In response to Ashley's post....

In response to Ashley's post on the article at http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0310/p09s01-coop.html


I believe he is right(mostly). There is a massive change in the Protestant world coming. However, he has his terms mixed up (as many people do). He has mixed up “Evangelical” and “Seeker-friendly”. It’s very easy to see why, the seeker-friendly movement has its roots in Evangelicalism. But the two ideas are totally different. One became so focused on rules, and regulations along with the Gospel (I will tell you about the sermon I heard on how “if you’re not a voting Republican, you’re not a good Christian”). While the other focused on making God into a super-cuddly cosmic ball of love…kind of like a puppy.
Evangelical churches have been in limbo since the mid 90’s. Some groups, like the SBC have seen constant year to year growth (but even they have many seeker friendly groups within themselves). Others (like the notorious Independent Fundamentalist 1611 KJV ONLY! Baptist) have been in decline. Evangelicalism however, has pretty much had its death. It evolved/was replaced by The Seeker-friendly movement that sprang up in the late 80’s-90’s.
This, is the group that I think is in the most danger of fading out. The Evangelicals have gone through their weeding out phase, those that remain are the ones that will be there for life, their children will most likely remain and their churches will face little change in the coming years.
The Seeker-friendly groups however, are the ones in danger. Many groups in this movement have gone to the far opposite side of the spectrum. And instead of teaching of Hell and salvation, they teach the gospel of the “all loving, super-duper nice God”. This has lead to weak faith. Instead of being told that people are sinners in need of a Savior, they are told that God loves them (which He does) and only wants to give them the best in life (which He does not). When hard times come, these people loose their faith (they are the seeds planted in stony ground that spring up, then die because their roots are not deep).
This focusing on a social gospel which seeks to make people feel good . Is leading people down and anti-Biblical relativistic road.
Statements like : ” You may make some mistakes-but that doesn`t make you a sinner. You`ve got the very nature of God on the inside of you.” And When you focus on being a blessing, God makes sure that you are always blessed in abundance.” (both by Joel Olsteen). Ideas like these are counter-Biblical. Paul says “the things that I want to do, I don’t do, and those things which I do I don’t want to do”. And the scriptures clearly teach that “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”. This teaching does not prepare the Christian for hard times. And a church based on teachings like this, will not stand for long. The seeker-friendly movement is its own death. Many post-evangelical church goers have a faith based not on Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. But on feel-good services and the idea of a god who is more concerned about loving people than with his righteousness and glory. That being said, the Protestant world is in for rough times in the future. Like the article said, many Protestants will convert to the traditional branches of Christianity. But I can also see a rise in neo-Evangelicalism, taking both the Gospel and a social call to action to the people of the world.