The Problem
The early church was accused of "turning the world upside down" (Acts 17:6). Is the church turning the world upside down now? Or is the world turning the church upside down?
What about divorce rates in the church? Do they reflect a vibrant Christianity? Or do they reflect the world? What is wrong?
A disturbingly large number of youth leave the church about the same time that they leave their parental homes (statistical evidence, anyone?). What is wrong?
Are we rapidly approaching a time when a larger percentage of the United States will need to be evangelized each year? Is evangelizing the U.S. already like trying to fill a leaky bucket?
If we try to evangelize the world with a Chrisitanity that is being turned upside down by the world, are our missions activities similar to attempting to fill a leaky tank by carrying water in a leaky bucket from another leaky tank?
Let's Rethink It -- The Relationship to Biblical Counseling
What does "Let's Rethink It" have to do with biblical counseling? Why is "Let's Rethink It" appropriate for a Web site whose purpose is to furnish counseling materials for pastors, missionaries, and others who provide biblical counseling? The answer is more obvious that it might appear at first glance.
Biblical counseling is corrective. Teaching in the home and the church, including discipleship training, should be preventive. It should decrease the need for biblical counseling. Therefore, whatever helps the home and the church avoid the need for biblical counseling is a legitimate subject for a Web site that is dedicated to biblical counseling.
The Purpose
The purpose of this forum is to provide a place to work together in rethinking and redeveloping philosophies and methodologies of Christian ministries, including both church and missions ministries.
If we develop both our philosophies and methodologies of ministries from biblical theology, the result should be doing God's work in God's way and achieving God's results.
We stand on the great doctrines of the faith--doctrines that have been developed through the centuries by godly Bible scholars. The great doctrines of the faith are not in question. But, are our philoshophies and methodologies truly biblical? Do our philosophies and our methodologies of ministries flow out of our theology?
The Basic Assumptions
We believe that the Scriptures are the inspired Word of God, and that they are sufficient for faith and practice. It follows that our methodology should flow from our theology.
Even if Christians are being overcome by the world instead of overcoming the world, even if parts of the world that were formerly Christian strongholds have become mission fields, and even if Christians are becoming a smaller percentage of the world's population each year, we know that God has not failed. We know that the Scriptures have not become ineffective or obsolete, nor has the power of the Holy Spirit decreased. Instead, in one or more ways, we have failed.
Isn't it time to reevaluate our philosophies of ministries and our methodologies?
Starting Points?
If the church is weak (and who would dare say that it is not?), isn't a weak church the sum of individual Christians, too many of whom, are weak? Therefore, it seems reasonable to believe that philosophies and methodologies of church and missions ministries should be derived from biblical principles of Christian growth.
Further, if Christianity can be characterized as being weak, it seems likely that some principles of Christian growth have been neglected, and/or errors have been taught or implied, either explicitly or by failure to teach biblical truth in biblical balance. Indeed, a correct philosophy of ministries and correct methodology may depend to a large extent on understandng basic principles of Christian growth. Therefore, it seems appropriate to consider "Principles of Christian Growth" and "Erroneous or Unbalanced Teaching That May Hamper Christian Growth."
Also, at some point in our rethinking of philosophies and methodologies, it seems appropriate to consider the influence of the world, whether taught exclusively from outside the church or adopted by the church in its teachings and/or activities. This third category might be viruses that are creeping into the home and the church. We could entitle this category: "Viruses Creeping Into Christianity."
Better than Human Logic
However good the preceding logic may seem to the finite human mind, it ignores a consideration of utmost importance. What if we have been given specific instructions by our Lord? Shouldn't His specific instructions be the foundation for all philosophies and methodologies of Christian ministries?
What about "The Great Commission?" What better place to go to reconsider our philosophies and methodologies of Christian ministries than the specific instructions given to us by our Lord in Matthew 28:19-20.
Subject Open for Discussion
Subjects for Later Discussion
Will You Help?
Let's work together to rethink and redevelop our philosophies and methodologies of Christian ministries. Perhaps those that we develop will be more nearly biblical than those generally used by the church. If you will help, please read Guidelines for Submitting Your Comments.