HOW CHANGE COMES TO (100 year old +) DENOMINATIONS
Denominations are built on history. Each one has a history where they came into being as an organization that institutionalized churches within a changing Christendom world. Some arose around a certain distinctive, a new theological insight, that invigorated new life among Christians: justification by faith alone, entire sanctification, the filling of the Spirit, practices of discipleship, divine healing, etc. Some were simply extensions of immigrant churches that helped sustain Christians who were adapting to life in a foreign land. But now, in a post Christendom world, denominations find themselves in a place of mission. If they are to thrive, they must move beyond sustaining or reviving already existing Christianized peoples. They must become cross-cultural movements engaging the issues of our cultures. This is essential, if denominations are to shift from institutionalizing churches for Christians (who are less and less in number) to cultivating churches as mission in North America itself.
Some of these long held distinctives that made sense in one context no longer make sense today. I think of various Holiness denominations that discerned at the turn of the last century to prohibit alcohol as an act of Christian Holiness. During a time of rampant alcoholism and ignorance of its effects on families, this discernment was a powerful witness to the work of sanctification. At its best, when not devolving into legalism, it taught discernment and dependence upon the Holy Spirit. But these are different times. And to elevate this insight into a legalistic distinctive actually works against holiness in a world that is already aware of addictions (and its treatments) of multiple kinds. Now we seek to illumine drunkenness, dependency upon any escapist drug experiences, as works against God’s Spirit transforming and empowering our lives (“be not drunk with wine … but be filled with the Holy Spirit” Eph 5:18). Discern the use of alcohol by the Spirit, don’t simply prohibit it legalistically and blindly. This way teaches Spirit dependent sanctification as opposed to human-effort-dependent legalism.
There are many of these distinctives that made (some) sense in a world of Christendom. I can think of many reasons why pre-millenialism came to the forefront at the turn of the last century for some church movements. It was a way of thinking eschatology that responded to German liberal criticism which dismissed the second coming of Christ. It emphasized certain things, and answered certain questions, in response to certain threats that frankly aren’t there any more. And so, just like the Roman Catholic belief in ”transubstantiation” was forged in response to threats and questions from the Reformation, in which they probably over reached on the metaphysics, and made mistakes that need to be revised and extended, so also denominations (attached to pre-mil) need to reconsider how we talk about the inbreaking Kingdom and the bodily return of Christ to preserve faithfulness to orthodoxy, Scripture and the historic faith grounded in the person and work of Jesus Christ. We need to examine some over-emphases, errors, missteps in the doctrine of per-millenialism. We need to extend faithfully our belief in the return of Christ, and the consummation of His reign into the new territories of mission. Do I hear an “Amen”??
EXTENDING FAITHFULLY
My key phrase here is “extend faithfully.” Christianity is an historical faith. God works in and through our histories. Christians don’t make things up ex-nihilo. So we must extend what has been revealed in the past into the future. But we must do it faithfully, in coherence with what we already know, deepening it, overcoming the blind spots from the past, advancing it into new cultures. If everything stays the same in a static frozen way, we end up merely proselytizing people into our previous parochial ways of life, as opposed to leading people into conversions of their lives, and cultures, in Jesus under His Lordship over the world (I use here the language of Andrew Walls, “Converts or Proselytes?”).
I could give a list of several distinctives and/or policies that need to be faithfully extended, women in ministry with men, inerrancy of Scripture, salvation as only/merely justification, etc etc. All of these I have written about elsewhere. For now, I offer some quick tips on leading denominations through these changes in the changing cultures we find ourselves in.
SOME TIPS FOR LEADING DENOMINATIONS THROUGH CHANGES.
The following are three tips that enable this kind of “extending faithfully” in churches and denominations. I’ve personally seen the transformation (although not often enough) that God can work through these three ways.
1.)The Acts 15 Moment
Everyone knows the episode of the Jerusalem council as reported in Acts 15. The question, concerning Gentile converts needing to follow the Jewish law, came from the fields of ministry. This is the way discernments happen. Discernment arises from the ground up. As the conflicts arose among the churches, a council was gathered (vs 6). The community was present listening and discerning (vs 12, 22). Testimony was heard on the evidence of the Spirit at work among the Gentiles (vs 8,9,12). The Scriptures were carefully discerned (vs 15-19). A consensus was reached: “it seems good to the Holy Spirit and to us.” It seems to me, denominational leaders must be on lookout for the Acts 15 moments, and lead in all these steps, patiently, slowly, listening and discerning, with multiple voices. Do not impose solutions from top down through dictates. Allow the Spirit to do his work.
2.)Change Happens Through Small Places
When there is not a consensus, when there is clear mutual submission to the Holy Spirit, and the whole council cannot agree, my preference is to allow space for pastors and leaders to lead and discern on the ground in real conversations in the small places of their congregations. We must have tools to cultivate regular spaces of conversation, listening, praying, discerning Scripture. Imposing the will of the experts from top down, on sensitive of matters will backfire. Because, God does not work through coercive power. He works through small places around tables in prayer and dependence upon the Spirit. And the fruit of these places in lives of people will vindicate the direction we must go. “By their fruit ye shall know them.” (Matt 7:15-20).
We are seeing the great divides among us in our denominations. Ultimately, and I’ve seen it again and again, the gospel of Jesus Christ the King shall flourish the church in all things. Churches gathered around false gospels, gospels of self-actualization, gospels of prosperity, etc., although they might stir up some numbers initially, will eventually wither and die. The fruit of small places will arise and lead a new day for the church in N America.
3.)Let The Spirit Work: Change Will not Come with Vitriol
It must be emphasized, denominational leaders must lead with humility, gentleness and presence. (1 Cor 10:1) They must submit one to another even when they disagree vehemently. “Though we live in the world, we don’t wage war as the world does … (we have the means to access) divine power to demolish (ideological) strongholds” if we will but give space for God to work. (1 Cor 10:3-4).
I’ve seen it happen so many times, anger thrown at someone, antagonism, spite, are all signs of the Satanic division/violence that destroys the space for God to work. I’ve also seen amazing transformation of systems when we simply listen, allow space for the Spirit, and speak boldly the truth out of sincerity and love for the other person and the kingdom. Follow the apostle Paul on this one.