Behind and underneath all the other resistance or anxiety about change and growth, leaders have discovered the root cause of decline and plateau in the church. The real question is:
“With my (our) first breath and last penny, will it be “me” or “mission”?
This is true both for established churches and newly planted churches, because this issue is not just a function of institutional religion, but of the western European culture of privilege. Even newly formed Christians, in a newly started church plant, bring this evil seed of selfishness into the DNA of a thriving church. The ancients called in “pride”, the foremost of the seven deadly sins. I call it “membership privilege”.
The Deepest Challenge
“With my (our) first breath and last penny, will it be “me” or “mission”?
This is true both for established churches and newly planted churches, because this issue is not just a function of institutional religion, but of the western European culture of privilege. Even newly formed Christians, in a newly started church plant, bring this evil seed of selfishness into the DNA of a thriving church. The ancients called in “pride”, the foremost of the seven deadly sins. I call it “membership privilege”.
Learn more in “Fragile Hope” by Tom Bandy.
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