Comments on: A Willow Creek Report Card http://saltypeanutgallery.com/2007/10/20/a-willow-creek-report-card/ unsolicited commentary flavored with wit from a decidedly Christian world view Sat, 04 Sep 2010 03:16:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Byron http://saltypeanutgallery.com/2007/10/20/a-willow-creek-report-card/comment-page-1/#comment-13 Byron Sat, 20 Oct 2007 21:03:28 +0000 http://saltypeanutgallery.com/2007/10/20/a-willow-creek-report-card/#comment-13 Well, to be nicer, and not to be a "nudge" (hey, great thing is that you can edit mistakes after the fact so that nobody need even know what I'm talking about in a matter of a few minutes/hours), it does say something tremendous for Willow that they're willing to go to the hard work of going back to the drawing board and reconsidering these things. Further, they have been a pioneer in small group ministry, which should involve some of the things that they say they've discovered are critical. Too many churches either resist taking a long, hard look to begin with (the vast majority, IMHO), or having taken that look, resist the types of changes that will get them to where they ought to be. IMHO, so many churches/pastors/Christians might tut-tut at Willow's discovery, but are themselves mired in ruts that wouldn't dream of altering, even if in the altering of them they'd be sure to do a better job of disciple-making. How many churches wouldn't give up Sunday evening service, say, for small groups, just because they've always done it that way? So while some of your words are valid, let's at least applaud Willow for being willing to keep refining (and this isn't the first time they've done this) their methodology, for the one thing we can certainly applaud is their desire to put the making of disciples above any particular methodology or sacred cows. Well, to be nicer, and not to be a “nudge” (hey, great thing is that you can edit mistakes after the fact so that nobody need even know what I’m talking about in a matter of a few minutes/hours), it does say something tremendous for Willow that they’re willing to go to the hard work of going back to the drawing board and reconsidering these things. Further, they have been a pioneer in small group ministry, which should involve some of the things that they say they’ve discovered are critical. Too many churches either resist taking a long, hard look to begin with (the vast majority, IMHO), or having taken that look, resist the types of changes that will get them to where they ought to be. IMHO, so many churches/pastors/Christians might tut-tut at Willow’s discovery, but are themselves mired in ruts that wouldn’t dream of altering, even if in the altering of them they’d be sure to do a better job of disciple-making. How many churches wouldn’t give up Sunday evening service, say, for small groups, just because they’ve always done it that way?

So while some of your words are valid, let’s at least applaud Willow for being willing to keep refining (and this isn’t the first time they’ve done this) their methodology, for the one thing we can certainly applaud is their desire to put the making of disciples above any particular methodology or sacred cows.

]]> By: Don http://saltypeanutgallery.com/2007/10/20/a-willow-creek-report-card/comment-page-1/#comment-14 Don Sat, 20 Oct 2007 19:18:11 +0000 http://saltypeanutgallery.com/2007/10/20/a-willow-creek-report-card/#comment-14 I will grant you that Willow has been a pioneer in small group ministry. I've personally made use of their small group Bible study curriculum numerous times. I guess my biggest criticism, though, is that after all these years of being a so-called authority on "rediscovering church" it turns out that to a large degree, what they were rediscovering wasn't really church at all. It also highlights a problem I addressed in my earlier post concerning the "suckling pig" mentality that permeates America's church's today. This is a problem that Willow's ministry strategies have helped to foster in many ways. For me this issue has become one of my greatest pet peeves. If we're really serious about "rediscovering church" I think the first thing that we need to rediscover is that church is not a product to be consumed. I will grant you that Willow has been a pioneer in small group ministry. I’ve personally made use of their small group Bible study curriculum numerous times. I guess my biggest criticism, though, is that after all these years of being a so-called authority on “rediscovering church” it turns out that to a large degree, what they were rediscovering wasn’t really church at all. It also highlights a problem I addressed in my earlier post concerning the “suckling pig” mentality that permeates America’s church’s today. This is a problem that Willow’s ministry strategies have helped to foster in many ways. For me this issue has become one of my greatest pet peeves. If we’re really serious about “rediscovering church” I think the first thing that we need to rediscover is that church is not a product to be consumed.

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