The next couple of blogs apply some of the insights of Brene’ Brown and her study of people’s response to anxiety. The specific application to the church is mine. What I will propose is a way that one could explore what anxious behavior looks like in a church. The conversation could take place in the previously proposed meetings of clergy and elders in their small groups or in small groups at a presbytery meeting. It could also serve as an interesting conversation within a session of a local church.
IMAGE OF AN UNHEALTHY CHURCH
We live in an anxious age and the church is tempted to reflect that anxiety as drawn from the society around us. In order to numb the fears generated by a sense of vulnerability, unhealthy churches tend to:
1. Demand certainty in the face of uncertainty. We don’t want ambiguous answers to our questions but clear proclamation of definite answers. Give me the three ways to heaven, the 4 habits that will provide a perfect marriage, or the 7 steps to prosperity.
2. We want perfection in the face of our anxious world. Churches should be perfect, clergy should be perfect, denominations should be perfect. If something goes wrong, it is clearly because someone is incompetent. Get rid of them and everything will be all right again.
3. We pretend that what we do as a church is our own business and doesn’t impact others. We don’t determine doctrine according to its impact on those it excludes. We don’t design our buildings according to how it impacts the neighborhood. We don’t consider the impact of our budget decisions as a testimony to the larger world.
Let’s Talk About Signs of Unhealthiness in Our Church
For the purpose of this conversation, assume that there are signs of anxiety in our society. Make several, at least four, statements that describe symptoms of anxiety among some sections of our larger society. Think of the behavior and fears that can give rise to feelings of anxiety.
If people brought their feelings of anxiety into a church community, how might the three behaviors described in the image of an unhealthy church reflect an attempt to address those feelings of anxiety? At this point, think of any church. Make at least four statements in response.
Now rate your church in terms of the behavior of individuals or groups in their effort to address the anxiety of their community. Taking each of the three descriptions of behavior, use # 1 to suggest that this never happens to #10 to suggest that this always reflects their behavior in your church. The behavior may be that of an individual, a small interest group, the governing body, or the whole church.
After the ratings have been made, provide some examples that illustrate the various ratings.
In the next blog, we will look at some healthier ways that a church can strive to respond to the atmosphere of anxiety in our society.
