The Vanishing Church: Searching for Significance in the 21st Century by Bob Pearle: A Review by Peter Lumpkins

Finishing up a quick-read of the book entitled unChristian by authors, David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons, their working assumption is revealed by this tacit admission:

"Using the lens of the careful scientific research we conducted, I invite you to see what Christianity looks like from the outside.  In fact, the title of this book, unchristian, reflects outsiders' most common reaction to the faith:  they think Christians no longer represent what Jesus had in mind, that Christianity in our society is not what it was meant to be...After thousands of interviews and countless hours studying non-Christians, I believe outsiders would want this book titled unchristian."

Though he was not speaking directly to this work, Dr. Bob Pearle, in his latest book, The Vanishing Church: Searching for Significance in the 21st Century, very well could have.  He writes: 

"This method sounds appealing to get more people into churches, but it is fatally flawed.  Who is setting the agenda for the church?  Who is dictating the format for worship?  None other than the lost and unchurched are!  This scheme may build a crowd, but it does not build a church" (p.23). 

Dr. Pearle is pastor of Birchman Baptist Church in Ft Worth, Texas and his latest book is published by Hannibal Books in Garland, Texas.

The Vanishing Church is a much needed antidote to the poisoned ecclesiology so often found flowing through the contaminated bloodstream of trendy new ways in doing church.  The unwritten subtext beneath the seductive statistics cited as evidence that the church needs to change, lies the old pollster principle for church growth--market-driven ministry.  Is not Kinnaman and Lyons' conclusion indicative of Barna's failed attempts beginning in the 80's to remake the church in the image of secular-culture? 

Never mind the Lord promised the gates of hell are just not equipped to prevail against the Lord's church, if today's church is to survive, our pollster-preachers insist, we must listen to the godless, the unchurched, the unregenerate...what the Apostle called somewhere, the "natural man." Indeed since the natural man constitutes the customer base for the church's future, we must give the customer what they want. 

Hence, the church must go through the fires of a holistic overhaul, a massive PR campaign, a seductive face-lift to please the insatiable postmodern quest for the "real," the "geniune," the "authentic Jesus community" with which they are so wonderfully in love.

Barna et al may be good pollsters, accurate pollsters, needed pollsters.  But pollsters do not make prophets.  The natural man put the church's Lord to death.  And, now the skewed logic from pollsters is, to hand to the same lynching mob the fate of the Lord's church? Did not Jesus mention something like, if they hate Me, they'll hate you too?

Enter Bob Pearle's metaphor, the vanishing church.  In his book, Dr. Pearle takes us on a sightseeing journey, examining the terrain upon which Christ built his church.  On the first journey --Section One: Looking Inward --he starts with today, examining where we are, painfully watching the church slowly disappear.  Pearle wonders if we, like the sons of Issachar, understand the times we're living in (chapter 1), and the subtle deceptions seducing the church (chapter 2). 

Among those deceptions include intellectualism with it's committed side-kick, pragmatism (pp.19-23); included also are connectionalism (p.24)and mysticism (p.27).  Pastor Pearle concluding,

"When beliefs are not right worship will not be right...  The errors that are infiltrating the churches, perverting sound doctrine, sapping the church of her spiritual health and robbing Christ of his Glory are rooted in bankrupt philosophy. The answer is..." (p.30). 

Dr. Pearle's answer is chapter three (pp. 31-38). And, his answer is worth the price, I assure.

On the second journey the pastor leads us backward 2000 years or so (Section Two) beginning with chapter four entitled "The Church of the Living God" (pp.41-49).  Contrasting the identity crisis within which today's church finds itself wallowing, Dr. Pearle offers a simple yet profound exposition of the New Testament ekklesia, arguing "Misunderstanding the New Testament concept of the church diminishes the importance of the local church to the individual believer" (p.46).  Consequently, personal accountability vanishes while spiritual growth stymies.  Should we, then, be surprised if the church Jesus built fades further and further into the background of relevancy for postmodern purposes?

Pastor Pearle continues to look back at the biblical joists supporting the church structure Jesus designed.  While many today raise questions concerning the legitimacy of church membership, Dr. Pearle argues convincingly membership necessity (chapter five, pp.50-57), the membership of which undeniably begins with biblical baptism (chapter six, pp.57-66).  He expounds the biblical purpose given to the New Testament church (chapter seven, pp.67-78) with rigor, asking "Could the problem of declining churches be occurring because churches desire more to conform to culture than to be counter-cultural?" (p.68).  After dismissing the well-marketed "church growth networks," Pearle explains the singular purpose for which the church of Jesus Christ exists (pp.69-75).

Section Three: Looking Forward is the final journey on which the pastor leads (chapters nine through 12).  As in section one,  Dr. Pearle begins with our cultural terrain, arguing that the contemporary scene is much like Paul's experience on Mars Hill: "The philosophy of Epicurus sounds much like what is being espoused in all American contemporary society..." (p.83).  Furthermore, he writes,

"The contemporary Christian movement with its variegated streams is entertaining its followers with various amusements.  The pop culture has invaded the church to amuse worshippers with music videos, mines, dramas, concerts, and a whole host of created worship styles.  All are designed to entertain the attendees" (p.84). 

Hedonism may have found rich soil within contemporary Christianity, it seems.

While modern ministry pooh-poohs preaching as an outdated means of communicating ancient truth (chapter nine, pp.88-96), modern Evangelicalism's obsession with doctrinal tolerance may be at its most visible form in The Evangelical Theological Society's schizophrenic utopia:  "The theology of open theism is flatly rejected as unbiblical, yet the proponents of the unbiblical theology are not censured" (p.93).

In chapter 10, Standing Fast, Dr. Pearle begins leading us on the necessary journey home, where we are anchored to the immovable Rock, Jesus Christ.  As we've seen above, dedication to doctrinal stability is slowly disappearing, and as doctrine disappears so does the New Testament church: "The stability of the churches is determined by their adherence to the faith once for all given to the saints...Doctrine does matter..." (p.101).

Make no mistake: Dr. Pearle's remedy earns him bruises from today's fashion crowd, trendy marketers ever looking for new ways to make the church "cool." And, it's statements like these which justify the bruise: 

"What seems fashionable today is for Baptists to remake themselves to be more palatable to postmodern people...  In this frenzy to find themselves, many have lost their way altogether....  The antidote for Baptists to not travel the same path of Evangelicalism is to remain true to their doctrinal distinctives.  Celebrate them and adhere to them, or the same fate of Evangelicalism will be ours" (pp.113-115). 

Hence, we have an obligation to be counter-culture Christians (chapter 11) even in the face of a changing culture (chapter 12 ).  Yet, "The answer is not "blowing in the wind," but is bound within the Word of God.  It involves going back to the basics of our faith to recover the authority of God's Word over every area of life" (p.131). 

Perhaps you're an older pastor, struggling to envision a future for the congregation over which God has placed you in ministry.  Or, maybe you're a younger pastor flirting with new measures by which to grow the congregation, including both relaxing doctrinal truth and remaking the ministry into the image culture expects, Dr. Pearle's book needs a fair hearing.

Many thanks to Bob Pearle for leading us on a readable yet nonetheless challenging journey to discover significance in the 21st century for God's church.

With that, I am...
Peter                                                      

Comments

[Chris Poe]

Sounds like an interesting book. I'll have to add it to my massive wish list.

[volfan007]

Man, it sounds like Bob Pearle is slamming the nail on top of the head with this book. It sounds great. Thanks for sharing this with us, Peter.

BTW, if you wouldnt have been scared of the rain, and had driven up to NE Georgia last week, not only would I have bought your supper, but you would've met Bob Pearle. He was at the inauguration at Truett-McConnell College, and he sat right in front of Tim Rogers and me. How can Baptists be scared of rain?

:)

David

[selahV]

Peter, I will have to purchase this one. You had me with "the answer is..." What a hook! This man is speaking my language. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus...as Dr. Chiles use to tell Bob; "Give them Jesus." No greater name. No greater Promoter. No finer Gospel, than the Lord Himself. selahV

Volfie--there ya go, dropping names of all the famous folks you're getting to know. Peter hasn't seen me and my hubby in nearly 9 years, I guess. And he passed up an opportunity to come here for homemade apple cobbler when he was in Dallas. He's just not into eatin' these days. He's been getting drunk on the Spirit. :) selahV

[Steve]

This is an excellent book! One of the best and most succint that I have read in a long time. Each chapter deserves to be read and reread, and explained to each congregation.
Very very excellent!
Steve

[Tim Rogers]

Brother Peter,

Volfan has already expressed my words to you. I cannot believe that a Baptist would allow a little rain to keep you from being among friends and family of the faith. Shoot, I even saw Dr. Frank Cox. I know he doesn't live far from you. He is a true Baptist while you must have come out of the Methodist. :)

Seriously, you have done a great job in this review. I know that Dr. Pearle took much heat on chapter 2 where he didn't mince words about the multi-campus site phenon that is taking place today.

Blessings,
Tim

[peter lumpkins]

Chris,

It really is a very well written book, and a formidable, biblical balance to the untested, and in many ways, wrong-headed approach of some of the newer ecclesial books...

David & Tim,

Now, now. You knew I was a closest Methodist when you befriended me. And, know the real reason I chose not to attend was David's refusal to buy me supper.

SelahV,

It really is a great read, SelahV. From what I know of your pastor, he'd benefit as well. He and Dr. Pearle appear to have much in common...

Grosey,

I'm glad you got the book. And, such a great encouragement to Dr. Pearle, I know--to make the book a study piece for small groups!

Grace, all. With that, I am...

Peter