http://www.ldrteam.com/blog/american-people-categories/ Equipping Leaders and Empowering Churches Wed, 12 May 2010 17:56:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://www.ldrteam.com/blog/american-people-categories/comment-page-1/#comment-28 swraimo Mon, 28 Dec 2009 19:37:59 +0000 http://www.ldrteam.com/blog/?p=298#comment-28 I'm big on leadership, organizational models, statistics, etc. However, I wonder if, at times, we allow this to muddy the waters for us and swing us towards the secularization of the Christian Church? Os Guinness observed (in his book "No God But God), "The two most easily recognizable hallmarks of secularization are the exaltation of numbers and technique. Both are prominent in the church-growth movement. In its fascination with statistics and data at the expense of truth, this movement is characteristically modern . . . The problem with this mentality is that quantity does not measure quality. Numbers have little to do with truth, excellence, or character." The other side of the coin is our failure to recognize our changing demographics and environments. Without collecting and analyzing data, we have no foundation from which to engage in strategic planning and foresight. I appreciate the balance you bring to this discussion. If we don't know how they think, we cannot engage them. The fundamental question is indeed, "Do we help them see Christ without distortion?" If we cannot 'relate,' they will not want to listen . . . I’m big on leadership, organizational models, statistics, etc. However, I wonder if, at times, we allow this to muddy the waters for us and swing us towards the secularization of the Christian Church? Os Guinness observed (in his book “No God But God), “The two most easily recognizable hallmarks of secularization are the exaltation of numbers and technique. Both are prominent in the church-growth movement. In its fascination with statistics and data at the expense of truth, this movement is characteristically modern . . . The problem with this mentality is that quantity does not measure quality. Numbers have little to do with truth, excellence, or character.”
The other side of the coin is our failure to recognize our changing demographics and environments. Without collecting and analyzing data, we have no foundation from which to engage in strategic planning and foresight.
I appreciate the balance you bring to this discussion. If we don’t know how they think, we cannot engage them. The fundamental question is indeed, “Do we help them see Christ without distortion?” If we cannot ‘relate,’ they will not want to listen . . .

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