The Relationship Driven Church

John 0'Keefe writes about The Relationship Driven Church (Warning: This Is Not A Program) which I find to be a compelling read. People I'm in conversation with are reassessing their priorities this time of the year (including spiritual matters) and they seek to find community with God in a safe place. For most that means a relationship driven church. Thus John's article gives a perspective how the institutional church can provide to make that community possible....

It seems that all churches I know are looking for that one, perfect magical program that will make it easy for church growth; some kind of special musical style that will attract people like crazy; that one charismatic pastor with great hair, perfect teeth, a winning smile, with a blond wife and two point five kids (that will work for almost nothing and be on call 26 hours aday); that all-in-one special thing that will help them grow a church that will put the mega-church to shame. Most churches are driven by their desire to reach numbers that will make other church take notice of their wonderful abilities to do a true ministry of God. Pastors of those churches wait to see if their version of someone else's program will work, so they can cut a book deal and sell their view of that program to the waiting hungry church masses that are looking to out do the next and find the same deal. It seems that all churches are looking for that magic pill, that special program, that one thing that will help them grow and because of that, they will devour all that publishers and writes place before them, as long as the magic words church growth are added to the program line.

John adds...

It is not an option for the church to be a relationship driven church and it is not something that can be moved to a later date this is more important then money, building, program, direction, board meetings, or making the elders happy. If the church does not have people developing relationships, it does not have the potential to reach past it's doors and into the world around them.

read the rest here...