Seeker-Friendly Churches
by Perry Hall
"How can we get the unchurched to come to church?" This important question was asked by a certain soon-to-be "mega-church" Pastor. His answer came from listening to the radio. Soon, his church was modeling its worship services after what the world liked in music. Their attendance grew.
This method became the practice of many seeker-friendly churches. Their approach is found in a book called A Purpose-Driven Church, by Rick Warren. If you search "seeker-friendly church", here is what you find:
A "seeker-friendly" or "seeker-sensitive" church intentionally designs itself to be attractive to the "unchurched". Sounds thoughtful. The primary goal is to create an environment that is free from intimidation by traditional church practices. Again, sounds like good intentions.
Here's the problem: These churches decided to let the world determine how they would worship God. Instead, churches should let God decide how God should be worshiped by churches!
Attendance increased, but discipleship did not grow. Even those in the mega-church revolution are realizing the errors produced from prioritizing Seeker-Friendly agendas:
- Compromised biblical truth for worldly appeal (the same issue with modern "Affirming Churches"), instead of repentance for God's kingdom.
- Shallow sermons and worship where feelings lead and are substituted for spirituality.
- The gospel is viewed as a product to be marketed and sold, rather than a life-changing message.
Sadly, "Churches of Christ" started following this approach. Like so many "Golden Calf" practices borrowed and imitated, the "Churches of Christ" begin a generation later and discover the same errors a generation after the Denominational world stops. Unlike the original Seeker-Friendly churches, which allowed the world to determine how to worship God, "Churches of Christ" are allowing other churches to be their model. And often attendance will grow.
Here's the solution:
- Don't follow the world.
- Don't follow denominations.
- Don't follow "successful" movements.
- Don't follow business models.
- Don't follow "church traditions".
Follow God as presented in His Word.
