Know Jesus, Bless People

The days of building a church, hiring a pastor and staff and finding volunteer Sunday school teachers and Bible study leaders, and then opening the doors and people come because that's just what people do--those days are over. The so-called "attractional church" approach to following Jesus and growing the Kingdom that I was taught in seminary as little as 20 years ago simply doesn't work anymore. The church has become marginalized in its influence, often represented in the public square by its most extreme members. Among ever-growing numbers of people, the church is not seen merely as irrelevant and benign but as an active force for misogyny, homophobia, nationalism, and social regression. Among those demographics who in any way represent the church's future, the idea of awaking Sunday mornings, piling the kids in the car, and going to Sunday school and worship... well, that isn't even on their radar. A church can build the biggest buildings with the best preaching and teaching and worship and it pretty much won't matter: people aren't going to come, no matter what the voice promised.