CHURCHES, ESPECIALLY CRC CONGREGATIONS, LACK LOVE – Someone sent me a clipping from the Detroit News under date of May 3, 1986 in which Kate DeSmet, “religion writer,” reports on a survey conducted by the Institute for Church Growth in Pasadena, CA. In this report the Christian Reformed Church is alleged to be marked by the “lowest lovecare quotient,” whatever that might be.
The report says more interesting things.
The most important might be that “theology may be irrelevant to growth in a church.” W. Charles Arn, vice-president of the Institute and an accredited researcher with a doctorate in education from the University of Southern California, is quoted as saying:
. . . our contention is that churches grow because they provide a sense of caring and belonging. Theology is not so important as how much you care for people. Churches losing members would do well to march under the banner of their lovability.
Christian Reformed people need not feel that they are alone in their lovelessness. “Mainline Protestants” generally are tarred with this same brush. Denominations also mentioned as deficient on the love scale are the Missouri Synod lutherans and the Presbyterian Church USA. The latter denomination is said to have declined by 15 percent in the last ten years.
Growing churches mentioned are the Assemblies of God (about 50 percent in the last 10 years) and the Nazarene Church (about 22 percent in the same period).
No doubt about it: church members ought to be kind, friendly, loving, inviting, courteous, attractive, bright, etc. etc.
I think these things are hard to manufacture, however. And there are some built-in limitations which might afflict the best-intentioned. Still more, I cannot accept the thesis that churches need nothing more than love to grow (the heading of Ms. DeSmet’s report is, “All churches need is love”).
“Church growth” is not something which always happens under the influence of certain psychological and social factors. There is a law of God operative here also. By which I mean that there might be “growth” at the expense of truth, which, for God-honoring Bible–believers is never acceptable.
One more note: the churches mentioned ate charismatic groups. They have the following characteristics, in my observation:
(1) They are deeply convinced that people need a saving faith in Jesus Christ to be saved from eternal damnation. This provides them with both motive and passion to get people under the preaching of the Gospel.
(2) They are sincerely committed to the doctrine which they teach. They are not tolerant of all opinions, of every “theology,” or the lack of it. They take very seriously their understanding of God’s Truth.
(3) They are bold in their demand for a radical, biblical obedience. They are prepared to condemn immorality in every form, and to urge upon their hearers a conviction of sin and an improvement in Christian walk. They dare to insist upon church attendance, even at two services each Lord’s Day.
I can hear some say: this is due to their Arminianism, authoritarianism, perfectionism. I suppose so. However, it seems to me that their loving acceptance of people has a deeper base than just a desire for increased membership. It roots in basic convictions and commitments enthusiastically proclaimed.
However, maybe all of this talk isn’t really worthwhile.
If truth and faith are paramount, if grace is purely a sovereign dispensation, might it not be possible that no one would accept it, no matter how lovingly presented?