In my previous post on this topic I addressed the challenge denominations face in developing relationships with their smaller churches. If they fail to develop and maintain such relationships they will continue to see these churches leave the denomination or continue to remain members but without any active involvement in denominational life.
Today I want to address another common issue I often heard as a regional denominational leader. That is the issue of Scriptural integrity. As denominations face a variety of social challenges in today's society they create policy statements regarding these social issues that many of their churches feel are unbiblical. These issues range from same-sex marriage to homosexual relationships to gender dysphoria issues to women in ministry to abortion and a host of other social justice and public policies. Some denominations make clear policy statements regarding these issues while others seem to want to straddle the fence on them. Still others have an endless stream of study groups assigned to study the issue and report back at a later date. The fence straddlers and the study groups are often more frustrating to the churches than the denominations that make a clear statement of where they stand on these issues.
I have long believed that denominations need to state clear beliefs on these various social issues so their churches know where they stand. Quit straddling the fence trying to appease everyone. That satisfied nobody. Clearly say what you believe and then churches can decide whether to remain or leave. This avoids the problem of a slow death by attrition, and it avoids the problem of churches dividing because members tire of the uncertainty of supporting a denomination they aren't sure believes what they believe.
How many study groups does it take to decide where a denomination stands on a particular issue? How many years do such study groups need to take to issue a statement to the wider denomination? I have sometimes wondered if such study groups were created and given a time line to report back that was sufficient to allow certain denominational leaders to retire before the report was finalized. Yes, you can call me cynical if you want.
Some denominations have taken a public stand on these issues, and their churches know that stand. They are then free to decide whether to remain in that denomination or not. While I may or may not agree with the stands these denominational always take, I appreciate their willingness to state what they believe. At least they have the courage of their convictions, and I appreciate that in anyone and in any organization. It should be noted that many of the denominations that have taken more progressive (liberal) stands are experiencing decline in membership due to the membership declines in their churches. Those denominations that have taken more conservative stands regarding these social issues are the denominations that continue to grow in size and influence.
The denominations that seem to want to satisfy everyone by not stating a clear position on many of the social issues are also in decline. Personally, I think that is as it should be. Just like most people enjoy hot coffee and hot tea or iced coffee and iced tea but do not like either to be lukewarm, people do not like lukewarm theological beliefs either. Like the Lord told the church at Laodicea, "So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth. (Rev. 3: 16)"
Most Christians want to belong to a church that believes something and stands for something. They seek churches that have theological integrity, and if a church lacks that they will leave it and seek one that does. Many churches feel the same way about the denomination to which they belong. If they believe that denomination abandons its theological beliefs, they will leave that denomination for one that holds to the beliefs they share or become independent.
As we move further into the 21st century it becomes more imperative that denominations take a firm stand on what it believes about the various social and theological challenges it faces. Your churches deserve that. We are facing a turbulent future and without a sound theological foundation we are going to be buffeted by the winds of dozens of social issues.
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