1. Tunnel Vision.
- potential ministry to those things that can be seen. It is faith/trust in the visible, human resources a church has on hand rather than in the promises of God.
- the sin of unbelief in Christ’s presence with and the Spirit’s power in us as the church.
2. Group Superiority.
- Many ingrown churches become egocentric out of fear of extinction, and wind up focusing on one aspect of their church culture that makes them unique.
- This allows them to feel good about themselves while finding fault with other churches in the area who do not measure up.
- ecclesiastic introversion allows us to feel good about where we are (stagnant, atrophying).
3. Extreme Sensitivity to Criticism.
- encourages a church to avoid issues it needs to address.
4. Niceness in Tone.
- Safe and comfortable, as opposed to walking in lock-step with Jesus as he leads his people into the world.
5. Christian Soap Opera.
- gossip
6. Confused Leadership Roles.
- church leaders do not function as “pace-setting” examples, but as “sweet, but saltless” friends.
- The pastor is expected to do all the work in the church without challenging or equipping members to participate in the mission of God themselves.
7. Misdirected Purpose.
- “survival - not with growth through the conversion of the lost.”
- The survival mentality robs the church of optimism (hope), and consumes her time with inward activity.
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