Organizations and the Church

In my Organizational Theory class, I have been reading about the definitions of organizations, the various organizational theories that exist, and the ways in which these theories serve as lenses to intepret, analyze, and better understand the organizations that are a ubiquitous part of our society. Included in my readings is a book entitled, "Organizations and Organizing: Rational, Natural, and Open System Perspectives" by W. Richard Scott and Gerald F. Davis, and a recent reading of that text included a description of the rational system perspective of organizations. This perspective primarily emphasizes that organizations are built and dependent upon specific goals that the organizations pursue as well as formalized structures that dictate how they operate.

In one passage, the authors quote Wolin's analogy of structure and scientific method to say that organizations' formalized structure is "the salvation of puny men, the compensatory device for individual foibles, the gadget which allows mediocrity to transcend its limitations." They further quote that organizations through their formalized procedures eliminate "the need for surpassing talent" and are "predicated on average human beings" (40).

This is to say that organizations, in spite of being composed of imperfect individuals, can achieve great things by combining the talents of the individuals. After reading this, I couldn't help but think of the church, and how we are gathered together as a group of sinful, flawed people who together are cherished by Christ, are sanctified according to His word, and are also called to share God's love with others. In modern society it's common to see people reject the church precisely because it is composed of hypocritcal sinners, and there is a growing tendency for individuals to announce that, while they are Christian believers, they don't need the church to worship and will do just fine on an individual basis. I am of the opinion this is not supported in Scripture.

Today I came across an article in USAToday that cited recent statistics in church growth: http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-09-16-church-growth_N.htm. An interesting point I found in the article noted that some of today's biggest congregations are "moving beyond the 'big box' megachurch model" and instead intentionally moving people "from sitting in rows to sitting in circles (in small groups) to going out and making a difference in the world." The article also noted that congregations that have experienced growth "are participatory, involve lay leadership, and have a strong, clear sense of their purpose."

While I don't think we should necessarily equate congregation size with the success or health of a church, I do believe that it is good for churches to promote community (for example, in small group settings), to promote participation, and to effectively communicate to its congregational members that church is not something we "consume," but it is something that we are a part of and work for. Christ is our salvation, and we trust He is preparing His bride for the day He will return.