How can an organization facilitate growth on one hand, and yet maintain its identity as an organization with consistent values and beliefs on the other hand? As an organization grows, it must be willing to delegate more authority and autonomy to the periphery or growth will stop. If an organization is dogmatically controlled by a central source of power and resources then the organization is doomed to stop growing when the extent of the influence of the central source is reached. Even with inventive and involved hierarchical schemas, there are limits to which an organization can continue to grow without allowing for more autonomy on the edges. Instead, the vital and innovative edges will break away and thrive on their own, independent of the founding organization.
A clear example of this is the contrast between the Church of God (Cleveland, TN) and the Assemblies of God (Springfield, MO). The Assemblies has a much larger membership than the Church of God does, and the structure between the Assemblies and the Church of God helps to explain how the Assemblies has continued to see such growth while the Church of God has never seen the level of growth that the Assemblies has. The centralized and hierarchical structure of the Church of God mitigates growth, while the less centralized structure of the Assemblies facilitates growth.
Even at local church level, growing churches have leadership who have discovered the multiplication factor of empowering others to create, administer, and minister in semi-autonomous small groups, para-ministries, outreaches, extension congregations, and so forth. While I am a Church of God minister, and believe in the teachings and leadership of the organization, I fear that unless substantial structural change is embraced in the near future, the extent of our growth and vitality as an organization may be within sight.
A clear example of this is the contrast between the Church of God (Cleveland, TN) and the Assemblies of God (Springfield, MO). The Assemblies has a much larger membership than the Church of God does, and the structure between the Assemblies and the Church of God helps to explain how the Assemblies has continued to see such growth while the Church of God has never seen the level of growth that the Assemblies has. The centralized and hierarchical structure of the Church of God mitigates growth, while the less centralized structure of the Assemblies facilitates growth.
Even at local church level, growing churches have leadership who have discovered the multiplication factor of empowering others to create, administer, and minister in semi-autonomous small groups, para-ministries, outreaches, extension congregations, and so forth. While I am a Church of God minister, and believe in the teachings and leadership of the organization, I fear that unless substantial structural change is embraced in the near future, the extent of our growth and vitality as an organization may be within sight.
2 comments:
I am a member of the Assemblies of God and find the Bill Hybil, Rick Warren, alpha course, approach to be a devastating to the church. The Assemblies has embraced and promoted this approach to the detrement of the body. It may increase numbers in the pews but the message that is conveyed in these teachings is far removed from sound doctrine. Do we want growth for growth sake? We are called to go and make disciples and not mere believers that deny the reality of sin and deception.
Dear Anonymous, I'm not familiar with the "alpha course appraoch, so if any of my comments sound like they come from Hybels or Warren, then it is shere coincidence. I agree that growth on the periphery can be messy sometimes, and to be perfectly honest, it is my limited observation that some of the theology that is espoused by some of the churches that claim AOG affiliation is far removed from what I know to be the sound doctrine of the AOG. I don't suggest that there are no limits. Theologically there needs to a goundedness, a clear connection between the periphery and the larger denominational body. But in terms of expression of worship, of innovation in ministries, and in novel approaches to assembly, I am all for it as long as the theology remains sound. Anyone who knows me, knows that I place the authority of Scripture at the heart of all I do, believe, teach and preach. Anyone who gets away from the Word has already walked away from where I stand, and from where the COG stands. Your point is well taken.
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