THE CHURCH AND INSTITUTIONALISM
By D. Paul Sommer¹

Institutionalism, which may be defined as the exalting of human organization, divides Christianity into antagonistic groups that no longer communicate with each other. It likewise divides the secular world economically, politically and militarily. It is the thesis of this essay that the only basis for true Christian unity is an inter-institutional Christianity. This is also the solution to the problems of a divided secular world, especially those related to international communism.

We have institutionalized our differences, which has not only contributed to the failure of the church’s mission, but has also implemented the institutionalization of secular affairs. The institutions of organized differences is partly responsible for the sinister and subversive forces that now plague our world.

It was institutionalism that produced the apostasy for apostolic Christianity by means of its presumptuous claim for jurisdiction over the minds of men. By means of organization of doctrinal differences the Reformation was sidetracked into sectarianism. The same is true of the Restoration Movement. Differences have been so emphasized and organized as to neglect such weightier matters as judgment, mercy, and faith. This is the crux of so many of our problems and it explains it part why Western Civilization is threatened with doom.

The true church consists of those individuals who have come out of the world, thus constituting an assembly of saints or separated ones who are godly and otherworldly. While the church is ONE and includes all those who are obedient to Him, it cannot be any earthly organization. The true church is made up only of those individuals who worship God and seek after him.

It is clear from such passages as Matt. 16:18 that the Christ set up his church for continuous existence, but there are no passages that suggest that Jesus intended to establish an organization or institution as those terms are commonly understood. The true church is not something that one joins or becomes a member of. It is rather a way of life; it is the separated life of individuals who have been called out of the world. Such ones have been born again and their bodies are the temple of God. Whenever two or three of such ones are together, the Christ will be in their midst. One can “join the church” only in the sense of becoming one of these that makeup the true church.

It may be that institutionalism is a mark of the beast such as John describes in Revelation that was at war against the people of God. Institutionalism magnifies a particular group, exalts organization, and elevates corporate structure. It thus promotes artificiality and stifles individuality by diminishing the self and frustrating the spirit of man.

Those who maintain institutionalism are perpetuating division. They seek to rule over the minds of men by means of institutional protocol and the magnification of differences in interpretation of scripture. Organizational ism relieves men of a sense of personal responsibility, and it tends to cover up wrongs that they commit by stressing group loyalty. It is difficult for the individual to act from his own conscience, for there is the pressure to conform to party loyalties. He must conform to the party, which acts against his own convictions, or he must get out.

Institutionalism demands a creed (written or unwritten) and definite standards of loyalty. The creed is necessary for discipline, identification of heresy, and excommunication. The creed makes it possible for the institutionalized church to draw the line on certain men and to separate brethren who have different backgrounds and who thus have different interpretation of some scriptures.

Almost from the beginning the church has been hindered in its appointed mission by the ism of organized differences. The real church has digressed into a kind of doctrinal church that is more concerned with keeping differences in order than in promoting justice, mercy and faith. To maintain orthodoxy and uphold the differences the church has employed carnal weapons.

If we can come to view the church as a Christian Neighborhood, we can solve some of the problems created by organizationalism. It will also be the answer to communistic state-ism, for it will restore self-respect to the individual and use methods that encourage independent thought and action. The church acting as a neighborhood will be more interested in ministering to the needs of its people than in organizing differences. In Acts 10 Jesus is described as one who went about doing good, and the disciples are elsewhere described as men who performed deeds of mercy. The early church was told to. do good to all men, and much of their work was in carrying out that command. They were more neighborly than institutional.

Jesus tells the story of the man who fell among thieves. It was organized religion that passed him by, leaving such menial tasks to others; the good Samaritan acted the part of neighbor by ministering to his needs. This informs us of what “neighbor” means, so we know that neighborhood is not restricted by geographic proximity. The good Samaritan acted as an individual, one who ignored racial prejudice in order to fulfill the natural, God-given obligation of helping another individual. Often the individual must rise above the restrictive policies of his party organization to do good to strangers.

Relief from a hungry, sick body or a troubled mind is as necessary to spiritual well-being now as it was in the day when the Christ went about ministering to the oppressed and afflicted. Proverbs 30:8-9 warns against the distractions of things of the world: “Give me neither poverty nor riches … lest I be full and deny Thee and say, Who is the Lord?; or lest I be poor and steal and take the name of my God in vain.” Since the Kingdom of God honors the simple life, it is of great significance to the world generally, for these are times when people of lowly birth and simple backgrounds are among the despised and rejected. Institutionalism is proud and haughty; it cannot tolerate the simple, humble life. Large institutions cannot easily adapt themselves to the needs of the individual.

The individual and his family need sufficient employment to provide the necessities of life. While the early church distributed to the physical needs of its poor (Acts 2 and 4), we may hope that in our day of economic prosperity every man will have good enough job to provide for his own. In any event, we can hardly expect to duplicate the communistic way of life described in the early chapters of Acts. While the mission of the church involves more materialistic aid than we have supposed, we must ever keep in mind that spirituality is the goal to be achieved. The church is to give to those that have need, but it must not confuse spiritual values with loaves and fishes. By a misdirection of the ministry to physical needs the church builds materialistic institutions that become ends in themselves.

An individual neighborhood ministry is so much more simple than organizational action. Much of it can take place right in one’s own home or perhaps in the basement. There can be cooperative efforts between neighbors and community-fund enterprises. Take our children for example: they are in great need of spiritual guidance; they need the right kind of recreation. Christian homes should be Neighborhood Houses where children gather for fun and for spiritual exercises, as it was in yesteryear. Along with serious Bible study and roundtable discussions there could be wholesome entertainment.

Our global problem will not be solved by big institutions, but by happy Christian homes. World crises are fundamentally the concern of the individual and the neighborhood. Communities should form themselves into inter-institutional Christian Neighbors. Let each home have three missionary purposes: (1) work toward a solution of the problems of youth, (2) champion the cause of economic welfare for the aged, (3) strive to lessen the strains and stresses upon individuals and communities brought on by our institutional way of life.

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1 D. Paul Sommer, 1643 Medford Ave., Indianapolis, Indiana, is an employee of Peerles Pump.

Problem of the Aged

The overriding reason for unrest among the senior citizens is not the lack of health or money. What our retired elders yearn for more than anything else is involvement. They are crushed with the feeling of no longer being wanted, useful, or important to others. They have been stripped of their value-and so of their dignity as human beings.-Robert and Leona Rienow