THE VANISHING EVANGELICAL

I recently completed Calvin Miller's book, THE VANISHING EVANGELICAL.  Miller died before the book was published and it was his last salvo directed at a  church he grieved as being in its death throes.

The book is not light reading.  Miller seems a lot caustic in his criticism of the mega church movement and what he calls the emergence of "jumbotron".  He is not unfairly judgmental, but his wide-sweeping condemnation is painful when applied to many popular televangelists and authors who have "contributed" to the current evangelical movement.

Miller suggests that the mega church movement has been caught up in the corporate lifestyle and philosophy of "doing business" and though its goal of reaching more with the gospel may be valid, the "stripped down" version contrived to make the gospel more marketable has diminished the evangelical movement and its potential for impact on our culture.

Enough said...it's a good read and a call to us as individuals to think about what God has called us to individually as believers and collectively, as His body--the church.  

Here's how I was affected by what I read...

1.  I attend a church of about 1000-1200 pastored by my stepson.  The church is growing and getting ready to move to three services.  How can they (we) guard against the temptation to accommodate a growing number by re-shaping the message?  Fortunately, I can attest to the rigid determined stance of my pastor against the "dumbing down" of the gospel.

2.  I am a retired pastor and I am continually asking God what my role is in this season of my life.  I am an evangelical--and I am committed to affirming the essential elements of the gospel creed while at the same time looking for opportunities to share it with others.  I am looking right now for someone to disciple.

Read the book.  Don't be discouraged.  Resist the temptation to be absorbed by our culture and another unwitting member of the vanishing evangelical crowd.