Category Archives: Denomination

Silos

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I’m concerned about how we in America are increasingly polarized. I saw an interview with Tim Keller recently in which he said several years ago America would elect a President and everyone accepted that person as our President, but now those who voted for the opposition act as though the President’s time is office is illegitimate. It is sad that we, whether on the left or the right, act as though there is nothing praiseworthy or commendable in the other party.

Which is why I’m happy to see several Republican leaders commend and congratulate President Obama in addition to our military and intelligence personnel on the successful removal of Osama Bin Laden. I was also proud of Mr Obama’s address last night that presented the events in Afghanistan and Pakistan as part of a consistent American strategy; that is concurring in President Bush’s actions in those countries. I would love to see more points of agreement and recognition from individuals of either party that disagreement over priorities and goals doesn’t mean that those who disagree with you are stupid, corrupt, or malicious.

This is especially brought to light today as I had lunch with a friend of another Christian denomination who shared some misunderstandings about me as a Presbyterian. He had previously asked me some questions about my beliefs which allowed me to clarify what I believe. I was very grateful for the opportunity to explain my beliefs for myself, rather than have someone make assumptions about me based on caricature and distortion.

There is a strong temptation to only talk to people who we agree with, to read magazines and books written from a perspective we agree with, to get our “news” from stations or blogs that shares our own perspective. It’s easy to segregate ourselves in a little silo that supports how we see reality and cuts off conversation from anyone who sees things differently. Of course all this does is reinforce our own opinions and divides us further from our neighbor.

Wouldn’t it be more interesting to have lunch or a cup of coffee in the next week with someone you really disagree with and try to understand where they’re coming from? I bet it would be more productive than getting together with some folks who think just like you and fussing about what “those” people should do differently.

the Tim Keller interview can be seen here

I love my church

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I found out yesterday that a program in my own small denomination is in debt for over half a million dollars.  Not that the program cost $600,000, but that it is debt for that over and beyond whatever other expenses it spent. The program, as I understand it,  is essentially to train volunteers to help congregations make decisions.  This is in addition to over $700,000 debt on a building in large part because for over 15 years no money was ever paid on the loan’s principle.
That’s $1.3 million – not spent on feeding the hungry, training ministers or sharing the gospel but paying interest and…well I can’t imagine what cost $600,000 for the other program, probably consulting fees and marketing to get the congregations to get on board with the program.  Two things in particular get me steamed.

First, I feel like our congregations have been finessed.  When we’re encouraged to send our tithe to the denomination we are shown images of missionaries, food banks and homeless shelters.  In the latest campaign to raise money for a new denominational center we were shown a video of a family adopting a child and given the mantra ‘I love my church’ and a goal of $3 million.  No mention of the debt.  No explanation of what adoption has to do with office space for our denominaitonal executives.

Second, there doesn’t appear to be any accountability.  I haven’t heard any explanation of why those types of decisions have been made.  No one seems to be asking why we continue to throw money away.  I get the impression that if anyone did ask these types of questions they would be accused of causing division and not loving their church.
The total lack of accountability is scandalous.  I can’t imagine these sorts of losses in a business not being addressed.  The church should be held to a higher standard than a business.  That doesn’t mean we operate like a for-profit company, but it means that we should be held to account even more strictly because the money is not ours.  People have put part of their earnings into an offering plate in a local church during a Sunday morning worship service as an offering to God.  They gave the money without expecting anything for themselves, but trusting that the people chosen to spend the money would do so in a responsible way.  I think that demands some candid discussion.