The Program-Driven Church

 By Dr. R. Scott Clark - Posted at The Heidelblog:

One link led to another, and I happened recently upon the website of a large NAPARC congregation. As I often do, I looked to see who the pastor was. That link led me to a list of pastoral staff who coordinate a breathtaking number of programs.

My first reaction was to blame the senior minister and elders. “How could they facilitate this incredible tangle of programs? Where is the gospel? Where are the sacraments? Where is discipline in the life of the church?”

Then it occurred to me that this welter of programs probably was not invented wholly by the minister and elders. To be sure, it often happens that as the staff grows the number of programs tends to increase. People must justify their existence and the bureaucratic imperative kicks in. “What is this person doing? Why are we paying them?” “Oh well, they have just come up with this exciting new idea that will really bring x (fill in the blank) back to church.”

Just as likely, however, the programs are a response to pressure from the congregation and the community. One of the questions pastors get most often is, “Do you have a program for such and such?” The answer to this is more or less binary: “Why yes we do!” or “Well, no, I’m sorry we don’t.” If the pastor can meet market demand, then he may gain a customer. If he fails to satisfy market demand, the customer will go to the service provider down the street.

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