Will denominations survive, thrive, or take a dive?

The value of denominations in America is being scrutinized, analyzed, and evaluated today. Many denominational churches are in trouble due to a loss of influence, declining offerings, an aging church membership, and a failure to attract younger people.

George Mitrovich, a member of First United Methodist Church in San Diego and active in Wesleyan renewal efforts, has stated that membership in the United Methodist Church in America has declined by nearly three million members in the past 30 years. He reveals that the average age of a United Methodist is approaching 60 and that United Methodist youth membership totals less than 500,000.

“Based upon available statistical evidence, one doesn’t need to be a rocket scientist to understand that unless we experience dramatic change, the United Methodist Church has no future,” Mitrovich observed. “We are a dying denomination – a once great church that is in danger of becoming a mere footnote in American history.”

Mitrovich concludes his remarks by saying, “Today, American’s growing churches are theologically conservative and evangelical. Why? They know what they believe – and they proclaim their beliefs without ambiguity or apology; which is markedly different from the theological mush you hear most Sundays from United Methodist pulpits.

“Conversely, we are a church confused about our message,” Mitrovich continued. “The occasion of this confusion is a great divide between theological liberals in the pulpit and political conservatives in the pew. What’s needed is something dramatically different: theological conservatives in the pulpit … and a laity willing to obey the Gospel’s call to witness ….”

Martin E. Marty, noted interpreter of religion and culture, notes, “Denominations appear to be demanding. Most of all, they seem to want money to run their programs, and their demands are more vivid and visible than are the services performed for each congregation and each congregant. And there are also legitimate expressions of concern over the inevitable bureaucratization of the denomination, which was born as a bureaucracy and born to be bureaucratic.”

However, Marty admits that denominations are necessary, because the local church cannot effectively train ministers, publish all the literature necessary to edify and disciple the saints, mobilize an army of missionaries to minister around the world, dispatch people for refugee and relief services, and maintain a significant influence in the halls of government to represent the will of the people in political and social issues.

Some have questioned the value of the “Conservative Resurgence” in the Southern Baptist Convention, and we could all wish that it would result in more people being saved, a greater missionary movement, and a sweeping revival. But it can be said without fear of contradiction that the “resurgence” of the past three decades has helped to preserve our denomination and has kept us from following the precipitous decline of other denominations.

In fact, a goodly number of churches both great and small have seen the value of being a part of our denomination and cast their lots with us. Pastor Jerry Falwell liked what he saw happening in our denomination and decided to bring his church in Lynchburg, Va., Thomas Road Baptist Church, into the Southern Baptist Convention.

David Jeremiah, pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, Calif., has also brought his church into the Southern Baptist fold. These are just two examples of many existing churches that have seen the worth of becoming Southern Baptists.

I do not know what the future holds for our denomination, but we must forever guard against liberalism while at the same time broaden our conservative base by enlisting new pastors and laity in strategic positions of leadership. We must forever eliminate a bureaucratic spirit and forever accentuate a beneficent spirit in our denominational life.

First, in order to preserve and strengthen our denomination, those of us who have denominational responsibilities must remember that we are not really leaders at all, but servants. We exist to serve the churches of our Convention and the members of those churches. In fact, having been a pastor for over 40 years, my heart goes out to pastors and I want to help and encourage pastors and their churches in every way I can. I continue in my position for no other purpose but to serve God by serving others and cast what little influence I can for the cause of the Kingdom. Those of us who work for the Georgia Baptist Convention want to be your servants.

Second, Southern Baptists have the best of both worlds. We are united in a loosely knit denomination, but we strongly believe in the autonomy of the local church. The Convention’s resolutions, recommendations, or even the statement of faith binds no Southern Baptist church. No edicts are passed down from the denomination to the churches, and the Convention does not own any church’s property or call its ministers, as is true with some denominations.

Third, I love people and I am grateful for the wonderful fellowship that being in a denomination affords. Please don’t tell anyone, but I love to go to Baptist gatherings and Convention meetings primarily for the opportunity that it provides to see people that I have known, respected, and loved through the years. Oh yes, I enjoy the music and preaching, too, but I think you get the point.

Fourth, I think the denomination is extremely helpful because it provides a context for dialogue, for comparing struggles and successes, for engaging in mutual prayer and partnerships.

Fifth, as Mitrovich suggested, growing churches are theologically conservative and evangelical. I believe the Southern Baptist Convention is committed to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” I believe our denomination has also embraced the Great Commission as its divine mandate.

Sixth, through the Cooperative Program we are able to do more together than we could ever do apart. Marty was right when he spoke of the limitations of the local church. I had the privilege of pastoring churches of all sizes. In the small churches I pastored we were not able to support one missionary or pay for the education of one seminary student, but through the CP we were able to partner with other churches to help send missionaries around the world and educate thousands of seminary students.

When I was the pastor of a large church we could have sent out a few missionaries and paid to educate several seminary students, but through the Cooperative Program we had a significant part in a great and glorious enterprise with a monumental impact for the Kingdom of God.

I am well aware that today there is an aversion to labels and a skepticism about denominations, but as long as we remember that the denomination is a servant to the local church, as long as we maintain our doctrinal purity, and as long as we can do more together than we can do separately, I think our denomination can survive, yes, even thrive.