Faithfully yours - Turning the tide

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Published on Saturday, August 8, 2015

By Neil Strohschein

The Neepawa Banner

For the past two weeks, I have tried to summarize the evolution of organized religion in society. I have tried to do so in a balanced manner. As I said last week, I am not anti-denominational. I see much value in local congregations being part of a larger religious organization.

But that value comes at a price—and the price is often loss of local autonomy. And the challenge every denomination faces is balancing denominational goals with local church priorities. I will not bore you with an extensive analysis of this issue. Instead, I want to suggest two ways by which we can find a balance that preserves and strengthens the bonds that exist between local congregations and the denominations of which they are a part.

Our first priority must be to ensure that local congregations can survive and thrive in a rapidly changing society. How this is done (who gives the advice and what advice is given) will depend on the setting and needs of each congregation. In my view, the people best qualified to provide counsel and encouragement to small, struggling congregations are neighboring congregations who are facing similar challenges and have found ways to overcome them.

Facilitating such exchanges is neither difficult nor costly. All we need is a room with some tables, a working coffee maker, something to boil hot water for tea and lots of food. Then we just come together, sit around the tables and talk—just talk—no agenda, no objectives, no business to discuss—just talk. Get to know each other. Celebrate your successes. Identify your challenges. Encourage each other and pray for each other. Work together for the benefit of all.

Second, denominational leaders need to trust those in local churches to serve their members and communities as they see fit. In doing so, they need to reflect a devout faith that those who work at the grass roots level of church ministry will not knowingly or deliberately do anything that will damage the integrity and reputation of the larger organization.

But local congregations should not ignore input from denominational leaders. Regional leaders can (and should) raise regional issues and encourage local churches to join in regional initiatives to address them. National leaders can (and should) do the same with national issues. But the right of a local congregation to opt out of a regional or national initiative (especially if they can not afford to make the requested financial contribution) should always be respected.

These suggestions are based on a principle Jesus taught during his time on earth. He told us that leaders are to be servants. The higher one moves in an organizational structure, the more people he or she is to serve. In the church, the leaders exist to serve the people. When we violate that principle and create a system in which the people exist to serve the leaders, then the ability of the local congregation to function as a caring community is seriously impaired.

How do we build this servant spirit into organized religion? The answer is “we” don’t; because “we” can’t. The spirit of servanthood that creates a caring community lead by caring leaders is a gift from God. It is built on the foundation of love—God’s love—a love that he pours into us by his Holy Spirit and then asks us to share with everyone we meet.

That love (received and released) is the sign that identifies us as followers of Christ and enables all churches to survive and thrive despite the many challenges they may face.