All Articles For A Critique of Modern Church-Growth Evangelism

Rev. Terpstra is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of South Holland, Illinois. II. ITS MESSAGE When one examines the message of the modern church growth movement, he soon finds some disturbing things. While they claim that they do not undermine or alter and compromise the gospel message, the fact is that in the interests of reaching the masses and enticing them to believe and join the church they do undermine and alter and compromise the gospel message. This is evident from those who advance “power evangelism” through signs and wonders. Apart now from the error of believing the continued...

Rev. Terpstra is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of South Holland, Illinois. III. Its Methods Our criticism of the modern church growth movement also goes behind the message to get at its methodology. As there are serious errors in its proclamation, so there are serious errors in its programs. The “new” evangelism places all the emphasis on using the right methods and means to make the church grow. The reason why the church has not been able to reach the lost and get them into the church, church growth experts tell us, is that she has not used the...