Ridgell's Originals

 I read a lot of articles from preachers frustrated at the leadership model used by most Churches of Christ.  Almost everyone agrees it is an unworkable model.  Elders leading the church.  Volunteers.  Not theologically trained.  Telling professionals what to do.  

Preachers frustrated at having to convince elders to sign off on programs and decisions.  Then being evaluated/criticized for things over which you have no control.

Elders frustrated because they feel like they are not doing things at all the way the Bible talks about what elders do.  The Bible seems to point to shepherding as the main function of elders.  And teaching.  Being responsible that error is not taught.  But you don't do a lot of those things in our leadership model.  

A lot of really good men quit preaching.  Just can't take it any more.  A lot of really good men resign as elders.  Just can't take it any more.

I used to argue the way Scripture seems to talk about elders would work today in our culture.  

I am not so sure any more.

As long as our churches look like the American business model we cannot have a leadership structure like most churches do. It just doesn't work.  

If we are going to be heavily invested in buildings, a large ministerial staff, a fixed budget, and numerous programs -- then it is hard to see how our model can function.  These kind of things need a CEO that can hire his own staff and run the organization.  Elders should function like a board.  And many churches are moving to that model.  

But that sure doesn't seem like the early church model.  It just doesn't.

So here are a couple of questions we need to ask.

Is the American church model really working?  Are any churches really growing?  And I don't mean going from 200 to 250 while the church down the road goes from 200 to 150.  I don't see that as growth.

Maybe Covid will give us a chance to re-examine what church should look like.  What if we didn't just "leave the building" but actually rethought whether we need buildings?  And if so, what is their purpose?  How would it look to have 10 house churches under an eldership?  What if elders had the responsibility for teaching the Bible to their flock?  And the staff were all primarily evangelists?  

Do we still need a main/senior/lead minister to do all the preaching?  One thing we have all learned during this time is that there is a lot of really good teaching from a variety of preachers available.  Team preaching?

Or do we encourage smaller congregations of 50-100.  I used to buy in to the argument that the last thing most places need is another church.  So don't do church plants.  Now I wonder if we don't need a lot more church plants.  

But I do know trying to put a Acts leadership model on churches modeled after American business is not working.

And when this strange time is over, I don't think we will ever go back to what we were.  I don't think we can.

I am not the only one thinking about these things.  Much smarter people than I am are talking about it.  And there will be some churches/preachers/elders that will figure it out.

And I am optimistic that some of us will see a different model that may lead to explosive growth.  Real growth.  You know ... kind of like they saw in Acts.    

Labels: Church

# posted by Steve @ 7:50 AM