The Church Needs a New Model: The Present One Is Too Weak

By Dennis C. Olson

While believers cry out for spiritual growth, Christianity is notably sliding in the direction of superficiality and confusion. Church leaders have a responsibility to meet that need. Jesus would call it making disciples. We need to have a plan that will work for the whole church. This book purposes to be such a plan.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Feb 16, 2012
• ISBN: 9781449738525

Dennis C. Olson

Dr. Dennis C. Olson is a retired senior pastor. He holds a BA from Biola University and an MA and PhD from the California Graduate School of Theology. His expository preaching and ministerial experience has led to a possible solution of our Lord’s great commission, “Go make disciples.”

Book preview

The Church Needs

A New Model

The Present One Is Too Weak

Dennis C. Olson

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Copyright © 2012 Dennis C. Olson

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Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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ISBN: 978-1-4497-3850-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-3852-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012901213

WestBow Press rev. date: 04/15/2013

Contents

Preface

PART ONE

Chapter 1      Have We Lost Something?

Chapter 2      Is There A Biblical Directive?

Chapter 3      Why A Better Method?

Chapter 4      What Might A Better Method Accomplish?

Chapter 5      What Goals Are Necessary For A Better Model?

Chapter 6      Do Not Quench The Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19)

Chapter 7      Seven Challenges To The Small Or Large Church

PART TWO

Comments On The Outline

Discipleship Syllabus

The Apostles Creed

Ten Commandments

Bibliography

Preface

Legend has it that in the early days of the railroad, train robbers would put their ears to the tracks to hear an oncoming train, as sound supposedly traveled through the tracks. Having been in pastoral ministry for many years, I have made many trips to the tracks, so to speak, to listen for what may be coming. Through magazine articles, books, and conversations with other Christians, I have determined as fully as possible what lies in the future for Christ’s church based on the direction we are heading. In this book, I share my concerns.

This work is dedicated to all Christians who understand the value of a well-supported faith.

I wish to thank the many faithful authors of Bible commentaries, systematic theologies, and church history, who have blessed me over the years and, in turn, hopefully you as well, the student of the Word of God.

Although it would be impossible to recall the vast volumes of information borrowed from other writers, I have included a sampling in the bibliography. Along with the thoughts of others, I have offered ideas of my own. It is my prayer that God will richly bless both.

Part One

CHAPTER 1

Have We Lost Something?

The cheetah is the fastest animal alive, clocked at some seventy miles per hour. You’re never going to outrun that cat. A cheetah has a rather unusual habit. When she gets hungry, she finds a herd of animals in her food chain and makes a selection with keen eyes. Disregarding all the others, the cheetah concentrates on just that one. When ready, she takes off after her choice, passing many she could have easily gotten to first. Hunting is a sure thing with the cheetah because she stays focused. She never takes her eyes off the target until she makes the kill.

I don’t know about you, but when I look at Christ’s church anywhere and almost everywhere I go, I see that we have lost something. I believe that something is focus. The church used to be focused on sin as the problem and Christ—the written and living Word—as the only solution. There are certainly churches today that honor this, but it seems more and more churches have lost this primary purpose. From medium-sized churches on down, it’s a major struggle to keep attendance strong and consistent. In larger churches, while they have more people, how many are knowledgeable about their faith?

The church has failed in the area of discipleship. Jesus commanded that we make disciples, but we don’t know how to accomplish that. Many have tried various methods, but basically none have worked well. Perhaps a handful of dedicated Christians understand our biblical directive, but the Lord commanded the entire church to be discipled.

We can no longer experiment with discipleship. These days are too critical and demand focus on how to correctly obey Christ’s commission. In case you haven’t noticed, our enemies increase while our popularity decreases. The time has come for Christians to circle the wagons and prepare for serious Christian discipleship.

Let me share a brief scenario of how we got into this mess.

Liberalism began to pick up followers about the end of the nineteenth century. Between the new discoveries in science and so-called biblical criticism, the Christian worldview was rocked to its foundations. Man pointed to science for explanation of our beginning and development. Literary scholarship challenged the validity of scriptural inspiration. Copernicus, Sir Isaac Newton, Hegel, and Darwin left their fingerprints on the foundations of the Christian faith.

Also coming out of the nineteenth century, a group of Christians became known as fundamentalists. While they were a bit legalistic, they held to scriptural inerrancy like bulldogs. Thank