What Drives Your Church

In 1995 Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Valley Community Church wrote a book that would permanently shape the manner in which the majority of churches operate in our nation. That book was called "The Purpose Driven Church". Most of you are aware of Rick's most recent book "The Purpose Driven Life". But, The Purpose Driven Church is a book that every clergyman in the USA, regardless of denomination, has at least heard of. Most all of them have read it or have it on their shelves.

I was skimming back through this book yesterday and came accross an interesting chapter entitled "What Drives Your Church". He lists several categories to which most all churches will fall.

The first are churches driven by TRADITION. The goal of this church is to perpetuate the past, maintain the status quo, do things a certain way which reflects how things have been done in the past.

The second are churches driven by PERSONALITY. This is where you have a leader or a pastor in a church and everything kind of flows to and centeres around him. You remove him, and the life of the church dies. The goal of this church is just to do whatever their leader wants and says.

Third, churches driven by FINANCES. In this church it is all about the money, how much will something cost, can we afford it, etc, etc.

Fourth, churches driven by PROGRAMS. The goal of the church is to offer as much "stuff" as possible in order to appeal to church consumers. The goal is to build the biggest and best organization with as much to offer people as possible so that you can beat out all the other churches.

Fifth, churches driven by BUILDINGS. Get the best facilities possible, then build more facilities. The goals of the church get consumed in construction and the upfit and maintenence of buildings.

Sixth, churches driven by EVENTS. Do as many big events as possible.

Seventh, churches driven by SEEKERS. Everything the church does is geared around reaching un-churched to the point that other important aspects of church suffer. (Certainly evangelism is at the heart of a church. But other important purposes cannot be neglected or you lose your capacity to evangelize.)

The last church that is mentioned in the book is called a PURPOSE DRIVEN CHURCH. Rick says that this is the Biblical type of church. This is not a model to pattern a church after...but a principle which helps a church shape its identity.

So...with all that being said...what model does WBC want to be? I believe that God would call us to be purposeful. The book describes what that meant for Rick and Saddleback. But what does that mean for us (WBC)....

I believe that God has called us to be driven by our mission. This is why I constantly refer to MT 28:18-19. According to this passage we are called to "make disciples". If we are dvievn by this mission that Jesus gave to his disciples 2000 years ago we will, truly be a MISSIONAL CHURCH. In a missional church the goal is to be and to make disciples...to live the life that Jesus lived and to teach others to do the same.