One thing I hear a lot as a Church Consultant is, “Prove it!”

“You say our church’s methods must change because the culture around us has changed - Prove it!” “You say America is not as ‘church friendly’ as it once was–prove it!” The list goes on, but you get the idea.

Here are just a few of my observations:

1) Last week my wife and I watched the movie Fireproof for the first time on DVD. I liked the message, but what got my attention was the disclaimer before the movie even started. In addition to the normal copyright warnings, there was a viewpoint disclaimer. Something to the effect of, “The viewpoints of the actors and those appearing in the interviews do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of Sony BMG and their partners…”

Viewpoints? When did Christian truth get reduced to a viewpoint? Funny, I don’t ever recall seeing a viewpoint disclaimer on a movie promoting promiscuous relationships and illicit affairs.

2) A woman I interviewed during a consultation - a public school teacher - told me that when the opportunity presented itself to ask her 2nd graders if they had heard the name Jesus, only 10 out of 30 raised their hands. 2 out of 3 did not know.

3) This last Sunday a Kindergarten teacher shared with me that a large part of her class has never been to church - their parents have never been to church - and a growing number of them have grandparents who have never been to church. How does she know this? She did her own unofficial and discrete research. What sparked her interest? She had a group of students ask her one day what a pastor was.

So… Where is the proof? Look around you, if you have the guts. Go ahead, I dare you!