This continues my examination of American Evangelicals’ organization of their churches, both lay and clergy. One of the big things in the Evangelical world, a real “game changer” they say, is the multisite church. You’ll hear them say things like “twenty years ago, the Holy Spirit was moving and doing a big thing. And people listening to Him said, ‘It’s …
Megachurches are Liturgical
This starts my new thing on Evangelical church organization. If you’re not interested in American Evangelicals, you may be lost. Megachurches are most highly liturgical of any church. Those with televised satellite churches are even more so. Confused? Thought that megachurches eschewed liturgy for free and loose? Here’s why I say this. Liturgy is the branding of the church of …
Strong Pastor vs. Democracy in Christian Church Groups
The church growth industry has led to the highly effective Mega-church model in the United States but has embraced the (actually) new model of Strong Pastor which has led to absolutist authoritarian leadership within the evangelical church growth movement. An examination by focusing on the Christian Base Communities in the Roman Catholic Church in Latin America. Part of a series on Church Organizational Structure and Democracy.
Elliott Jaques on the Problems of Church Organization
Many of the work-levels people have worked with churches on their organizational issues. This includes the Church of England and the Illinois association of American Baptist churches. (Anyone know of more?) Let’s take a look at what some of them have said. Elliott Jaques, who coined the term “mid-life crisis” and was an accomplished psychoanalyst in addition to be a …
Is Your “Giftedness” Making You Sicker
“Marcy” recently wrote about looking for a new psychotherapist in Northern Indiana, and talked about some judgments that she had about some of her previous therapists who didn’t fit with her. One of Marcy’s old therapists, with whom she did good work, wrote a book with the late Warren Rule, an Adlerian who for years was at Virginia Commonwealth; this …
Managing a Church of High-Moders
One of the guys I interviewed for my CIP training class with PeopleFit was a local Christian Reformed pastor, whom I had hoped would give me an example of Stratum 3. Instead, he gave me what seemed clearly Stratum 5. An example: ME: [REV], I’d love to hear what you think is the most critical issue facing y’all today. REV: …