Here is an interesting assessment from a recent article in “Gifted for Leadership”.
In order for Christianity just to maintain the same percentage of the American population, we need to boost our current 4,000 church plants per year to 6,900.
There is a very real opportunity in America for Orthodoxy. We can step up and shine a light in a very dark time of our history.
Do you have ideas for planting new missions?
While we are busy trying to put in place programs and measure our growth against the dying mainline Protestant denominations the next wave of evangelical Church planters are busy deconstructing. The old early to mid 20th century model of the American Church is quickly going the way of the dinosaur. And what do you think is replacing it? A sad imitation of our history.
The seeker friendly philosophies, canned programs, pews and organs that we recall from last century American Christianity are being replaced at an astonishing rate with community focused, mission minded, relationship driven individuals who in community want to heed Christ’s call of the Great Commission and make an impact in this country.
Of course it will end in frustration because they don’t have the one ingredient needed to make it work, The Church. Disciples are “sent out” – from the Church to be accountable to the Church. It is shameful that the Orthodox presence makes so little impact in American culture that we are not even a consideration for those looking for a transformational Christ centered example to replicate.
In this case the blame is not with the Bishops, Priests or even petty jurisdictional squabbles; it is with us Orthodox Christians who are content to settle for comfort over transformation and conformity to the world over conformity to Christ.
As Lay Ministers it is time to draw on our rich history of mission. Strip ourselves down to our authentic roots (pre 20th century America) and lay claim to our purpose of bringing Christ and the fullness of the Holy Spirit by making it relevant to this culture.
