Is church growth more important than principle?
Adventist pastor blogs are buzzing with the New York Times story Disowning Conservative Politics, Evangelical Pastor Rattles Flock.
The Minnesota pastor, Greg Boyd preached a series of sermons calling his congregation to reject the dangerous confluence of faith, patriotism, and war. The results?
As Oregon Adventist Pastor points out:
- His church lost 1,000 of its 5,000 members (mainly white, middle-class professionals).
- He had to lay off seven of its fifty staff members.
- His church’s drive to raise $7 million stalled out at $4 million.
But he adds, “Then again, his church has picked up members from the Black, Hispanic, and Hmong communities.”
Probably alarming his ministerial director, Hollywood pastor Ryan Bell proclaims: “Greg Boyd is my hero!“
The guru of creative ministry, Monte Sahlin flags the article as well, noting that pastor Boyd is known for his bible-based preaching.
What do you think?
Could an Adventist pastor survive a politically nuanced stand like this?