Franchising McChurch: Feeding Our Obsession with Easy Christianity
We live in a fast-food nation, where the service is efficient, the products are peer-tested, and size is king. And this consumer-driven approach is seeping into the church.
Across the country, churches are creating entertaining, pop culture-savvy services that feel more market-driven than ministry. On the menu? A proven blend of dynamic music, high-tech dazzle, and topical teachings. And just like any successful product, churches are launching campuses that build on their brand.
But is the franchised church of today leading to the disenfranchised believers of tomorrow? Though thousands flock to these services, how many lives are truly being changed? Have we traded real truth for relevancy?
Franchising McChurch takes an honest look at the rise of consumer-minded ministries. Authors Thomas White and John Yeats tackle a spiritual shift that is raising provocative issues such as:
The blurry line between entertainment and evangelism A marketing approach to ministry The warped yardstick for measuring church success Feel-good messages that avoid tough truthsCandid and compelling, Franchising McChurch calls us back to the heart of Christ's church, and shares the Biblical design for delivering meaningful, life-changing ministry in a fast-food world.
Top Highlights
“Efficient churches place church systems and programs above the spiritual needs of people.” (source)
“Effective churches manage their resources—budgets, schedules, personnel—to accomplish the work of God in their communities without making efficiency the ruling principle of the congregation.” (source)
“The work of the church has never been efficient because the church involves real people with real lives searching for real answers.” (source)
“Seven weeks of nightly meetings? Can’t be done anymore, right? Effective churches surrender to God’s timetable rather than forcing God to conform to theirs.” (source)
“If the Word of God functions as the foundation for every believer’s spiritual health and life, why do many churches spend less time studying the Word of God together than they do singing? We know. We are meddling here. But is it a valid question?” (source)
Product Details
- Title : Franchising McChurch: Feeding Our Obsession with Easy Christianity
- Authors:
- White, Thomas
- Yeats, Jon Mark
- Publisher: David C Cook
- Publication Date: 2011
- ISBN: 9781434704122
Dr. Thomas White is the vice president for student services and communications, as well as associate professor of systematic theology, at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He also serves as pastor of theology at The Cross Baptist Church. Thomas, his wife, Joy, and their daughter, Rachel, live in Crowley, Texas.