March 14, 2007
Calling Your Sheep by Name
For three years my friend spent 5 to 10 hours a week volunteering in the youth program at her mega church in Denver. While explaining that the senior pastor was good at delegating and running the church like a business, she went on to say, “You want to know what’s really interesting though? During all that time I never once met the head pastor. I suppose had I attended the banquet for volunteers I might have been introduced to him. But no, I’ve never met the man.” Wow. Biggie sizing the church gives a whole new meaning to shepherds knowing their sheep.
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Gail;
----In sociology there is a concept called “McDonaldization”. It applies to organizations run towards the purpose of producing the greatest quantity of a highly standardized product that is designed to meet the appeal of the most consumers. The functions of the social group are conscientiously focused on the principles of speed, efficiency, and conformity to procedure. If there is any attention to detail, it is given only to making sure the details of the product conform to a standard pattern.
----When I first learned of McDonaldization, I found myself nodding in agreement when, in the list of the different types of organizations that were McDonaldizing today, churches were included. Maybe from my desire to give the benefit of the doubt, I try to believe that the ambitions of these McDonaldizing church leaders extends from their belief that the time is short and many must be quickly reached for Christ. And I know they are having that effect, hallelujah! Just this week one of my more elderly clients was so excited and joyful to tell me that she was very recently baptized at your church and that she was going to perform in a skit this Sunday. The gleam in her eyes was heartwarming. The product packaged at these McDonaldized churches does have a wide appeal, and that appeal does involve the Lord.
----But, lo, the loss of the meaningful details is saddening. The details that are unique to any particular individual are not only unwelcome at the surface of these meetings, but one of these preachers even proclaimed from the pulpit that the church does not care about the little details of the members’ lives! How out of line with the Word of God can that be (I Cor 15:2, Gal 6:10, Philippians 2:4)!? The Holy Spirit brings to surface in each of His children certain details at certain times to effect the purposes that are according to His design. Then you may never see that detail again. How sad to hear the sound of standardization drown out His effects.
----Preachers pull so many great illustrations from the Word regarding His principles in the operation of our lives and relationships. One of those often presented is the mess Abraham made of all subsequent history by trying to effect the accomplishment of God’s promise to him of great posterity. Abraham’s intentions were well, but his misguided efforts in producing Ishmael has filled the world with grief and strife to this day. And as much as preachers can see and deliver this particular insight to their congregations, when it comes time for them to see it in their own self-designed, self-propelled, McDonaldized ambitions for the church, they mysteriously become blind and deaf.
This is true and shameful.
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