A Familiar Story
This is all too familiar. In my public broadcasting career, I was faced with choices between serving the audience or serving the interests of wealthy and powerful benefactors. It didn't happen all the time, but there were instances when large sums of money were offered with strings attached. My inclination was to stay true to the core values of the audience. My boss said this was the hard way to raise funds. His inclination was to grab for the shiny object, and sort out the consequences later. I guess you can see where this was headed.
When my immediate supervisor resigned he offered, "Giving up on principles wasn't worth it." I was appointed to his position. I found out he was right.
Coming apart at the seams
Our social divide is leading people away from religion. It isn't just in the pews, although attendance is way down. Pastors are joining the great resignation. It has a lot to do with the decidedly conservative leanings of powerful congregants.
"But in the wreckage of Trumpian politics and a never-ending-pandemic, our jobs have been reduced to negotiating skirmishes over mask-wearing and vaccination status. Former and current pastors have shared with me that their denominations and powerful congregants have pushed for a false unity that tolerates homophobia, racism, and conspiracy theories. My friend Ryan, a seasoned pastor, finally gave up. He felt that he could no longer follow the work of the Holy Spirit when he was expected to make room for people who actively thwarted God's movement. When we name the need to repent of sexism and racism, powerful church members withhold their giving and muster factions to oust us. Our compassion fatigue is real." MELISSA FLORER-BIXLER
You can read more in Sojourners.
Florer-Bixler explains, "In the past decade, we’ve watched a trickle in the decline of church membership turn to a geyser as people woke up to the incompatibility between the teachings of Jesus Christ and the practices of many who claim to follow him. Up until recently, I was certain the death of the institutional church would come because of a mass exodus from the pews. But if the data is any indicator, the sun might set on U.S. churches as we know them because pastors refuse to aid and abet a compromise between factionalism and the good news of Jesus."
Millennials May Not Come Back
It is not a coincidence that Millennials are staying away. They cite the same reasons, homophobia, racism, and conspiracy theories. Add to that the sexual abuse scandals and the seeming hatred and intolerance coming from certain factions, churches are no longer seen as good role models. They are places where common decency seem to be in short supply. You can find out more by looking at research from the Pew Trust.
WHEN WE NAME THE NEED TO REPENT OF SEXISM AND RACISM, POWERFUL CHURCH MEMBERS WITHHOLD THEIR GIVING AND MUSTER FACTIONS TO OUST US. OUR COMPASSION FATIGUE IS REAL.
In an interview with FiveThirtyEight Mandie, a 32-year-old woman living in southern California and who asked that her last name not be used, grew up going to church regularly but is no longer religious. She told us she’s not convinced a religious upbringing is what she’ll choose for her one-year-old child. “My own upbringing was religious, but I’ve come to believe you can get important moral teachings outside religion,” she said. “And in some ways I think many religious organizations are not good models for those teachings.”
Undue Influence
If you let the big shiny object be your guide, you can easily diminish the value of your service.
Every decision has consequences. Ignoring the core values of those you serve results is a loss of trust. They will turn away and leave you for somebody or something else. In the end you will serve no one. Just be aware, even if you stand for what is right, it may cost you your position.
