The Modern Church in a Tribal Culture
Today’s Church exists amid a new and perplexing dichotomy.
Our world views bigger as better. Bigger means more money, more resources, more power. Better goes along for the ride.
This seems to go with the fundamental view of corporate church. It certainly goes with the traditional structure of church since the Middle Ages
The Church is not going to give up on this idea easily!
Within this bigness is a new power of the individual. Individuals do not have to be part of a big organization to fulfill needs which were once met ONLY through association with large organizations.
The FBI with all its state-of-the-art technology and the funding of the leading nation in the free world can be hacked by an adventurous school kid with no particular ill will, as easily as it can be hacked by an enemy.
Big brands with solid positioning in our culture can be challenged by a single new marketing concept. What is Woolworth worth today?
The same thing is happening in the Church. Those accustomed to being big and powerful are finding their secure position in society threatened by the small church and even perhaps by individuals.
Where do television preachers get their start? They rarely rise through the ranks of the organized church. They may have started out there but their ambitions outgrow church structure.
There was a time when it was difficult to exist outside denominational structure if you felt called to serve God.
No problem today. Raise some money. Get on TV. (Or write a blog!) The media of the day can make all the difference.
Soon they have created what modern business calls a “tribe.”
Nothing new here. Israel had its tribes. Moses had a tribe. Jesus had a tribe. Paul had a tribe.
The members of a modern evangelist’s tribe probably had roots in the traditional church, too. The difference today is that individuals within the tribe have more power. They can and will come and go from the traditional church. Meanwhile, they can pick and choose between involvement with multiple tribes. One tribe might interest them socially. Another culturally. Still another might be addressing a cause dear to their heart.
The Church must recognize this as it nurtures its own tribe. Your most loyal members are probably sharing their loyalties, time, talent and money.
They may attend worship (or not). They may serve on a charitable board or two. They pick and choose between the charities that do the best job of soliciting their help — usually on Sunday mornings.
There is no longer brand loyalty among Christians. People want to make a difference. If the Church cannot provide the diversity of opportunities to serve, there are plenty of organizations that will.
There is also individual power. A person can abandon the whole tribe mentality and go it alone and still be effective stewards of God’s gifts.
Mainline denominational churches can cry about this, fight and scheme for positioning, and grasp at what’s left of the old order.
Or they can fashion a ministry that attracts multiple “tribes.”