Friday, January 21, 2011
Becoming What?
Kruse quotes Clarkcowden:
Sometimes, the future lies in the past.
"... Currently, denominations are in a state of flux. The organizational structures that were created, and that devolved into regulatory agencies, are no longer affordable or sufficient for the twenty-first-century church mission. Some are pessimistic about the future of denominations and have proclaimed their imminent death, while others are optimistic and have witnessed pockets of vitality and innovation. While opinions vary on the future status of denominations, one thing everyone agrees on is that denominations are in a state of transition. Transition is not something new for denominations; but, in order to move through this transition effectively, they have to address some key questions: “What is the mission of the church in the twenty-first century?” And “What is the role of denominations in the future?” [emphasis added]This one strikes me as easy. By the admission of the author, denominational structures have "devolved" into something other than what they were intended to be originally, and are hence failing. It therefore seems obvious to me that their future should be to reclaim their original function. To do anything else would be to somehow say that original function is invalid. That might be true for a buggy-whip manufacturer, but a church? - not so much.
Sometimes, the future lies in the past.
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