\nLast issue’s “From the Editor” column discussed why some pastors feel bad\nabout the size of their churches. That prompted a thoughtful letter from\na charter subscriber:<\/p>\n\n
\n“Personally, I do not believe that I am my statistics. . . . Within the confines\nof my home and church, I am accepted for being myself rather than for producing\na certain number of ‘bodies, bucks, and buildings.’<\/p>\n\n
\n“But that doesn’t hold true when I venture outside my church. There is a\nvery real ‘pecking order’ in Christian circles, and it is not based on your\ncharacter, ability, or faithfulness. The pecking order is based on the size\nof your church.<\/p>\n\n
\n“The larger your church, the better chance you have to relocate to another\nministry . . . the better chance you’ll be sought for consultation\n. . . the better chance you’ll be asked to speak at conferences and seminars\nor serve on the boards and committees of Christian organizations.<\/p>\n\n
\n“I choose not to judge myself on the basis of statistics, but when others\ndo it constantly, it becomes very wearing.”<\/p>\n\n
\nFinally, the secular media are noticing a profound change in church life.\nIn the August issue of The Atlantic Monthly,<\/em> Charles Trueheart writes\nof “The Next Church,” churches ” ‘intentional’ about growing.” (To read the\narticle: in America Online, use the key word “Atlantic”; on the web, go to\nwww.theAtlantic.com.)<\/p>\n\n \nIn an interesting countertrend, several Leadership <\/em>advisers have noticed\na move toward “classic” elements in worship: more doctrinal preaching, more\nhymns, more liturgy. And at least one prominent seeker-oriented church is\nswitching Sunday morning from seeker evangelism back to Christian worship;\nevangelism will be through events.<\/p>\n\n \nAt a recent Leadership<\/em> planning meeting, Dennis Baker, director of\nthe Conservative Baptist Association, observed this: “As I look at pastors\nwho have finished well, almost all are theological thinkers. Without a strong\ngrounding in theol-ogy, pastors tend to have a short shelf life.”<\/p>\n\n \nThe summer issue included “My Former Church Apologized,” the true story of\na pastor who had been hurt by a church and how later that church publicly\napologized to him. That brought a letter from a pastor who experienced the\nopposite:<\/p>\n\n \n“I knowingly accepted a call to a church whose eight-year relationship with\nmy preceding pastor ended very negatively. . . . Six months ago the deacon\nboard sent a letter to the former pastor asking his forgiveness.<\/p>\n\n \n“We received a letter from the former pastor stating that he and his wife\nwere deeply hurt during their time here, . . . that they had forgiven the\nchurch, had put the matter behind them, and a meeting was not necessary.\nThe letter was worded in such a way that . . . the hurt and anger came through\nbut the forgiveness did not.<\/p>\n\n \n“We have people who need an opportunity to apologize. . . . If you are a\npastor who has been mistreated by a congregation and they approach you about\na meeting, please meet with them. You might not need it, but they do.”<\/p>\n\nTheology = longevity<\/h2>\n
We wanted to apologize<\/h2>\n
There IS a free lunch<\/h2>\n