This is the third part of a lengthy article by Michael Spencer, expressing what he believed is coming for evangelicalism. For the first two parts, see the previous two posts; and for the article in its entirety, see http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/the-original-coming-evangelical-collapse-posts). I have underscored parts to catch the main points for the sake of those who may want to skim-read this:
"What will be left after the evangelical collapse?
a.
An evangelicalism far from its historical and doctrinal core. Expect
evangelicalism as a whole to look more and more like the pragmatic,
therapeutic, church growth oriented megachurches that have defined success. The
determination to follow in the methodological steps of numerically successful
churches will be greater than ever. The result will be, in the main, a
departure from doctrine to more and more emphasis on relevance, motivation and
personal success….with the result being churches further compromised and
weakened in their ability to pass on the faith.
b.
An evangelicalized Catholicism and Orthodoxy. Two of the beneficiaries of the
coming evangelical collapse will be the Roman Catholic and Orthodox communions.
Evangelicals have been steadily entering these churches in recent decades and
that trend will continue, with more media and publishing efforts aimed at the
“conversion” of evangelicals to the Catholic and Orthodox ways of being
Christian.
c.
A small portion of evangelicalism will continue down the path of theological re-construction
and recovery. Whether they be post-evangelicals working for a reinvigoration of
evangelicalism along the lines of historic “Mere Christianity,” or
theologically assertive young reformed pastors looking toward a second
reformation, a small, but active and vocal portion of evangelicalism will work
hard to rescue the evangelical movement from its demise by way of theological
renewal.
This
is an attractive, innovative and tireless community with outstanding media,
publishing and leadership development. Nonetheless, I believe the coming
evangelical collapse will not result in a second reformation, though it may
result in benefits for many churches and the beginnings of new churches.
d.
I believe the emerging church will largely vanish from the evangelical
landscape, becoming part of the small segment of progressive mainline
Protestants that remain true to the liberal vision. I expect to continue
hearing emerging leaders, seeing emerging conferences and receiving emerging
books. I don’t believe this movement, however, is going to have much influence
at all within future evangelicalism.
e.
Aggressively evangelistic fundamentalist churches will begin to disappear; they
will exist only as a dying form of church. The Southern Baptist Convention will
experience dramatic losses in the numbers of churches in the next 25 years. By
2050, the SBC will have half the number of churches it has today. The SBC will become “exhibit A” for the problems
of evangelicalism, with fragmentation appearing everywhere and a loss of
coherence on many fronts.
f.
Charismatic-Pentecostal Christianity will become the majority report in
evangelicalism. Within that community, the battle for the future of
evangelicalism will be fought by those who must decide whether their tradition
will sink into the quicksand of heresy, relativism and confusion, or whether
Charismatic-Pentecostalism can experience a reformation and renewal around
Biblical authority, responsible leadership and a re-emergence of orthodoxy..
The
stakes in Charismatic-Pentecostal Christianity are very high. It has become a
worldwide missions phenomenon, and it has become a community carrying the most
virulent and destructive heresies and errors in evangelicalism. The next 15-25
years will be crucial for this community. I am hopeful, but not optimistic. I
see and hear little from this community’s younger leadership that indicates
there is anything close to a real recognition of the problems they face.
g.
A hope for all of evangelicalism is a “rescue mission” from the world Christian
community. If all of evangelicalism could see the kind of renewal that has
happened in conservative Anglicanism through the Anglican Mission in America
and other mission efforts, much good would be done. It is time for missionaries
to come to America from Asia and Africa. Will they come? Will they be able to
bring to our culture a more vital form of Christianity? I do not know, but I
hope and pray that such an effort happens and succeeds.
At
present, most of evangelicalism is not prepared to accept pastors and
leadership from outside our culture. Yet there can be little doubt that within
our western culture there is very little evidence of an evangelicalism that can
diagnose and repair itself.
h. A vast number of parachurch ministries are going to become far less influential, and many will vanish. The same will likely be true from everything from Christian media to publishing. This will throw what remains of evangelicalism back on the local church, and that moves us to my last post, a consideration of whether this collapse is a good or bad thing.
i.
I believe that the missionary sending agencies of evangelicalism will survive
the coming collapse, but will be greatly weakened by significant decreases in
the giving base. It is time for mission strategies among evangelicals to
change, and it is long past time for westerners to use their resources to
strengthen work within a nation and not to just send Americans to the mission
fields."
Next: "Is All of this a Good or Bad Thing?"
Next: "Is All of this a Good or Bad Thing?"
