One of the problems with many churches is that they function like a health club.
They put considerable effort into getting you to sign up and the join the community. There’s a mandatory 101 class where you can learn the history, beliefs, and strategy of the church. It usually concludes with a tour of the facility. There’s an opportunity to have pizza with the pastor at a special reception. He’ll welcome you, charm you, and make you think he’s your new best friend. The class will conclude with an invitation to “sign on the dotted line” and become a member of the church.
Many churches will spell out the details of the contract.
To be a member of our church . . .
There are certain beliefs you have to affirm. (Existence of God, Resurrection of Jesus)
There are certain behaviors you have to avoid (gossip, divisiveness)
There are certain actions to which you have to commit. (regular attendance, financial support, volunteer in a ministry)
I have no problem with any of these items. If I’m going to be part of a church I want to know what beliefs are important to the church, what I can expect from the church leaders, and what the church leaders expect of me.
Where things fall apart and where many church members become disillusioned is that after the dog and pony show is over, the contract is signed, and the new members are introduced to an applauding church, things go back to business as usual and the new members end up being a name in a database with a contribution history.
As long as their attendance holds steady and as long as the incoming contributions help meet the budget, it is easy for church leaders to lose sight of how well the individual members of their church are doing. It’s possible for a person to attend a church week after week, year after year, and show no real signs of spiritual growth. Their lack of progress will not be noticed, much less challenged by anyone around them. Even worse, its also possible for this same person to miss church for a couple of weeks and not be missed by anyone, especially if he sends his tithe to the church via automatic bill pay.
Both the church leaders and the church member are responsible for this outcome.
The church leaders have cultivated an impersonal church structure that undermines the vision they cast in the 101 seminar. While they would never intend this, they give the impression that they’re more interested in building their church than helping members of their church grow spiritually. Otherwise they wouldn’t tolerate a structure where so many can get lost in the system and remain unchanged.
The church members are also playing a key role in this game. They’re satisfied with being a part of an impersonal church structure that allows them to swipe their card week after week with no real signs of growth or progress. Not every church member starts out wanting this from a church. They may begin with high hopes after they sign the dotted line, but they are eventually lulled into complacency. Since everyone else at the church seems to be fine with the way things are, they lower their expectations and go with the flow. Others may join a church specifically because it is impersonal and undemanding. Their weekly offering is a small price to pay for being able to check off the “went to church” box without being expected to make any huge adjustments to their lifestyle.
Sadly, these kind of transactions are necessary for many churches to pay their bills.
Regardless of the motives behind the structure, the impersonal nature of the typical American church experience is one reason so many people can go to church for so long and experience so little life change.
Thoughts?
Telling Stories, Asking Questions, Learning Lessons
In startups, you HAVE to do whatever your biggest client wants because it’s how you pay the bills. To get out from under a bad contract, you usually have to cut costs – layoffs, virtual office space, no more Taco Tuesday. You can’t serve two masters – focusing on ministry instead income will require lower costs, which will be painful to the leadership and membership. No building? No coffee? No free childcare? No independent salary for staff (which would require so much more of the members)? I don’t think there’s a right universal answer, but it’s a conversation any church would need to have.
The issue is not only for startup churches – it’s very pronounced in well established churches. Especially in this economy, where most churches have felt the pinch of lower contributions over the last couple of years with many congregants losing their jobs, or it is sad to say, so afraid of what will come that they cut back on their donations. I’ve seen churches that committed to large building projects in the heyday of 5 years ago that now are stuck under such an overwhelming debt burden that they can’t spend much on outreach, missions, or benevolence.
I think this is where a vibrant small group ministry is key. While it costs very little to operate, it puts some shepherding responsibility in the hands of the small group leader. This allows small “house churches” to meet and develop the community that is so necessary to develop spiritually and provide the accountability that we all need. These home churches are united within the local church body, and the pool of resources can provide for large projects of outreach, missions, and benevolence. One question that remains is… does the local church leadership trust their small group leaders enough to shepherd their home “flock”? Or in other words, are churches willing to invest in developing and supporting lay spiritual leaders?
Also, one of the problems of many churches is that they function too little like a health club.
1. There’s little central commitment to growing healthier.
2. There’s little sense of “third place” — where people outside your normal circle know your name, care about what you do, and mention it if they haven’t seen you for a while.
3. There’s one machine for everybody. . . instead of stationery bikes, treadmills, elliptical cross trainer, weight machines, free weights, pool, etc. You wanna get healthy? Then do it OUR way!
4. In the gathering times, most of the working out is done by a few (sometimes by just one or two professionals) while others watch.
5. You don’t always leave feeling glad you came. You leave the health club with muscles a bit sore and tired from working out, but a whistle slipping out of your mouth and your heart pumping with excitement.
Ok. Carry on. Original post is excellent and true. Just feeling a bit devil’s advocatey today.
Hey Mike–thanks for illustrating an important point. Some Christians have had great experiences with church. Others have left the church disillusioned.
In the same way, two people can have different experiences with health clubs. Yours must have been better than mine. 🙂