Small Town Church Politics
November 6, 2003
I work in a town of about 3000 people. In Wendell, there is a Mormon church, a Reformed Church (New Life) and the Presbyterian church I work at. There are a few others (Methodist, Catholic, Baptist) - but they are very small. Most of the youth in Wendell either go to New Life, our church or the Mormon church. A few years before I came here, our previous youth director did a few joint-events with New Life - and the kids saw that their group was bigger, church had more money and their youth room was cooler. So, many of our kids started going to New Life.
Many people in my church, my pastor specifically, were offended/hurt by that and want to make sure we don’t “lose” more kids to their church [interesting, that we use the term 'lose' to begin with -- oh no, kids going where they are enjoying fellowship and learning about Christ]. My pastor approached me yesterday about the possibility of getting a band/musician to come perform in our new church building this spring, and I remembered that the youth pastor from New Life and I had talked about doing a joint-concert event, being able to split the cost (while New Life has a larger budget than we do - we’re still both small-town churches), get more people to benefit from it, etc. I wrote my pastor about it, and he wrote back just talking about relations with that church and our youth programs, etc. He mentioned that while these issues may seem petty to me now, he said, “…if you are ever the pastor of a church you’ll know the feeling of people leaving your church to go to another church.”
So, my question is, am I just at an age where I don’t get it? Sure, I’m a young/brash/youth-pastor — but maybe there is in fact something wrong with this line of thinking. Yes, I don’t think you should just hop around to the next church if you “don’t feel like you’re being fed” — part of being the body of Christ is definitely a commitment to a certain church body - to a certain community of people - who you say “You know what - sometimes I love this place - sometimes it sucks - but I want to share my life with you and figure out what it means to follow Christ.”
But should we really view it as “losing” people to another church? What does church unity look like in a small town? I think it’s even harder than in bigger cities [granted, I'm speaking having only experienced working in a small church in a small town]. Thoughts?
Tags: Church, Church-Politics, Rants, Youth Ministry
Posted in 
Adam Walker Cleaveland: 
November 6th, 2003 at 5:28 pm
long time no read your blog. Me was too busy.
I can see on your list that you are reading some beefy books. Newbigin is absolutely a classic on contextual missional thinking and praxis, while Beyond Foundationalism is a wideopener on thology and methodology. On why we believe and how the method affect that, like what came first the egg or the chicken - well we know the answers - or do we?
Nice new lay out.
November 6th, 2003 at 9:48 pm
I don’t think you are alone in wondering about this. Alan Roxburgh talks about people, organisations and departments being in “silos” - we might be right next to each other but we fiercely protect our own spheres of influence.
I think some of this is because a lot of churches don’t have any confidence that they will be able to engage with new non-Christian or non-churched people. So the “shuffling of the saints” becomes all important - we all spend so much time competing with each other for the same market.
November 6th, 2003 at 10:45 pm
Small town or not, it’s important for us to practice a “God’s kingdom” mindset instead of an “Our kingdom” one. This will be especially tough if such a kingdom-mindedness isn’t in your church’s DNA. Nonetheless, I’d encourage you to do all you CAN do to foster unity and cooperation without the trappings of a competitive spirit. An honest assessment of New Life will undoubtedly identify what their primary focus or strength is. Rejoice in this. Praise them for this. It’s the part of God’s kingdom work that THEY are called to. I personally believe that God has called the Presbyterian Church in Wendell to a different part of God’s kingdom work in your community. Figure out what that is (e.g. in relation to reaching students and perhaps their families), and then pursue THAT will all the energy and passion the Holy Spirit provides. Hopefully, New Life will begin recognizing and celebrating what God is doing through you as well! You’ll certainly be in my prayers. Blessings!
November 7th, 2003 at 12:09 am
That’s the way it is when we allow the church to become an institution instead of a movement. In an institution, numbers are important. We look to an institution to provide us with job security. And we react accordingly when that security is put at risk.
Too bad.
November 8th, 2003 at 8:18 am
hey adam! as usual, great thoughts on your blog…you ain’t crazy….the kingdom is about doing stuff together and sharing the wealth…not holding on tightly but letting go and releasing folks to be and do and go where jesus calls…i think it is the same in all areas, big and small…churches that don’t practice “sharing” and who aren’t focusing on just what god has called them to do…worry too much and get afraid of what everyone else is doing…they hold on tight and can’t have open hands…
even really big churches lose people…they go start other churches …they take chunks of folks with them and then the mother church gets scared and retrenches…instead of the mother church rejoicing in the “new thing” god is doing….they blame and shame and forget their first love and their unique mission….
be strong and courageous…keep doing inclulsive outside the box stuff…that is jesus..
invite the folks to your venue or to a “neutral” venue if your boss is too scared to let you go to another church…
lilly
November 8th, 2003 at 8:50 pm
He’s just got to get over it - but that’s easier said that done!
He will have the pressure of a similar thinking congregation weighing on him and influencing how he thinks.
Still - sometimes you gotta have the balls to make the decisions that matter!
December 8th, 2003 at 10:50 pm
Good luck with all of that. I think it would be good for those kids to have the chance to hang out with other youth groups. I always loved it when my youth group in highschool actually attempted to do stuff with other churches and I’m sure they would too.
I understand that there’s a threat of “losing” ids to another church, but at the same time if they are not being fed then they really need to go elsewhere or you might lose them all together which is, in my mind, a far greater thing to be afraid of.
The church I’m working at right now has lost their youth and a lot of it has to do with the fact that the kids are not permitted to explore other churches in the area and many of them would like to at least see what is out there. It’s causing huge problems and I don’t want to see that happen to those kids at your church. I figgure you have a responsibility as a youth leader to do what it best for your youth’s walk with Christ.