Post by philiprosenthal on Apr 28, 2006 15:59:13 GMT
What do you think are the possible future scenarios for EveryNation? What would we like to see in the best case? What might happen in the worst case? What can we learn from the history such as that of Maranatha?
There are three issues I see relevant for the future:
* What will happen to the denomination?
* What will happen to the individual churches?
* What will happen to the people and especially leaders who have been a part of it?
Possible scenarios I would see are:
A. Substantial 'repentance and reform' for historic sins and reform of the governance of the organisation leading to a renewal of Gods blessing.
B. 'Wandering in the wilderness' for 40 years. i.e. the organisation just stumbles from one crisis to another until a new generation grows up who will obey God.
C. 'Maranatha repeats', where the denomination disbands or fragments. With different churches joining other denominations or regrouping somehow. Risk that the new regrouping may have the same problems.
D. Shrinkage: where exposure of problems leads to shrinkage of the denomination - as individuals and healthy churches leave.
E. Cultification: The personality cultists and elitists of the ministry win. Good people leave as they are persecuted or disillusioned and the denomination leaves mainstream evangelical christianity. True evangelical churches disassociate with the denomination. (This has happened to other denominations before).
F. Denomination split. Personality cultists and elitists form split apart from evangelical christians and EveryNation becomes two denominations - one healthy - one sick.
* Which of the above are realistic probabilities?
* How can we influence the situation towards the future we want?
Then the future of the individuals:
* Will some hurt by the movement wander in a spiritual wilderness forever without wanting to trust another church? Can they be helped?
* Will some leaders in His People/EveryNation start up new organisations which repeat the same mistakes of Maranatha/His People/EveryNation - or will they learn from the mistakes? Can we help them?
Please let me know your ideas.
There are three issues I see relevant for the future:
* What will happen to the denomination?
* What will happen to the individual churches?
* What will happen to the people and especially leaders who have been a part of it?
Possible scenarios I would see are:
A. Substantial 'repentance and reform' for historic sins and reform of the governance of the organisation leading to a renewal of Gods blessing.
B. 'Wandering in the wilderness' for 40 years. i.e. the organisation just stumbles from one crisis to another until a new generation grows up who will obey God.
C. 'Maranatha repeats', where the denomination disbands or fragments. With different churches joining other denominations or regrouping somehow. Risk that the new regrouping may have the same problems.
D. Shrinkage: where exposure of problems leads to shrinkage of the denomination - as individuals and healthy churches leave.
E. Cultification: The personality cultists and elitists of the ministry win. Good people leave as they are persecuted or disillusioned and the denomination leaves mainstream evangelical christianity. True evangelical churches disassociate with the denomination. (This has happened to other denominations before).
F. Denomination split. Personality cultists and elitists form split apart from evangelical christians and EveryNation becomes two denominations - one healthy - one sick.
* Which of the above are realistic probabilities?
* How can we influence the situation towards the future we want?
Then the future of the individuals:
* Will some hurt by the movement wander in a spiritual wilderness forever without wanting to trust another church? Can they be helped?
* Will some leaders in His People/EveryNation start up new organisations which repeat the same mistakes of Maranatha/His People/EveryNation - or will they learn from the mistakes? Can we help them?
Please let me know your ideas.