Cooperation among churches and followers of Jesus in the 21st century will look and function much more like a living organism than a large bulky bureaucracy. Loren B. Mead in The Once and Future Church: Reinventing the Congregation for a New Mission Frontier noted how denominations and convention must adapt and change to face the mission frontier and realities. He writes:
“In the long run, the judicatories and denominations have been slow to recognize how mission frontier has shifted. That may be because to do so is to raise serious questions about how and where the church spends its money. And until the churches begin seriously to make their structures accountable to the new missionary boundaries, they will face continuing declines.”
I believe Mead is on target that denominations have been “slow” to change and face the new realities. The local church lives on the front lines, and its lay leaders live much more in the world than most of us who hold positions in the ministry. Too often we can so isolate ourselves that we lose touch with what is happening all around us. In addition, large denominations are hard to change because the cost of significant change demands sacrifice and hard choices. Mead notes:
“Those who work to build the future church will need to put energy into developing systems that promote clear accountability between those in congregations and those who assist in mission.”
If the denomination is going to be more responsive to its environment I believe it must have higher accountability and connect to the local church. Those who serve on leadership boards and committees must challenge our leaders to continually adapt to the changes in our culture and mission field. As we look to the future, I believe we need an organization that functions much more like a body that is totally interconnected and interdependent. In reality we are interdependent even if we don’t acknowledge it. For this body to work well trust, communication, feedback, system-sensitive decision making and embracing and learning from conflict will be essential values to help us rally around a bold compelling vision of the future.
I think Paul had it right when he wrote:
15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Eph 4:15-16 (NIV)
3 Comments
December 6, 2008 at 7:16 pm
We are indeed interdependent and interconnected. However, since we are of the free church tradition we are interdependent and interconnected by choice. Our state convention, as the living organism it is, is a vehicle of free church choices and should reflect the independence inherit with that freedom of choice. It is not a “farm team” for any larger entity and should reject any implied identity other than its own. Accountability and transparency makes the choices clearer and easier to embrace.
The question is less with whom do I want to cooperate (attributes of passivity) with and more with whom do I want to work in collaboration (attributes of action) for the advancement of the kingdom.
December 6, 2008 at 7:46 pm
We are indeed interdependent and interconnected. However, since we are of the free church tradition we are interdependent and interconnected by choice. Our state convention, as the living organism it is, is a vehicle of free church choices and should reflect the independence inherit with that freedom of choice. It is not a “farm team” for any larger entity and should reject any implied identity other than its own. Accountability and transparency makes the choices clearer and easier to embrace.
The question is less with whom do I want to cooperate (attributes of passivity) and more with whom do I want to join in collaboration (attributes of action) for the advancement of the kingdom. While the pulpit empowers and equips the pew for action; the pew can silence the prophetic pulpit with a cemented embrace for the status quo. So – yes a compelling vision must be articulated for moving into the future recognizing our interrelatedness but acknowledging the independence which gives strength, vitality and relevance to our efforts. Trusting collaboration is the key. Trust is hard won and easily lost in even the greatest of endeavors (by churches or conventions) which adjust at a glacial pace.
December 6, 2008 at 7:49 pm
Apologies for the double entry. This blogging stuff is new for me!