The Forgotten Ways - Chapter 4

March 24, 2007 | Filed Under alan hirsch, books, missional |

 

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In the opening of chapter 4 Hirsch reminds the reader that “all six elements of mDNA must be present for authentic Apostolic Genius to activate and permeate the life of the Christian communities and movements.” Having said that he goes on to contend that this element (disciple making) is perhaps the most critical element in the mDNA mix.

While there are several themes running through this chapter the one that struck a cord with me was how the biblical emphasis on disciple making runs in stark contrast to the current attractional consumeristic norm of the western church. On page 104 Hirsch quotes Neil Cole as an example of how our emphasis needs to be refocused towards discipleship when Cole, speaking about the focus of CMA, says: “We want to lower the bar of how church is done and raise the bar of what it means to be a disciple.”

Isn’t this just the opposite of how we do things in the West? Think about our attractional/seeker models and ask, have we not raised the bar of how to do church and at the same time lowered the bar in regards to what it means to be a disciple?

This is a rather lengthy quote from Hirsch, but it sums up well the problem with our “consuming religion:”

In our current situation “the church is forced into the role of being little more than a vendor of religious goods and services. And the end-users of the church’s services (namely, us) easily slip into the role of discerning, individualistic consumers, devouring the religious goods and services offered by the latest and best vendor. Worship, rather than being entertaining through creatively engaging the hearts and minds of the hearers, now becomes mere entertainment that aims at giving the participants transcendent emotional highs, much like the role of the ‘feelies’ in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, where people go to the movies merely to get a buzz.

I think this one particular theme from chapter 4 struck such a cord for me because lately I have met and spoken with several pastors who are experiencing great frustration because they are trying to “run” or “lead” the church within a consumeristic, church growth mentality. They are struggling deeply with knowing that their church is not a true reflection of the nature of the church but they can’t seem to do anything about it because the church demands certain things (such as programs for the members) that are in line with the institutional, consumeristic model.

What then is the answer? Hirsch believes there are two basic options: (1) Try to redeem the “rhythms and structures of consumerism.” Or (2) Initiate a thoroughly prophetic challenge to consumerism’s overarching control on our lives. According to Hirsch, “these two alternatives become our missional challenge and are each real live options.”

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2 comments so far
  1. Rustin March 27, 2007 10:48 pm

    Challenging, indeed. This chapter revealed to me my own hopes of some kind of redeemed consumerism - a la C. S. Lewis talking about holding out for a holiday at sea rather than settling for mud pies (or something like that), in other words a better or more persistent consumerism is what is needed.

    Yet, if Hirsch is write about the need for some kind of persecution or hostile environment for the activation of the missional church, then we need look no further than our ugly consumerism to find our Caesar. I find his argument compelling - that we can consume our way into discipleship.

  2. Brian Mayfield March 29, 2007 9:07 am

    Looking at the church from the inside, I see 2 things that stimulate this problem to an even greater level.

    First, it seems the western church is obsessed with being able to formally count & track everyone it “impacts” - how many people were here in bible study this Sunday, how many baptisms did we have this year, and so on. Those things are bad in and of themselves, but when they start motivating & driving us they are devastating.

    Also, I think that most Christians are just way too impatient to submit to Christ’s idea of making disciples; that one life at a time is totally worth it. We want to simply invite someone, let them hear a message and HOPE that they respond rather than investing, praying and loving them.