The goal of every activity in the Church should be to increase faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and to share His gospel message throughout the world. Local celebrations of culture and history may be appropriate. Larger productions, such as pageants, are discouraged. As it relates to existing pageants, conversations with local Church and community leaders are underway to appropriately end, modify or continue these productions.

-from here, by way of T. Greer.

There is a lot of wiggle room in that statement.

Still,taken together with all the other changes we’ve just made, it reminds me of Jefferson’s belief that you needed to upheave your government every 20 years or so. His belief is a subset of a larger set of beliefs that institutions get clogged up and need a major overhaul and recommitment every few years.

Institutions rarely get that needed upheaval except under outside pressure. Businesses during a recession, for instance.

Our convert numbers aren’t looking great, our youth retention numbers aren’t looking great, our birth rates aren’t looking great, but none of them are dire.  Almost every other church is doing much worse and keeps toddling along doing the same old same old.  At most paying a few consultants for a new logo or something.  Where is our leadership getting their urgency?

Are our leaders preternaturally gifted?  Or do they know what is coming?  Both possibilities are in play.