People aren't the only "things" that can get distracted from their primary purposes or goals. Churches get distracted. Associations get distracted. I suppose that conventions, state and national, can also get distracted.
Different people and different entities have their own unique distractions. What distracts me might not receive a passing glance from another individual. What will take one church along a course it never intended would not gain the attention of another congregation. What might make an association or convention suddenly take a strange, new road would be absent from the agenda of another.
I am firmly convinced that churches, and associations, can have ADD just as much as an individual. The overt and seemingly obvious causes may be as varied as the congregations. From my experience the root problem, however, remains the same. To be or not to be! We are most often distracted by a felt need to survive, and not only to survive, but unfortunately to survive in the same form we have existed throughout the recorded past.
Faithfulness in this world to the cause of Christ always involves risk. Taking risks invariably brings change. Sometimes that change might involve deciding that survival holds a low priority level. Faithfulness takes focus. Thinking in worldly terms can easily distract a church from the faithfulness that is demanded. We are caught in attention deficit because the influences around us appear to be greater, brighter, more acceptable, more threatening, or more powerful than our prior commitments. We suffer spiritual ADD and we are thrown back into survival mode.
Churches can be distracted by the material concerns of buildings and property. They can be distracted by the numerical concerns of attendance and budgets. They can even be distracted by baptisms to the extent that they feel getting someone wet is the end all and neglect the part of the Great Commission that says, "teach them to observe (obey) all that I have commanded you."
Associations can also be guilty of distractions leading them away from their primary purpose. An association is not a local body of believers. It should not try to act like one. An association has become distracted if it begins to operate as a local church, trying to provide activities and ministries which need the context and personal involvement of a local congregation. In some measure the association should be equipping the local churches as surely as the ministerial leadership in a local church should be equipping the saints there. The local church should be the primary context of Kingdom work rather than the association or any other larger organization.
Vision/mission statements do have their place particularly for those of us as individuals or as organizations who have shown the tendency to be distracted from our calling. The Apostle Paul was adamant about his focus. He knew he could be distracted (Acts 16:16-18; Rom. 7:15-19; Gal. 6:17). Therefore several times in one form or another, he mentions his life focus and what he was willing to do to maintain that focus (Acts 20:24; Rom. 9:26-27; I Cor. 2:2; Phil. 3:13-14).
One church in New York City used a very simple technique to avoid some of the dangers of spiritual distraction. Each year on the anniversary date of their founding, they would read their mission statement as a part of their worship service. As a congregation they would recommit themselves to their purpose for existence. They refused to allow themselves to become distracted.
This would be good advice for every church, and every Christian with a life mission. Associations should regularly review why they exist and make sure every member church is also reminded. This world makes it very easy to lose focus as organizations.
Perhaps our churches, and our associations, would become more effective by recognizing that avoiding distractions can never be a one time action. Forget survival. It's overrated. None of us were intended to last forever on this earth anyway, people or institutions. Rather focus on the richness of our calling to be salt, light, and leaven in the world. If we have to empty the salt shaker or run out the batteries to do so, so what? God has something better waiting for us anyway. Take the risk. Give all you've got. Don't get distracted. Whatever it takes, it's worth it.
