As the church goes so goes the nation! That is an old adage but it remains true. Today in America many are worried about our apparent move from the right to the left of the political spectrum. Consider this: In America and around the world, it would appear that the traditional church has always been set up structurally to be hierarchical.The power has never rested in the people’s hands. Power has always been in the hands of the hierarchy. That, dear friends, is the essence of socialism.
In most traditionally structured churches we don’t equip and empower the saints, we equip and empower the pulpit. We seem to say, “Give us your money. We know where it should go. Give us your children and your youth. We know what to teach them. Give us your voice, your musical instruments, your creative genius, and your business acumen. We know how to use them. Give us your gifts and talents. We need them in the church.” Our focus is on the perpetuation of the organization more than on the expansion of the Kingdom of God. We argue and debate points of order or doctrine more than the needs of the world around us. We work to preserve the organizational structure more than the organism of the body. We tend to advance our own kingdom over the Kingdom of God.
But, Praise God! God has a remnant of brave people who are challenging socialism in traditional church structure! They appear a bit radical and maybe even rebellious. For many years now they have been encouraging the church to change and they have offered alternatives to the traditional structure. These people often seem focused on loving one another and the world. Yet they often appear at odds with the traditional church and can even appear to be un-loving toward the people in that structure. But they contend they are just misunderstood by the people of the traditional church and that they do truly love everyone.
These brave and apparently radical followers of Jesus are standing up against “socialism” in the traditional church. They don’t use the term “socialism”, that’s my term. They use terms like “traditional”, “‘hierarchical”, “structured”, etc. Perhaps they are trying to be politically correct and un-offensive. But they are offensive to traditionalist, nonetheless.
Now for the secular parallel: I find it interesting that we now see strong Americans standing up and challenging socialism in our country! Hmmm? As the church goes so goes the nation. These people are viewed by many to be radical, fringe, and insignificant. They are standing up against big government and for the “little guy.” They want the power returned to the people so the people can determine for themselves where their money and resources should be spent. They want to use their God-given gifts and talents to advance their own families and their nation. They believe they can do a better job than a big centralized government can. These people are viewed to be a bit “crazy” and uninformed. They have been called names and derided as insignificant. And they are certainly politically incorrect. Many believe they are unpatriotic but they say they are intensely patriotic. I am certain they are brave and courageous and their numbers are growing.
It doesn’t matter whether you are a leader in the Capital of the United States, the National Headquarters of a denominational church or the leadership of a local traditional church. If you are part of a strong centralized government of any kind in the United States – Watch Out! The people are coming! And remember, it started in the ecclesia – the church – and the people are the church! You don’t go to church; you are the church!
Tags: church, radical, socialism, structured, traditional