Congregational membership - essay
My Major Applied Project for the Doctor of Ministry Program has been focusing on connection with disconnected members. People who may not have lost their faith altogether, but they have been away from the voice of their Savior and the fellowship of the Church in the in-person opportunities of the congregation.
One of the ways to look at this phenomenon is that it is inserted in the context of the Post-Christian Society in which we live. Here, confession of faith, especially of the Christian faith, has come into decay. Allied to this is normal nihilism, which brought to the Church and to Christians the duty of explaining themselves again in the foundations of their faith. The western reference of a Christian God is not a given anymore.[1] Many people therefore are disconnected from the Confession of Faith and Confessionalism of their congregation, with a waning engagement to the bold confession that “Jesus is Lord”.[2] Another aspect of the spirit of the time which even the most faithful Christian family can be hit by is the concept of a Discontented Age: Distraction (a digitally mediated culture that forms us to be distracted), Disenchantment (for many people, God seems distant from the world, which exists apart from Him); and Disillusionment (stories of people who are in the process of falling away from faith).[3] Disconnection and “Dis-confession”.
Since disconnected members are a reality in most places, congregations are usually concerned about reaching out to them. Usually, there are two main goals when that effort is undertaken. One is to bring Christ to them where they are; to connect. The second goal is to reconnect them to the local outpost of Christ’s Church, the local congregation where they belong, or used to belong to as members; to reconnect. Whereas both are important, this chapter will focus on the first goal - going where people are, in their context of life, to bring the Jesus to them. In History, the Church has made use of means to come to people where they are with the Gospel of Hope and the Confession of Her faith, as the Epistles of the NT, the documents of the Councils and the texts of the Book of Concord stand as examples.
When doing so it is important that the starting point for the congregation be a heart of love and compassion for the disconnected (why reaching out to them) which then leads her to find ways to reconnect them to Christ (how can she reach out to them), which in this research will be a smart phone app.
In dealing with why and how to reach out to them, this chapter explores three main topics: a) Membership in the Church—what is it, theologically speaking, and how does it matter. b) How the congregation should regard to the “disconnected.” c) How the congregation reaches out appropriately.
a) Congregational Membership
On the Biblical level we learn that as we were brought to faith in Christ, we became members of his body (1 Corinthians 12). From the doctrinal standpoint, therefore, we know that we already are members. We are already in Christ connected to His Word and Sacraments. However, the Bible itself and the confessions show the importance of the local assembly of the body of Christ, the local Church or congregation. The very fact that Paul’s epistles, for example, were written to be listened by the gathered congregation already points to the importance of the local Church right in the early days of Christianity. The Third commandment invites us to gather for God’s Word, as Luther points out. We shouldn’t “Despise the Word and its preaching” (which ends up being unattainable by the force of the Law, James 2). Christ gave the Holy Supper and told us “This do as often as you drink it”, which points to the gathering of God’s people around the altar. Hebrews 10 asks us to not abandon the habit of congregating even though not mentioning the ideal frequency for doing so. The first Christians started to gather twice a Sunday, for the early morning Service and for the Communion Service in the Evening. The LC-MS website adds two biblical texts,
“Joining a church says to the public you are a Christian and that you are a member of God's own people, who are called "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation" (1 Peter 2:9). It says you believe and act thus and thus as a witness to the Christian faith and as an example to others. It means you are doing what the very first Christians did in joining to devote themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer (Acts 2:42).[4]
These also enhance and underline our connection to Christ as members of His body.
Given this definition of the Christian Church and its membership, do we still need to have a formal, human institution, that is, with its documents, physical facilities, and procedures, inviting people to a voluntary, visible membership to a local congregation? Why does congregational membership matter?
There are Theological and Synodical reasons involved. As a Synod we underline the importance of the local congregation where the Word is proclaimed, and the Sacraments area administered. Our ecclesiology also says that no one without a regular calling should be doing ministering the Means of Grace regularly, which calls for pastors, ministers of the Word[5]. This ecclesiological definition leads to the need for organization, order, practical and financial means. Also, by being a Synod that understands obedience to civil authorities as necessary, it leads to the need of a constitution, by-laws, financial accountability, among other human arrangements. As a Synod, therefore, our local Churches become organized entities which need people, rules and means to continue to exist. Members are made aware that they are invited to help in every way possible to keep the congregation running.
This is what the website of the LC-MS ponders,
It will tell other Christians and the world you have considered it a serious matter to be able to join together with Christians to support the work of the church of calling a pastor, providing instruction in the Christian faith for the youth, adults, the older set, doing evangelism and mission work at home and abroad. It would not only witness to other people who you are and what you are about, but it would show God what He wants of His groups of His chosen, His own people — that you are not just talking about and maybe doing half-heartedly but are involved whole-heartedly in doing what He expects. Joining a congregation is a serious declaration you intend — with His help — to participate fully in doing the things of God. In most congregations, only members who have joined receive the Lord's Supper, have the privilege of voting, obtain recognition by the government for tax purposes, and have full use of the church and other amenities.[6]
The Synod understands that becoming a member is connected both to the needs of Christian people and to the needs of Christian congregations.
As for types of membership, Lutheran congregations usually have three categories:
“(a) Baptized members are all who have been baptized in the name of the Triune God and who are under the spiritual care of the pastor, including the children who have not yet confirmed their baptismal vows; (b) Communicant members are those who have been baptized in the name of the Triune God, instructed in Luther’s Small Catechism, made public confession of the Lutheran faith, accept the Confessional Standard of the congregation’s constitution, and are not members of organizations whose principles and conduct conflict with the Word of God (i.e., lodges); (c) Voting members are communicant members who have reached the age of majority, have been received by the Voters Assembly, and have signed the constitution of the congregation.[7]
This definition places the focus of this MAP in the Baptized members, reaching out to disconnected members, not considering specifically if they are either communicant or voter members.
As we mention the practical, Synodical aspects of membership it is important that we don’t see the need of people/members to generate the support and maintenance to the congregation as the reason, but rather as consequence for its existence. The reason for Church and membership is that Word and Sacraments be provided for them, as well as religious rites and spiritual support. Adding to this, the joined effort to reach out to people with the Gospel of Hope, both those converted who are disconnected and those yet to know Jesus as Lord.
Establishing the importance of the membership for the Church, and especially to the existence of the congregation leads to the importance this MAP which is to connect the voice of Christ to the disconnected members, so there are reminded of the voice of their Good Shepherd on a regular basis from His local outpost near them. Also, so that they are reminded of the importance of that local body of God’s people gathered around His Word.
b) How the congregation should regard the disconnected
The congregation matters in our ecclesiological understanding, and so does membership. This is why the Church concerns herself with people who get disconnected from the communion with the body of Christ in their Congregation. She will have a heart for why and how to reach out to them.
As the Church thinks of ways to connect with them, it is important to ask who are the disconnected, and what should be the goal of the congregation as she reaches out to them. There are different names and expressions to refer to members who have been absent from in-person activities for a considerable period, such as inactive, lapse, strayed and delinquent. For this research, the term chosen was “disconnected”, since it involves smart phone technology in which the word connection is essential.
With the word comes the need for a definition: what is the time range implied when one talks about disconnected members?
In my this research, disconnected member will be defined as a baptized member who has been absent from in-person activities of Mount Olive in the timeframe of twelve months or more. The reason for this option stems from the fact that in the year of 2022 discussions prompted by financial obligations with the Synod brought up the discussion about active(connected) membership in our congregation. The notion of having attended Holy Supper at least once in the previous calendar year was proposed as the criteria to keep a member in the communicant member roster (if less than once a year, still a member, but not a communicant one). The logical inference, then, is that after over 12 months without attending Holy Supper at least once, a person is not considered an active (connected) member anymore, even though still listed in the membership roster. We understand that different measures for different contexts could also be applied, which could lead also to different findings and different results.[8] Therefore, amid different opinions and time frames there are I opted for one provided by the congregation.
Disconnection happens in most Lutheran Congregations, and when the topic is discussed, the most common approach is to work on ways and methods of bringing the disconnected back to the pew. This research does not take that approach as its primary goal, and in the next few paragraphs I lay out the reason for that choice.
It is a fact that members who disconnect from the active life in their congregation have their share of responsibility in the disconnection. The third commandment and Jesus’ instruction to “this do as often as you drink it”, among other Bible passages, shows they have been in a position of neglecting teachings from the Word of God. However, one of the most common approaches to ministering to them tends to place the responsibility, or the guilt, in one end only -- the disconnected. It could be a list of 8 reasons why people become inactive in in-person activities, including “making the belly their God” and “the art of living that snuffed out their faith,” developed by one of our LCMS Circuits.[9] It might be the problem of hovering parents constantly anxious about their children finding their “thing” which will bring validation and, consequently, happiness – therefore, prioritizing all sorts of activities but Church attendance.[10] It could be the spirit of a faithless age, the specific traits of different generations, among others. In all of these it seems that there is one end of the relationship that is wrong – and that is the disconnected member side.
However, some disconnections may not be related to the loss of consideration for higher values such as Faith, Church, and Religion. There could be some issues on the congregation side as well, such as problems and practices of the congregation, rifts among members, bad administration, to mention a few. One could add to the list the problem of geographical distances, such as in a big country with a small Church body like Canada. Some people may have not lost their appreciation for the higher value of the Word, but for the way it has been worked with in the local outpost of it.
This contrast of approaches leads to the realization that the reasons for disconnection may as varied as the number of members of a congregation, while, at the same time, we know there is one common root cause to all of them – sin, which permeates all points of the spectrum (Romans 3:23). At the same time, the pragmatic reasons for disconnection present a complex and nuanced scenario. For this reason, this research is focused on the action of intentionally reaching out to the disconnected. They should be seen as objects of God’s Grace and Mercy in Christ, and as people in need to be reminded of the importance of Jesus as Lord in their life, and in their congregational life as well.
c) How the congregation reaches out appropriately.
This MAP proposes a smart phone as an appropriate way to reach out to disconnected members, bringing to them the Voice of the Christ from His local outpost. This approach is anchored in trust since the disconnected members are familiar with the teaching of their congregation. And it also provides the congregation with a means to connect its content to their daily life at the palm of their hand.
The helpfulness of the use of a smart phone app can be seen within the Theological framework in use in our Theology School:
Context – The first thing to consider is context. People are not coming already, there is no good reason to think that something will prompt them to do so right away. While it doesn’t happen, the app can be the bridge connection the context of the congregation to the context of the family life.
First article knowledge – The area of Digital Well being brings important resources for the use of technology by the Church. Also, the cultural aspects of a Discontented age, as mentioned by David Schmitt, indicates that engaging in first article themes may be of profit when reaching out to disconnected, showing empathy, and seeking connections with daily themes of daily life creates an ambient where trust is enhanced and an avenue for dialogue may be created.
Theological Framework – Jesus is Lord and Confessing Christ are two core concepts at play here. The app and its content will constantly foster Jesus the Son of God as Lord of our lives, and from there, an incentive to bear this confessing faith in daily life. This teaching is anchored in God’s mercy, not only to only to stray sheep, but for all the sheep, including the ones that may be coming to Church in automatic pilot every Sunday, which could be a form of disconnection that a future MAP could investigate.
Godly leadership – promoting ways in which devotional life may be fostered in their lives, not only through and in the app, but encouraging it in the physical world as well.
How appropriate would it be? When we think that faith comes by hearing (Romans 14) we think about means. When a message needs to reach a receiver, it needs means to get there. An illustration for this need comes from the parable of the Seeking Shepherd (Luke 15), where we see the Good Shepherd going to where the lost sheep is. Why so? Because a sheep can only hear the voice of her pastor through means. In a physical setting, the means is the air. The process of hearing happens when sound waves travel from the mouth to the ear of the hearer that stands at a certain distance where the waves can reach their ears and make the process of hearing happen.[11] The ears can only receive communication through a means. When we amplify hearing to mean “receiving the message” through whichever means possible (a deaf person, for example, “hears the message” with his/her eyes), we realize that the only way a lost sheep can hear the voice of the shepherd is if she is within the reach of the adequate means that can bring the voice to her ears.
In Luke 15 we see, in the context, Jesus talking to Pharisees criticizing Him for eating with sinners. The Pharisees thought they were the right flock and the right fold, and that the sinners were the disconnected members. Jesus’ teaching shows that after He goes after lost sheep and finds her, He is not primarily worried about reconnection to the flock. He wants first and foremost to assure the sheep of His presence, and to secure her firmly on His shoulders. He comes close to the sheep to make himself audible and receivable, reachable by the sheep, and to bring his familiar voice back into her ears. When He finds her, his main concern is to connect her to Himself, to have her on His shoulders, and to celebrate with the angels in Heaven. The concern is also not about how the sheep had behaved. Martin Luther:
For in this state and nature by
virtue of which we became Christians, all human
works cease, and hence all law. For where there is no work, there can be no law
to
demand work and to say: do this, leave that; but we are through baptism and
through the
blood of Christ simply free from all works, and justified by mere grace and
mercy, and
even live before God alone by them. This is, I say, our treasure, according to
which we
are Christians and live and stand before God. For how we should live according
to the
outward life in our flesh and blood before the world, has nothing whatever to
do here.[12]
The first concern of the Seeking Shepherd, of Christians, and of a Congregation seeking disconnected members lies in providing connection with content that comes from Christ and His Word.
An app developed to be Christ’s voice to disconnected members will have the same purpose. It will bring the familiar voice of the Good Shepherd to sheep that, for different reasons, are out of the reach of His Voice as preached from his local embassy – Mount Olive Lutheran. It may provide connection to content where they are, the disconnected sheep, out of the reach of the in-person voice. This comes together with Luther’s recommendation to Christians,
“But it would be a truly Christian work, if you received sinners, if you entered into your closet and there said, in earnest prayer to the Lord: "Oh, my God! of such a person I hear so and so, he lieth in his sins, he hath fallen. Oh, Lord, help him to rise again…"[13]
Luther encourages the effort of reaching out to disconnected people with God’s Grace.
Smart phones are an option that come with embedded technology to establish that connection. They receive, send and decodify packets of digital information via radio waves.[14] The smart phone app will be focused in primarily connecting content to them to generate connection to the Voice of the Good Shepherd and to His Gifts in His Word.
One of the things that might be observed though is that when the Church reaches out to disconnected members it should not be done so from a position of pharisaic legalism. Otherwise, we could be led to infer that not only the lost sheep needs healing but the fold itself needs to be healed to be able to welcome disconnected members back. Luther denounces that type of behavior:
Here, however, Christ intervenes with his judgment and says that those saints are to stoop down and take the sinners upon their shoulders, and are to bear in mind that, with their righteousness and piety, they are help to others out of their sins. But, no! That they will not do. And this is indeed the way it goes.[15]
Here we can add that opinions based on better members x worse members (especially if attached to monthly contributions) assumptions about the disconnection, and any other reason that could show legalism or pharisaic motivations should be wrestled against and taken out of the way as much as possible. The focus must be on connecting the Gospel of Hope to the hearts of disconnected members. It is not an easy task and neither the world not reason would be able to do it.[16] But it is a task that pertains to a Lutheran Congregation’s core mission, which calls for means to make them reach their goal.
Finally, as the congregation will make use of the smart phone app the general approach to content offered could be connected to what Schmitt suggests in his article as ways of dealing with three challenges of our culture which fit well in the Theological Framework of this Research. Devotional Depth against distraction, which leads to deeper reverence for the things of God. Devotional Discovery against Disenchantment, which builds our Scriptural imaginary. And Devotional Discipline, against Disillusionment, fostering discipleship and maintaining hope. By contributing to the understanding and handling of devotion, he hopes that God’s people will be better equipped to live life in the world.[17] His perspective in the article add to the theological articulation and development of my applied research, as understanding and handling devotional life and discipleship can be key topics working with disconnected members of the congregation affected by these three culture-shaping values the text broaches. Broadening the concept of devotional life and addressing those three major cultural challenges will help me to shape and define ways to connect with those people, and especially, and hopefully, to help re-igniting in them the desire for more connected and active devotional and faith life.
Conclusion
Confession of faith and the Confessionalism of the Congregation are at the core of her mission. They matter. And so do membership and the local congregation. Disconnection happens, and disconnected members have been out of the reach of the congregational in-person activities for some time. They also matter. As these disconnected sheep stand miles away from the pulpit, the library lounge or the physical facility Mount Olive and many congregations possess are away from the range of the content communicated in those settings. The Theological Foundations presented in this chapter give support to the congregational heart of why and how to reach out to disconnected members. The why is that they need the voice of the Christ from His local outpost, the congregation. The how is a means, a smart phone app, a medium that bridges the gap and connects His voice to them, wherever they may be.
[1] Okamoto, Joel “Evangelism in ‘an Age of Normal Nihilism.”Missio Apostolica, pages 33-43.
[3] David Schmitt, “Devotion and Discipleship in a Discontented Age”, Concordia Journal, 46.3 (Summer 2020): 13-34.
[4] “Worship and Congregational Life - Frequently Asked Questions - The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.”
[5] AC XIV
[6] “Worship and Congregational Life - Frequently Asked Questions - The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.”
[7] “Guidelines for Constitutions and Bylaws of LCC Congregations”, pg. 1, available at https://www.lutheranchurchcanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2019/08/Guidelines-for-Constitutions-and-Bylaws-of-LCC-Congregations.pdf, April 21, 2023
[8] The Confessions also do not carry a precise definition of an active member. The Barna web site defines as practicing Christian people who “identify as Christian, agree strongly that faith is very important in their lives and have attended church within the past month.” When asked about what a good definition for active membership would be, one of the Elders in my congregation suggested, with some quick wit: “Someone who knows the name of our last three pastors”.
[9] The full list: “1. Have they made their belly their god?; 2. Have they set their affection on things of this earth? 3. Do they love the praises of men more than the praises of God? 4. Are they people who stubbornly cling to their pet complaints and prejudices so that they cannot or will not listen to another person? 5. Are they people who have forgotten the Lord? 6. Have they committed a serious crime or sin? 7. In some cases the art of living has snuffed out their faith. The cares of this world, the lust for other things, and the deception of riches have overwhelmed them. 8. Then there is bitterness (…) “In essence, those Christians who are slipping away are envious of the ungodly. The ungodly seem to prosper. There doesn’t seem to be any pain or suffering in their lives. These unbelievers are physically healthy and attractive. It seems that they escape the troubles and torments ordinary men have to endure. The ungodly are proud and rich. This does not appear to be fair to the weakened, faithful followers of God. Our people who are in the process of slipping away begin to feel that either God does not know or care about His people. As a result, they are convinced that obeying Christ is all for nothing. It is our job to point out to our weakened people clearly what the end of the ungodly would really be; that unbelievers will not escape God’s wrath. Our Lord knows people, and He knew the only medicine that will cure these sick people is His death and resurrection. Therefore, we must be prepared to point out their faults and comfort them with the forgiveness Christ offers. This is the only way to win them back.” Pastors-Elders Handbook The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Central Illinois District 1985/2012, 7-8, Accessed December 7th, 2022, http://www.cidlcms.org/resources/PastorElderHandbook2012.pdf
[10] Andrew Root develops this idea in length in different portions of his book: The End of Youth Ministry?: Why Parents Don’t Really Care about Youth Groups and What Youth Workers Should Do about It, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, a division of Baker Publishing Group, 2020).
[11] How the Ear Works | Johns Hopkins Medicine. Accessed December 6, 2022. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/how-the-ear-works.
[12] Martin Luther, Third Sunday after Trinity; Luke 15:1-10, Parable of the Lost Sheep, Parable of the Lost Sheep: A marvelously comforting sermon that Luther first preached to the Elector of Saxony in 15335.
[13] Martin Luther, Third Sunday after Trinity; Luke 15:1-10, Parable of the Lost Sheep, Parable of the Lost Sheep: A marvelously comforting sermon that Luther first preached to the Elector of Saxony in 1533, 7
[14] Ashutosh Bhatt, How Internet Works on Mobile Devices. Accessed December 7, 2022. https://www.engineersgarage.com/how-internet-works-on-mobile-devices/.
[15] Martin Luther, Third Sunday after Trinity, Luke 15:1-10, Parable of the Lost sheep Accessed December 08, 2022. http://www.lectionarycentral.com/trinity03/LutherGospel.html
[16] Martin Luther, Third Sunday after Trinity, Luke 15:1-10, Parable of the Lost sheep.
[17] David Schmitt, “Devotion and Discipleship in a Discontented Age”, Concordia Journal, 46.3 (Summer 2020): 13-34.
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