Another challenge Schuller struggled with, said Martí, was “he did not really know how to minister to people who did not have a Christian background. He really leveraged people who already were tithing.”
When asked how pastors can address the pressure to overly focus on growth, Martí said, “What we need to do is we need to remind people of what the church can be for the people who are right there with you right now. And we also need to be willing to do things that are uncomfortable and may actually not keep people.”
Martí gave the example of addressing racial justice, saying that many churches are “allergic to this kind of conversation, and yet the church may be one of the core institutions in our society that can help people to deal with issues of prejudice and discrimination.” He said, “If growth becomes the only criterion, then it begins to shape the ministry in particular ways. I think a lot of pastors also feel like they have to put themselves online, and they have to find a way to appeal to people who are thousands of miles away.”
Martí sees a connection between this pressure and Robert H. Schuller’s “desire to expand the scope of his charisma” while neglecting “the needs of the local church.” Said Martí, “‘What is your ecclesiology?’ is part of the question that all of us have to re-ask in our ministries.”
