Attractional and Incarnational Church Planting Defined

Defining Attractional

Alan Hirsch: “It’s not that you shouldn’t be attractive — all Christianity ought to be attractive. Instead it’s about a missionary stance towards culture.”

Neil Cole: “We live in a capitalistic culture with a consumeristic church… the idea is that the church and the people of God are sent into the world to bring the message of God.” Attractional is “trying to draw people to the church ministry by trying to impress people that Christians are strong.”

Sally Morgenthaler: “Is it image-based?”

Neil Cole: “The approach is symptomatic. We’re driven and led more by our definition of church — a event which takes place on Sunday morning…the whole premise [of attractional approach] is built on a faulty understanding of church.”

Darrin Patrick: “You see things as buildings and technology as things in culture which can be used, and that people like to come and corporately worship, both Christian and non-Christians…and that those who have gifts of teaching, that God can use those in large groups. You see that in church history….[What is incarnational?] Christians live out the gospel in their context. Just as Jesus tabernacled among us.”

Greg Hawkins: “If you’re just trying to attract to get big, that’s nasty — that’s weird to me.”

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