As a consultant who works with hurting churches, I’ve discovered that threats to missional traction often reside in a church’s past, rather than its future.
Why is this? Churches and denominations get “shaped” by their history. Congregational attitudes which can limit mission will form and sometimes harden around key events in their history. Where those events proved painful, the past can get in the way of the future.
More importantly, beyond a church’s collective disposition toward its mission, God’s unwillingness to bless His people when historical sin or unhealed corporate wounds exist, asserts itself throughout the Bible. Some biblical examples may help us to see this.
1. Leaders who lead God’s people in a sinful direction hinder the group’s mission. In 2 Samuel 24, David numbers the people of Israel. We are not told explicitly why this offended God, but even the ruthless military commander Joab expressed concern. David later acknowledged the error of his ways, yet, at that point, nothing could stop the national discipline that came as a result.
A church can lose its way when it “counts” the people surrounding its location—their age or changing ethnicity—and no longer feels comfortable with the demographics. Does that mean a church should never change locations? No, but we have seen at least one church lose its forward progress due to a historical decision to relocate for what might be called “culturally advantageous reasons,” in other words, get closer to people more “like us.”
2. Church splits fragment missional focus. The early church faced what could have turned into the first church split when complaints arose from Hellenistic widows regarding their care relative to the native Hebrew widows. Would old divisions between Hellenistic and native Hebrews destroy the Jerusalem church? The Apostles avoided that fate in Acts 6. If only modern churches were so wise. With their resulting lack of energy, loss of identity and lackadaisical commitment to the body, churches wounded by a split can only feign missional intent.
3. Tolerance of sexual sin in the body can lead to missional malfunction. 1 Corinthians 5 tells the sad story of a church arrogant in their handling of the sexual sin of one of their members. Paul pulls no punches holding both church leaders and the perpetrator accountable for their respective actions. In our work with churches we have witnessed the spreading leaven of unaddressed sexual misconduct which devastates congregations. The church may start out fulfilling its mission, but it ends up sick and weak. When accommodation of known sexual sin replaces accountability and discipline, staying on a missional course becomes impossible.
4. Not-so-secret agendas will sidetrack God’s mission for your church. Ananias and Sapphira are the poster children for private or secret agendas in the church (Acts 5). Fortunately their secret came to light under the scrutiny of Spirit-inspired discernment. Peter put a stop to their hypocrisy before it diffused the church’s missional momentum. Other churches we have known were not so discerning.
5. Sinful reactivity depletes missional enthusiasm and energy. When a church becomes known for conflictual board meetings or rancorous congregational business meetings, their ministry in the community quickly diminishes. What do the neighbors think when outbursts spill into the church parking lot? We have seen churches with that and worse, where police were actually called as to a domestic disturbance.
Paul wrote, “But if you bite and devour one another, take care lest you consume one another.” If your church has a history of such cannibalistic behavior, it will likely look on the missional efforts of leadership as an appetizer. Guess who the main course is!
Many churches are plagued with one or more of these missional diseases. Fortunately there is a cure, but it takes courage to address. It starts by taking the time to look in your church’s rear view mirror and understand exactly how God views your church’s history.
How have you witnessed the past getting in the way of your church’s future?
Mark Barnard serves as President of Blessing Point Ministries and is the author of The Path of Revival – Restoring Our Nation One Church at a Time and co-author of the Healing the Heart of Your Church Facilitator Guide. Like us on Facebook.
