The Seeker Church

I have come to the point where I just have to say something. I’ve reached my tipping point. Enough already with the “seeker church” stuff! It seems as though every time I turn around the term is thrown out labeling one church or another, mine included. I am not sure where it started and for whatever reason it is something that has really starting becoming popular to label churches doing church differently than the traditional method, a “seeker church”.

It has got me thinking though. What does the bible have to say about what a church should look like and how should it reach people? What did Christ model? What was the New Testament church like and what should a church look like today?

Shouldn’t the church be a place that draws people to it, not push people away? Christ came and removed the darkness of sin from our lives and gave us the light of eternal life through salvation. If we hold up our end of the deal, the unsaved and un-churched should look at us and the church and see this light and be drawn to it just as those who followed Christ were drawn to Him. I have to believe that it is the way God intended it. I contest that all churches should be seeker churches. Sinners should be drawn to the gift of light that God has given to each of us that are Christians.

I know that one thing I have heard is that these “scary seeker churches” are more worried about “felt needs” than proclaiming the gospel. The fact is simple, very simple. People are lost and going to hell, what are we and the church doing about it. Where are we putting our focus? Are we spending eight weeks series on the historicity of a book of the Bible and the direct translation verse by verse from the Hebrew? Don’t get me wrong there is a time and a place and it is important to learn, study and disciple. But we are in the business of reaching people, and to the unsaved the literal translation of the Hebrew word hell or baptism doesn’t quite throw out the life ring to the lost, drowning and going to hell.

I have to ask myself, what did Christ model when reaching people? When he met the Samaritan women at the well did he grab his Bible (King James of courseJ) and wave it all around and yell and stomp around and call her out for being a whore how she was going to burn in hell! Did he ask her what the Greek word for “help” or “repent” was? Did he say you tell me a word, and I will show you how the root of the word comes from the Greek? (Just kidding, Big Fat Greek Wedding reference) No, He met her where she was, in her sin, and started from there. Not approving nor condoning her past, her lifestyle, or sin in any way, but met her where she was in life and extended His gift. Am I really to believe that we and our churches should be structured and led any differently? The truth is that they are being led differently. Many churches are only reaching the “already convinced”, and if you don’t meet their mold or criteria you are not welcome and there is no effort to reach people with open arms where they are.

I think this “seeker church” stuff started because of change. Mark had a great post about change and the conflict that comes from it. I think the resistance to creativity and change in the church relative to the changes in culture is the root of this labeling of the seeker church. The change and movement away from the traditional church. The change in how to “do” church, in how to reach people, in how churches are structured and led, and how worship is done. It has nothing to do with watered down teaching or anything of the sort, but just change, and people don’t like it. If you are doing what you have always done, then you will be where you have always been. My opinion is that the way it has been done sucks and I get frustrated when thinking about how many more people might have been reached if church leaders were more open to change and creativity and creating environments to reach people.

A healthy church should be a place with cocaine snorting, skirt chasing, hell raising non-believers and seekers (Ed reference), as well as new and mature Christians. We should see growth in all of these areas all of the time if we are to remain a healthy church. Non-believers becoming new Christians, and new Christians becoming mature believers, and so is the healthy life-cycle of the church. To move people through this cycle there must be discipleship and teaching, which is a big part of maturing.

I believe that all churches should be a “seeker church.” We are the light to share the awesome gift of salvation. Hopefully, we never forget the great commission! For those who are “Mature Christians” and believe that seeker churches are shallow I challenge you to look within yourselves and your church and question are we being successful? Are we reaching people with the way we are doing things? Do we need to change?