Status Quo

Written by Nate Flynn | Apr 19, 2023 4:36:32 PM

Dear Leader,

Recently I have encountered other leaders who are lamenting the same thing I've come up against; That it is incredibly challenging to change the status quo.

Before I go further, let me assure you that I don't think everything that is happening in churches today needs to change. Even in unhealthy churches, there are likely good practices. There are traditions in our faith that are foundational.

Status quo simply refers to how things currently exist. However, in the church, the mindset that often exists is "This is the way we've always done it." We get stuck in our ways, whether or not they are actually producing good fruit.

And it is these fruitless endeavors that we persist in which at times can be so challenging to change. Why is that?

Are we afraid to change? Maybe we get comfortable in "our ways." Sometimes we fail to reflect honestly on the way things are. At other times, the idea of changing just feels too overwhelming.

If we want to be part of a dynamic church filled with passionate men and women who live and love like Christ, then we must be willing to challenge the status quo. If we desire for our people to grow in their faith, then we must lead with vision that moves beyond stagnant programs and systems which inhibit growth.

Change is part of the Christian life, and we don't have to fear change. With the power of the Holy Spirit and the right plan, we can create thriving churches that are making true disciples.

Your brother in Christ,

Nate Flynn

Area Director

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LONG-TERM, LOW PRESSURE

It is my mission to help churches create discipleship pathways for every man in the church. I make no qualms about this, and I am persistent in my endeavors. I want desperately to see the results of churches fully implementing a plan to make disciples and change men, marriages, families, workplaces, and communities.

With that said, I know that discipleship takes a long time. I know that building a sustainable ministry to men that is making disciples takes even longer. I know that not everyone is ready to change. And, I know that God's timing is not our timing.

So, when it comes to helping YOU and YOUR church grow, I am in it for the long haul. Through thick and thin and ups and downs, I will be committed. While I am not "no pressure," because it requires a challenge to grow, I strive to move at a pace that is healthy for you.

Wherever you are, I want to meet you there.

YOUR ACTION STEP:

Reflect honestly on your status quo

The current state of affairs in America that is affecting the church and our ability to reach men is one of gaps. At Mirror Labs, the research and development arm of Man in the Mirror, we have identified three such gaps.

There is the cultural gap, wherein the U.S. has fallen from one of the most diverse and free places for faith to become the 12th LEAST religious country in the world. For the first time, Christianity seems to be viewed negatively in our country and Christian moral views increasingly come into conflict with secular moral order.¹Because of this, our typical practices of inviting men to an event or a traditional Bible study may frequently prove unsuccessful.

Then there is the fatherhood gap. In the 2021 U.S. Census Bureau, it was found that 1 in 4 children live without a biological, step, or adoptive father in the home.² Furthermore, some fathers who were physically present weren't emotionally present. This lack of present fathers is likely a factor that often undermines the appeal of traditional men's ministry efforts in the lives of young men.

Finally, we have a discipleship gap. At Man in the Mirror, we have long pointed to the fact that only 1 in 10 men in the church have a Biblical worldview. Furthermore, we find today that only 28% of Christians say they are engaged in any type of discipleship, and as many as 40% do nothing to grow spiritually outside of Sunday worship.³

When asked their opinion of a simple statement - "My faith in Jesus impacts the way I live my life every day" - 65% of those in a discipleship community agreed, while only 26% of those who aren't engaged in discipleship agreed.⁴

Without discipleship relationships, the faith of our people is weaker, thinner, and more prone to fail when tested.

If the church is not making disciples, what have we been doing with the billions of dollars that we spend annually? We are now bearing the full brunt of our failure to make disciples.

There are still plenty of biblical churches in the U.S., led by leaders whose faith and passion are genuine. They are committed to good things, such as evangelism, missions, outreach, and solid preaching.

Yet, we must each take an honest look at ourselves and evaluate whether our current systems and strategies are effectively reaching people and making disciples.

Through the help of a coach, practical training, prayer, and the right resource, here’s how one church in Alabama went from a patchwork approach for men’s discipleship to a ministry plan with a purpose. And how God us using it to lift the church as a whole.

Continue Reading →

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If you have events or resources you would like to share with our network, please contact me to have them added to our SoIN Touch page.

1 Inglehart, "religions Sudden Decline," 1 (As cited in "A Guidebook For Spiritual Fathers (Beta Version)", 2)

2 U.S. Census Bureau. (2021). Living arrangements of children under 18 years old: 1960 to present. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Census Bureau (As cited in "A Guidebook for Spiritual Fathers (Beta Version)", 3)

3 https://www.barna.com/research/christians-discipleship-community/ (Accessed 7/1/22) (As cited in "A Guidebook for Spiritual Fathers (Beta Version)", 5)

4 Ibid. (As cited in "A Guidebook for Spiritual Fathers (Beta Version)", 6)

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