all the more reason to call the church nothing more than a glorified social club?

I really don't like this idea of affinity churches. Under the guise of like-mindedness, it disenfranchises and disconnects people who would otherwise be assimilated. The body of Christ (the Church) is not supposed to be classified and categorized by our externality, but blended and bonded with our eyes on eternity. While I am all for interest groups and connecting our similarities, that happens by nature of who we are as humans. We don't need the church to further codify our cozy living.

What this should do is rattle our cage a bit...we have a problem:

"...after being told he couldn't wear his biker outfit in a traditional church..."

I almost chuckle when I hear things like this. Almost. Isn't it interesting that we are shaming people on our first reaction to initial sin - clothing.

God doesn't care what we wear or what we look like, he created us naked, it is sin that clothed those.

If I walked in to one of these affinity churches, wouldn't I feel the exact way they felt? There is a middle ground, but our personal taste must first be set aside. If a prostitute walked in off the street in her street clothes, looking like a prostitue how many churches would welcome her in and how many would tell her that she wasn't dressed appropriately?

It's just another case of us thinking we're better than everyone else and forgetting where we came from.

I tend to agree with you, Brad, though I still like the basic idea of engaging people based on their interests. But rather than an entire church, or even an entire service, I think these affinity churches would work better as affinity ministries. Why shouldn't a church have a biker club and a golf club along with their single mom's group or business person's group?

I am suprised that churches are still insisting on dress codes in church as if God cares about our nice suits for that one hour a week....this is why people aren't listening to churches anymore.

Let's remember that God said " Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7 (NLT)

"Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: 'I want you to be merciful; I don't want your sacrifices.' For I have come to call sinners, not those who think they are already good enough." Matthew 9:13 (NLT)

These affinity churches are reaching new Christians...something we're commanded to do (Matt. 28).

Great post!

"all the more reason to call the church nothing more than a glorified social club?"

exactly!!

"These affinity churches are reaching new Christians...something we're commanded to do"

what make you think that getting more butts in pews = reaching new christians? who are you kidding? more times than not, the only butts that do the filling in places like these are transplants from other churches.

maybe it's just me but i honestly don't see the connection between "the great commission" and the need to get people to go to "church." i guess it doesn't really matter especially since most christians i know are only interested in what they get out of church and in "being fed."

I wish the article had said if the church that rejected Davis was another Southern Baptist church, because then these "affinity" churches become a convenient way for that denomination to segregate all the people whose appearance or interests differ. "No, you can't wear that here, but we have another church set up for people like you."

I'd also like to know if the church that told him he couldn't dress like that knew that he was a Christian, because the average unsaved person wouldn't then leave and go start a church where they DID fit in. They'd leave and never come back, and if that was their first exposure to Christianity, they probably wouldn't be too anxious to check out other churches.

Kevin, I agree with you that these should probably be ministries, not separate churches. The problem with that, though, is that you still end up with bikers in the pews. And you know we don't want that. We're all a lot more comfortable with whitewashed tombs in power ties and floor-length dresses.

I thought the whole purpose of Christianity was to lose my identity and now these guys are saying to find a church that caters to my identity.

A pastor of a startup cowboy church here.
Sunday morning is the most segregated hour. Or do people just have different tastes. When was the last time you worshipped with Aftican Americans, hard rockers, or, since it is 50% OF THE RADIO MARKET - country music?
No, most Christian music is 18th century or New Age vibes.

We reach people who haven't been to church in Decades!
We don't pass the plate, point out the visitors, ask if you have a bible (newer than the KJV received when you were 8), whether you smoke (many do), drink (most do), have anything other than blue jeans or t-shirts (some don't), have been divoriced (75%) and are embarassed about it in a regular church (most), know the words to songs, feel comfortable raising your hands and swooning about "loving Jesus"...
So much of what we, seasoned Christians, take for granted the unwashed-unreached-unchurched have no interest in.
Our baptismal didn't cost $10k to build, we bought it for $129 down at the farm supply. Unchurched folks see right through stained glass, if you get my point.
Most churches are only going to have a few hundred in them at most, so why not affiinity of a few hundred with a similar lifestyle/subculture.
Only a relatively small percentage people in your community go to church. So why not reach those aren't inside with affinity churches of their own.
Why not within a regular church? If a regular church splits over kids in ballcaps, what about chains, boots, grease on the pews, manure on the carpet, smokers outside the door. Most churches can't make the shift.
Don't think of many as "church", think of it as a "mission".
Church planters often don't want more of the same. They see the fields ready to harvest, dress like fieldworkers, adapt, and go out into the field. They are missionaries, in your community.

Does your church have committees? How many years will it take your committee to decide which affinity group to target? If you don't already know, then my point is proved. Open your eyes, the harvest is ripe. Grain doesn't walk into the bins, the reapers go out!

Who is your favorite singer? Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, George Jones...
Creed, Coldplay, ..
Pantera, Aerosmith...
or Sandi Patty (ahhhhhhhh!)
It is not about social groups in the church...it is about MISSIONS to SUBCULTURES AND CULTURES.

Right on John Meyers! It's about doing mission, even in America now, not doing church. It's a whole different animal (horse?). that should be the end of this discussiun - probably not.