To Affiliate or Not to Affiliate?
Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 10:22 pm
Hello everybody,
Any feedback anyone has on these issues would be greatly appreciated.
I've recently been approached with the possibility of joining the staff of an institutional church (Calvary Chapel denomination) as a worship leader/music director. However, I have come to some difficult ethical questions in my conscience about pursuing such a role. Perhaps some other opinions would help me think more holistically, since I have a tendency to be critical and analytical beyond normalcy at times.
I know the accepting of this position would have to ultimately be dependent upon 1) God opening the door, and 2) my conscience having a peace about it.
Some say, I am of Paul, and others I am of Apollos. Are you not carnal? (1 Cor 3:4)
My struggle is firstly about the idea of affiliating with an institutional, denominational church in the first place. I've personally witnessed the lack of unity among Christians from different churches, and I've seen that it is a terrible thing that unbelievers look upon and mock. Would affiliating with such an organization that follows a specific set of doctrinal points go beyond the realm of acceptance of all who call upon Jesus as Lord?
I have an idealistic hope for a unified Church (John 17:21), but it seems so far away from reality. Perhaps serving in an institutional church could be a good witness and opportunity to love people despite my disagreements with the organization's underlying foundational flaws.
Episcopality?
I don't agree with this church's episcopal form of government. I think it originated with the Catholic Church and I think there is a lot of weird politics involved in this type of framework. Since I see it as clearly unbiblical, is it bizarre to submit under such a concept?
However, I could also consider the example of David who submitted under Saul... and David had the right heart in it all despite his disagreements with the Lord's Anointed.
Corrupt Leadership
1) The first Assistant Pastor (the #2 underneath the mono-episcopate) was just fired (a month ago) due to some unmentioned sin regarding the "ruining of his family" (I'm guessing sexual?)
2) There was a former assistant pastor who also left recently because he thought the church's use of money (as directed by the mono-episcopate) was unwise.
Emotionalism
I don't mean over the top pseudo-charismatic antics. I'm referring to something I've noticed by querying those who have responded to altar calls. They said they responded to the call because they felt emotionally drawn by the music or by the pastor's insistence. In fact, I feel as though during the altar call the pastor barely speaks of the content of the gospel or of discipleship in these appeals to the congregation. Many people seem to respond to these "altar calls", but the size of the church doesn't seem to grow. My own sister according to the flesh went up to an altar call because of an emotional drawing and didn't understand one bit about repentance nor of her need to submit to Christ as Lord. There were no young Christians around to encourage her or pour into her after the few weeks she attended the church following her "altar call commitment". She is now living in unrepentant sin dating a non-Christian and doesn't want to go to church. However, she thinks she is a Christian. I don't see any biblical support for a sinner's prayer, nor do I see much fruit from these traditions. I'm not too much at peace being a part of this kind of process where I'd be playing music and influencing people to the possibility of leading them astray.
However, there's always the possibility of truly influencing people for the better through my gift of music. It is possible that a song could spark someone to a realization of their need for God or it could be a genuine witness of the truth. There is also a great opportunity to encourage committed disciples and to teach and admonish people through the music platform.
Freely you've received, freely give (Matt 10:8)
I know there is scriptural support for teachers of the Word to be supported... but what about worship leaders? There's nothing in the Bible regarding the support of offices in the Church (if there even are to be offices, in a political sense) other than elders or those who teach and labor in the Word. I don't feel completely at peace about being supported full-time for something that the Bible does not deem as required for a congregation who meets in Christ's name.
However, I'd never be able to focus solely on writing and arranging music as much as I would if I was to do it full-time. Perhaps it could be of God that He desires for me to bless the Church with my music gifts for a season in this regard.
These are just a few of my thoughts... I have a number of concerns which are even more practical in regards to my own calling and whether I want to focus full-time on writing music and leading worship or if I should focus more on Bible teaching and cross-cultural missions.
If you have any experiences in serving in an institutional church... good or bad... I'd be glad to hear about them.
Thanks
Any feedback anyone has on these issues would be greatly appreciated.
I've recently been approached with the possibility of joining the staff of an institutional church (Calvary Chapel denomination) as a worship leader/music director. However, I have come to some difficult ethical questions in my conscience about pursuing such a role. Perhaps some other opinions would help me think more holistically, since I have a tendency to be critical and analytical beyond normalcy at times.
I know the accepting of this position would have to ultimately be dependent upon 1) God opening the door, and 2) my conscience having a peace about it.
Some say, I am of Paul, and others I am of Apollos. Are you not carnal? (1 Cor 3:4)
My struggle is firstly about the idea of affiliating with an institutional, denominational church in the first place. I've personally witnessed the lack of unity among Christians from different churches, and I've seen that it is a terrible thing that unbelievers look upon and mock. Would affiliating with such an organization that follows a specific set of doctrinal points go beyond the realm of acceptance of all who call upon Jesus as Lord?
I have an idealistic hope for a unified Church (John 17:21), but it seems so far away from reality. Perhaps serving in an institutional church could be a good witness and opportunity to love people despite my disagreements with the organization's underlying foundational flaws.
Episcopality?
I don't agree with this church's episcopal form of government. I think it originated with the Catholic Church and I think there is a lot of weird politics involved in this type of framework. Since I see it as clearly unbiblical, is it bizarre to submit under such a concept?
However, I could also consider the example of David who submitted under Saul... and David had the right heart in it all despite his disagreements with the Lord's Anointed.
Corrupt Leadership
1) The first Assistant Pastor (the #2 underneath the mono-episcopate) was just fired (a month ago) due to some unmentioned sin regarding the "ruining of his family" (I'm guessing sexual?)
2) There was a former assistant pastor who also left recently because he thought the church's use of money (as directed by the mono-episcopate) was unwise.
Emotionalism
I don't mean over the top pseudo-charismatic antics. I'm referring to something I've noticed by querying those who have responded to altar calls. They said they responded to the call because they felt emotionally drawn by the music or by the pastor's insistence. In fact, I feel as though during the altar call the pastor barely speaks of the content of the gospel or of discipleship in these appeals to the congregation. Many people seem to respond to these "altar calls", but the size of the church doesn't seem to grow. My own sister according to the flesh went up to an altar call because of an emotional drawing and didn't understand one bit about repentance nor of her need to submit to Christ as Lord. There were no young Christians around to encourage her or pour into her after the few weeks she attended the church following her "altar call commitment". She is now living in unrepentant sin dating a non-Christian and doesn't want to go to church. However, she thinks she is a Christian. I don't see any biblical support for a sinner's prayer, nor do I see much fruit from these traditions. I'm not too much at peace being a part of this kind of process where I'd be playing music and influencing people to the possibility of leading them astray.
However, there's always the possibility of truly influencing people for the better through my gift of music. It is possible that a song could spark someone to a realization of their need for God or it could be a genuine witness of the truth. There is also a great opportunity to encourage committed disciples and to teach and admonish people through the music platform.
Freely you've received, freely give (Matt 10:8)
I know there is scriptural support for teachers of the Word to be supported... but what about worship leaders? There's nothing in the Bible regarding the support of offices in the Church (if there even are to be offices, in a political sense) other than elders or those who teach and labor in the Word. I don't feel completely at peace about being supported full-time for something that the Bible does not deem as required for a congregation who meets in Christ's name.
However, I'd never be able to focus solely on writing and arranging music as much as I would if I was to do it full-time. Perhaps it could be of God that He desires for me to bless the Church with my music gifts for a season in this regard.
These are just a few of my thoughts... I have a number of concerns which are even more practical in regards to my own calling and whether I want to focus full-time on writing music and leading worship or if I should focus more on Bible teaching and cross-cultural missions.
If you have any experiences in serving in an institutional church... good or bad... I'd be glad to hear about them.
Thanks