Most churches are filled with self-appointed consultants who feel that it is incumbent upon them to share their findings with the senior pastor. One "consultant" will say that the need is for the church to return to core traditional values, reflected in worship styles incorporating hymns/Southern Gospel . Another "consultant" will say that the need is to respond the external environment and offer a program that appeals to the community, thus the need is to employ more contemporary models--praise and worship or contemporary Christian music. Two people, two perspectives, both probably shaped by personal biases, that is, personal preference.
The underlying question is whether the church is an open system or a closed system. If it is a closed system that is designed only to respond to internal environmental conditions, then it may be possible to have a happy but dying church. On the other hand, an open system that responds to external needs and conditions may produce discomfort among members, but result in growth.
Reflecting upon the ministry of Jesus, it seems He intended to birth a church that was responsive to the external environment without sacrificing foundational truths. The existing first century religious establishment was a closed system and that was part of the problem. Few of the religious elites who were ensconced in the existing system were willing to look through new eyes. The apostle Paul is an exception, and he had to be blinded before he could see.
Dr. Dutta Roy says that it is impossible for a person who is in the system to be a diagnostician of the system he or she is in. In others words, neither members nor leaders will be effective at diagnosing the needs of their own organization. He argues that accurate diagnostics of the organization must come from an outside, objective, source. This is true both at the local and the organizational level.
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