In this short video Brian McLaren talks about denominations (short is an understatement, but regardless of the length I think he raises a good point to get many of us thinking). In the ages of the MP4, McLaren thinks denominations, right now, are in the LP record business. “They need to have a radical change in identity to say we are in the music business, and are not committed to a medium as much as we are to a mission.” This, for McLaren is the most important thing that is needed if we are going to see denominational transformation.
I think that McLaren raises a good point. For those of us who are planning on being leaders in a denominational church we must ask whether or not we are more committed to denominational distinctives or to a larger narrative. This is perhaps the single most important question people in denominations need to ask. It is my fear that if we side with the agenda of our denominations we will run the risk of become increasingly irrelevant. Regardless the position that one takes, for denominations to be transformed something must change. Whether a sort of post-denominationalism is needed or not we must ask these hard questions.
I agree with McLaren’s point. Being in the denominational church and watching the church trying to become relevant to the culture but inside their walls they are falling apart. Mostly putting up a smokescreen to say “we are here and we hear you” and then when the person comes into the church they have no reason to stay.
ReplyDeleteI heard someone speak about a person who was in a militant organization where she had passion and she was brought to Christ. About a year later she went to the pastor and said, “OK, I have learned all the songs, I have completed all the workbooks, what do I do now?” This is the question; we do all we can do to learn the church rules but we give no vision and no place for the people to use their abilities and talents. We tend to bring people into the church and then teach them to do nothing in the denominational church. We tend to use the people to maintain the building not giving them a place to go. In the sense that McLaren is talking about, we tell them we are cutting edge and then we give them an LP which is outdated and there is nothing left that will play it.
Again, just an understanding but not answers we do need to ask the questions but we need to ask God for the answer.