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Christianity Today, June, 2007 |

Sub-biblical Transformation

Organization-speak threatens to blind us to the church's unique glory.

A Christianity Today editorial | posted 6/12/2007 08:39AM

Transformation is urged or promised wherever we turn these days—transformation of the church, of the culture, and of the world. But the literature of transformation—abundant in print and on ...

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Jason

Posted: June 21, 2007 6:40 AM

The author has insight into some real issues in churches and Christian organizations, but I know first hand of several churches that might speak with this lingo and these churches really are seeing biblical transformation taking place in peoples' lives. When I read the list of indicators, they resonate with me on a very biblical level. I realize a basis for concern, but from the depths, my spirit cries "YES!" to these indicators. There are too many churches with "right theology" but no fruit to show for it. So the author is correct - these indicators (like anything else) must be grounded in the right foundation.

Kerry E. Southorn

Posted: June 20, 2007 2:38 PM

The burden of proof has shifted in our churches. At one time, the burden of proof was upon those who wanted change, "We've always done it this way", was the accepted mode of thinking. Today the burden is on those who want to conserve the things they cherish. What is new is automatically considered superior--without being weighed or considered. The article goes straight to the quick on this malady. We shouldn't blindly preserve traditions that have outlasted their overrated usefulness, but neither should we grasp every lame sham of novelty which the "polyanna church movement" promotes.

Mike Kachura

Posted: June 14, 2007 9:00 AM

There is a convenient but dangerous mode of thinking (and preaching) in evangelical circles, that as long as you attach a verse to substantiate whatever you are saying, it is 'biblical' (and, I suppose, the more verses you include, the more 'biblical' you are). I say 'convenient' because you never have to do the hard work beyond that; 'dangerous' because it is so projective and perhaps the 'sub-cause' of much strife and confusion in the church. You only have to see what you are looking for. Such is the flavor of this article. The irony of this article is that the author's criticism of "sub-biblical" (whatever that is) is just the opposite of what I found: Ford's premise is based on a strong biblical world-life view (I read the book) and the research is interpreted accordingly. Read the book and decide for yourself. Keep in mind how infrequently Jesus quoted scripture and how often he used the social context (parables) to illustrate Truth and make it relevant.

Michele in Washington

Posted: June 14, 2007 12:03 AM

I had read Transforming Church by Kevin Ford before I read this editorial. Although the writer of the editorial does mention Rom. 12:2, I believe he should have quoted more of the verse: Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing, and perfect will. (NIV) Transforming Church is very much about asking what God's will is for a church, especially regarding those who are outside the walls far from God. As the church is made up of humans, there are unhealthy, worldly attitudes, especially consumerism that have crept in. Churches are dying while trying to appease member wants. Members have forgotten Christ's love for those outside the church. I believe Transforming Church is an important book to help ask the question - who is outside the walls and not getting connected to God and how can the believers obey God to reach them? Read the book.

Trevor

Posted: June 13, 2007 1:25 PM

The American church is either declining or dying. For decades it’s been growing only its irrelevance. Soon it will be relegated to the status of churches all over Europe. I cannot spend anytime reading my bible without seeing the message of transformation. What begins with life transformation leads to community and cultural transformation. But, most churches are still having a debate over contemporary versus traditional worship services or whether or not a book (that is not intended to be bible study) has enough scripture in it. If the book was full of scripture, there would have been an editorial about the misuse of scripture. Meanwhile, most in my generation are deciding against church. We are masters of focusing on minors as though they were major- this book is not a reflection of that. It’s a tool for churches that need help to reach people with the transforming message of Jesus. I admire any pastor or leader that has a desire to grow a healthy church.

George T.

Posted: June 13, 2007 11:33 AM


Very accurate article----and timely !!!

Benny

Posted: June 13, 2007 10:32 AM


At last. Increasingly we evangelicals are holding Scripture in the hand rather than reading it and strugglng with it. That's how we become sub-biblical.

Jay M. Parsons

Posted: June 12, 2007 10:09 PM

Amen and thank you! It is good to read this editorial. I thought of a passage of scripture as I read your comments on this issue. Paul's last words of encouragement to Timothy. 2 Timothy 4:2-4 / 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. Fables are the sub-biblical teachings that are popular because they are what we like to hear. Sound doctrine - the rightly divided word of truth is what God has in mind for us. I am all for good books and good books are scripturally based. I have heard that a good book is a good sermon and a good sermon is based on the Word of God. The New Testament tells us how to have the kind of church Jesus wants if we will study it! God bless.

pbandj.wordpress.com

Posted: June 12, 2007 8:26 PM

i think you have made a straw man out of a very important issue. my point is not that this one book you point out is good. my point isnt even that the evangelical church isnt in a fix. my point is you seem to conclude that transformation of culture is a bad thing, "None of the verses have to do with changing the culture or the world." however, while the Bible may not explicitly say that transforming culture is important, there is no question in context of JC and Apostles lives (and the OT) that Christianity is intended to be a cultural thing. And the Gospel is intended to transform culture. you have the advantage of writing as much as you desire. i dont have that luxury, so i will be brief. in Jeremiah, the LORD tells Israel to pray for the peace of the city. in Jonah, God loves that great city. these cities are cultures. God cares about cultures. there is no question that Christ intended His disciples to be in a community. we are the BODY of Christ. peter

Warren Aldrich

Posted: June 12, 2007 3:24 PM

I read and reread this article and could not find any real substance or sense. What would "Christ in me" look like other then at least change in the 5 areas mentioned? Just because someone is looking for specifics and clarity about how having the mind renewed might look like why would they be tagged as sub-bibical as if that was bad? Sadly I think the opposite is true... the unique language of Scripture has become meaningless beautiful words, what I call blah, blah, blah, unless the Spirit implants them in our lives in very specific, clear ways. Ways that I think the above mentioned book seeks to make clear. I think that as long as "our movement" remains threatened by clear, practical ways of living out "Christ in me" we will remain the same irrelevant force that we sadly seem to be. Witness the sad statistical analysis of those of us in the movement!! If our behavior is not being transformed than maybe we need more books like this one. Or something!

Mark	Posted: June 12, 2007 12:55 PM

Amen! It's refreshing to hear a voice that is going against what seems to be the commonly accepted terminology to many Christian 'leaders' today. Too many have taken secular business/leadership principles and 'sanctified' them for the church audience much in the way Meyer and Osteen have taken pop-psychology and thrown in a few verses and called it Christian. Thanks to the author of this article for being discerning about this important topic. I pray more men and women like him stand up, write for CT and make a difference on an increasingly watered down 'evangelical' world.

Craig S. Prest

Posted: June 12, 2007 12:53 PM

I really appreciate your article regarding "Transformation" and its current usage in a variety of church settings today. Perhaps, the thinking of those you mentioned espousing the "5 Points' could have been influenced to a degree by what some religious analysts have perceived as "Too much internalization of one's relationship with Christ," and a perceived lack of communicatable faith or practical relevance by the church in terms of bridging the "gap" beween the Kingdom of God and modern society. A synergectical perspective could reposition the "5 Sub-Biblical Points" in relation to the Biblical standard(s) you mentioned. The "5 Goals or Objectives" could be reparadigmized to become channels that infuse "kingdom substance" and symbological relatability into the visible world as a human and potentially effective expression of 2 Cor. 3:18 i.e. "Christ in you the hope of glory." As Jesus Himself said,"If you won't believe me, then believe the works that I do" (paraphrased)

IndyChristian

Posted: June 12, 2007 12:43 PM

Your admonition to base everything in scripture is well-said. But let's not build a false-dichotomy that we the Church are only called to individual transformation as if we have no scriptural charge to DWJWD... ie, imitate God... following Jesus' illustration of the trinity as our call to also be ONE, as a key witness to our witness. 200 years of the American experiment, founded in the doctrine of individualism, has yielded a 4% effectiveness rating for the Church today (Barna, 'biblical worldview'). The scripture is replete with commands for the Church to be the Church... ie, the body of Christ... and in doing so, model the Kingdom. Individualism is a too-convenient doctrine of the majority. Alternatively, the minority... the poor, the fatherless, the oppressed... call out loudly for us to not forget our scriptural mandates to COLLECTIVELY, COLLABORATIVELY BE THE CHURCH, and thus better effect godly change. Was II Chron. 7:14 only intended for individuals?

Gordon F. Ramey

Posted: June 12, 2007 12:38 PM

Thank you for 'hoisting a red flag' with regard to this danger facing the church in our generation. That which is started by the work of God in Christ and through the power of the Holy Spirit cannot be perfected/transformed by the efforts of human compromise. What we have is the 'christianizing of conformation' and trying to pander it as true Spirit transformation. These are days when the Holy Spirit is doing a 'spiritual sifting' and this concept will be 'cast out' by the Spirit as cultural conformation and never acceptable as transforming. It the same thing as 'having a name that they are alive, but are in reality dead'.

K.W. Leslie

Posted: June 12, 2007 12:21 PM

I was just looking at TransformingChurch.net (which is connected with that book the article mentioned) and found the whole thing spiritually off-putting. The head of the Church (and likewise individual church bodies) is Christ. This group presumes to tell a church how it should run, and that is Christ's job. The consultants would have us believe that their intuitive model can guide church growth. Yet frequently Christ orders His churches to do something counter-intuitive ('cause the Kingdom doesn't work like the world does) so as to bear fruit. We don't need to listen to men so much as we need to listen to our Boss for once.

Lindsey Antle

Posted: June 12, 2007 12:07 PM

Thank you for this article. Something about using management "buzz words" to talk about church growth and change has bothered me for quite some time. I appreciate your clear articulation of my feelings. Often I have found that those who use the word "transformation" when talking about the church really mean, "let's do away with such arcane ideas as sin and righteousness and embrace the changing world as it is"... often without attempting to reach out with the gospel of Christ.

Neil Gussman

Posted: June 12, 2007 11:42 AM


I think I can hear Lesslie Newbigin applauding from Heaven. We believers hear and obey (or know we have missed the mark). Adapting management theory means accepting management goals, what a pale shadow of the Kingdom,

Ike Coleman

Posted: June 12, 2007 11:38 AM


This is a wonderful article. His beauty transforms us, and nothing less will do.

Jay Gary

Posted: June 12, 2007 11:35 AM

I applaud your editorial on sub-biblical transformation and business babble. However, we must not reduce God's transformation to just the individual. Jesus and Paul spoke of transformation as corporate via covenantal change. This happened in their day, via the rise of the New Covenant, confirmed by the Holy Spirit's outpouring at Pentecost and later the collapse of Herod's temple in C.E. 70. This brought about a new social economy, that touched both those in side and outside the church. As evangelicals we must affirm personal conversion, but not to the detriment of community change, nor realized eschatological hope. Let's ground transformation in the Cross and the Resurrection, acts that transformed the ages; and then apply it to organizational change. See my essay: The Pattern of Biblical Transformation, http://www.christianfutures.com/btransform.shtml

Israel Haas

Posted: June 12, 2007 11:08 AM


A breath of fresh air! I praise God for your insight and courage to speak the truth. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Daniel Thompson

Posted: June 12, 2007 10:18 AM

I almost wept when I saw just the title of your editorial. The feeling did not go away when I read the entire editorial. On the one hand I am so deeply grateful for your willingness to challenge the pragmatism that is killing us as Christians, and on the other hand I am so deeply distressed that this just keeps going. I pastor a small church and am all but forgotten in my denomination. Even though we are a Pentecostal group, all we talk about is in relation to business terms. I am getting so sick in my heart over this "transformation." I long for true transformation in the Body of Christ, and am even attempting to write an article giving voice to my hunger, but in reality who would read an article from an "unsuccessful" pastor? My anguish goes on. Thank you for the refreshing words that will carry me through for a few days!

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