I’m on the mailing list of an association of churches who will most likely be involved in the split of a major denomination over matters involving the authority of scripture. I’ve seen the formation of new denominations up close and personal twice in my life. It always involves enormous amounts of time and energy, and the need for pastors to communicate to their congregations what’s going on. 

In that spirit, the association wrote this sentence a few days ago:

[Our association] is well aware laity and pastors are often so consumed with pressing matters close to home (e.g., raising funds for a new roof, launching a new children’s ministry program, or hiring a youth director) that it is easy to miss general church developments that directly impact them. (Emphasis mine)

I find it interesting that the examples that come to mind first of “pressing matters close to home” revolve around buildings, programs, and staff. They do not seem to include, “How can we better make disciples? How can we help our people be effective for The Kingdom in their environment?”

It’s a classic example of the urgent crowding out the important, as Steven Covey would have said. And that’s assuming that a church’s list of “important” even includes being effective at making disciples. 

To be fair, the leadership of the association, which includes a pastor friend of mine, does care about making disciples. That said, the sentence I cited accurately captures where most churches’ concerns lie; that’s why the article uses those examples. And that could be a problem.

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent… (Philippians 1.9, 10, ESV, emphasis mine)

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up… (Ephesians 4.11, 12, NIV)