I'm biting my tongue on the book coming out this year, but it's all about the sociological factors behind great churches. I'm not downplaying the spiritual component. But it's a great disservice to overlook how social forces impact the church.
Why is it that we have "highs" and "lows" in church attendance? Is it "moves of the Holy Spirit" or are there social reasons why groups of people go and don't go to church at the same time?
Why do churches start to lose people when attendance surpasses 80% seating capacity? Is God moving these people on, or could there be a social factor at play?
Why did a church plant with a high-capacity staff and hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding fail to get off the ground in California several years ago?
Why do churches start to lose people when attendance surpasses 80% seating capacity? Is God moving these people on, or could there be a social factor at play?
Why did a church plant with a high-capacity staff and hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding fail to get off the ground in California several years ago?
Don't get me wrong. I don't believe we wrestle against flesh and blood. But there's a reason why God laid the Gospel on social movements all throughout history. He created them. And he wants us to understand them. The book frames how great churches are made... long before they're started.
can't wait to read the book you are biting your tongue about. ha
one of the biggest evidences of God at work, is when we choose care about people at any costs.... When we are willing to change seating arrangements, let them have coffee on the carpet, care for their kids like no one has ever done before, and take the sugar coating off of the words we speak and sing...
so yeah.... what you are saying resonates ...
Posted by: Evan Shaw Blackerby | January 12, 2009 at 04:12 PM
After those posts you had a few months back about church planters cultivating the soil and such, I really can't wait to read your book. Will some of that info be in there?
Posted by: Nick Blevins | January 12, 2009 at 08:02 PM
Ben
I need that book NOW. :)
Posted by: Zdub | January 12, 2009 at 10:41 PM
You're like the Malcolm Gladwell of churches. Sounds super interesting. I'll be very interested to read it. You should spill the beans a little. At least give us some chapter titles or something.
Posted by: Ross Middleton | January 12, 2009 at 10:55 PM
Ben-- I'm interested to learn from your journey as you plot your way through the book publishing world. Keep writting!
Posted by: D. Statham | January 15, 2009 at 12:11 AM
i've been thinking those same thoughts... just yesterday, my wife and I had a long talk about that same subject. write quickly.
Posted by: adam | February 12, 2009 at 02:03 AM