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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The church is challenged to change by this excellent book, July 7, 1998
The church is dead, and in the last throes of dying. It can die, or it can choose to die in order to be resurrected. Mega-churches, seeker-friendly churches, even cell churches can often simply be a new mask on an old way of doing things. This book calls the church to die, and to make a new start - with new methods, new structures, and a new dynamic impact on (post)modern culture. This book was a highlight of my reading year! Written by the researchers at Percept International, who do reserach on American culture and its relation to the church, and also consult to many churches and Christian organisations, it is a perceptive and challenging book. It's stated purpose is that it is "intended to provoke". Basically, they take and apply the Generational theory proposed by Howe and Strauss, and beginning with the Builder generation (born 1901-1924), work through Silent (born 1925-1942) to Boomer (born 1943-1960) and Gen X, which they call Survivors (nice title, actually - born 1961-1981). Although they alude to the Millennials, they never really deal with the implications of the next generation. They also talk about the philosophical change from Modernism to Postmodernism. Although done at a basic (and practical/pragmatic) level, the few chapters on this shift are excellent, and a valuable resource in themselves when trying to explain to older folk what the impact of this change is. The book focusses on the year 2000, and what the church will look like and what it needs to do to survive and make ready for the coming Crisis Era (anticipated by many different theorists to begin between 2015 and 2025). Their essential thesis is that the existing church, as it has functioned since the Protestant Reformation is dead. It can no longer work, and just like at the Reformation, when not only theology, but also structure changed, so now, too, we need a structural change to recognise the philosophical changes in (post)modern culture. They state firmly that the church is dying! It cannot be s! aved. Now we have a choice: we can die, and be dead. Or we can choose to die, with the hope and plan of resurrection. This is the path to choose. They work towards the final few chapters, which give details as to how they see the church emerging, and what needs to be changed. It is perceptive stuff, and must be taken seriously. A nice touch was the letters to the different generations which were given in the chpater on what the church must do to change. I also liked their ability to transcend (and name) their Boomer bias. They are Boomers, but they understand what must be done. If more Boomers can begin to give this leadership, we'll be fine. So, this is a great book. An uncomfortable one, maybe. But one that is right on the money. It must be taken seriously. For us X'ers, it is an exciting book - one full of promise for the resurrection of a dead church which we so eagerly desire. The great thing is, that we will be the generation to accomplish this. Like the Reformation era - we will be long remembered if we get it right. Pray God that we do.
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