Posted on 03/12/2015 7:34:36 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
For over thirty years I have been professionally and personally connected to the local church. I have served as a pastor, church consultant, author, seminary dean, and church resource provider. The most painful moments of my tenure have been those occasions where church dissension is great, and where church splits take place.
There is little good that comes from church splits. The residual pain is lasting and the negative community impact is enduring. After reflecting on church splits over my thirty-year tenure, and after conducting an informal Twitter poll, I have nine major thoughts I would like to share with you in this article.
1. A church that has split is likely to die. Certainly, many of the congregations will hang on tenaciously. But over the course of a few or many years, the cancer of the split eats away at the health of a church body. I have conducted many church "autopsies." The beginning of the death of these churches often took place at the point of the split.
2. The negative community impact of a church split is great and enduring. I have done interviews of community members where a church that split is located. The merchants and residents often say, "Oh that's the church that fought all the time until it split."
3. The majority of church splits focus on the pastor. I have seen some church splits where the pastor is clearly the problem. I have seen others where the pastor is the convenient and most visible scapegoat. By the way, pastors who have been through church splits are scarred for the rest of their ministries.
4. Church splits typically originate from power groups in the church. The power group may be a formal body, such as deacons or elders. Or they could be an informal group that still wields great power in the church.
5. Some church members have actually been a part of several church splits. In other words, they have sown the seeds of dissension in different congregations where they have been members. Be cautious about accepting new members who are not vetted with their former church. Problem church members tend to recycle.
6. Church splits are typically preceded by inactive church members becoming active members. It is amazing to attend a church business meeting or conference where divisive issues are discussed. Inactive members come out of the woodwork.
7. Church splits are more likely to occur in "country club" churches. A country club church is a metaphor for a church where many of the members have a sense of entitlement instead of an attitude of service. They pay their "dues" to get their way. And if they don't get their way on every issue, even minor issues, they may sow the seeds of dissension that lead to a church split.
8. Some churches still split over doctrinal issues. These types of church splits are not as common as other splits, but they still take place. It was more common in mainline churches in the past, but it is becoming more frequent in some evangelical churches today.
9. Some churches still split over financial issues. These issues include disagreements over budget expenditures, mission expenditures, incurring of debt, facility expenditures, and building programs.
There are no winners in church splits. Those who leave typically leave hurt and angry. Those who stay become a part of a church that usually begins a steady, if not steep, rate of decline. And the reputation of the church in the community is damaged greatly—sometimes permanently.
Let me hear your thoughts on this difficult issue.
Dr. Thom Rainer is president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.
I think I read somewhere a couple of years ago that more churches split over the issue of music selection than any other issue.
RE: I think I read somewhere a couple of years ago that more churches split over the issue of music selection than any other issue.
If this is the case, I’m willing to bet that the average member age of many churches are either very young or very old.
My experience may be very different than the author’s, but most church splits I have seen are over doctrinal issues. A liberal group starts trying to push active homosexuality, abortion, etc..
I heard a Baptist was stranded on a deserted island alone for many years. When he was rescued there were several churches on the island. He explained why he had to split from each one!
These are inane points. Churches often split because it is a biblical mandate when heresy enters. It is often a healthy action.
Some members of my church wanted to ban a certain sister Anna from the choir because she couldn’t sing. Others disagreed. We went our separate ways. It was the Great Ban Anna Split.
PFL
When I was younger, my parents left our church for reasons four and seven. The church never formally split, it’s just that those who got fed up started attending other established churches. It was a heartbreaking decision, one that my parents are still affected by.
Note that what the man seems to be saying could be described as Disintegration, with the actual disintegration occurring regardless of motive. The motive is merely a symptom our entire country is divided into little squabbling factions unable to come to an agreement.
Bkmrk.
When their is no defined head, with authority, splits are bound to happen. That isn’t to say a split shouldn’t occur, as in the case of heresy, see the current Episcopalian/Anglican break ups. However, dogma creates the boundaries in which the church operates. If someone doesn’t hold to the dogmatic teachings, then they should go elsewhere.
4. “a” is a big one........leaders become power hungry, controlling, manipulative - drive saints away.......
A main issue not addressed:
Many churches originate for the wrong reason, are built on the wrong foundation:
1. Pastor wants to “do his own thing”, is “called” to start a new church - because he (and he alone) knows how church really ought to be done........or because he wants to be a mini-pope, and in control.....or he wants to build a name for himself, or to build his own little kingdom. Sometimes the fans and followers of such a person will encourage him to do this.....
I’ll confess this is a pet-peeve of mine as almost daily I see men “called” (aren’t they all?) to start “their own” churches here, there, everywhere - only further dividing God’s people.........storefront churches are a common example.......men Paul described and predicted in Acts 20:29, 30.
2. A group who left another church in reaction to something or someone, and need their own church “because they are right” and the others are wrong.
3. An emphasis on a popular doctrine, emphasis, or experience - rather than on “the Lord Jesus Christ, and Him crucified....”
All of these will, in time, fail. They have a wrong foundation.
Maybe they need the introduction of the “Mississippi Squirrel” to set them on the path to riotousness.
4. Church splits typically originate from power groups in the church. The power group may be a formal body, such as deacons or elders. Or they could be an informal group that still wields great power in the church.
5. Some church members have actually been a part of several church splits. In other words, they have sown the seeds of dissension in different congregations where they have been members. Be cautious about accepting new members who are not vetted with their former church. Problem church members tend to recycle.
7. Church splits are more likely to occur in "country club" churches. A country club church is a metaphor for a church where many of the members have a sense of entitlement instead of an attitude of service. They pay their "dues" to get their way. And if they don't get their way on every issue, even minor issues, they may sow the seeds of dissension that lead to a church split.
8. Some churches still split over doctrinal issues. These types of church splits are not as common as other splits, but they still take place. It was more common in mainline churches in the past, but it is becoming more frequent in some evangelical churches today.
In time (about a year to eighteen months), you should be in a position to make a move (this is simple scenario). You simply bring your malcontent group with you, and tell the rulers that these people and you don’t think that the church is doing right, and that they want to start a new church, and they have, surprisingly, chosen you as the leader. If the elders are wise, they may just let you go. They don’t want malcontents in their midst either. If the elders are less experienced (which we assume here), they may be very angry, They’ll accuse you of “sheep stealing” and other bad things. You need to be able to say with a “clear conscience” that you never sought this honor; rather, these poor unloved people sought you out........let’s go to the tougher scenario. In this church the elders have had experience with guys like you before. As you chafe against them, they may admonish you. Be sure to come right back with a counter-admonition. This will be your list of all the “unrighteous” things in the church, Hopefully this confrontation will not come until you have been there for a year or so....Once you are out, and have your own church going again, you can always split from the denomination that sponsored you. While it looks better to be in fellowship with other churches, you know that you will personally brook no interference with your ministry. Thus, if it looks as if you need to get free, I suggest you simply begin teaching something or doing something you know that the new denomination will not tolerate. In time, they’ll cut you off, you get to be a martyr for “the truth”....
....Now you have gotten all the really holy people out of the false church. These are the real seekers after truth, the truly inflexible people of God. Now the fun begins, because at last you have a real, godly church. Or do you?
-- from the satirical thread The Effective Church Splitter's Guide
A number of churches spin off "daughter" churches when ever they start to get too big. The daughter receives help, financial and organizational, from the mother for a few years before being cut loose.
This keep the church to manageable size and allows for people to move without bitterness or fighting.
Some people just can't get along. They are perfectly fine with other people but there is that one person that gets them hot under the collar. Better that they worship in different buildings then drag the entire church into their little tempest.
It's the protestantism.
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