Written by Pastor Kevin Baird
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Disorganized Christianity
December 21, 2010
I just received word that a pastor I greatly respected while studying for the ministry passed away. His name was W.E. McCumber. He was a pastor, author, college professor, and editor for a Christian magazine. I loved his wit and insight. He will be greatly missed by many on this earth, but angels are rejoicing that another saint has crossed the finish line. I ran across a short editorial he wrote about those who feel like they no longer need or trust "organized" church life. It was so thoughtful I thought it worthy of a repeat on this blog. We will miss you Brother Bill!
I am weary of hearing persons, from teens to thirty-somethings, say, “I believe in Jesus, but I don’t need the church. I don’t like or trust organized religion.”
Okay, let’s talk about Christians who reject the churches. Let’s talk about firm believers in disorganized Christianity.
Let’s begin by admitting freely that the organized churches are woefully imperfect. That’s mainly because they are comprised of imperfect people, imperfect people like all you guys and gals who are just as imperfect, yet make theirs an excuse to ignore or scorn the churches.
The organized churches have founded more clinics, hospitals, colleges and universities than disorganized Christians. Indeed, has any group of anti-church believers founded even one?
The organized churches have mounted relief campaigns and invested millions of dollars in helping disaster victims around the world. Have you anti-church, anti-organization critics ever matched the churches’ compassionate ministries? You know you haven’t and we know you haven’t.
The Jesus you claim to follow “radically” went to the synagogues weekly to worship with other people. It was His “custom,” according to scripture. Some of those other people were hate-filled hypocrites, but that did not become an excuse for Jesus to absent himself from organized religion.
The Bible you claim to believe says, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another…” The Bible, speaking of public worship, says, “Everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.” You don’t have order without organization.
If you could take over the churches and impose your own notions of Christian worship and work upon them, you would immediately favor organized religion. What’s really bugging many, perhaps most, of you is your inability to sell your opinions to the churches.
Most of you found Christ through the ministries of organized Christianity. Many of you were reared by parents who were faithful members of the very churches you now belittle. If it were not for centuries of organized churches doing organized missions Christianity would have vanished long ago. You may despise and ridicule your heritage, but without it you wouldn’t even be today’s rebellious, misshaped and disorganized version of it.
Organized Christianity began with the organizing efforts of Jesus and His first apostles. They worked lovingly with misfits, ignoramuses and hypocrites, but they never shucked the task and posed as superior Christians.
Private Christianity, churchless Christianity, is not found in Scripture. Christ formed individual believers into a community of worshippers and workers. He believed in organized Christianity. He founded it.
Come on, lose the attitude and gain a family.
Michael:
Great to hear from you! I had an inkling that this one might catch your attention.
Again, I would simply say that this is another brother’s opinion that I thought was worthy of posting. I suspect I would no more agree in totality with McCumber any more than you would agree in totality with Barna or Viola. The point here is simply his perspective. Just as I need to be challenged by the perspective of the “house church” movement, I would assume that the “house church” movement could take a challenge or two from those of us who choose to stay within what is labeled “traditional” Christianity and church life. Critique, I am assuming, is a two-way street.
As always, your points and analogies are well-taken and certainly have a point in the on-going discussion. I would hope you remember and know that I personally have not questioned your relationship to Christ or your sincerity in your church life choices. I genuinely believe that your choices are based on a sense of deep humility and seeking God. I simply believe that McCumber had something to put out there on the table for everyone to “chew on”. Since he has recently passed away, I guess he probably knows more than either of us at this moment.
Of course, you know better than I that both Viola and Barna appeal to history (and of course, “some” Scripture) in their understanding of church life. Should Jesus tarry another century it will be that same history book that will be able to analyze appropriately as to whether or not their church life philosophy really hit the center of God’s Will or not. The Christian faith is always answered and demonstrated by it’s fruits. It will be interesting to see if those in your movement can post some of the legacy the traditionalists have left.
Again, Thanks for stopping by and may you and your family have a great Christ-filled Christmas! I am confident you will!
~ Kevin Baird ~ Charleston, SC
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Comments:
Just because someone doesn’t want to be a part of “organized” Christianity any more doesn’t automatically make them inferior, rebellious, or lacking necessarily. That’s a rather broad stroke to paint don’t you think? In leaving the institutional church the group I’m a part of now would NEVER think of not meeting together. Coffee shop Christianity isn’t the same thing as someone who chooses to pursue something other than the institution.
It’s the same argument of organized education disallowing any validity to the homeschooling movement. Sure some homeschoolers are whack’s and really shouldn’t be teaching anyone - but most all homeschool proponents are doing it because they see a different (and for them a better way) to educate their children. The institutional church either can’t or doesn’t want to allow a church movement other than the authorized and organized way “it’s always been done” - even when that way isn’t the way it was always done.
Your argument is as arrogant against something that’s not “organized” as you present the anti-church crowd is arrogant against the organized church. Again, I’m not “anti-church” just because I choose to meet in a home or under a bridge with a group of homeless people.
I hope I’ve grossly misunderstood this post and your intentions.
~ Michael Cooper ~ Campobello, SC