#
Church Growth Movement
Warning
Some of these videos are long though worth a watch
#
Randy Pope
The primary job of church leaders is to equip, train, and coach members to do the ministry of being disciples who make disciples.
People who discipled Randy Pope or he copied their tools and methods.
- Robert Schuller | quoted in Pope's books
- Ken Blanchard | mentioned as having a profound impact on Pope and The Journey
- Norman Vincent Peale | good video on him.
- Dale Carnegie | author of How to Win Friends and Influence People
Common words: Equipping, Multiplying and Kingdom.
Tracing things back one ends up finding these books at the root: How to Win Friends and Influence People & The Power of Positive Thinking.
Dale and Norman really are the OG's credited by a vast array of people. From Charles Manson, every MLM downline, to atleast the election of two Presidents. Its an understatement to say they have and still do have a profound impact both in the 20th century and into the 21st.
C. Peter Wagner, calling himself a Church Growth Specialist, who is a disciple of Charles E. Fuller (Fuller having held revivals with William Brenham) and one of the leaders of the New Apostlic Reformation is quoted saying of Pope.
My friend Randy Pope.
- New Apostolic Reformation Social Transformation name drops Randy Pope.
One reviewer on Amazon noted about Randy Pope's book: The Prevailing Church: An Alternative Approach to Ministry
Prevailing Church, Recently it seems that Rick Warren's "The Purpose Driven Church" has been the number one book on church health. I don't know if this one will replace it, but it certainly should be read alongside of PDC. The two are very complementary.
Randy Pope has this to say about Rick Warren's book, being featured in the book itself.
The Purpose-Driven Church is perhaps the crown jewel of church growth literature. Every pastor and lay man who loves the church will do themselves a favor by reading this masterpiece. The Purpose Driven Church
A reviewer of one of Randy's book commented
In ‘The Answer,’ Randy Pope invites us to discover a greater purpose and more fulfilled life.” Though Christ is mentioned on the website, I could not find a single reference to sin and salvation. Life on Life is just another “feel good” ministry and gospel, which is no gospel at all. - reference
#
Rick Warren
Maybe today the best known disciple of Robert Schuller, who himself is a disciple of Norman Vincent Peale, is Rick Warren. Rick's wife, Kay, said about Robert Schuller’s influence on her husband:
"During his last year in seminary, he (Rick Warren) and Kay (his wife) drove west to visit Robert Schuller's Institute for Church Growth. 'We had a very stony ride out to the conference,' she says, because such nontraditional ministry scared her to death. Schuller, though, won them over. 'He (Schuller) had a profound influence on Rick,' Kay says. 'We were captivated by his positive appeal to nonbelievers. I never looked back.' " Christianity Today, Nov 18, 2002.
- Church Growth Movement - Timeline Movement
- 4truth Minitry - Church-Growth Movement
- Church of Tares - Church Growth Movement
- Kingdom Circles - Crash Course Series
#
Ken Blanchard
Warning
Ken co-authored a book with Norman Vincent Peale: The Power of Ethical Management
Ken is the mentor of Randy Pope credits, having borrowed from Blanchard's self help guru material for The Journey which was originally written for American Business to make leaders that make leaders. Pope changed leader to disciple and the like to give it Christian language.
Some of the primary material Pope used is from The One Minute Manager and SLII: Powering Inspired Business Leaders.
Rick Warren and Ken have toured and taken on speaking engagements together. Ken notably being flagged for New Age Teachings. Ken's family running the Blanchard Company, Ken being the Blanchard Companies Chief Spiritual Officer.
According to Ken's wife she sees Dale Carnegie as a role model for the work she and Ken do. she says of the author of How to Win Friends and Influence People.
His body of work stood for something. It lasted even after he was gone. I think our body of work, hopefully, will stand for something. -Margie Blanchard
#
Robert Schuller
Listen to the first hymn and then the first person Robert Schuller name drops at the first church service at the Crystal Cathedral or better known for its TV Show The Hour of Power.
Ken Blanchard later appears in 1983 on The Hour of Power around the time Randy Pope was taken in by Blanchard (the closet time/date can estimate but could be wrong).
Spoiler Alert
Robert Schuller's name drops Richard DeVos founder of Amway, who see's Amway as the business model to advance their faith and build the Kingdom. Through their tools, methods and tactics to equip and multiply.
#
Kingdom building
I have so much more that pulls them all together. So many nutty and kooky tools, methods and people in the American Gospel, the American Evangelical movement.
Let's close with a talk Billy Graham and Robert Schuller had reflecting on the Kingdom (think Kingdom Circles from above) and how everyone can be in it with or without Christ.
This modern American Evangelical nonsense is wonky as can be. Didn't even get into the vast MLM aspects, the cults people in the church have given their hearts to. Or going back to the 19th century with Charles Fenney and the off the rails Revivalist & Restoration Movements that swept the United States.
If you've given the time to watch and read all this stuff there is now only one article left, which for me these words provide encouragement.
#
Michael Wood
I am a Protestant Presbyterian that leans towards Lutheran, Anglican and Catholic views considering them my brothers and sisters in Christ whom I share much in common.
For me, I desire to be an ordinary Christian who shares his life, his family and all that God has given him in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit that by so doing making known my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, what he has done and how he has had mercy on me.