What worries you about the church?

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I know for myself I tend to worry a lot about the church - that is my particular congregation I serve. I think the saying is true that the church is a "jealous mistress." Hardly a day goes by that I am not thinking about the hopes, failures, and dreams for this congregation. I worry about a lot of things - older congregants that statistically don't have much longer to live; how to introduce others to Christ and bring them in to our community of faith, analyzing long-standing barriers to growth in ministry, etc. Always something to think about. However when it comes to the larger catholic church, I really believe that we have some real things to worry about, especially through the eyes of those who are newly trained and ordained into ministry. 

As mentioned before, I was at a Lilly-funded Pastoral Resident consultation which you can read here with pastoral residents from a variety of denominations. As one of thier assignments before the consultation each of them had the opportunity to answer three questions on reflections of ministry. The one question that was asked was "Name one thing that worries you about the church." I took the liberty to quote directly from some participants that will give you some insight as to where their worries are:

"I worrry that the church can easily become self-absorbed and curved in on itself."

"The church has to nurture its malleability and its ability to accomodate (instead of assimilate) new members . . . I do not mean that the church should reject its traditional practices (as those are also desired and needed) but be more willing to be a "both/and" instead of an "either/or" church."

"I am worried about the hypocrisy in the church - as in the hypocrisy of not living out the Good News in word and deed."

"In a quickly-changing world, we are challenged more than ever to continually discern what is most essential about our traditions, and what forms must be left behind in order for us to continue to be vital and exciting communities of faith."

"I am worried that the church is losing its effectiveness."

"Our church is still missing a large segment of the population. People of my generation, who are active in their communities and passionate about social justice, are not interested in the church." 

"The lack of Biblical/theological awareness and exposure worries (me) most about the church right now."

"One thing that worries me about the church is the increasing tendency of people to buy into the idea that spirituality can exist without engagement with the institution."

"The 'shrinking' of the church within our country - in numbers of people, in financial resources, in vision, in power to be agents of transformation."

"One thing that worries me about the church is how we will effectively take stands on issues and yet, still minister to all people."

"The church doesn't always have a lot of patience for that actively creative God."

"The general inability of the mainline (churches) to meet people at their most basic needs."

As I read through these and many other responses, these wonderful, intelligent new pastors have touched on some basic worries that we all have about the church, irrespective of denomination. What are some of your worries about the church? What advice would you give someone who is facing these or other issues? I would be interested to know what you think!

Comments

[Maria Kettleson Anderson]

I'm grateful for trained and dedicated clergy who care both for their congregations and denominations and for our bigger world-wide church. I'm sure there is much to worry about, and much to pray about, and much to do! Church members who love their local church and the bigger Church engage in the same worries and the same responses of prayer and action designed to help. Me, too!

But I have come to a place where I see St. Andrew's (pcusa, Newport Beach, CA) and the PC(USA) and all other local and larger manifestations of the body of Christ with less concern than I did just a few years ago. We are bound together and separated by dynamics that are just as complicated as all of the other forces that shape families and cultures - but are also shaped by the same Holy Spirit that was poured out on the original gathering of believers at Pentecost. It is our Triune God Who has shaped His church in all its forms these centuries, and that same Triune God can be trusted now! And we have the same mixture of "faithful" and "faithless" that have always made up the visible Church, that are being led to the roles in the story that they find themselves playing.

I still worry, and use it as my motivation to prayer and action - and know that God is using that same dynamic in all of us to accomplish God's purposes as it shapes our purposes . . .

But I also live in the reality that the God I worship is present in all the visible and hidden elements of this particular moment; and all those moments will keep forming an ongoing HISTORY in which the real Church grows and thrives in all its manifestations - even the death of individuals, congregations, and denominations. Resurrection has meaning today.

[Byron Wade]

Maria - Amen! My sentiments exactly. Thanks for the post ;-)

[Brian Frick]

I second that Amen!
It is easy to get caught up in worries for the Church. But isn't the Church just a vehicle to spread the word, share the word and act on the word? Without churches, would that still go on? I argue that it would - though it would be disjointed and would be hard to keep education and sharing growing. We might splinter into smaller factions than we already are - OR - the spirit might use those smaller groups to be called into action. That action will draw others together and a NEW Church will be born. Sort of a Phoenix. A Phoenix needs to go through fire to be re-born.
Maybe that's what's happening?
Do you really think God will abandon us during out times of trial, doubt and secularism? I don't.
We might abandon God, but God is still moving and as the UCC ads say - God is still speaking...are we listening?
Roger Nishioka shared with the Presbyterian Church Camp and Conference Assocation (PCCCA) gathering at Calvin Center outside of Atlanta in 2007 that the coming generation (if you use the 4 cycles of generations theory) will be the institution builders. He then went on to warn us Presbyterians lamenting decline to not get too excited - THEY WILL NOT BE RE-BUILDING YOUR INSTITUTIONS, THEY WILL BUILD THEIR OWN!
A shocking, but true statement.
I also heard Bruce Reyes-Chow state at the recent GAC elected meeting in Louisville (March) that he doesn't know that an institution can change into something else if it doesn't know what it is changing into - and I argue that the Presbyterian church as a whole will tell you what they don't want to be, but has a hard time articulating what they do want to me.
So, when does what we do become focused on survival and not living and emboding the word of Christ? Living the faith?
I think we are getting close to that point in many areas. Sure I love being Presbyterian and I don't know what I would do if there was no longer the Presbyterian denomination to call home, but I can guarantee you that if that day comes, God will be there, he will be speaking and he will be leading the way to greener pastures - and we will look back and say - wow!? What were we doing with all that time back then when we were lost in the wilderness!?
Great thread. Keep it coming!