LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
JOHN W. RAWLINGS SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Footnote and Bibliography Format Paper
Submitted to Dr. Jacob Harris
In fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
the Doctor of Ministry Degree
Department of Christian Leadership and Church Ministries
by
W. Greg Hyche
Date
July 7, 2021
Contents
Introduction....................................................................................................................................1
Dissertation or Thesis 1 on “Attractional Church”---------------------------------------------------3
Dissertation or Thesis 2 on “Attractional Church”__________________________________3
Dissertation or Thesis 1 on “Missional Church”------------------------------------------------------3
Dissertation or Thesis 2 on “Missional Church”____________________________________3
Academic Journal Article 1 Related to Topic.............................................................................4
Academic Journal Article 2 Related to Topic.............................................................................4
Academic Journal Article 3 Related to Topic.............................................................................4
Academic Journal Article 4 Related to Topic.............................................................................4
Academic Journal Article 5 Related to Topic.............................................................................4
Book 1 Related to Topic................................................................................................................5
Book 2 Related to Topic................................................................................................................6
Book 3 Related to Topic................................................................................................................6
Book 4 Related to Topic................................................................................................................7
Book 5 Related to Topic................................................................................................................7
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Scholarly Commentary on Acts....................................................................................................8
Scholarly Commentary on Ephesians..........................................................................................9
Scholarly Commentary on 1 Timothy------------------------------------------------------------------10
Conclusion....................................................................................................................................11
Bibliography.................................................................................................................................12
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1
Introduction
In Acts chapter two we read of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Jesus told His
early followers to wait for the power of the Holy Spirit to come upon them. Since the day Jesus
commanded the church to go and make disciples of nations, the Christian church has debated
how to take the gospel to the people of the world. The purpose of this paper is to analysis,
compare and contrast two models that seek to evangelize the lost and fold them into becoming
more faithful followers of Christ. The two models that are studied are the Missional approach to
church ministry supported by Jerod Wilson and the Attractional/ Seeker Friendly approach as
supported by Andy Stanely. Andy Stanely and Jared Wilson are both pastors each practicing
their respective models and are well written regarding the missional approach and the attractional
seeker friendly approach. I will additionally provide a biblical response to both approaches to
church ministry and give my reasons for why I believe one model to be more biblical than the
other.
As stated earlier, Andy Stanely in his book entitled Deep & Wide: Creating Churches
Unchurched People Love to Attend argues for the attractional approach to church ministry.
Stanley writes, “We are unapologetically attractional. In our search for common ground with
unchurched people, we have discovered that, like us, they are consumers. So, we leverage their
consumer instincts.”1 Stanley clearly has a view of the church that can be considered different
than the mainline traditional congregation. Stanley’s view of the church is a body of people
seeking a product not a gathering of redeemed people. The bible is clear what the church is and
is not. I return to Acts chapter two where the Holy Spirit comes upon the followers of Jesus not
seeker friendly people. Scripture writes, “they were all with one accord in one place.” (NKJV)
1 Andy Stanley, Deep and Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend (Grand Rapids, MI:
Zondervan, 2016), 14.
2
The word “they” refers to the followers of Jesus from Acts chapter 1 who had obeyed the
commands of Jesus to go and “wait” for the coming of The Holy Spirit. On the other hand,
Wilson gives his view of the church, “What the Bible seems to express is that unbelievers in the
service are best served not by having their taste catered to but by witnessing the gathered church
exalting God in the receiving of Christ-centered teaching, the singing of God-centered songs, and
the observing of the sacraments.”2 The divide between the attractional church and the traditional
church is truly deep and wide. The real question in the discussion between the
missional/traditional approach and the attractional/seeker friendly approach is one of practice as
well as philosophy. The attractional church seeks to create an environment that brings very little
attention to “Church People” verses the missional/traditional church that seeks to direct
Christians to the glory of God’s presence. Although Wilson recognizes the need to be mindful of
the lost in the congregation, it should not diminish the corporate worship of God in exchange for
the comforts of the unredeemed.
In examining scripture as to an answer for the discussion on missional verses attractional
churches both men claim proof text as their Biblical support. Stanley writes, “When you read the
Gospels, it’s hard to overlook the fact that Jesus attracted large crowds everywhere he went. He
was constantly playing to the consumer instincts of His crowds,”3 It is hard to imagine that Jesus
is looking to play on the instincts of people but rather to simply show love through healing and
ministering. Jesus did not come to earth to give us what we wanted but rather what we needed
which was grace, love, and forgiveness. Paul in his epistle in Romans 5:8, “but God commanded
His love towards us, that while we were still yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (NKJV)
Dissertation or Thesis 1 on “Attractional Church”
2 Jared C. Wilson, The Prodigal Church: a Gentle Manifesto against the Status Quo (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2015),
62.
3 Stanley,16.
3
Joseph Sliger, “Attractional Church: The Impact of the inner Life of A Local Church on
Corporate Mission In North America” PhD diss, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary,
Wake Forest, North Carolina, 2017.
Dissertation or Thesis 2 on “Attractional Church”
Mark Yarger “Leading the Transition From A Traditional Attraction Based Ministry Model To A
Missional Model of Ministry” DMin diss., Winebrenner Theological Seminary, Findley, Ohio.
2013
4Dissertation or Thesis 1 on “Missional Church” ”
Stephen G. Hilby “Becoming a Missional church In An Attractional World: A Strategy For
Reaching Unchurched People Through The South Tracy Community Church” DMIN diss.,
Anderson University, Anderson, Indiana. 2009.
5Dissertation or Thesis 2 on “Missional Church”
Todd Engstrom “Missional Community As a Model For Integrated Discipleship In An American
Context” PhD diss., The Southern Baptist
Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky. 2014.
6 Edgar, Scott D., “Renovation of the Church: What happens when a seeker church discovers
spiritual formation,” Vol 10, iss 1 (Spring 2013):233-238.
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4
Academic Journal Article 1 Related to Topic
7Ward, Angie, “Deep and Wide: Creating churches unchurched people love to attend” Christian
Education Journal; Glen Ellyn Vol 10 Iss. 2 (Fall 2013): 493-496.
Academic Journal Article 2 Related to Topic
8McMullin, Steve, “The Secularization of Sunday: Real or Perceived Competition for Churches”
Review of Religious Research; Dordrecht “Vol. 55, Iss. 1, (Mar 2013): 43-55
Academic Journal Article 3 Related to Topic
9Baron, Eugene; “The recovery of the prophetic voice of the church: The adoption of a
‘missional church’ imagination” Verbum et Ecclesia; Pretoria Vol. 39, Iss. 1, (2018).
Academic Journal Article 4 Related to Topic
10Richardson, Rick. “Emerging Missional Movements: An Overview and Assessment of Some
Implications for Mission (S)” International Bulletin of Missionary Research; New Haven
Vol. 37, Iss.3 (Jul 2013): 131-136.
Academic Journal Article 5 Related to Topic
11Espinoza, Benjamin D. “The Shaping of things to come: Innovation and mission for the 21st
century church.” 2nd. Christian Education Journal; Glen Ellyn Vol. 10, Iss. 2, (Fall 2013):
464-467.
The subject of outreach strategies and ministry models lead many church leaders to write
extensively about church growth. I include the topic of church growth because at the core of the
missional model and the attractional model is church growth or evangelistic growth. Wilson and
Stanley both desire to grow the Kingdom of Christ; however, the debate falls within what is the
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most faithful way of accomplishing The Great Commission. The church growth movement
began in the early 1970’s as more and more “hippies” came to know Jesus during the “Jesus
Freak” revivals. The newly converted baby boomers sought to bring their styles of worship and
music into the church. In my view, the seeds of the attractional model of church worship and
outreach began in the early days of the church growth movement of the 1970”s.
Book 1 Related to Topic
12Wagner, C. Peter. Your Church Can Grow, rev.ed. Ventura, CA: Regal, 1984.
As we have studied, Jared Willson and Andy Stanley are not the first two men to write
about church growth and worship style within the local church. One of the earliest proponents of
attractional and missional outreach for church growth was C. Peter Wagner (1930-2016).
Wagner was considered, the father of the modern church growth movement. Wagner wrote
extensively about church growth and ministry. In many ways his approach reflected a balance
between the missional/attractional approach with a strong emphasis on discipleship and small
groups as an approach to reaching the lost. A more modern proponent to reaching the lost in a
missional way is Gary McIntosh.
Book 2 Related to Topic
13McIntosh, Gary L. Biblical Church Growth: How You Can Work With God To Build A
Faithful Church, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2003.
Gary McIntosh in his book Biblical Church Growth: How You Can Work With God To
Build A Faithful Church, cites two men who had similar disagreements over missional verses
attractional churches. Charles Colson viewed the church in much the same way as Andy Stanley,
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“Church growth has become the hottest business in the religious world today. If ‘the customer is
king,’ then the church has to react as any organization does to consumer demand, which means
finding the right marketing strategy.”14 Conversely Jim Cymbala declares in Fresh Wind, Fresh
Fire, “Instead of trying to bring men and women to Christ in the biblical way, we are consumed
with the unbiblical concept of ‘church growth.’”15 Colson clearly viewed the church like Stanley
as consumers whose needs must be meet in order to reach the lost. On the other hand, Cymbala
suggested the intentional approach to church growth robbed the church of the work of The Holy
Spirit in bringing the lost to Christ. The views of two highly recognizable evangelical leaders
who disagree on how to spread the gospel and grow churches demonstrate the deep divide over
church ministry methods.
Book 3 Related to Topic
16Keller, Timothy. Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City.
Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012.
Timothy Keller in his book Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry
in Your City appears to support a missional/traditional approach to worship and ministry. Keller
suggest that “the gospel is good news not good advice.”17 In Keller’s view the preaching and
teaching of the gospel is the most important aspect of the mission of the church. Although,
Stanely and Wilson agree in the centrality of preaching, it is the urgent, and attractional model
14 McIntosh, Gary L. Biblical Church Growth: How You Can Work With God To Build A Faithful Church, Grand Rapids,
MI: Baker, 2003.17.
15 Cymbala, Jim, Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997),124.
16
17 Center Church:Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City. Grand Rapids, MI. Zondervan, 2012
7
that places the appearance of the building, the type of music and the continent of the message as
critical in bringing people to Christ.
Book 4 Related to Topic
18Lingenfelter, Sherwood G. Ministering Cross-Culturally: An Incarnational Model
For Personal Relationships. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1986.
Book 5 Related to Topic
19Malphurs, Aubrey and Penfold, Gordon. Re:Vision: The Key To transforming Your Church.
Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2003.
Scholarly Commentary on Acts
20Bruce, F.F. Acts. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids,
MI: Eerdmans, 1977.
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To make sense of the two approaches to ministry it is also important to consider wise
theologians regarding Stanley’s attractional/seeker friendly model and Wilson’s
missional/traditional model. As stated earlier, the book of Acts gives us a perfect picture of the
origins of the church. If we want to know how to do church it helps to learn how God established
the church in the beginning and how it engaged in ministry. Dr. F.F. Bruce in his commentary
entitled Acts writes this regarding the churches early worship in Acts 4:32-35.
”the Spirit-filled community exhibited a remarkable unanimity, which expressed itself
even in the attitude to private property. Each member regarded his private estate as being
at the community’s disposal….The richer members thus made provision for the poorer,
and for ta time no one had any room to complain of hunger or want.”21
Bruce considers the early church to be a community of genuine believers not a large
gathering of seekers to the faith. Acts chapter four reflects a church that is sharing with each
believer as they have need. The church of Acts is a closed group of like faith and practice not one
of on lookers. The early Christians were a gathering of redeem people in Christ who were sold
out for Jesus.
Scholarly Commentary on Ephesians
22Anders, Max. Ephesians. Holman New Testament Commentary. Nashville, TN: Holman, 1999.
The church in Ephesus as written to by the Apostle Paul gives us additional insight into
the early church’s ministry. Dr. Max Anders in his work entitled Ephesians reflects on how the
21Bruce, F.F. Acts. The New International Commentary on the New Testament Grand Rapids, MI:Eerdmans, 1977.
22
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church or the Christian enjoys a spiritual union with Christ that no one else does. As gentiles we
have been grafted into salvation through Christ. The Jews had circumcision as a source of
identity, but gentiles were outside the community of faith. Because of Christ and His death on
the cross and by our faith in Him we have a new identity. According to Anders, Paul writes to
the church to teach them regarding there new identity and union in Christ. Anders writes, “God
wants peace to be both horizontal and vertical. That is, he wants Jews and Gentiles to be at peace
with one another.”23 The book of Ephesians encourages the church to be unified and of one
accord in the ministry. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians was one of encouragement, gentile rebuke
and love. Paul does not view the body of believers as seeker friendly non-believers outside the
faith but rather people who have a new identity. Paul’s letter was to the gathered Christians
living in Ephesus not to the masses living throughout the Roman Empire.
Scholarly Commentary on 1 Timothy
24Lea, Thomas, I & II Timothy. 34 vols. The New American Commentary. Edited by
David S. Dockery. Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1992.
The apostle Paul in his writing to Timothy helps us to have additional insight into the
mission and organizational structure of the church. The books of I and II Timothy are pastoral in
23 Anders, Max. Ephesians. Holman New Testament Commentary. Nashville, TN: Holman, 1999.
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nature. The apostle Paul gave to all Christians, but most importantly church leaders, a road map
for how to interrelate to our members and members to one another. In the context of this paper, I
and II Timothy once again reveals to us the biblical model that God desires for His church. As I
read this precious book, I do not read of a church that was to change its doctrine, worship or
practice in order to attract members. On the contrary, we are admonished to maintain doctrinal
soundness and to not give in to those seeking to have their ears tickled with motivational
speeches. Dr. Thomas Lea highlights that Christians were living in a pagan environment.
Christian standards of conduct were critical. Lea writes regarding chapter 3:3-8, “Paul then
described the degenerate condition of the pagan society in which Christians had to Live.” Lea
emphasis that Paul was encouraging believers to turn away from all the passions and pleasures of
the past and to Love God with a pure heart. Careful reading of I Timothy will tell you that the
last thing Paul would have wanted is unrepentant and perverted people leading and serving
within the church.
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Conclusion
As a pastor and student of the Bible I have enjoyed reading both books. I have also
enjoyed writing about them. I only wish that I would have had the time to finish all the writing.
However, I have learned and written enough about the two books to take a position on the more
faithful Biblical model. I agree with Wilson’s position regarding a missional position of worship
and ministry practice. After careful study of both possessions, I do not believe that Stanley’s
attractional approach has the biblical backing to support itself. However, Wilson’s missional
model makes a better biblical case. I do not believe Stanley’s views of the church are biblical.
The church is not Walmart. We are not animals hungry for dinner, or a 16-year-old begging for a
new car. The church is the body and bride of Christ. I like what Wilson writes regarding the
unbeliever in the congregation, “The worship service must be conducted with the unbeliever in
mind, but it doesn’t need to be conducted with the unbeliever in focus.”25 As Christian leaders
we must be careful that we do not swing to far to the left or the right. On one side we could be
tempted to overlook the non-believer in the congregation and then on the other side make the
entire ministry more focused on programs that worship. My prayer is that I will lead a church
that is chasing the glory of God with every gathering and is passionate for the lost in our
community. Unto that end may we be found faithful.
25 Wilson,63.
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Bibliography
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Nashville, TN: Broadman and Holman, 1999.
Bruce, F.F. Acts. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI:
Eerdmans, 1977.
Bruce, F.F. Ephesians. 6 vols. The New International Commentary on the New Testament.
Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1984.
Carson, D.A., Moo, Douglas, Morris J. Leon. An Introduction The New Testament. Grand
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Carter, Charles W. and Earle, Ralph. The Acts of the Apostles. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan,
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Criswell, W.A. Acts: An Exposition. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1979.
Dudley, Carl S. Community Ministry: New Challenges, Proven Steps to Faith-Based Initiatives.
Bethesda, MD: The Alban Institute, 2002.
Jennings, Timothy. The God-Shaped Brain: How Changing Your View of God Transforms Your
Life, Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. 2013
Keller, Timothy, Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City.
Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012.
Larson, Knute. I & II Timothy. 9 vols. The New American Commentary. Edited by Max Anders.
Nashville, TN: 2000.
Lea, Thomas. I & 11 Timothy. 34 vols. The New American Commentary. Edited by David S.
Dockery. Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1992.
Lingenfelter, Sherwood G. Ministering Cross-Culturally: An Incarnational Model for Personal
Relationships. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1986.
Malphurs, Aubrey and Penfold, Gordon. Re:Vision: The Key To Transforming Your Church.
Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2014.
McIntosh, Gary L. Biblical Church Growth: How You Can Work With God To Build A Faithful
Church. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2003.
Polhill, John B. Acts 26 vols. The New American Commentary. Edited by David S. Dockery.
Nashville, TN: B & H Publishing, 1992.
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Schreiner, Thomas R. Handbook on Acts and Paul’s Letters. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker
Publishing, 2019.
Schreiner, Thomas R. Paul Apostle of God’s Glory in Christ: A Pauline Theology. Grand Rapids,
MI: InterVarsity Press. 2001.
Stanley, Andy. Visioneering: Discovering and Maintaining Personal Vision. New York, NY:
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Tozer, A.W. Tozer Speaks. Camp Hill, PN: Wing Spread Publishers. 1994.
Wilson, Jarod. The Prodigal Church: A Gentle Manifesto Against the Status Quo. Wheaton, IL:
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Wilkins, Rob with Lewis, Robert J. The Church of Irresistible Influence, Grand Rapids, MI:
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