The Box

One of the genetic mutations many denominations need to overcome in the future is the one that leads them to believe that they are the only ones that are right. I could go many different directions with this but for now I want to limit my rant to expressions of church. Most denominations have a box that contains all the ingredients of what a church should be made of.

Some denominations do a better job of enlarging that box than others do. No church will do everything or be everything that is in the box but rarely will they actually step outside that box because if they do they will no longer be right. In denominations that have larger boxes you will see a little more diversity in their churches because the churches have more to choose from.

I think the denominations with the largest boxes are the ones that will fare best in the future. This creates a dilemma because it is very difficult to organize a denomination like this. Most of the things that are done at the denominational level are geared toward a box with a select group of parameters. If there are other parameters in the box that don’t fit this select group they are simply ignored by the program. This creates a great deal of angst because churches who function within those ignored parameters don’t like paying for something that is of no value to them. And since these programs are at the denominational level they are obligated to all churches. Therefore, churches who do fit the select parameters feel frustrated when resources are wasted on churches that don’t fit the parameters. The result is a smaller box.

In my denomination we call churches that don’t fit within our box unhealthy. I think that is a very dangerous thing to judge. I prefer to leave that up to God for the most part because I don’t know exactly what He might be doing in those churches. I grant that many of those churches are unhealthy but I think God will deal with them.

At the same time I think God may have brought together some of those churches (the ones we put on the unhealthy list) for purposes I don’t and never will understand. Perhaps they are existing now for a specific purpose that only God and the core people of the church know about. What I don’t want to do is get in the way of God at work.

This is why I think denominations should stick with the basic essentials and create an environment where associations form to carry out any programs that churches feel are necessary. Churches that felt a strong desire to be part of a box with a specific set of parameters could associate with like minded churches for cooperation. They could even hire their own personnel or resource other infrastructure to support their effort. They would know that their money is being spent only on what they want and they could develop a high level of accountability because everyone within the association has opted in.

Churches that are unhealthy would be pulled toward health rather than the expensive habit we have of trying to push them that direction. To survive they will have to move or slowly die. In the meantime they will not be a drain on other churches because there will be no denominational programs obligated to them. They would need to opt in to an association for such help and that means accepting change and accountability.

Finally, we would be able to say to those churches that we don’t necessarily understand that we respect them and pray for them as God does his work in them. They don’t need to spend their resources on programs that they don’t use or desire. They still fit within our bigger box and perhaps they will be able to connect with other like minded churches and form their own associations. Perhaps they are part of something that God is just beginning or maybe they are simply serving a temporary purpose that will soon pass. In any case they are loved and welcomed as part of us. Afterall, I think God's box is far bigger than we realize.