Formal Church Fails Most Learning Styles

If you’re interested in reaching people with the gospel, you should be interested in people’s learning styles. I encourage you to investigate the subject in order to more effectively reach people. There are plenty of books and internet resources available on the extensive research that has been done.

My own discoveries led me to take more seriously those who were calling for a return to simple/home church. I would like to summarize what I found. It helped me better understand why having a formal church mindset, even if meeting in a home, does not motivate most believers; and why many evangelistic methods do not motivate most nonbelievers.

1. Learning Preferences
   • A. 70% of the population learns best through participation in a group discussion.
   • B. 30% of the population learns best through lecture, reading, or one-on-one conversation.
2. Learning Preferences
   • A. 70% of the population learns best by beginning with practical applications, hands-on experience, and step-by-step instruction. (The Good Story, Full Stewardship)
   • B. 30% of the population learns best by beginning with the big picture, background theory, meanings, and implications. (Transformation, Spiritual Warfare)

Those who prefer both 1A and 2A make up 49% of the population. Informal small groups are ideal for them. Those who prefer both 1B and 2B make up 9% of the population. Formal church could work for them, but they tend to be independent thinkers and are less likely to let a religious bureaucracy do their thinking for them.

Learning preferences do not limit the ability to learn in other ways. In fact, utilizing multiple methods greatly increases learning. The range of cognition and retention actually achieved depends upon the nature and tone of involvement and commitment. Compare traditional classroom learning with participative learning in adult instructional retention:

• Lecture: 5%
• Reading: 10%
• Audio/Visual: 20%
• Demonstration: 30%
• Discussion Group: 50%
• Learn By Doing: 75%
• Teaching Others: 90%

The New Testament describes highly relational home churches where each one has a psalm, a teaching, or an exhortation – Discussion Group. Mature saints help newer saints develop their gifts and be successful stewards – Learn By Doing. Intentional evangelism is done by saints who build the body in unity – Teaching Others.

Organized religion fails in just about every respect! Is it any wonder that multitudes of people who believe in Jesus do not regularly attend formal church – Lectures? In response, many religious bureaucrats are now using entertainment to attract followers. Is it any wonder that Biblical illiteracy and its accompanying problems are rampant?

Unfortunately, many who rightly reject organized religion end up far from Jesus because they have been deceived about Christianity. Anyone can recognize that organized religion is in business for the benefit of the hypocrites running it. Jesus said so in Matthew 23. Read it and repent if He’s speaking of you!

Having recognized the benefits of small groups, many religious bureaucrats are now using them to expand their customer base. Simple/home churches are the ideal meeting environment and it is beneficial for autonomous churches to freely cooperate with each other, but there is no need to submit to a costly religious bureaucracy or those who exalt themselves. Submit to the word of God!

Jesus said, “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’” (Matt 7:22-23)

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New Testament Christianity v. Organized Religion

Western civilization has been largely influenced by organized religion posing as Christianity. Biblical illiteracy runs rampant. Unhealthy and often violent problems plague our culture, including: widespread corruption, dishonesty, drug and alcohol abuse, sex abuse, bankruptcy and welfare dependency, and the ethical/moral/family decline. In the U.S.A., so-called Christians have a higher divorce rate than unbelievers!

Jesus told the religious establishment, “You travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.” (Matt 23:15)

Is it any wonder that missionaries who arrogantly try to impose western traditions on foreign cultures make little progress; or that anti-Christian influences find it increasingly easy to incite hostile attitudes towards anything associated with Christianity?

Historically, the most ambitious religious establishment usually ends up working with the most ambitious political establishment to keep each other in power. If Jesus was interested in running a world empire, He would have accepted Satan’s offer in Matthew chapter four, verses eight and nine.

Instead, Jesus started a spiritual revolution to set people free from the manipulations of men (read the Sermon on the Mount [Mat 5-7] from a Pharisee’s perspective). The nice religious folks didn’t appreciate Jesus upsetting their program, so they got Him crucified. The revolution raged on, but within a few centuries Christianity had been hijacked by power-hungry hypocrites, just as had happened to Judaism before it.

Make The Paradigm Shift

Like any business, organized religion operates primarily for the benefit of those who run it. The clergy, generically speaking, solicit the laity, their customers, to patronize regularly. It is not in the best interest of a business to teach its customers how to function without them. They teach their customers to always depend on them, which is why we see so much perpetual spiritual immaturity.

God didn’t design His church to be a top-down, earth-bound organization that operates the way modern corporations and denominations do. Jesus said, “Where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” (Matt 18:20) Don’t submit to those who strive to control people with their manmade traditions. Take responsibility for your own spiritual growth!

From a spiritual warfare perspective (and every other perspective), God is a genius! Infiltrating and corrupting small groups that are scattered throughout communities all over the world is incomparably more difficult for the enemy to accomplish than doing the same thing to large organizations run by a few at the top.

The headquarters of the church is in heaven, and the completed word of God contains all of the information that anyone needs to know to be saved and to save others. Let’s enlighten, empower, equip, and liberate people from organized religion!

If you continue to do what you’ve always done, you’ll continue to get what you’ve always got!

Neither popular contemporary traditions nor older religious inventions of men are producing the type of self-sacrificing saints that took the gospel all over the first century world. Religious bureaucracy unnecessarily complicates the mission and only benefits the religious establishment.

We have now compared every issue on the following list. We have not advocated keeping some perfect pattern as a way to earn our way to heaven. We have discussed dropping extra-Biblical baggage in order to be more effective and enjoy God’s best.

As stated in the introduction, many traditions aren’t necessarily absolutely wrong, but it shouldn’t surprise you that in every case, simply following the Biblical pattern has more advantages without all of the unintended negative consequences.

Paul’s admonition to the Corinthians about becoming all things to all men and doing all things for the sake of the gospel (1 Cor 9:19-23) is more flexible, economical, and far simpler than trying to duplicate manmade systems.

Interestingly, many of the problems in the church at Corinth (worldly wisdom, fleshly immaturity, arrogance, immorality, idolatry, cowardice, disobedience to the word of God, false teachers, etc.) parallel many of the problems we’ve discussed. Try reading 1 Corinthians from this perspective.

Many congregations tinker with various issues, trying to make improvements. But it seems there are two mindsets which have the effect of a gravitational pull: church buildings and clergy/laity. These seem to keep people locked into the organized religion paradigm and prevent tinkering from having any long-term success.

I believe that a full scale spiritual revolution is needed to break the gravitational pull and be set free from the competition and guilt that drives organized religion. Though not very glamorous in the eyes of men, and often more dangerous and demanding, New Testament Christianity is the way.

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time. (1 Peter 5:6)

Today, billions of souls around the world need to hear the gospel and once again a remnant of faithful believers are rising to the occasion. Let’s zealously imitate the first century church and pray that God will raise up laborers to send into a harvest that is potentially greater than ever before!

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Devoted to God’s word v. Devoted to men’s word

Is it just me, or do people seem more willing to follow men’s word than God’s word? We all learn from each other, but what should we focus on and promote: the inventions of men or the precepts of God? Shouldn’t we be more like the Bereans?:

Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. (Acts 17:11)

Do you suppose the misguided multitudes think it’s just easier to let others do their thinking for them? I believe this is the sad but true reason that organized religion survives, in spite of the fact that:

We are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming. (Eph 4:14)

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. (Isa 40:8)

What imaginations of men are the multitudes falling for this year? Who’s doctrine gets bestseller status this month? Why not be content to simply follow the word of God, rather than the latest craze esteemed by men, or even their longstanding traditions? Alas, some things never change:

Some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” And He answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? … This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me. But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men. (Matt 15:1-9)

There are two types of people in the world: those who want to follow men, and those who want to follow God. Jesus was up against the same thing we are today, and Samuel was up against the same thing over a thousand years earlier:

Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah; and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.” But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord.

The Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day – in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods – so they are doing to you also.” (1 Sam 8:4-8)

No King But King Jesus!

Unlike men, God cannot be fooled by hypocrites, bribed, lobbied, blackmailed, pressured by public opinion polls, or otherwise manipulated. So throughout all history, the majority have usually chosen to follow men, while only a minority have chosen to follow God. Jesus told us about these two types of people:

Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves… Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. (Matt 7:13-21)

Many follow the false prophets, while only a few do “the will of My Father who is in heaven.” There is no higher calling than being devoted to God’s word and letting it govern your daily life. Jesus and Paul both help us understand why most people still chose alternative lifestyles:

This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God. (John 3:19-21)

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. (2 Tim 4:3-4)

And Some Claim The Bible Is A Myth?!

It never ceases to amaze me that people believe every unsubstantiated myth ever imagined, but those same people refuse to believe the truth about the love God demonstrated and the glories He has prepared for us. There is more evidence validating the reliability of the word of God than any one man can fully investigate in his lifetime!

Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar. (Prov 30:5-6)

In spite of reality, the multitudes crazily follow men and persecute those who follow God. Mentally prepare yourself for dangerous trials. Think of them as opportunities to take a brave, lonely stand like Noah (2 Peter 2:5), Elijah (1 Kings 19:10), Jesus (Matt 26:31), Stephen (Acts 7:60), Paul (2 Tim 4:16), and many others. It is faithfulness in the most difficult circumstances that has the biggest impact!

The following exhortation is not just a cute little Sunday school lesson for kids. Your personal loyalty to the marching orders of The King determines your personal outcome in this fight:

Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Eph 6:11-17)

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Collections as needed v. Collections regardless of needs

The Law of Moses required Israelites to give tithes (tithe means 10%) to the priests and Levites so they could be devoted to serving at the tabernacle and still support their families. Hebrews chapter seven tells us that before the Law, Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek, who was a priest of the Most High God.

Though the standard down through the ages has been ten percent, the New Testament doesn’t make such a requirement. Remember the principle of faith versus law. Law says you have to meet certain requirements. Faith says we want to love because He first loved us. Jesus gave it all to pay the price to save our soul, so each one of us always tries to give more, do more, be more, and love more.

Acts 2:41-47 and 4:32-37 tells about the first Christians’ lives being so dramatically impacted by salvation through Jesus that they regarded the cares of this world as irrelevant. Many took the initiative to sell their property and possessions because of a need they could fulfill with the proceeds.

They didn’t demonstrate such self-sacrificing love because they were required to do so. On the other hand, such foolishness in the eyes of the world was not discouraged, either. Also, they wouldn’t have been able to meet from house to house, as it says they did, if all of them had sold all of their property. Different gifts are given to each saint.

Let’s follow the first Christians’ example and neither require nor discourage, but rather inspire by demonstrating self-sacrificing, genuine love. Let’s not ask how much we have to give, but rather how much did Jesus give and how much can I give. Let’s be alert to needs and take the initiative to help to whatever degree we are able.

To discern legitimate needs, keep in mind the admonitions of 1 Timothy 6:8, “If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content;” and 2 Thessalonians 3:10, “If anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.”

Collection For Needy Saints

Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. (1 Cor 16:1-2)

I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also. (2 Cor 8:8)

He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed… He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. (2 Cor 9:6-10)

See also Romans 15:24-27 and 1 Corinthians 9:3-13. Chapters eight and nine of 2 Corinthians are instructions to the saints at Corinth about a collection Paul was requesting to help needy saints at Jerusalem who were experiencing great hardships because of their unrepentant countrymen.

All creation belongs to the Lord, so He certainly doesn’t need your money. He providentially channels resources through generous saints, not stingy ones. As needs presented themselves, first century saints gave to the needy, especially to those who were of the household of the faith (Gal 6:6-10), and especially to those devoted to spreading the gospel.

So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel. (1 Cor 9:14)

Paul was devoted to spreading the gospel and he commended the Philippian (4:10-19) saints for sending “a gift more than once for my needs.” Every Christian is a priest, so any ‘man of God’ devoted to spreading the gospel can be supported by fellow saints.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I find no New Testament obligation for Christians to systematically ‘give to the church’ as organized religion typically teaches. They usually have a lot of unscriptural overhead expenses and they often use not-so-subtle pressure techniques like passing around a collection plate to keep themselves in business. Again, there’s no New Testament precedence for this.

Cut out all of the unneeded, expensive traditions of men, and saints could finance the spread of the gospel like never before! Today, there are more people alive than ever before who have never heard the gospel. Stop investing in real estate and theology degrees and start investing in souls by supplying the needs of those devoted to spreading the gospel!

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matt 6:19-21)

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