Query re church/congregational politics

[MaxPC]

What are your thoughts regarding internal politics of fellowships and churches? Do you feel it is helpful? Not helpful? Somewhere in-between?

Note: This does not reference secular political parties and we are not discussing that here. Rather this thread is about the leadership and decision-making apparati within a faith group.

[mike]

What are your thoughts regarding internal politics of fellowships and churches? Do you feel it is helpful? Not helpful? Somewhere in-between?

Note: This does not reference secular political parties and we are not discussing that here. Rather this thread is about the leadership and decision-making apparati within a faith group.

It is part and parcel of any group of humans, but must be firmly kept in check by making it subservient to truth, scripture, ethics, and other important considerations.

[Neto]

What are your thoughts regarding internal politics of fellowships and churches? Do you feel it is helpful? Not helpful? Somewhere in-between?

Note: This does not reference secular political parties and we are not discussing that here. Rather this thread is about the leadership and decision-making apparati within a faith group.

If you are referring to the "politics" of dominant families, or preachers who get involved (beyond their position as a fellow member) in congregational church governance (i.e., beyond the spiritual) or decisions having to do with the meeting house (building expansions or remodeling projects, carpet color, etc), then I personally feel that it is not helpful. That is, no member should hold more sway than any other member (of mature age). Certain decisions or offices are sometimes "withheld" from non-property owners. Sort of smacks of the class struggle that came about in the colonies, but may have some validity. For instance, an Amish minister told me that his district finally decided that they would not ordain a man who did not own property within the district, because after going through the whole selection process (via the lot) & ordination, those chosen sometimes lost their lease on the place they were farming, and then it all started over again. They took this step after this happened twice in succession, within a very short period of time.

[steve-in-kville]

What are your thoughts regarding internal politics of fellowships and churches? Do you feel it is helpful? Not helpful? Somewhere in-between?

Note: This does not reference secular political parties and we are not discussing that here. Rather this thread is about the leadership and decision-making apparati within a faith group.

It is part and parcel of any group of humans, but must be firmly kept in check by making it subservient to truth, scripture, ethics, and other important considerations.

I agree with mike. I've never been part of an organization that didn't have their own flavor of politics. Granted, some were more intense than others.

[mike]

What are your thoughts regarding internal politics of fellowships and churches? Do you feel it is helpful? Not helpful? Somewhere in-between?

Note: This does not reference secular political parties and we are not discussing that here. Rather this thread is about the leadership and decision-making apparati within a faith group.

It is part and parcel of any group of humans, but must be firmly kept in check by making it subservient to truth, scripture, ethics, and other important considerations.

I agree with mike. I've never been part of an organization that didn't have their own flavor of politics. Granted, some were more intense than others.

I think the best approach is to be honest with the fact that it exists. Denying it is unhelpful.

[steve-in-kville]

One observation I have regarding the subject: the smaller the group, the thicker the politics tend to be.

[MaxPC]

One observation I have regarding the subject: the smaller the group, the thicker the politics tend to be.

Query: are you referring to a particular fellowship or church groups in general?

[steve-in-kville]

One observation I have regarding the subject: the smaller the group, the thicker the politics tend to be.

Query: are you referring to a particular fellowship or church groups in general?

In general.

[JimFoxvog]

Not helpful.

Something is going on in our church. The elder I respect most has just resigned as he heard that some congregational members won't share with elders because the resigning elder will hear it. He's remaining properly confidential, so I don't know more.

Not helpful!

[barnhart]

I think the word politics is has an unnecessarily bad reputation. The technical meaning is how people relate in large groups but it is commonly thought of as how people fight each other. With that in mind, there is a lot to be appreciated in how church groups usually relate, sprinkled with negative examples of self interest and struggle.