Monday Morning Insights

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    Why is The Church Not As Effective As We Should Be?  Answer:  Church Competition

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    Why is The Church Not As Effective As We Should Be?  Answer:  Church Competition

    I think Craig Groeschel makes a great point.  What would Christianity in America look like if the competition between churches stopped?

    How competitive is YOUR church with other churches in your vicinity?  How competitive are other churches against you?

    And is competition always bad?  (You tell me...)

    Something to gnaw on this Friday...

    Todd

    Comments

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    1. CS on Fri, August 28, 2009

      I watched the video and have two main sets of questions:

      First, what qualifies as, “effectiveness?”  What is the measurement for it?

      Second, what about churches where the teaching is apostate, heretical, or just plain bad?  Shouldn’t we want to pull people out of those places and, “compete,” against them?


      CS

    2. Jan on Mon, August 31, 2009

      I have been truly shocked in coming to a small community (20,000) after serving in large cities.  Our main hits in terms of damage done to our ministry have not come from the non-Christians.  It’s just as Craig said, it’s the believers in the community, who have done the most trashing and bad mouthing of us, even to non Christians.

      I’ve asked myself why?  But I think it’s clear that we are 1) outsiders 2) making them feel guilty?  because they really have no desire to reach the lost in our community, and we do and are and 3) we are competition.

      We’ve never had a desire to compete and have worked in several joint ventures, but have always come out the other side realizing how lousy they treat us.

      It’s sad.  I think Craig is right.  There is no room for competition in the furthering the kingdom.  We should be doing all we can to encourage and support each other.  There are plenty of lost for all of us to reach!

    3. J.D. King on Mon, August 31, 2009

      While I agree that there are problems with combativeness and territorialism among churches, I am not sure that all “competition” is bad. Every church I have visited or worked with could improve in certain areas. Couldn’t some sense of competition compel churches, that otherwise wouldn’t make any changes, to change. If there is no threat of loss why improve anything. I am sure that there have been plenty of occasions where churches have improved their worship services, strengthened their teaching/preaching because they were afraid that they were going to lose their people to the “competitor” down the street. Yes, fighting and contention is wrong. Of course all Bible-believing churches are on the same team. Yet, what is wrong with a real world reason to make an honest assessment and work toward genuine improvement. Most leaders think their church is better than it really is. Nothing like like seeing a “better” church started nearby to get you on your toes. Let me be clear, I am not condoning unrighteous behavior. People should honor others. Churches should look for ways to help each other at every turn.  Yet, I just don’t think that all competition is bad. It can bring out the best in everyone.

    4. Fred on Tue, September 01, 2009

      I’ve seen a pastor proclaim from the pulpit that he didn’t believe in competition among churches and then turn around and get enraged when a nearby church had a success in any area.

      It basically came down to concerns over money.

      Smith Wigglesworth once said that if you are more excited about someone being saved in your church than 2 being saved in another church…you need to get saved.

    5. Michael on Wed, September 02, 2009

      The greater christian church has for the most part forgotten we are one people chosen by God to carry forth His plan of redemption. When and as we lose sight of this we look to ourselves and become competetive with follow believers. How contrary to the command to “love one another”. God knows there are enough “sinners” to go around that we don’t need to compete     ( although most churches do a lousy job of winning the lost to Christ) for “bodies”.

    6. Sean on Tue, September 15, 2009

      I believe that if the church would take their eyes off themselves for just 5 minutes and look to Jesus and people than this world would be changed instantly!!  Churches today are more focused on service flows, new stage designs, and how to make sure they are the coolest church in the area instead of focusing on the goal and prize Jesus set out for us!! People dont need a cool church, they need to true living convicting life changing gospel and presence of our Savior!!  If this was the churchs focus and not petty things we think people need there would be no need for competition, instead their would be a desire for unity!!

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