Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Culture, experience, and church...
One of my recent posts referred to 1968, and the sixties in general, as a watershed time for our culture. I am convicted that shared cultural experience has impacted where we are as a church today. I think that it true for every generation. For example, leadership among churches of Christ for the last twenty or thirty years has primarily been men who were shaped by the Depression and World War II. Let me share how that impacted the church.
For years churches would accumulate monies in the bank. Under the guise of fiscal responsibility, many churches hoarded the Lord's money. I think that is because so many of the elders were shaped by the Great Depression when life was very much a day by day proposition.
Culturally, the Depression experience drove a whole generation to be savers and home owners. So what about the church? We built buildings, we moved across the tracks, we strove to avoid the stigma of "poor" people.
The experiences of World War II changed our brotherhood politically. Well into the twentieth century we were a fellowship of pacifists and conscientious objectors. Culturally, WWII was seen as a just war and many from our churches served. Many of those veterans and their war brides became elders, so you saw a dramatic upswing in patriotism in our churches: flags, recognizing and honoring veterans, etc.
WWII was also the experience that revitalized us in terms of missions. Vets came home and drove mission efforts into Europe and Asia. Many of our missionaries in the fifties were veterans themselves.
Some of these results were good, some not. But they were expressions of the culture these leaders grew up in.
Now our elders are products of the sixties. I think that has implications for our churches today in authority, music, women, marriage, and politics.
More to come later, but what do you think. Do our churches look the way they do because they have been led by those shaped by the events of the thirties and forties?
For years churches would accumulate monies in the bank. Under the guise of fiscal responsibility, many churches hoarded the Lord's money. I think that is because so many of the elders were shaped by the Great Depression when life was very much a day by day proposition.
Culturally, the Depression experience drove a whole generation to be savers and home owners. So what about the church? We built buildings, we moved across the tracks, we strove to avoid the stigma of "poor" people.
The experiences of World War II changed our brotherhood politically. Well into the twentieth century we were a fellowship of pacifists and conscientious objectors. Culturally, WWII was seen as a just war and many from our churches served. Many of those veterans and their war brides became elders, so you saw a dramatic upswing in patriotism in our churches: flags, recognizing and honoring veterans, etc.
WWII was also the experience that revitalized us in terms of missions. Vets came home and drove mission efforts into Europe and Asia. Many of our missionaries in the fifties were veterans themselves.
Some of these results were good, some not. But they were expressions of the culture these leaders grew up in.
Now our elders are products of the sixties. I think that has implications for our churches today in authority, music, women, marriage, and politics.
More to come later, but what do you think. Do our churches look the way they do because they have been led by those shaped by the events of the thirties and forties?
Comments:
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I would like to think that our Elders interact with their flock at times that call for compassion, grace, intercessory prayer and admonishment where appropriate. Are these of culture or biblical principles?
However, I don't discount the role that culture plays in a person's development. For Elders to assist today's members, they must have some working knowledge of what the flock is dealing with in terms of cultural influence and social stigma. (It's not "cool" to be a Christian today. The media and Hollywood make much of this fact.) Back in the 60's, there were still pro-Christian films and shows to be found. Today, that is very rare. So, to be fair, today's Christian wrestles with societal norms and stigma, simultaneously. This is difficult to endure while assisting those wrestling with this type of influence.
So, does an Elder from the 1960's social scene have what it takes to interact with an X-er or a Millenial? Sure- as long as their approach is grounded in biblical principle and not social (re)action.
However, I don't discount the role that culture plays in a person's development. For Elders to assist today's members, they must have some working knowledge of what the flock is dealing with in terms of cultural influence and social stigma. (It's not "cool" to be a Christian today. The media and Hollywood make much of this fact.) Back in the 60's, there were still pro-Christian films and shows to be found. Today, that is very rare. So, to be fair, today's Christian wrestles with societal norms and stigma, simultaneously. This is difficult to endure while assisting those wrestling with this type of influence.
So, does an Elder from the 1960's social scene have what it takes to interact with an X-er or a Millenial? Sure- as long as their approach is grounded in biblical principle and not social (re)action.
Steve, I really don't know about how those social backgrounds really effect things.
What I do know is this, many elders from the generation that are leaving leadership were very negative and no matter what I wanted to do they said no. Many elders from the generation that are moving in, are just trying to push their agenda.
As for me, I will continue to do my thing. I don't ask for permission any more. I just start things and let the elders sort stuff out when the ball is already rolling.
I will soon be moving back to Odessa. When I do, I want to start the same type of ministry I have been involved with here in Dallas. If I go infront of the elders and tell them I intend to start a class and small group entirely made up of disabled adults, they will shoot down my idea. If I do this then ask for resources, I'll get what we need. See the thought of class leaders with IQs under 50 scares all of those men. When they see it already working, we actually stand a chance.
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What I do know is this, many elders from the generation that are leaving leadership were very negative and no matter what I wanted to do they said no. Many elders from the generation that are moving in, are just trying to push their agenda.
As for me, I will continue to do my thing. I don't ask for permission any more. I just start things and let the elders sort stuff out when the ball is already rolling.
I will soon be moving back to Odessa. When I do, I want to start the same type of ministry I have been involved with here in Dallas. If I go infront of the elders and tell them I intend to start a class and small group entirely made up of disabled adults, they will shoot down my idea. If I do this then ask for resources, I'll get what we need. See the thought of class leaders with IQs under 50 scares all of those men. When they see it already working, we actually stand a chance.
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