We all see it but don't want to talk about it. Ours is a culture of consumerism, and the church is not exempt. People come, people go. People stray and then return. People stay and pout, people stay away and pout. And God loves them all. Those in church leadership have to be patient, prayerful, tactful, respectful and loving with this dynamic. Yet a good smile is necessary to keep one's sanity in the midst of it all.
Brian McLaren helps me out. He writes in A New Kind of Christianity (Harper One 2010)
Catholics are saved from ritualism by becoming Pentacostal. Pentacostals are saved from emotionalism by becoming Presbyterian. Presbyterians are saved from rationalism by becoming Eastern Orthodox. Eastern Orthodox are saved from clericalism by becoming Baptist. Baptists are saved from historical amnesia by becoming Catholic.
Simple churches save people from complexity and complex churches save people from simplicity.
Exciting churches save people from boredom and quiet churches save people from hoopla and hype.
Around and around the cycle goes.
:-)
