tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-854676056157946675.post1337594464735508284..comments2023-09-21T03:51:33.508-04:00Comments on Joshua Judges Ruth: How big is too big?Dave Sarafoleanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16722550481632741589noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-854676056157946675.post-14719813162133488882008-09-12T09:28:00.000-04:002008-09-12T09:28:00.000-04:00Ken,Right. Many churches have simply lost all tho...Ken,<BR/><BR/>Right. Many churches have simply lost all thought of shepherding souls and become a provider of religious services for religious consumers. This is a very complex issue stemming from many things: revivalism, marketing, mis-guided outreach (ie. seeker sensitive), etc. People have written entire books on this topic: Michael Scott Horton wrote "Made in America", Nathan Hatch wrote "Dave Sarafoleanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16722550481632741589noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-854676056157946675.post-61753229522420527662008-09-11T21:49:00.000-04:002008-09-11T21:49:00.000-04:00So maybe it's not the size of the church, but mayb...So maybe it's not the size of the church, but maybe the anti-christian behavior or style(lack of true shepherding, etc) of these churches that make them mega-churches?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-854676056157946675.post-51457786775392916422008-09-11T10:03:00.000-04:002008-09-11T10:03:00.000-04:00Joe,You are correct -- the solution to getting big...Joe,<BR/><BR/>You are correct -- the solution to getting bigger is to add more shepherds and keep the shepherding model first and foremost. <BR/><BR/>Most large churches get that way by hiring staff (not the same as pastors) and creating programs. I know many churches whose 'pastoral staff' do not have MDiv. degrees and couldn't be ordained in our denomination. That alone undercuts what it Dave Sarafoleanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16722550481632741589noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-854676056157946675.post-76982969935836967172008-09-10T18:40:00.000-04:002008-09-10T18:40:00.000-04:00Dave, I don't get this. Why is big necessarily bad...Dave, I don't get this. Why is big necessarily bad? How big is too big to be Biblical? Is there a scriptural basis for this view? Aren't the problems you cite just as likely due to poor shepherding as they are to letting too many people join the church?<BR/><BR/>To carry the shepherd analogy further, isn't one answer to a bigger flock to add more shepherds? We've done that as we've grown. It Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14463431190592991564noreply@blogger.com