This book is well written—clear, humorous, and at times compassionate—but I struggled as I read it, wondering just who his audience is. The back cover talks about “Liars. Hypocrites. Men, women, and children who attend church because it’s what they are supposed to do. Just going through the motions. These are the undead—people who are disconnected from the Spirit of God—who are spreading a virus of passivity, or worse. No one is completely immune.” Just the group I want to be identified with…. He spends the first half of the book excoriating the average church-goer, then offers some pretty traditional antidotes in the second half. Problem is, if the reader doesn’t identify with the problem, he won’t see the need for the remedy in himself. It will just increase the critical, finger-pointing spirit such books often engender. And if the reader does identify, Edwards is preaching to the choir. The most likely audience would be a small group with a leader committed to open and personal discussion.

This book is similar to several I’ve read over the years. Every few years, there seems to be a new crop of “diss the church” books, some better than others. They pick up on the flavor of the season or the specific wounding of the author. I’d rather see a great case study from a pastor who has actually changed the climate of his church.

This season, I’m seeing more books calling us to radical discipleship of the social justice variety, which of course will appeal to the younger generation. In fact, our church is on a 10-week campaign to study the book Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt. It’s being covered both in Sunday morning sermons and in our small groups. And it’s causing a lot of angst as members grapple with the radical implications of the gospel. This angst is best handled in a small group, not in exclusively in a book or from the pulpit.

So, if you have a small group that has been together for a while and has built trust, this might be a good book to study for a season. But be prepared to navigate some angst. And you might try a little affirmation on the side.

Win a $50 Amazon gift card:

Kregal Publishers is sponsoring a $50 Amazon.com giveaway. To enter all you have to do is send a tweet (using @litfuse) about Zombie Church  or share about it on Facebook! If you tweet we’ll capture your entry when you use @litfuse. If you share it on Facebook or your blog, just email us and let the blog tour sponsor know at info@litfusegroup.com. Easy. You can see the rest of the blog tour here.

We’ll nearly always hear what we’re listening for. This creates a self-fulfilling prophecy within all our relationships. This works because our relationships with other people happen almost entirely in our heads. Remember that when you think about people, you aren’t actually thinking about the “real” them – you’re thinking about a representation of them I your mind, like an icon on a computer. You’re actually re-creating them in your mind; and you’re deleting, distorting, and generalizing some of their characteristics as you do so.  At some point we decide what people are really like, and from that moment on, we maintain them in our minds as a fixed persona. We listen for the person we expect to hear and filter out anything that doesn’t fit with the character we’ve created for that individual.

This is SO true! I remember one singles group my husband and I were invited to serve. The church had deemed the members of the group “the losers.” Seriously! Most of the members were late 20s, early 30s, and not the “cool kids.” They were discounted in the minds of the pastoral staff, so ministry was also discounted. It wasn’t given resources or support and the members were often mocked and belittled behind their backs. True to the expectations, the “leadership” of the group was a motley crew. They weren’t skilled and ran a pretty sorry excuse for a singles ministry.

When Bob and I joined as advisors, we expressed our belief that these people could indeed lead an exciting group that would attract new members. We based that on previous experience and managed to convince them they could do it. Really. They weren’t sure, but reluctantly agreed to give us a try. We conducted some leadership training, reformatted the Sunday morning and social experiences, and taught them how to revitalize all aspects of the group. We encouraged them as individuals and became friends with them. We held weekly prayer meetings for both the ministry and the leaders.

Little by little they grew. They looked different. They sounded different. They led the group differently. The group grew, and the leaders grew as people. They gained self-confidence. They brought a new vitality to the ministry. All because we saw them differently, we encouraged them differently, and we brought out their best qualities.

Unfortunately, the staff didn’t (couldn’t) see the changes in these leaders because of their own preconceptions. They continued to see and hear what they expected to see and hear. Before long the ministry was disbanded by senior staff and new “cool kids” were brought in to lead a new group. It was sad and harmed these newly budding leaders tremendously. I don’t think any of them ever went on to lead another ministry. Each of them could have. If others had seen beneath the surface.

Take a look at your leadership and the people in your group or ministry. What do you see? What would happen if you saw differently?

Today we’re presenting the second part August 2009 LifeWay Research study of a national, demographically representative survey of 1,200 Millennials in the United States.  The first part of the study is reviewed here:

Here is how Millennials respond to a series of doctrinal statements:

God, Satan, sin and salvation

* “God is a real being, not just a concept.” 46% agree strongly, and another 26% agree somewhat; 28% disagree somewhat or strongly.

* “The devil, or Satan, is not a real being but is just a symbol of evil.” 40% agree strongly or somewhat.

* “When he lived on earth, Jesus Christ was human and committed sins, like other people.” 50% agree strongly or somewhat; only 30% strongly disagree.

* “Believing in Jesus Christ is the only way to get to heaven.” Millennials are split on this question, with exactly half agreeing and half disagreeing. Only 31% agree strongly that Jesus is the only path to heaven.

Heaven, hell and the afterlife

* 70% of Millennials believe heaven is a real place, not just a concept, while 60% believe hell is real.
* One-third of respondents giving believe that “no one really knows what will happen after we die.”
However, Millennials are evenly split on whether they believe they will go to heaven. Those who don’t believe they will go to heaven include 8% who believe they will cease to exist and 5% who say they will return in another life form.
* 48% believe they will go to heaven after they die, but are split as to the reason. 26% believe it is “because they have accepted Jesus Christ as their savior;” 16% say it is because they have tried their best to be a good person and live a good life; and 4% say it is because “God loves all people and will not let any of them perish.”

Importance of religious faith:

* 60% say their religious faith is very important in their lives today.
* 70% agree (strongly or somewhat) that Christian churches are still relevant in America today.

“Millennials are the most religiously diverse generation in our culture’s history,” said Thom Rainer, author of the study. “Unsure of the afterlife and the life of Jesus, Millennials present the church with a great opportunity to engage them in conversations dealing with the nature of truth and its authority as God.”

Two-thirds of American “Millennials” – those born between 1980 and 1991 – call themselves Christian, but far fewer pray or read the Bible daily, attend weekly worship services, or hold to historical positions on the Bible and its teachings.

These findings, which will affect how we lead our churches and small groups, are from a wide-ranging August 2009 LifeWay Research study of a national, demographically representative survey of 1,200 Millennials in the United States. The study forms the basis for the upcoming book The Millennials: Connecting to America’s Largest Generation by Dr. Thom Rainer and his son Jess Rainer.

Here are some key findings of the study:

Self Identification: 65% identify themselves as Christian, 14% say they are atheist or agnostic, 14% list no religious preference, and 8% claim other religions.

Prayer, worship and study: 31% pray by themselves at least once a day, 20% percent never pray. Only 8 % pray with others on a daily basis, compared with 65% who rarely or never pray with other people.

Reading of sacred writings (Bible, Torah, Koran, or other): 67% rarely or never read the Bible or other sacred texts. Only 8% do so on a daily basis, while 21% do so at least once a week, and 34% do so at least once a month.

Attendance at religious worship services: 25% attend religious worship services once a week or more, but 66% rarely or never visit a church, synagogue, mosque or temple.

Bible study participation: 20% percent meet with others at least monthly in a small group to study the Bible or other sacred texts, but 80% rarely or never do so.

Bible accuracy: 53% disagree (strongly or somewhat) that the Bible is the written Word of God and is totally accurate in all it teaches.

“The research shows us that religion and its practices are decreasing and becoming increasingly privatized among the Millennial generation,” said Thom Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources. “With fewer people attending worship services or praying with other faith adherents, it is not surprising that the religious landscape of our culture is changing with the maturation of the Millennials.”

Thursday we’ll look at how Millennials respond to a series of doctrinal statements.

When dealing with challenging people, I’ve found that simply treating them like human beings makes a huge difference. Very often, a challenging person in your church or group is a challenging person everywhere. And because of this, they are often shunned or ostracized. For many, this has happened all their lives. What we consider challenging behavior is often just a coping mechanism to deal with their low self-esteem.

My friend Sandy Brannon at Establish Intention has a wonderful newsletter. Her March 2010 article was called the Gift of Dignity. She maintains that dignity is a gift we give one another, and that it may be the most valuable gift we can give.

I would agree. I’ve seen it happen over and over. A person who seems to have few or no social skills joins a group that shows him or her unconditional love. Other members don’t shy away from relationship, but rather embrace the challenging person in conversation, invitations, and concern. It’s amazing how quickly the person absorbs that love, like water to a thirsty plant. In many cases, the “weird” behavior becomes less and less noticeable as the person gains confidence in himself and the relationships.

Who do you know who needs this gift today? How can you give the gift of dignity to someone in your circle of influence? Share your experiences with us.

So what do you look for? People who are being afflicted during this season may:

•    Have more physical illnesses or accidents.
•    Experience more negative or fragile emotions or a sense of agitation.
•    Dissociate, lose time, or express unreasonable fears.
•    Be strangely triggered by displays of Halloween symbols, especially if these are associated with a church.
•    Increased violence or violent thoughts.
•    Suicide attempts, cutting, or self-harm.

If people you know are experiencing such reactions, it would be helpful to educate yourself about the pagan and demonic origins of the holiday and how to better serve those you care about. If I can answer questions for you, post them in the comment section. You can also download my e-book to learn the history of this holiday, the way it’s celebrated in some cults, and the role of the church in light of this information. Warning: It contains some information on Ritual Abuse that may be triggering to survivors with this background.

It’s an article from 1998 titled “Human Affection Now Available Only From Grandparents, Down Syndrome Children” and cites a supposed study that indicated that only these two groups are still capable of genuine human affection. The fact that it seemed plausible speaks to the tenuous human condition and has huge implications for our churches and groups.

The reality is, people are lonely, busy, and tired. They are often too lonely to reach out and build relationships. And many in today’s wounded society don’t really know how to build relationships. I write about this often in dealing with challenging people. Some of the most challenging are those who, because of childhood abuse or neglect, are unable to contain their behavior and emotions, and therefore are unable to bond or function in group settings. They’re alienated and need a greater degree of intervention than most lay leaders can offer. They become the fringe people in society and in our churches. The people we want to avoid because we know that entering into a relationship with them is just too deep a hole.

Others are too busy and too tired to make an effort at relationships. They work long hours, fight a commute from Hell, and when they finally get home, they’re tired. Bone tired and brain tired. It’s so much easier to take off their shoes, settle in on the sofa, and lose themselves in the lives of the soaps on TV. They live vicariously through Jack Bauer, Merideth Grey, or the latest star on Survivor. They have barely enough human affection for their families. Don’t ask them to share it with a small group.

I received an email just this week from a pastor who asked, “Is there any research showing that our culture of small groups has peaked, and the trend is now moving towards personal, autonomous or family-cell growth instead?” I responded that I’m not aware of research (although I’m sure it’s there), but that certainly anecdotally this is a trend. We continue to see groups suffering because the culture is lonely, tired, and busy. I responded to him with several questions to help diagnosis just what’s going on in his church. I’ll share those more at length over the next several posts. But meanwhile, let this article be a wake-up call. Have you closed off your ability to express human affection because you are lonely, busy or just too tired?

For an introduction to this series, go to here

New Reality Number Six: the Rise of Apostolic Leadership

Wrong Question: How Do We Develop Leaders for Church Work?

“If church work is not getting the job done, why do we continue to train leaders to do it better?”

Apostolic leaders in the first and twenty-first centuries evidence distinctive characteristics.

o They are misisonal
o They are visionary
o They are entrepreneurial
o They prefer to work in teams
o They practice ad hocracy instead of establishing bureaucracy
o They are genuinely spiritual

Tough Questions: How Do We Develop Leaders for the Christian Movement?

“The organic community is the most critical aspect in shifting or shaping the corporate culture of your ministry. Establishing learning community involves developing a heart-to-heart, life-to-life relationship that will support mutual accountability, the capacity to challenge each other’s biases and assumptions, and the freedom to assess results and spiritual growth. Some sort of small group dynamic will be required.”

“The reason to get in touch with the culture is not to adopt it but to engage it for the same reasons a missionary does—in order to gain a hearing for the gospel.”

For an introduction to this series, go to here

New Reality Number Five: The Shift from Planning to Preparation

Most of what has ultimate effect on the church happens outside of it and outside of its control.

Wrong Question: How Do We Plan for the Future?

“Incrementalism as an anticipatory strategy is dead…. The better (and biblical) approach to the future involves prayer and preparation, not prediction and planning.”

Tough Question: How Do We Prepare for the Future?

“Spiritual preparation has the goal of getting God’s people in partnership with him in his redemptive mission in the world.”

“People tire of visionless activity and organization, but people never tire of vision…. Vision inspires consensus. A guiding vision helps with both routine decisions and critical choices…. Vision gives content to your church’s mission. It helps you establish brand recognitions and supports the crafting of your corporate culture.”

“… God is the one with the vision for our lives and the church. It is our job to discover what he has in mind, not to invent something he can get excited about.”

“In the emerging world people will increasingly demand intentionality in the organizations they belong to.”

“I am convinced that the reason for much burnout, lack of commitment, and low performance in our churches among staff and members is directly related to the failure to declare the clear results we are after. We don’t know when we are winning.”

“What gets rewarded gets done.”

“Our culture focuses on weaknesses…. [But] your best shot at making your best contribution is for you to get better at what you are already good at.”

For an introduction to this series, go to here

New Reality Number Four: The Return to Spiritual Formation

“We have turned our churches into groups of people who are studying God as though they were taking a course at school or attending a business seminar. We aim at the head. We don’t deal in relationships. And we wonder why there is no passion for Jesus and his mission?”

Wrong Question: How do We Develop Church Members?

“We have made following Jesus all about being a good church member. The scorecard is all about church membership, church participation, and church support. We are training people to be good club members.”

Tough Question: How Do We Develop Followers of Jesus?

“To live abundantly is to borrow the future into the present. This means that helping people develop emotionally, physically, and relationally is all spiritual. There is no sacred-secular dichotomy when it comes to spiritual formation.”

Newcomers: “Instead of dumping a packet of church club membership stuff on them, why not interview them about what they would like to see happen in their lives in terms of their spiritual development and personal growth?”

“I am recommending that churches provide life coaching for people. We need to view this as spiritual formation. We must use spiritual disciplines to help people form the center. We must attend to their self-awareness and life relationships.” In other words, address felt needs.

“Imagine helping people see how God can get into the life they already have instead of asking them to give up their life for the church.”

“I believe in the power of community in learning, particularly in helping us make behavioral applications of what we learn. That is why I am such a proponent of small groups. The consistent challenge I run into when discussing small groups is the prevalent notion that small groups should function primarily in a curriculum mode (a Bible study, test-driven experience). This is why groups can move from one curriculum piece to another and never experience any real growth. Effective groups where people grow allow people to declare to each other what is going on in their lives, what they’d like to see going on in the lives, and what kind of help and accountability they need to move toward their hopes and away from their frustrations. This brings life to the table, not a book!”

“The spiritual formation process should be customized and shaped to the learner for intentional outcomes…. The person development process is highly labor intensive…. The community of faith should be an environment where the number one pursuit is the development of human beings created in the image of God and redeemed into his family through Jesus.”