Generation of Dropouts is a must-read for pastors and youth pastors. I don’t know how else to say it.
Recent research has proved what most of us knew all along … we are losing the younger generation. Not the unchurched younger generation, mind you, but our own kids … born and raised in our churches. The Rainer’s study demonstrated that more than 2/3 of young churchgoing adults drop out of church between the ages of 18 and 22. Interestingly, they show that the drop cannot be blamed on college. Those young people who choose not to attend college are dropping out at the same rate.
Which begs the question … why are our young people leaving?
The Rainers discovered this answer from multitudes of young church dropouts. “I did not see the church as essential to my life.”
And so the church in America is dying.
The Rainers state it plainly,
“The American church is in decline. Conversions are declining in almost every denomination. … In our own denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), which is one of the largest Protestant denominations in whe world, baptisms have not increased in decades. Despite the growth of the nation, the SBC is baptizing no more people than it did in 1950. … Worse yet, the church is losing its influence in culture … the church is no longer essential to peoples’ lives.” (8)
After identifying the seven deadly sins of dying churches (an all-too-familiar list, by the way), the Rainers offer their prescription for stemming the tide of decline. Their formula?
- Simplify – Eliminate the activities and busyness of church life that have no real role in discipleship (i.e. Simple Church). And prepare for the death of the proverbial sacred cows…
- Deepen – Dumbing down the teachings of Scripture is never the right answer.
- Expect – Raise the expectations of membership. Close the back door.
- Multiply – Take the church to a new level of evangelism, missions, and church planting.
If you’re looking for another “magic formula,” a la The Purpose Driven Church, to simply apply to your situation, then this is definitely not the book for you. There is no step-by-step approach, only guiding principles to help bring the church back from the brink of irrelevance … to make the church essential in the lives of believers again.
I’ll admit that I didn’t like everything about the book. I saw the “top ten list” of why young people are living the church just a few too many times (I stopped counting). Also, the dual authorship really complicated the structure. It was hard at times to tell which Rainer was writing, and they often shifted from referring to themselves in the first person (which I much prefer) to third person from one paragraph to the next. This confusion identity required me to back up and read again several times, which really aggravates me.
But, overall it’s a fantastic book. As I laid it down this morning I thought, “Finally! Someone said what I’ve been thinking all along!” I’m giving the book to my Youth Pastor on Sunday. It’s now become “required reading” for him.
I listened to what the Rainers had to offer. I know that church planters and young leaders are listening, because these are the ideas that drive their methodology. The question is, will the dying churches (and their pastors / leaders) listen? I suppose our unwritten history (the future) will tell.
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This book has been reviewed through an agreement with LifeWay / Broadman & Holman Publishers. Other newly released titles will be evaluated and reviewed in the coming weeks.
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Baptists are not Protestants, they never were part of the Roman Church.
While it is true many teens are leaving, they often Return after the birth of their first child, OR WHILE IN COLLEGE. This is the case of my Brother’s Church-Thomas Road Baptist, in Tallahassee, which just has spent 400 thousand dollars on a youth building.
Maybe we have failed to communicate the weightier things of Scripture. Just how dead they are in sin, how there is nothing but a Holy and Righteous Wrath that awaits…and just how amazing is His Grace that justifies.
As we put the focus consistently on what God has done in Christ for sinners, I’m foolish enough to Believe that He will change lives. Why do we keep straying away from what they really need to hear?
A proper orthodoxy is indeed fundamental but a cold orthodoxy is of little use either. Here’s what we’ve been doing in our youth the past several weeks. Study a chapter out of the Gospel of John, watch that same chapter out of the Gospel of John movie and then discuss. The focus has totally been on Christ and His life and the discussions have been very good. After that, we play football before the main service starts.
I would submit this is simple but nevertheless, effective church.
John Daly has said, Maybe we aren’t telling them how dead they are in sin. When the Church left the doctrine of total depravity, and Salvation by Revelation and instituted decisional regeneration, and stressed the free gift without GOD’S PREREQUISITES OF REPENTANCE AND LORDSHIP, it left a void, and did not effect the lifestyle and heart attitude of the supposed converts.
They had worldly appetites, thus when they reached 18 years of age, went out, seeking what their heart desired-the leeks and onions of the World.
Dr. Paul,
It used to be that young adults (college-age) would leave the church and then return when they became parents. I think if you look at some of the research (Lifeway, Barna, Pew Foundation, etc) you’ll find that’s just not the case anymore; they’re not coming back. Your brother’s church is the exception, not the rule.
This is my story. Take it for what its worth. I was one of those disappearing youth who became a reclaimed dropout. I was brought up in the church and was involved in a youth group during my teen years. During my last couple years of high school, I became involved with people and things that pulled me away from church and I stopped attending youth group. Nobody really seemed to notice. Once I quit going, the kids in the youth group who also attended my school didn’t want anything to do with me anymore which made it pretty easy for the negative influences in my life at that time to take root.
After a few years, I wanted to come back but I was afraid to. I needed to be loved; not judged, and unfortunately, I didn’t believe that there was a church out there that could love me. I got married and my husband and I decided to try church together. We found a church and then my husband was hospitalized and then lost his job shortly afterwards. I was 26 years old with two small children and a sick husband who wasn’t working. I desperately needed to see Jesus; however nobody from our church ever went to visit my husband in the hospital; nobody prayed with me, nobody ever offered us any support or help. In short, we were in crisis and we were on our own. Needless to say, we never went back to that church and it was almost 5 years before we were willing to step foot inside another church.
We are now involved in a church that has accepted us and loved us and realized that its not their job to judge us or change us. They lead by example but they are allowing the Holy Spirit to heal us and guide us and ultimately change us from the inside out. They believe that sin is sin and they hold us accountable for our actions but they also realize that God is the ultimate healer and teacher and God knows what we need better than they do. My pastor doesn’t try to outdo God. When faced with us, he got on his knees and prayed for us and cared for us and made us feel that we were part of the church family. He provided us with mentors and helped provide us with counseling but he didn’t try to fix us. He left that up to the Holy Spirit.
So what’s the moral of this story? I believe that there are a lot of church dropouts out there who are searching but they are afraid. Christians have a reputation for being very judgmental. For the most part, people already know the things that they have going on in their lives that aren’t right. When you encounter these people in your daily life, reach out to them. Teach that sin is sin but you still need to love the person. Show them acceptance (for the person, not the sin) and pray with them, get them involved, meet a need and when they feel safe, the Holy Spirit will work in their lives and you will see them start to live for the Lord. And when that happens, the church grows.
BTW – in case you are wondering. We ended up at our present church because one of my daughter’s friends brought her to youth group. In youth group, my daughter made the decision to get baptized. Our first Sunday at our church was the Sunday she was baptized and we’ve been attending ever since.
Amy,
Yours is a tremendous testimony to the power of God. Thanks for sharing your story.
Amy,
Thank you for sharing your testimony. The point is you did return.
God moves in mysterious ways His wonders to perform. His time table is not ours. Everything you went through to was needful, for nothing happens without His allowing it. ”All things work together for good, unto them that love God, who are called according to his purpose.”
Brother Geoff,
I would have to agree with you…reading the book was a challenge because of the format. Hopefully the principles will outlive the format.
One of the main reasons that we are losing a younger generation is because the younger generation does not have the opportunity to learn who the church is. Baptist’s have by and large bought into a separate children’s program and a separate youth program in most of the churches. The church is abandoning the children and youth because someone has convinced them they should be separated from their family or the church body as a whole for better programs and more excitement developed specifically for them. So we end up with these exciting children and youth programs that are designed to be independent of worship with the church family at large. Big mistake!
If part of the “essentials” is simplification. I would agree,….we need to simplify by doing away with separate children and youth programs, and integrate the children and the youth back into the fellowship and worship of the church. We are proving this to be of great value for our children and youth. We have no separate children or youth programs. They are part of the entire church experience with the adults and we learn the gospel, and weightier things of scripture together. What a great blessing, not to have to plan strange events or high energy sessions to try and appeal to the emotions of children or youth. We simply love them and show them the value of the gospel and the value of learning together and the value of knowing the attributes of God. This seems to be less confusing and more profitable for the children and youth,…and by their response we see more confidence and greater involvement, with less tendency to want to separate.
No doubt there needs to be an overhaul of what we believe is important to the younger generation. Sometimes we overlook the obvious.
Blessings,
Chris
Dear Chris,
I agree it was a big mistake in separating the children and youth from their families during the worship services of the church. I believe the old adage is true; ”The Family that prays together stays together.”
We have let the world in its fields of specialization influence us, not only in separating families, but sad to say in our dress, and places to go, and in what we do.
God wants a holy people, separated unto Him. Biblical separation is unto God, from the World.
We were set apart by God when we were saved, as to our position.
Now we need to set ourselves apart unto Him in our practice.
Dave and Dr. Paul,
Thank you for your kind comments.
Chris and Dr. Paul,
I’m not so sure I agree with completely disbanding youth programs. I do believe that family togetherness is paramount but I also believe that the youth need to be allowed to form bonds with each other within the structured environment of the church. Unfortunately, the teenage years are the time when peer pressure is the toughest. In our youth groups, the kids learn from each other, they encourage each other, and they protect each other. If they have a tight community amongst themselves inside the church then they are more than likely going to have the courage to take their beliefs into their schools and any secular activities (i.e sports, scouts, etc) that they are involved in not only because there is strength in numbers but there is also accountability. I’m not saying that we need to create a Baptist Disneyland inside our churches in order to entertain our youth groups but I’m all for youth bible studies, youth praise and worship, and any other biblically sound activity where our kids have the opportunity to lead other kids to Christ.
Sister Amy,
It does seem practical to have such youth focused programs. During my teenage years we did have the things you mentioned, but today it is a bit different than 30-40 years ago. When we wanted to study the bible together as youth in the 70’s,…we simply set a time and organized a bible study. Those types of events are rare today. It seems that much of what youth have today are events orchestrated by Youth Directors built around music or Ministers trying to figure out a way to get the attention of the youth and keep them interested through all kinds of outlandish events and entertainment, vacant of parental involvement. Most parents are just happy to get rid of their kids and depend upon the youth program to train them properly. That is sadly backwards, yet accepted throughout our land.
The church has been duped into believing that it can provide enough entertainment for youth to make some kind of impact in their lives. That type of thinking is just naïve on behalf of the church and falls right into the deceiver’s hands.
We must begin to recognize the basics of the riches of the church. Parent or Parents are responsible to teach their children,…not the “church organization”. When a parent or parents are in discipleship and then in return train and disciple their own children/youth, several things occur……The children/youth begin to understand how to respect their parents and the parents begin to realize their authority in the lives of the youth. Such interaction is for the most part absent in our churches today. We need to re-establish the basic wisdom of …. Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
It seems we have replaced training with entertainment and fear. I think it is possible to return to biblical wisdom and to see our youth return to the gospel and to Christ alone and begin to raise up a generation of young people that will understand the mission and beauty of the church.
Blessings,
Chris
Dear Sister Amy.
I am not advocating disbanding youth groups, you can have them before or after worship services. I was stressing the fact that families should all sit together in the worship services of the church. As A teen we had ours just before the Sunday night service, and then activities on a Friday night.
KIDS SHOULD POINT OTHER KIDS TO CHRIST, But only The Holy Spirit can lead and win them. He is the only Soul Winner, there is.
Without Holy Spirit Conviction no one can get saved.
He shows the sinner, who and what he is, and the judgment he is under, and then reveals Christ as his absolute Lord and all-sufficient Saviour.
Chris,
Let me push back just a little bit on your comments. You write,
“Parent or Parents are responsible to teach their children,…not the “church organization”. When a parent or parents are in discipleship and then in return train and disciple their own children/youth, several things occur……The children/youth begin to understand how to respect their parents and the parents begin to realize their authority in the lives of the youth.”
I agree with you that parents should be the essential spiritual leader in the lives of their children. This works great if the church maintains a focus on only those that they already possess. But what does the church do to disciple those students whose parents are outside of the church? Must you first reach the parents in order to reach the children? I say “no”.
Let me suggest that this is not an “eithor/or” decision but rather a “both/and” decision. A well-balanced youth ministry seeks to evangelize and disciple both churched and unchurched youth utilyzing all resources and tools available including the student’s parents. If the purpose of the church is to grow the kingdom of God then we must be willing to reach and teach all that we can, regardless of their family situation. Ideally, a youth ministry is “student-led” and “adult-facilitated”. Parents who are believers are essential to training their kids BUT kids CAN BE trained in the church without parental involvement (although perhaps less effectively).
Perhaps, as in Amy’s case, children can be the catalyst for bringing families back to the church. I suspect that effective youth ministries include many kids whose only experience with the church is the youth ministry. They might never show up on Sunday morning but they will come with their friends to a gathering of the youth on a Wednesday night, etc. It’s just part of becoming all things to all men…
–Dave
Brother Dave,
I was expecting a little push back to what I have proposed. And, I agree that there will always be those parentless children and youth that need teachers and discipleship from brothers and sisters in Christ. We have those in our congregation.
But I guess what we are attempting to walk back to is the “norm” for the church,…and I hope we can get there. While taking care of the orphans and widows, etc. we should do what is the normal for the church as defined in scripture. Parents do actually teach their children or youth. That is the norm. What is not normal…is I have seen churches cater services for youth only, because the music is not only contemporary, but some youth believe that the more contemporary adult music is not loud enough or they just don’t fit in. So the kids are taught that separation is better….which after a while does become the norm for that group. Of course, youth ministers are not going to advertise that separation is better. They will say, look at our results, we are getting more kids with this style of service than ever before….it must be of God,…while at the same time separating from parents, the elderly and other places of wisdom that exist in the church.
I realize what I am proposing will not be popular, yet the decline continues in the involvement of the younger generation. So, I am not convinced that these separation techniques, whether it be skate board groups, or Xbox 360 teams are not honestly helping the issues with youth in the majority of churches in America,…but in contrast are hurting. I can always start a fight and draw a crowd, but it would be less than honest to then turn and call it a gospel revival.
We should seriously look at and teach our youth who the church is and what she is doing.
Blessings,
Chris
Brother Chris,
From your perspective is it possible to have age-appropriate teaching, fellowship and outreach (all of which could be led by both young people and/or adults) AND have families and adult believers involved with the discipling of chronologically younger brothers and sisters?
Peace to you brother,
From the Middle East
Brother FTME,
Yes,…I think your catching my drift on this one. Families and adult believers (parent/parents) have moved in a dangerous direction by allowing substitutes. Moving back toward parent responsibility would be a large and healthy step.
Blessings,
Chris
Brother Chris,
I am quite familiar with Voddie’s teachings on this topic and feel like, in general, a problem certainly exists. That being said, I am not so sure the only way to rectify the problem is by eliminating ALL age-appropriate teaching… yes, I do know some who advocate this. Glad to see you still value fellowship, teaching and service among peers as well across generational lines… that seems more balanced to me.
Peace to you brother,
From the Middle East
Dave, “…If the purpose of the church is to grow the kingdom of God…”.
Hmmm. I thought that one of the “Purposes” of the Holy Spirit was to grow the “Church” (the participants, not the spectators, not the building). I thought we had a function, in that we simulate a speaker on a stereo. The speaker doesn’t know if it’s projecting Rachmaninoff or Rolling Stones, it just knows only that it’s plugged in and getting the signal.
I submit that we are trying to edge in on the HS’s workings, by trying to revise/tweak our services/activities to draw in (or retain) the “worshipers”. Also, for consideration, is the side issue, that some of those people that attend, are there for entertainment purposes. Simply put, we can’t out-entertain Disney World or Vegas, and should not be trying. That will only end up in frustration.
Background: 1st Baptist, Bartow, Fla. Did 24 years in surveying/engineering design work. Was caught up in “activities”, and was not participating in study (personally) of the Bible. Operations Manual. You know us guys, the LAST thing we do is read the instructions. Am now driving a semi-, 48 states. Don’t really have much in the way of spare time, but am able to get in daily study, in 1 form or the other (like Open Windows). Also have access (thru XM radio) to a variety of Sunday morning sermons.
After nearly 4 years driving, out on the road, listening and studying to a variety of sources (www.ttb.org, to name 1), a lot of the distracting activities are forced out of my day, and I can talk to individuals. What I see when I open my eyes, is not that our methodology needs to change, but our focus. When you talk to young people, do they (individually) express a desire for more social interaction, or for more study?
We used to have Training Union (60′s), where a Bible Study was already prepared, and in-depth readings/discussions/questions/explanations could have the time to be presented to Jr. High and High School students.
I guess my point is that the youth activities are the dessert, and the study should be the meat and potatoes. The meal isn’t complete with just the dessert, or just the meat and potatoes. …and the witnessing (vegetables) are just as good for you.
I just have the feeling that the word “try” gets in the way. It is absolutely impossible for you and I to live a Christian life. We constantly falter, and need to recognize it, repent it, and seek forgiveness. It’s only thru proddings of the Holy Spirit that we can be steered back on the road, and away from the swamp.
…and the “youth” have the exact same problem. And sometimes when they look to the “Church”, too many of them expect to see a rest home for saints, instead of a rehab center for sinners.
Think I mutilated that point beyond recognition. Let me back up, and go at it from a different angle.
Numbers. Comparing numbers today/lately to yesterday/1950′s is simply a logical statistics exercise. Statistics is for losers. Go to Revelation. Who is the Captain of the Losing Team?
Logic is secular humanism. We are saved by Faith. Not logic. Not numerical performance.
The important number is one (1).
-1 Creator God.
-1 Savior Jesus, ONLY Son of the Living God.
-1 Holy Spirit, charged to dwell within us, to enable us to communicate the above 2 concepts.
-1 person directly in front of us, placed there by the Holy Spirit, for us to communicate with.
…and in this day, and age:
I John 4: 1-2.
Brother Mike,
Thanks for the clear, concise summary. You did multilate it before.
God and Jesus and The Holy Spirit created ALL THINGS.
Jesus camme to save those, The Father gave Him [John 17],
The Holy Spirit applies the redemption to us, the first step being
Regeneration.
The gift of Pastor-Teacher [Ephesians 4]to teach and preach The Word, to equip us to do the work of the ministry.
Dr. Paul W. Foltz
“… God and Jesus and The Holy Spirit created ALL THINGS.
Jesus camme to save those, The Father gave Him [John 17],…”
Right. John 1:1 = Genesis 1:26 ["Us"].
-(I thought the first step was Conviction)- we have to come to the realization that we’re in a mess from the beginning, and there’s nothing that we can do to solve the situation, and there’s already been a Gift prepared to do exactly that.???
Thank you for Eph 4. I had remembered from long ago the reason that the Gates of Hell were loose and floppy on their hinges. That’s verses 9-10.
Don’t know yet where I fit in verse 11. So far, my function has been to identify a root/core problem, and propose multiple possible solutions. When the individual sits on the couch, and takes zero action, I have a tendency to slip into violations of verse 30-31… not out loud, but just the same. Can’t do the Pastor-Teacher function, lack of patience previously described. Don’t have the standing to do Evangelist. Prophet: this spring everybody with a yard needs to borrow a tiller, and plant vegetables; because the way the government has been running the $$$ printing presses, with no backing, the cost of EVERYthing is gonna go thru the roof.
Don’t have to be much of a prophet to come up with that plan.
Regeneration is the first step the Holy Spirit takes in the application of Redemption. In Regeneration faith and repentance are graces given, that The Holy Spirit will use under His convicting work, that leads to the initial conversion experience.
God expects uus to use our talents and Spiritual gifts. He is not our personal valet, or genie. He expects us to employ all the resources, that He has given to us.
He said if one won’t work, he shouldn’t eat.
Dr. Paul W. Foltz
“He said if one won’t work, he shouldn’t eat.”
That wasn’t what I caught out of Genesis 3:19. “By the sweat of your brow shall you earn your daily bread…” -(not should, but Shall)-
What I got was (translated from “Church” to English): there ain’t no free lunch.
“He is not our personal valet, or genie. He expects us to employ all the resources, that He has given to us.”
Exactly. You directly alienated all the Name-It-&-Claim-It book-pushers and TV “evangelists” right there. I like you already. Personally, I don’t employ all my resources. Don’t have the training to use some of them. I’m probably functioning at about 5-10% level right now. Also, don’t presume to ask Him to function as my valet or genie. Most of the time I turn to Him, and ask “What??? What is it you want me to do with This?” Most of what I do is listen. Occasionally I offer a personal anecdote that roughly approximates the situation that somebody else is struggling with, and give them a summary of what I tried, what went wrong, how I dealt with it, (or more likely how God FIXED it), or what went right (when I usually blunder into accidentally doing the right thing). Found that I learn more with my mouth shut. But… can’t communicate what I’ve learned, unless I occasionally open it up. -(my grandad told me “it’s better to be thought of as a fool, than to open your mouth, and remove all doubt.”)- I still struggle with that occasionally, too.
“KIDS SHOULD POINT OTHER KIDS TO CHRIST, But only The Holy Spirit can lead and win them. He is the only Soul Winner, there is.
Without Holy Spirit Conviction no one can get saved.
He shows the sinner, who and what he is, and the judgment he is under, and then reveals Christ as his absolute Lord and all-sufficient Saviour.”
This is where you told Amy about the HS’s role to play in witnessing. That was the function that I was referring to when I noted
“-1 Holy Spirit, charged to dwell within us, to enable us to communicate the above 2 concepts.
-1 person directly in front of us, placed there by the Holy Spirit, for us to communicate with.”
I don’t save anybody. You don’t save anybody. Billy Graham don’t save anybody. The Holy Spirit does the Work. We are supposed to just be the instruments that He uses. And, when He signals us to open up, we need to be plugged in, and ready to broadcast.
Amen Brother Mike, Amen. I am beginning to like you too.
Get this salvo; The Word of God will do the work of God.
But It is the Sword of the Spirit, fitting His Hand, not mine.
You see, God can only accept, what He Himself does.
Dr. Paul W. FOLTZ
“You see, God can only accept, what He Himself does.”
Ok, …that’s confusing. He accepted bunches of sacrificial offerings throughout the Old Testament, and refused others. I thought what was acceptable was dependent on the spirit and cleansing of self of the person giving the offering.
…and our cleansing of self was done at the Cross. What we have to adjust (on a regular basis for some of us) is our spirit/attitude.
If the “Word” you’re referring to is the same as John 1:1, then the “Work” has already been done.
Yesterday’s history.
Tomorrow’s a mystery.
Today’s a Gift.
That’s why it’s called
the Present.
Dear Brother Mike,
Since when does God’s dealings with Earthly Israel have any bearing
on Christ’s Church/ Also the sacrifices refused were refused because
they weren’t done God’s way.
God does everything in our Salvation/ He initiated it, performed its
work, and will consummate it when He comes For His Church.
If man has any part, it would nullify Grace.[Romans 11;6].
Dr. Paul W. Foltz
Actually; “You see, God can only accept, what He Himself does.” …doesn’t specify what you are referring to as “accept”. I only pointed out that there were offerings accepted from individuals other than Himself.
“Since when does God’s dealings with Earthly Israel have any bearing
on Christ’s Church/ Also the sacrifices refused were refused because
they weren’t done God’s way.” Feels a little defensive. I didn’t say that actual sacrifices done in the OT were having any direct involvement in/on Christ’s Church; only made the point that God accepted the sacrifices most of the time, which testify as an exception to your statement, above.
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However, “If man has any part, it would nullify Grace.[Romans 11;6].”
is wrong. Each one of us has a part. The Salvation offered is a Gift.
Our participation activity is to accept the Gift. AND to testify that acceptance before men.
Matt 10:32-33.
MIKE,
A dead, unregenerated sinner can’t beleve, nor accept anything.
THe Spirit has to quicken and give the grace and faith to accept the Gift of God.
Paul
Each one of us has a conscience installed. Like a car battery. Some people disconnect it, and run a complete self-centered life. Some go dead, from never geting it recharged.
The HS jump-starts that battery, engages Guilt, and puts the transmission in Conviction. What you do with the activation and operation is your Choice. Accept the Gift, or choose to ignore your Guilt, Conviction, and just sit on the couch.
A power tool that’s just plugged in doesn’t do anybody any good. Not until it’s picked up and operated by a worker does it accomplish any given task.