Take the Regional Assembly of many denominations. We’ll call it Synod Assembly, since that’s what we know best.

Synod Assemblies are constitutionally mandated gatherings — the business meeting of the Church. They have two major functions—to elect regional leadership and approve the regional budget.  

It’s almost October. Seven or eight months from the next rash of Synod Assemblies in the ELCA— plenty of time to plan for the hundreds of delegates who will gather in one place to discuss the ministry of the Church.

Attending the Assembly are Synod staff, every rostered leader and 2-5 lay delegates from each of about 150 congregations. They will spend the bulk of two days, mostly listening to reports. Not much more happens for all the expense. Spectacular worship experiences will start and end the gatherings. Pump people up; leave them feeling good.

Many delegates will leave long before the end of the Assembly. All will return to their congregations and report the most inspiring moments. We are supposed to feel as though we were represented and part of the process.

Truth be told, we are being shut out.

The agenda of most Synod Assemblies is controlled by the current leadership who are elected to serve but who have self-interest. The flow of information is top down even though the purpose of the Assembly is to generate bottom up involvement.

Why is this?

Function of the Synod Assembly follows form.

The form was created before the information age. It was once unwieldy to poll members of 150 congregations scattered over 100 or more square miles. Communication with every member was costly and awkward. No more. But we are stuck with the form of the past until there is a vision that this isn’t the way it has to be.

Here is what has happened in church governance in the last two decades of decline (the entire life of the ELCA).

• As church attendance declined, so did the pool of knowledgeable, seasoned delegates.
• Replacing older members, who spent much of their lives in church and Sunday School, are people who have little experience — as enthusiastic as they might be. Event planners plan around the sensibilities of the inexperienced, steering away from hard discussions on serious questions and filling the time with frills to engage the newly initiated.
• The typical Synod Assembly includes one-third clergy, who have considerable self-interest, and two-thirds laity with a broad range of life experience but a diminishing knowledge of church business.
• The delegates are most likely people close to the pastor. When unsure of decisions, to whom will they turn for advice? People with self-interest. (The ELCA has even imposed a level of control over who the delegates can be, requiring that they meet gender requirements and giving additional votes to minorities and youth.)
• The Synod Assembly becomes a forum ruled by self-interest — the opposite of its purpose.

Function has followed form.

A large percentage of delegates haven’t a clue of the ramifications of the issues presented to them. They know little or nothing about the names presented on ballots. Face it, some lay delegates come because they are the only people in the congregation willing to take Friday off and donate a Saturday. Some are enthusiastic newbies being groomed for church involvement, but not knowledgeable about church history, protocol, or issues. The Church encourages this (and it’s not all bad), but the fact is many votes are taken by people who don’t know what they are doing.

Function has followed the form. Good news! The form can change. Here’s how!

• The process can be opened up to include ALL the people of the church. Events can be planned to take advantage of the at home audience. (SEPA’s Assembly is already streamed live. Great move. But this year you needed a password to watch. Control!)
• Make key presentations available a month before the Assembly. Post them online so congregations can watch and discuss issues. Delegates could attend the Assembly knowing what the people of their congregation think — which is how it is supposed to be. Air the same presentation at the Assembly and give the presenters an opportunity to field questions from people who have actually had time to study their message.
• Make schedules of presentations available so people can watch at home.
• Allow for feedback from the people. Use Twitter and Facebook. Nurture involvement and purpose.

Synods are great at demanding change at the congregational level. Can they change?