S P E C I A L I S S U E
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BY HAROLD LEE Proposals for Change Poised on the eve of a new millennium, church leadership must plan for something impossible to know the future. The ability to read and interpret the signs of the times is a core competency required of leaders as we move into the 21st century. Whether we realize it or not, change destabilizing change is the primary fact of life for church leaders and members today, and will continue to be the primary factor in the future. Destabilizing change is the field in which the church will sow the seeds of faithfulness and effective ministry. The forces of secularism, technology, globalization, diversity, relativization, and post-modernism have come together to create disequilibrium, which necessitates changes in the church. What awaits the church in the next 10 or 25 years? What will coming generations praise us for? What will they curse us for? Will the church reach out to the growing multi-ethnic masses in the urban centers? Will it compete with upwardly mobile lifestyles and diverse worship styles? Can the church keep pace with the new information culture? Some of the questions are about machinery put in place almost 100 years ago. In an age of instant, global communication do we need five levels of church administration? Can we make sure that institutional concerns do not rob the gospel of its power to convict and convert? Why have tithe percentages in the North American Division remained constant since the early 1920s? Does Adventism have the willingness and flexibility to reform and restructure in order to continue its global mission and enduring vision? Millennial Challenges Facing the Church Among others, church historian George Knight has repeatedly called for structural change. He points out that the structure put in place a hundred years ago has become increasingly rigid and bureaucratic. "Not only do we see signs that the denomination's massive organizational structure needs to be trimmed, but some (especially in North America) question Adventism's hierarchical structure and urge a congregational polity. They argue for an effective organizational structure that captures the best of both local initiative and the ability to focus the energies of a unified global church in the continuing pursuit of Adventism's mission to the world." Today's new environment demands responsiveness, innovation, and flexibility. Therefore, a new ecclesiology with explicit implications for new organizational concepts is essential. The task facing church leaders today is to enable a complex organization to be faithful, effective, and efficient during a time of rapid change in a culturally diverse context. If church leaders are to rise to this challenge, they must learn how to transform not only what the church does (ministry) but the organization itself. Church structures, infrastructures, policies, and procedures that have been effective in another age and under different circumstances are not necessarily adequate for the future. For the church to remain viable, leadership must anticipate change. William Johnsson, editor of the Adventist Review, predicts that burgeoning membership will strain existing administrative structures. The church will need flexibility and innovation. Johnsson sees the world church bursting out of the patterns that have served so well for many years. Ultimately the structures we now know will fall away as earth's final remnant gathers to greet the returning Lord. The Crisis of Change Because the surrounding society is changing, the church must also change in order to stay in line with its eternal mission and principles. Constructed in and for a different era, Adventism in North America developed a particular understanding of mission, particular ways of functioning, and a particular structure. During the present century, these patterns helped the church fulfill its prophetic role as a Remnant community with a special message and mission in a rather "church-friendly" society. But the culture has changed. It is no longer "church-friendly." The context for ministry and mission has changed. Today's market place is dynamic. The social and religious landscape is being redefined. The church finds itself today in a missionary environment, where the majority of Americans, for example, are no longer believers. Technological advances in communication and transportation have brought people together who once seemed far away. Demographic shifts occur with greater frequency. Church membership is no longer an essential for many. Sabbath and Sunday are thoroughly commercialized. Moral standards are confused. The church must learn to proclaim and embody the gospel of Jesus Christ in this new context. Is the church willing to analyze its new circumstances? Era of Reorganization Originally the church served a largely agrarian people. The organization was simple: local churches, state conferences, and the General Conference. A special message and mission was the driving force. There were approximately 4,000 members located in only one nation. By 1901 the Adventist Church had grown to 78,000 (nearly 20 times its original size) and had established missions in several areas around the world. At the urging of Ellen White, the church reorganized in an effort to become more decentralized and more responsive to the needs of an expanding mission. An updated organization was necessary if Adventism was to carry the third angels message to every nation, kindred, tongue and people. A representative form of governance and a unified structure was developed instead of a congregational model. Departments began and union conferences were organized. This reorganization facilitated rapid growth overseas and made it possible to administer a world-wide work. Knight says in this era the church reached the stage of maximum efficiency. Like all organizations it began to move toward the next stage in its life cycle, marked by institutionalism, bureaucracy, and eventually dysfunction. By 1913 the church had grown to more than 100,000 members, entered 80 nations, and divisions were formed. Preserving unity became a major concern as more and more cultures were included in the Adventist fellowship. In 1975, for the first time, the General Conference session was held outside the United States. By this time, 85% of the membership was outside North America and it had grown to 4.7 million members. Nine of the 12 divisions had indigenous presidents. Fewer North Americans than ever before participated in policy-making and the General Conference nominating committee. Overseas divisions had firm control of the election of the General Conference president. In 1990 North America was fully established as a division with the capacity to elect its own officers. With the adoption of a "global strategy, the General Conference began to focus more on the 1,560 major segments of the world where the Church had no presence and less on the governance of established work. Constitutions in many places were amended to ensure an equitable balance between clergy and lay participation in the governance of the church. At the 1994 Annual Council a Commission on World Church Organization made several recommendations for change, many of which were approved at the 1995 GC session in Utrecht. For example, a majority of the delegates to the GC session must be "non-administrative," including pastors, teachers and lay persons. Adventist membership is today nearly 11 million in more than 200 nations, seeking to minister to an urbanized world. Based on current growth rates, within the next five years Adventism will be larger than Judaism. The administrative systems set up at these points in time do not necessarily apply to all time. While we praise God, on one hand for unprecedented growth, on the other hand, many hold that the present multi-level structure, with too many leaders and managers, cripples the mission of the church in North America. Local conferences are "required" to remit 10.28 percent of tithe to NAD and 10.72 percent tithe to the General Conference. Human and financial resources are inadequate to reach the urban masses in the North America. For many, therefore, among leadership and laity, the probing question remains, is the church structure an end in itself, and not the means of saving the world? A comparative analysis of Seventh-day Adventists with 28 other Protestant denominations reveals members are giving far less today than in the past. In 1968 giving was at 10.8 percent of after-tax income. By 1996 it had declined to 4.5 percent. This decline represents a 58% decrease in the portion of income being giving by church members. The data also shows that, while membership increased from 0.2 % of the U.S. population in 1968 to 0.3% in 1996, an increase of 55%, the rate of growth is not enough to counteract the overall decline in giving. Attempts to increase giving have only exacerbated the problem and created a backlash. Member reactions to the current funding system create questions without answers. There is a growing challenge to find the resources necessary to meet the mission opportunities in the metropolitan areas of North America. Leaders in conferences and local congregations feel they are in a serious bind. Some conference committees and congregations question the amount of tithe required to fund the world church. They argue that the multi-level, hierarchical structure is more costly than necessary. Many are convinced that world missions are being funded to the neglect of missions in the local community and major metropolitan areas. They see more to do than there are funds to do it with. Some are angry about the amount of money that goes away from the local church and community. Church members are voting with their feet There is a growing segment of members who are tired of paying the cost of our administrative machinery. Congregationalism seems an attractive option to some. Others are giving directly to what they see as productive ministries and projects rather than what they see as a "black hole," the church's massive machinery. Church members are voting with their feet and with their dollars in an effort to alert denominational officials that holding to policies of the past and doing nothing about change is not a viable option. Giving through the established channels of the church is no longer producing the funds necessary to maintain established programs. The volume of dollars has increased, but with adjustments for inflation, per capita giving shows a marked loss. Since 1985 full-time equivalents (FTE's) in support staff has decreased significantly in most of the unions and conferences in North America. During the same period, however, FTE's have increased at the division and General Conference levels. Today, most conferences have only one or two staff in departments and services. The impact is evident in giving and participation patterns. Literature ministry had a vast army of ground troops going from door to door which has dwindled to a small band of faithful warriors. For education, the new century looms ahead like white water, a test of nerves, skill and resourcefulness. Under intensifying market and financial pressure, academies, colleges, and universities need difficult and wrenching transformation. Technology has brought new meaning to learning. As a supplement to campus life, a "virtual Adventist university" will come into being. If the purpose and work of Adventist education is to remain equal with the task of evangelism, both people and "systems" must constantly improve. And it becomes the job of everyone to put energy and imagination into boosting and adding value to Adventist education. Several major boarding academies have closed. Many parents and children opt for day academies. Enrollment has decreased significantly in many schools, escalating costs. Forces Driving Change As various cultures shift from industrialization toward an information and knowledge economy, established organizations are reinventing themselves and reconceptualizing their mission. With computer networks and e-mail, information flows sideways, far different from traditional pyramid-style hierarchy, where information moves mostly up and down. The resulting changes in social values, loss of traditional family structures, dominance of a market economy, outbreaks of ethnic conflict, all define the environment in which the church functions. There has been an unparalleled rush of immigrants entering the United States. In reaction, there is a growing nativist backlash and the perception that new arrivals are reluctant to fully assimilate into American culture. Pluralism dominates the religious world. Religions are no longer isolated by distance and communication barriers. As a result, people are aware of the wide range of competing faiths. The powerful values of individualism and a market economy suggest that each person has a wide range of choices for their private spiritual journey. This new "religious market place" is characterized by the privatization of religious belief and practice, marginalization of organized religion, relativization of all religious thought and conviction, and trivialization of religious teaching and practice. In this competitive environment, people participate in the church on their own terms, not on the church's terms. The church's influence declines. Does the Adventist Church have the orientation and skills to compete effectively in a pluralistic environment? The fear of congregationalism, a root springing up out of the church's history, threatens the worldwide focus of the church. Another major competitive threat is the electronic church. Televangelism draws money to itself which otherwise could have been donated to local congregations and ministries. Its often sensational fundamentalism competes with the more reasoned theologies of established denominations. How long can the Adventist Church continue to sponsor the escalating cost of major evangelism initiatives using satellite television? The problems of an uneven world economy also impact the church. The great expansion over the past 50 years has created new centers of Adventism in Africa and Latin America. This constitutes a good investment, but it has a heavy mortgage. These areas of the world are impoverished, not highly developed. At the same time, the Church in North America is increasingly middle class and expects to provide ministries appropriate to affluent communities. At the same time, as many governments (in North America, for example) abandon or curtail their responsibilities to the poor, additional demands fall on the church in right here in North America. The Key to the Future Our problem is a system unable to cope with present and emerging generations A positive vision is any organization's greatest force for change. This vision, initiated by leaders through a shared process with employees and members, must be comprehensive, compelling, detailed, and inspiring. The values of the Adventist Church have always been important. These are drawn from a heritage of inspiration and revelation, based in the Bible, and illuminated in the writing of Ellen White. Powerful values are shared in the stories told of our history as a faith community and a missionary people. Our problem is a system unable to cope with present and emerging generations, both within and without. For the church to think it can hold onto the philosophy and structure of 1901, or even 1950 or 1990, and stay on the cutting edge at the frontier of mission, is to act like the proverbial ostrich. It can't happen! Structure is not an end in itself. Rather, it's a means to an end. It's simply a tool to advance the mission of the church. Reorganization is demanded whenever structures grow too cumbersome or are rendered less than optimally effective by changes and conditions. The form, methods, and mode of mission must be altered in order to stay true to the Church's fundamental teachings and mission. If we don't change, we will find no one listening to our precious message! Managing the Transition Discerning leadership must be alert to the early-warning signs in the social environment so that they can promptly steer the church in a new direction that keeps it moving toward its ultimate destination. God's church should always be open to change. No small adjustments will be sufficient to deal with the major demographic and technological challenges, nor will they address the fundamental spiritual problems of apathy, lack of evangelistic growth in the West, and the temptations of nationalism, authoritarianism, and violence in the developing world. To be more faithful to its calling, the church must be representative, responsible, mission- driven, grace-centered, and as participatory as possible. The "corporate body language" of the church says a lot to the world and to itself about its beliefs. This includes structural issues. Form, after all, follows function. Leadership and laity must work together for the best possible organization. Such a vision is what it means to be the true people of God. Changes that take place in the church's structure must be more than cosmetic. Of course, not all the changes that we see taking place in secular organizations belong in the church. An incremental approach will not yield the results we need. Change must be approached from a systems or strategic view, informed by principles from Scripture. Church leaders must become skilled in introducing change at all levels of the organization. Pastors and administrators need continuing education in the principles and processes of introducing change. We want to grow the church, not blow it up. Organizations tend to change when forced to, not of their own initiative. Knight observes that the Adventist Church has historically made changes only when it is on the verge of financial disaster and organizational dysfuntionality. The leaders who will make a difference in the future will be those with a renewed sense of discernment, the gift of hearing what the Spirit is saying to the church, and an ear to listen to the prophetic voices of its theologians and its people. A Theological Challenge In the midst of a changing context, the familiar understandings and the comfortable postures of the past experience profound challenge. Old paradigms and models are insufficient. New ways to put the questions, new frameworks for dealing with them, new proposals for shaping the church's ministry and using its resources are urgently needed. It means a paradigm shift, one that transforms the church. Bible principles are sacred, but no contemporary form of church polity ought to be presumed to be based on biblical precedent. Just as form is intended to serve function, so church polity is intended to serve mission. Fundamental presuppositions on which the church currently operates will need to be reexamined. Leadership must be willing to anticipate, learn, respond, innovate, and design infrastructure to meet the demands of Christ's mission in a post-modern world. This requires a solid theory of planned transformation, tested conceptual tools, effective consulting practices, strategic management, and education. Congregations as well as conferences will need to re-vision the church in order to become more effective and remain faithful as the new millennium dawns and the sunset of creation takes place preparing to receive the Creator. The church must always be engaged in the process of being made new. It is to be a new community, created by God, and offered to the world. It is called to be a new social order, breaking into the imperfect structures of created reality, a gift of the Holy Spirit. If the church does not constantly allow itself to be transformed by the Spirit, it fails to experience the redemptive and creative presence of God. If it loses touch with the source of its life and the purpose of its existence. It does not experience the liberation which the gospel rings and it cannot be a faithful instrument of God's grace. The church cannot control its own destiny. Called and empowered by the living God for mission, it does not have the luxury of time to make the required changes incrementally. Systemic change is essential if the church is to be faithful. The current crisis facing the church, particularly in North America, is also an opportunity rich with potential. Embracing change as an opportunity for greater faithfulness, church leaders can view the current crisis as an opportunity to transform the church and thus participate in God's ongoing creative and redemptive mission for all humanity. 1 George Knight, A Brief Look at the History of Seventh-day Adventists, p. 150. Harold L. Lee is the president of the Columbia Union Conference and holds a D.Min in church administration from McCormick Theological Seminary |
many heart songs. Sung in many languages by many cultural groups. Is the tune different in developing nations than in richer societies?
