Most pastors will acknowledge that the relationship between their congregations and their denominations is weaker than it once was. Most denominations serve only a small percentage of the needs of their congregations. For most congregations, denominational services may be limited to insurance plans, pensions, universities, seminaries, and ministerial credential recognition. On the other hand, more congregations have found few denominational resources essential to their lives and ministries. This is especially true in churches that have a centralized form of government.
One may ask why the relationship between the two is not connected more securely. Why are there more questions than answers when it comes to denominations and local churches?
-First, the internet has provided access for congregations to more than enough resources for ministry.
Through this technology, congregational leaders discover curriculum, songs, liturgies, Bible studies and much, much more. Therefore, most local congregations don’t need a denomination to provide such resources or material because they can create their own.
-Second, is the growing diversity of congregational cultures making it difficult for a denomination to service their congregations with resources for ministry.
Fifty years ago this wasn’t the case. Each denomination looked pretty much the same as did their congregations. They shared the same menu of ministries, ministry context, culture, and more. It was easy, then, for headquarters to serve their churches with curriculum, music, marketing, theological training, and more. More recently, congregations and their ministry contexts within a denomination have increased in diversity. Each congregation exhibits a unique culture in a unique ministry context. Sure there are similarities between the congregations, but each church differs in significant ways from others in its denomination. Such diversity makes it difficult for denominations to provide equal resources.
-Third, the mission of most denominations has been related to but is separable from that of their congregations.
This denominational mission typically has been something like “doing more together.” While there is nothing wrong with that, the general mission is not necessarily connected to the congregations within a denomination. As a result, denominations launch major marketing plans to convince congregations to join in their mission. So, denominations place themselves on a competitive playing field with countless organizations who just as effectively, if not more so, help congregations and congregants extend their ministry and mission in their communities and throughout the world. The end result is that denominations compete for support from the congregations they serve, and they are losing, as evidenced by decreasing financial support for denominations even when it's required by leadership.
We need denominations to serve as judicatories to protect pastors from churches and churches from pastors, and to oversee the ordination process of candidates for pastoral ministry. But what is the way forward?
People have adopted one of three approaches at a crossroad or, crisis situation. These three options may be summarized as reject, repair, or reform. Clearly, as evidenced by the large number of unaffiliated congregations, many congregations have taken the reject option. Time will tell how well this non-denominational or unaffiliated option works for these congregations. We have seen many churches close due to the lack of denominational affiliation.
Most denominations seem to be taking the repair option. They are busy trying to become relevant to their congregations by refurbishing current structures, improving their brand, expanding their menu of services, increasing their social media presence, and promoting a variety of initiatives. Up to this point, there is little evidence that this approach has been effective in strengthening the tie between congregations and denominations. But, again, time will tell.
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