Church Bodies, Changes and Churches

If you’ve never attended a churchwide assembly or convention, imagine your church council meeting on steroids! It was my pleasure to represent Wheat Ridge Ministries at The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod’s National Convention in Houston in mid-July. As is also the case with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s churchwide assembly, it is a remarkable event for a number of reasons, including the size and scope. To see hundreds and hundreds of delegates from across the United States gathered together to make decisions on behalf of all member congregations is really something!

A few reflections on the convention in Houston and other national assemblies and conventions I’ve attended:

• It’s inspiring to see such large gatherings of God’s people in one place and united in their desire to further the mission of the church.

• It’s an awesome experience to worship and to praise God with so many others.

• The meeting-management skills of bishops and synodical presidents are impressive! I don’t know where they learn these skills – the last time I checked, they weren’t being taught at seminaries – but somehow our church bodies always seem to elect people who lead these meetings with great care, sensitivity and effectiveness.

• The men and women who attend as delegates take their responsibilities very seriously. For lay delegates, serving in this way often includes using vacation days from work. Imagine a vacation spent reading through volumes and volumes of background material and resolutions, and then sitting for a week listening carefully to presentations and arguments related to various issues!

• I always leave these gatherings grateful that the governance and decision-making systems at Wheat Ridge are so very simple in comparison!

Of course, these national gatherings provide a great opportunity for connections to so many people who provide great encouragement for the seeding of new health and human care ministries as friends and donors. As you may know, Wheat Ridge is blessed to have the support of, and to serve as a resource to, the congregations and leaders of the various Lutheran Church bodies and to be formally recognized by the LCMS and ELCA.

Church body assemblies and conventions reflect the changing shape of the church. The recent LCMS Convention adopted plans for significant restructuring. The ELCA churchwide office has reorganized its staff several times in the past few years. Differences of opinions about focus, direction and practice seem to be getting more and more pronounced within and among church bodies as leaders attempt to faithfully interpret God’s Word and discern God’s Will for the church’s mission in our rapidly changing world.

In the midst of the uncertainties of changing structures and practices, God’s Word to Jeremiah provides great reassurance to today’s church, “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

I was also reassured about God’s plans for the church as I recently read The Great Emergence: How Christianity is Changing and Why by Phyllis Tickle (Baker Books, 2008). The author reviews church history from the time of Christ and observes major cycles of radical change during the past 2,000 years. She concludes that about every 500 years, one of these cycles occurs (the last being the Reformation). In the midst of these emergent periods there is much chaos, struggle and uncertainty. But ultimately, the result has been a stronger, healthier and more effective Christian church. Dr. Tickle contends that we are currently in the midst of one of these waves of emergent change. Seen in this context, the current uncertainties about our church structures and practices make it very exciting to consider what will emerge!

While church bodies make important decisions about structure and produce important statements regarding the work of the church, a great place to observe God’s plans for the church unfolding is in the actions of local congregations and faith-based organizations. God’s Spirit continues to inspire their leaders to recognize and creatively address the needs of people in their neighborhood and community. Giving evidence to this is the record number of grant requests Wheat Ridge is currently receiving. Thank God for these expressions of care and compassion! Hopefully, our larger church body structures will continue to be shaped by a desire to support and encourage this important work of congregations and agencies!

P.S. Back to our record number of grant requests … your prayers and financial support are especially needed right now as we want to say “yes” to as many of these new ministries as possible. Thanks for being a seeder of new ministries!