Seeker Sensitive Church What Is It Using the

Seeker Sensitive Church

What Is It? • Using the weekend services to reach the unchurched through high quality music, media, and sermons referencing popular culture and other familiar/cultural themes. Churches believe this approach will attract people searching for answers, bring them into a relationship with Christ, and then capitalize on their contagious fervor to evangelize others.

Biblical Support • The apostle Paul said, "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity" (Col 4: 5). He also said, "I have become all things to all people. . . for the sake of the gospel" (1 Cor. 9: 22 -23).

Key Assumptions • Non-Christians think traditional church is boring. • Church has to speak the language of the culture in order for people to receive the Gospel. • Non-Christians need to be evangelized in church. • “Unchurched people have dropped out of church or stayed away because of traditional liturgy and music. ”

Nation-Wide Examples • • Willow Creek Community Church Saddleback Church Life. Church. tv Newspring Church Granger Community Church Fellowship Church North Point Community Church

Local Examples • • Rolling Hills Community Church Abundant Life Church Living Hope Church East Hill Church

Video: Examples of Seeker Sensitive Music/Worship • http: //www. vimeo. com/6432799

Pros • Presents a biblical message in relevant terms that people understand. • Focus is on reaching people who are outside of the church instead of keeping those inside happy. • Makes a church and a church service a mission. • Takes away some stumbling blocks to religion. • Allows church to be a place for those looking for God.

Cons • “Seeker-sensitive churches may convert God’s message into a form more likely to impress but less likely to save the unbeliever. ” • Promotes a culture of attenders being customers and in turn a consumeristic church. • Focus is on the unbeliever instead of God. • Method always has some effect on the message. • The main assumptions could be wrong.

Typical Church Service • Opener/Prelude: Contemporary (possibly secular) song focused on the day’s topic. • 2/3 song worship set of familiar/contemporary songs • Announcements (offering collected or no offering is taken, collected online/office) • Video or Drama focused on the day’s topic. • Sermon/Message. 20 to 30 minutes. • End with a song and possibly an altar call. – Short service, focused around the topic of the day.

What Has Changed? • Internet Campuses • Worship Music Popularity • “Hybrid Churches” that are evangelistic, but not necessarily seeker sensitive. • The big name “seeker sensitive” churches have changed their Sunday service model and focus.

Closing Thoughts • Controversial but really shouldn’t be. • No one uses the phrase “seeker sensitive” anymore. • In some ways every church is seeker sensitive, some churches just aren’t very sensitive to seekers.