Gibbs, Eddie. ChurchMorph: How Megatrends are Reshaping Christian Communities. Baker Academic, 2009. ISBN: 978-0-8010-3762-7.
Meet the Author
Eddie Gibbs is Director of the Institute for the Study of Emerging Churches at the Brehm Center for Worship, Theology and the Arts. He is partially retired from Fuller Theological Seminary where he retains the position of Senior Professor of Church Growth. In his twenty-five years at Fuller, Gibbs has also occupied the Robert Munger Chair of Evangelism and the Donald A. McGavran Chair of Church Growth. An expert in church growth and renewal, he has authored 13 books including ChurchMorph (2009), LeadershipNext: Changing Leaders in a Changing Culture (2005), Emerging Churches: Creating Christian Community in Postmodern Cultures (2005) with co-author Ryan Bolger.
Book Basics
Ministry is necessarily contextual. ChurchMorph: How Megatrends are Reshaping Christian Communities seeks to empower present day church leaders to be more effective at engaging in contextual ministry in a “post-Christendom and pluralist environment” in which the church is “no longer in a privileged position” (p. 18). The church must respond to five megatrends: the transition (1) from modernity to postmodernity, (2) from the industrial to the information age, (3) from Christendom to post-Christendom contexts, (4) from production initiatives to consumer awareness, and (5) from religious identity to spiritual exploration (p.19-29).
Gibbs indicates that many are slow to respond to these changes and effectively illustrates how mainline denominations and their hierarchical structures are not well suited for growth in the current context and are especially prone to be ineffective in church planting/birthing. Misisonal and emergent groups are the two most recognized groups that seek to continually form/reform in ways that address the megatrends.
The remainder of the book focuses on the many attempts to respond, which Gibb’s places into six categories: fresh expressions, megachurches, urban engagement, new monasticism, church networks, and alt.worship. The numerous examples of each of these diverse attempts create a text that helps readers envision moving from theory to action. The practical counsel that contextual ministry success is never achieved merely by copying the ministry of another faith community is both stated and evident in the variety of the illustrations chosen.
So What?
“A ‘congregation’ represents not just a weekly gathering that people are a part of, but a community in which each person actively belongs, receives support, and is encouraged to make their own distinctive contribution. It consists not of passive consumers, but of creative participants. It is structured not just for attracting a congregation, but also for sending and dispersing people on a mission” (p. 54).
How does your congregation look in comparison to the picture given in the above quote?
How does your congregation respond in ways that are contextually appropriate to its setting and that incorporate the five megatrends?
What is your congregation doing to reach de-churched, un-churched and all who are outside of the life of faith and the reach of any Christian community?