So, What Is This “Congregationalism” Thing, Anyway?

I posted this on a couple of messageboards I frequent, so if this is the second (or third) time you’re seeing this, I apologize!

So recently, I took an interest in the pastor search of one of Birmingham’s — and possibly one of the entire state of Alabama’s — biggest and most influential SBC churches. (It should be known that I was never a member of this church, but I did occasionally attend during a season of less-than-thrilled-ness with the church I was a member of at the time.)

Anyway, the front page of this church’s website puts forth the news that their Pastor Search team recently gave their unanimous recommendation, who by all indications will do a great job in that role. I have to wonder, though, about the process apparently used and whether if this is the norm in churches say they’re congregationally goverened. Here’s what I mean . . .

1) A Search Team was formed and names were submitted by the congregation. (Sounds pretty kosher and “congregational” so far.)

2) Meanwhile, there are “guest teachers” preaching every Sunday morning since the former pastor’s resignation. Occasionally, these are staff pastors, but there’s one guy in particular (from outside the church family) doing most of the preaching.

3) Search Team gives periodic updates, saying that there have been many names submitted and they’re earnestly praying and seeking God’s will for “His man” to lead their church.

4) Search Team announces that they have a unianimous recommendation for senior pastor and SURPRISE — it’s the same guy who’s been filling their pulpit 80% of the time during the last few months. Congregation breaks into uproarious applause after announcement.

5) Senior Pastor “candidate” is scheduled to preach a couple of weeks after announcement. Congregation is given opportunity to “affirm him as our new senior pastor” after he preaches. Anticipating the obvious (that he’ll be “affirmed”), church website already has a staff page for him, and his planned sermon series is already listed in the “upcoming teaching” section.

In other words, it looks like the deck was stacked in this one dude’s favor from the get-go, and the congregational vote is nothing but a formality. This is highly unusual to me and seems anything but “congregational”. Now keep in mind, I’m pretty convinced that elder rule with congregational input (presbyterian government) is the way to go, so the fact that this church’s elders and pastor search team seem to have controlled this process actually seems right to me. BUT, is it “congregational”?

Here’s my current framework of how congregational government works in relation to choosing a new pastor. At the church I was a member of back in B’ham, we similarly had a pastor search one year. There ended up being two candidates. They each preached once (1 time) to our church on consecutive Sunday mornings, and there was a Q&A session for each guy at each evening service. The congregation then voted, with a 2/3 majority needed to elect a pastor (so as to not split the church). In this case, it was nearly unanimous, and the pastor-elect was soon called and installed as the new pastor.

So, is the strange-sounding situation I described earlier the order of the day for Baptist churches, do you think it’s just because this place is so big and prominent, or is this just unusual? I know I have some Baptist, former Baptist, and otherwise-familiar-with-congregational-gov’t readers out there. Let’s hear ya.