I pray that the following makes sense and does not sound like a rant (even though it probably is one). I have long been struck by a statement I read a few years ago in an urban ministry book that most churches are worried about their brand over promoting Jesus in their community. To my astonishment, my professor at the time agreed that "if another church is not SBC or gives to the Cooperative Program, I would not work with them." We there you have it!
For decades many in church revitalization have acknowledged that the church is more divided than we are untied, especially on doctrinal issues. This last summer, the SBC voted to remove Rick Warren's Saddleback Church (the SBC poster child for decades for church ministry) from "friendly cooperation with the SBC" over women as pastors. The issue is truly much deeper and more complex than most acknowledge, yet Rick had a valid point in his argument, "Taking the Gospel into the darkness should unite us." To that point I will say that is true, but it does not unity us, because legalism and the brand is more important than Jesus.
On the local level, we see a mass of churches, many doing good work in their community, having to compete with larger churches who have a better brand and a cafeteria filled with options. When I was in Reno, our church would reach new families, and we would work hard on discipleship. However, about a year into our church, they would leave for the bigger church that had better youth programs, better music, AWANAs, etc. We were the feeder church for the larger churches.
This is still true as I pastor in KC. People visit and then are gone, many times because they go to another church a few blocks away with better music, a bigger budget, a youth program, and a better brand. I am glad they have it so good, but it makes the small churches struggle to maintain their vital ministries. Sadly, they will say, "you are doing great work over there," but not invest in your work because that would take any from their brand.
One pastor I know says often, “I love being a pastor!” I often wonder if that would still be true if he didn’t have a staff, large budget, big givers, denominational people attending, and the backing of another large church. If he was grinding it out like the rest of us, would he have as much conviction. Let me say, I do love being a pastor, but I never forget the demanding work it is every day. I do not have the luxury of relying on staff for doing what I have to do. My church secretary and I share the same body, and sometimes he does not get as much work done. How many pastors with staff are working 60+ hours a week, working an outside job to support their family, or are making $1 an hour? Would they be willing to share part of their salary with a small church pastor who is barely making minimum wage?
In reality, every church is in competition with each other. The really large churches like Life.Church (Craig Groeschel) has multiple campuses across the country (4 in KC) with no regard for the local congregations that have been there for decades. Even the larger churches that are SBC will open another campus a few block away, perhaps as a legacy replant of a dying church, as if that is a benefit to the church community, but at what cost to other churches.
It reminds me of when Walmart moved into a community. They will push out the mom-and-pop stores, and freeze out the smaller grocery stores and pharmacies; with the mindset, they are our competition and must make room for us because we do it right or better. Again, sadly, that is the same mentality of many larger churches!
Before there were denominations and the current church landscape, the church was stronger because instead of fighting each other for people, they pooled their money, shared the load, and worked together for the mission of advancing the gospel. I pray, probably in vain, that the church could be more about unity, the gospel, and helping each other, than promoting their own brand....
I hope to see you tomorrow.
TTFN
Pastor Charles
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