I have to thank a dear friend (who will remain unnamed) for today's blog. In a compelling discussion of church planting and church growth he talked about the culture and life cycles that some churches experience. The points of reference that follow are not true of all churches, but do characterize those I refer to as Country Club groups.
First, there are the founders or charter members. This group controls the keys to the kingdom. They write the original by-laws, manage new memberships and put "important" controls in place. In country club theology, these are the gate-keepers who watch carefully the growth and expansion of the club.
Next, you have the invitees. These are the folks we love to rub elbows with. I recall working in a small church years ago when a "country clubber" made it clear that there were certain people we didn't need to waste our time on in the community. They didn't have the right pedigree, the right skin color, or a sufficient financial portfolio. It ruffled his feathers more than a little bit when I preached on Romans 1:16 the next week.
As the membership grows you start to get the associate members. They can use the facilities (if they meet all the requirements), but they are on probation. As long as they don't challenge the founders, or seek to change the by-laws, or invite any of those "other people," then they are allowed to circle around the center of the founder's universe.
Finally, there are the observers. They are not observers by choice, but they aren't granted a membership card into the club, can't attend policy meetings, but they are allowed to pay their dues and watch what takes place.
I realize that this not the majority of churches, but if you have ever experienced country club theology then you know just how devastating it can be to the Lord's work. God calls all men to repentance, He wants everyone in the club, and I fear for those who would stand at the gates and block entrance to the eternal kingdom.
3 comments:
I HAVE experienced this. The consequences of this theology are devastating. If you are a child watching or listening to the back room conversations, you learn that there are invisible watchdogs in the bushes who, if you bread the rules, will keep you in the observer status. If your family and the church are very intermingled, you fear being not allowed in your family if you break the rules. And to a child, not being allowed in the family is the same as death. Certain questions you cannot ask without risk to your family standing. Your innocent pursuit of God is hijacked by the fear of disapproval of the family. You get confused between the words of God and the rules of the family that threaten to separate you. In effect, maintaining your standing in the club comes between you and God, because loss of standing in the family (death) is a more tangible and real consequence than not getting to heaven or God (which you've never seen). But you do see over and over people loosing their standing in the family. That's real. The fruits of country club theology are fear, perfectionism, presenting a false image of perfection and happiness, false teaching of principles as black and white when they are gray; Stunting of spiritual growth that makes us too afraid to listen to the Spirit of God within us (as he promised) and instead relying on the approval of key people in the Church. How much approval from the founding members is enough to protect you from being demoted? So you become addicted or dependent on approval from others to feel confident.
Good stuff Chet, I wish there were a way to help the gatekeepers understand that they are not preserving the sanctity of the kingdom, but polluting the intent of God to rescue the lost, hurting and troubled in our society.
Our lack of Christian liberty towards our brother serves as a roadblock on the path to eternal salvation.
There was one church that had been in a town of about 5,000 for just over 50 years, had about 50 members with a median age of about 64 years, had never had elders and had but one family with children. There were, however, 3 men (2 brothers and another, all of whom had been successful businessmen in town before retiring) who very well fit the "charter members" description you give. Two memories are among several that stand out in my time with that church. Having gone literally "across the tracks" and found people willing to learn the gospel and come see about the church, I was told by the "leadership," "We don't want THOSE people in our church." Working on the "correct" side of the church, I was told by some of my neighbors, "We will never have anything to do with that church as long as Mr. X and (his brother, the other) Mr. X are in it." The people whose money and reputation were wanted in the church saw through the hypocrisy, and the people who wanted to come weren't wanted. The evangelistic and growth potential of the church were completely negated by the country club.
In another church the wealthy architect who contributed much to the work of the church, and had designed the new building they were planning to construct, told the elders that he didn't like the country-simple way my wife and I related to our neighbors and the church - so the elders decided to keep the money and change preachers. I know hundreds of preachers could give similar reports, but you asked.
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