If you want to read up on how to build a model of church to attract a lot of a certain kind of people in fairly short order, there are a lot of options out there. If you want to read the standard success stories, you have at least as many options. But if you want to read an honest and thoughtful account of not just whether a given model is good for the church but of an actual transition away from a popular model, you have few choices. Renovation of the Church fills a hole in our literature. It addresses several theoretical and theological issues in light of a real, living and breathing church. This isn't simply theorizing, and it isn't a `how-to' book. But the concerns of this book are all too real to be glossed over or ignored.
Carlson and Lueken begin by telling about the beginning and growth of their church, Oak Hills. After it's planting by Carlson, they discovered the seeker-sensitive model built by Willow Creek and quickly began to build the church around the model. They mimicked it right down to the mission statement, 7-step process and weekly meeting schedule. And it worked. They experienced what so many churches wish they could see - quick growth. While explaining their past with the seeker-sensitive model I believe the authors do a commendable job of not demonizing their old way of life. Though they have very good reasons for not doing that anymore, they are fair to the strengths and weaknesses of the model and very kind toward those in the center of the trend.
They found a kind of success with that model, but they didn't stay there. One crucial weekend and a lot of prayer and reflection later, they moved away from performance-oriented Sundays to something far more focused on the kingdom of God and the spiritual maturity of their congregation. And needless to say, there was a lot of fallout. Their church was cut more than in half in about a decade, and that kind of experience will cause you to figure out what you really believe about the church and its message.
And therein lies the strength of the book. More than just a story of their and the church's journey, it is a wonderful reflection on some of the core theological issues facing the church. What does it mean to proclaim the gospel? What do we call for in salvation? What is the church? What is appropriate worship? What should the church's stance be toward common vices like consumerism and false ambition? It is in these chapters - the core of the book - where the final value lies. While it was encouraging for me to hear their honesty about difficulties and mistakes, it was most valuable to listen to them think through these larger issues shaping their church.
Pastors and their staffs and boards should do more of this kind of reflection realizing that their answers to these issues shape their churches. And the shape of their churches shapes their congregation. To put it otherwise, the values and forms of our worship services end up spiritually forming our congregations.
I believe this book is valuable, and should be read with an eye on how and why we currently do things.
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