A long-standing tension within the Church of God concerns our self-identification as a "movement" instead of as a denomination.
We all know how uncomfortable we feel when the "D" word comes up in our conversation. We refuse to use it to describe ourselves, and are often quick to correct others who want to label us with it.
My goal is not to create a debate as to whether or not we are a denomination. For all practical purposes we are. We have a defined brand name, we are organized as such, and, most signficantly, virtually everyone on the outside perceives that we are one. Sure, our polity, structure, and lack of formal creed make us a-less-than model "denomination". But, if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck then it is a duck!
I like the fact that we struggle with our sense of identity and purpose. On the one hand, our reluctance to give into denominationalism keeps the biblical ideal of the church high in our foreground. We recognize the value that a movement could have in the current, messed-up state of Christianity. On the other hand, however, we must be careful not to delude ourselves into believing that we are still functioning as a true movement, because if we are honest we will admit that we have lost our edge in this regard. (See my Post: "Where the Saints Have Trod").
In the upcoming days I will attempt to address some of the issues surrounding movements, including a look at how we are responding to other movements of God's Spirit in the church, such as in the Emergent movement. I'd love to hear your comments.
4 comments:
I don't believe movement describes us anymore; maybe sit-ment, wait-and-see-ment, or even waiting-to-die-ment would be a more accurate description. Waiting to die thinking goes something like this: I have received Christ, made Holy in an instance (so there is no need for me to work on anything), this life stinks, my reward is in heaven so I am just waiting to die and get to heaven. Another important issue beyond current memberships’ thinking problems, most of our pastors are over 55 (probably 60 by now). They are tired of battling or just plain tired. We have to put the “Move” back in Movement. We have to open doors for younger pastors, enabling ministry done differently than before, and re-focus on evangelism. Of course, evangelism will make little difference if there is no discipleship. The world is changing while we are trying to cling to the past. We need to innovate our methods while returning to the ancient church’s reality: signs, wonders, and awe. In short, a smack down by the Holy Spirit is needed; shaking us to the core; calling us again to the important things; and empowering us to “turn the world up-side down” (Acts 17.6). Then, and only then, will we put the “Move” back in Movement.
funny, seems i was just ranting to Ken DeMaere about similar things
i agree with a lot of what was posted by david: the age of pastors is definitely a hurdle to the continuance of movement beyond the next few years; we need to "re-focus on evangelism"; and we need / must have a continual cleansing, refreshing, infilling, and empowering of the Holy Spirit.
i similarly, but previously thought of the Church of God as lacking movement -- along with others in ministry quipping that we've become constipated
but i think today that our problem may be too many movements within our larger movement.
we have a strong movement backwards: return to the hymns, we're losing our theology, etc.
we have a worship movement, mirroring the contemporary music worship wars -- it's got to be current, it's got to be edgy, it's got to be new each week or the flip side of the arguments that we know well
we have movements toward peace, teaching, children, discipleship, seniors, youth, college, young marrieds, outreach, wcg, mens, colleges, etc., etc., etc. they're not bad movements -- i think the Church of God loves movements
everybody's project/ministry is a movement. we align with people of similar giftings and leadings and seek to bring our desire to the forefront of what it means to be Church of God
i think that the leadership for the church sensed the same diversity of movements in recently attempting to coral them into simply six vision filters -- six different movements. we should know them by now: worship the Lord, reach the lost, celebrate unity, live out the love of Christ, disciple believers, and...i'm forgetting one :)
as i think we've previously discussed, we need to have one direction -- of those six, i think, it's reach the lost. all other statements should flow out of the result of that one
we need to teach that, celebrate victories there, be burdened to pray for such, motivated to direct our emphasis there, hold each other accountable to conversations with the lost, encourage churches to throw off everyting that hinders such pursuit. we need to cry out for the Holy Spirit to make it a reality seen, experienced, and heard in testimonies Sunday by Sunday, church to church -- that the defining characteristic of the Church of God would be that of the Kingdom of God: advancing the light and life to regain what darkness and death had previously occupied
but there's a problem in what i just typed -- the "a" word
it conflicts with our idol "a"
to be a movement again, i think we have to wrestle with the issue of accountability in the midst of our autonomy
Amen. It definitely is about focus. I believe focus and identity. Who are we? What do we stand for? There is a lot of confusion and striving, but what purpose does it serve? One of the more forefront things we started with was a desire for unity. While we fellowship like crazy, we do not have unity. That begs the question: Unity in what? Activities? Focus? Service design? At the very least, we know we have unity in building architecture (at least most of us do). Ha! But seriously, how can we be unified and focused? Who decides? When one of my daughters does something crazy, I always ask, “Why did you do that? What purpose did it serve?” You know the answer I get, “I dunno.” Well, I have to ask us, “What purpose does it serve?” You fill in the blank for the ‘it’. If we do not aim at something we cannot hit anything.
let's be something. If we're not a movement, I guess I can live with that. But if we're going to be a fellowship of churches lets be that. I'm not optimistic if we will be able decide on these things any time soon. My fear is that we will die before we can figure this out! [If our pastoral age is 60ish.] There is no sence of urgency whatsoever. That is the scariest thing to me. So this train is costing down hill to a canyon. Some of us have to hit the switch...but if we wait too long will miss our chance and head straight into peril. I have chosen to stay in the Church of God because I believe we still have a great message and picture of what the church should look like. Frankly the sprining up of tons of independant churches in the past 15 years only tells me that this could be a time for us to share with the world and believers how we see the church. Oh, wait, but we're not moving anymore. How can we grow when we're worried about hymns or chorus'? It should be ok for us to do things differant in differant places, shouldn't it? If we're talking unity that is. But I think some of us in ChOG are talking homogenaity. Not unity. Isn't unity what happens when a group, or groups of people are wholeheartely seeking God and he si changing them? When we are closer to God we become closer to each other. How many of can honestly say we spend real, passionate, quiet, silent, listening, being time with God frequently. We're all too busy perpetuating Christindom that we forgot to talk to God or the lost. I just think its time to get out the sackcloth. I'll be the first to put it on. I'll even pass it out. [sigh]
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