Reacting to Organizational Flaws

If an organization were a pyramid, the bottom of the pyramid should represent that organization's mission and strategy. The large center of the pyramid would represent the organization's culture (as a result of the principles of organizational behavior), and the tip of the pyramid would represent that organization's presentation (advertising/public relations/etc.). Often, organizations can get turned upside down, where the mission and strategy are ignored/neglected. The culture of the organization (small at the bottom due to poor indoctrination/methodology and large at the top) begins to focus less on the mission and strategy and more on the presentation. When the character of the organization is turned upside down, advertising/public relations must compensate for the flaws in the system.

           

For a local church, departing from the simplicity of the Gospel produces severe flaws in the system for which the presentation must compensate. Many Fundamentalist churches that recognize flaws in the system seek to make their presentation more and more pristine. Instead of addressing internal and foundational flaws, they use PR tactics to react and "put out fires." Many do this by addressing problems with official statements or a sermon series. While a sermon series is necessary to address general errors in thought among church members, it can never truly get to the heart of problems that find their basis in a neglected foundation. A sermon series is a great way of introducing and adjusting church members to organizational change, but a sermon series typically translates individually into half-listening minds that only hear what they want to hear. A sermon series with no organizational adjustment on a practical level is only compensating with PR. Organizations that have reversed the pyramid are salvageable but not without need for massive overhauls on an ideological and practical level. The financial and relational sacrifices can be huge, and often it is much easier for the organization to "PR" their way through the storms.

           

When flaws in the organization become more apparent in a local church, the paid staff must work double-overtime. I say "double-overtime" because Fundamentalist pastors are already severely under appreciated and under paid. Especially when organizational flaws related to evangelism and community outreach become a grave concern, the Fundamentalist culture is one that expects the pastor to do the work. Instead of fulfilling Ephesians 4:12 where church leaders equip the members to make disciples in their realms of influence, church members by and large throw their pastors "under the bus" for the church not growing or effectively reaching the community. Considering the other three behavioral characteristics of Fundamentalist churches, effectively reaching the local community seems an insurmountable task for a team of two to five men working full-time on a part-time salary. While pastors of all brands and denominations are already struggling to not become financial and emotional "martyrs of those who employ them" (to borrow a phrase from an extended family member), Fundamentalism has further demonized financial appreciation for their ministers by criticizing the large, "seeker friendly" churches that take good care of their pastors. We hypocritically heap stress upon our ministers, become surprised when they fall into secret sins that provided them with a solace from the misery, and then we leave them out to dry wearing their infamous Fundamentalist Scarlet Letter. Shame on us!

           

In the heat of organizational problems, a common reaction of Fundamentalism is to centralize control.  Sometimes, this means eliminating transparency with constituents when transparency is vital (swearing disaster-involved individuals to secrecy). Sometimes, this means removing responsibilities from the perceived "less-qualified" personnel when it might be safer to eliminate or delegate more tasks to more people. Ultimately, Fundamentalism often betrays a mistrust of the Holy Spirit to work in the members of local churches to do the work of the ministry. The already under appreciated, under paid pastors increase their workload and leave vast numbers of members without job descriptions and nothing else to do but speculate and give in to the urge to impose their hyperactive consciences and idolatry of excellence upon other church members.


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