One of
biggest challenges that seminarians face is finding a church to serve once they
have graduated. Even when you have a
denomination home the process of finding an open position that fits you is
tough. However there are many students
who are not only looking to secure a call, but are also trying to determine
where they belong theologically. Trust me,
this is no small task!
It is
extremely difficult to determine the number of denominations in the United
States. A good guess is at least 200, and you can add to that a plethora of
independent or nondenominational churches.
A 2010 study showed that by grouping nondenominational churches as one, they
would be the second largest Protestant group in the country with over 35,000
independent or nondenominational churches representing more than 12,200,000
adherents. These nondenominational churches are present in every state and in
2,663 out of the total of 3,033 counties in the country, or 88% of the total.[i]
As the
nondenominational movement grows, we continue to see significant decreases in
membership and attendance in mainline denominations such as the United
Methodist church, The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Presbyterian
Church USA, the United Church of Christ and even the Southern Baptism Convention.
When
you mix a distrust of denominations, the growth and freedom of
nondenominationalism, and the difficulty of finding a theological fit, it is
easy to see why joining the nondenominational movement is so popular. Interestingly, even though nondenominational
churches continue to thrive, within the church planting community there is keen
awareness for the need to affiliate with other like minded churches and church
plants. This partly because Ed Stetzer
reports that, “Every
group surveyed indicated that having well-designed support systems for the
planter have improved their survivability. Some groups report that their
survival rate has doubled since implementing important systems such as
assessment, training, and coaching.” The
study also found that the “Odds of
survivability increase by 135% when the church planter meets with a group of
church planting peers.[ii]”
I have been a member of the
Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) denomination for over two decades. It is not a perfect match, and trust me we
have our issues! As I write this, we are
debating the legitimacy of intinction (the practice of dipping the bread into
the wine when celebrating the Lord’s Supper).
And for a guy who loves diversity and has committed himslef to raising up
minority leaders, we still have those in our midst who embrace the confederacy
and justify slavery. And there is
more!
So why am I a member of the
PCA? Beyond the fact that I am convinced
that Presbyterian form of church government is Biblical, the short answer is
because we need each other.
1.
Community
– Most of my best friends are other pastors who serve in the PCA. These are the guys who pray for me and with
whom I seek advice. They are guys who
are really there for me and would be by my side if I needed them. In turn, they call me when they have a
ministry, Biblical or Theological question, and ask me to pray for them when
they are facing a challenge. We don’t
see everything eye-to-eye, but they are my brothers!
2.
Accountability
– My ordination is held at the presbytery level. That is to say, I am answerable to my
brothers in the Central Florida Presbytery.
These guys hold me accountable to be a faithful minister of the Gospel. That means if I start teaching heresy, or get
in moral trouble, they are the ones to whom I will answer. Of course as an employee of Reformed
Theological Seminary I would be fired first.
Nevertheless, when I served as a pastor, my congregation had the
security of knowing they could go to presbytery if my message and my life did not
glorify God.
As you try to determine your
denominational or affiliational home, here are some things to remember.
1. Cover
it in Prayer – I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to cover this
in prayer asking for God’s leading and for wisdom.
2. Know
Thyself – Because each denomination or affiliation has different styles of
governance, be sure to consider how you fit in that context. For some, too much theological latitude will
not work for you. Others, my find some
denominations too restrictive.
3. Know
Thy Theological Paradigms – You can eliminate many groups by simply
comparing them to your basic theological convictions. I am confessional and adhere to the Westminster Standards and therefore they serve as my paradigm.
4. Be
Aware of the “in” factor - Be very careful that you don’t simply chase
after the latest trend. Just because a
group is new and popular doesn’t mean it is where God wants you.
5. Realize
there is no perfect fit – Just like there is no perfect spouse, or perfect
church, there is no perfect denomination or affiliation. That means you will not find a group that lines up
perfectly with your convictions and values.
6. Determine
what is non-negotiable – This is a matter of conscience. If they hold to a Biblical or Theological view
that is wrong to you, those are your non-negotiables.
7. How
can you serve that group – Remember being part of a denomination or
affiliation is not all about you! An
important thing to consider is how you can serve that group.
[i]
The Hartford Institute for Religion Research (http://hirr.hartsem.edu/research/fastfacts/fast_facts.html#denom)
[ii] http://www.leadnet.org/churchplanting