2nd Opinion: Why tribalism in the church is stupid

I’ll just come right out and say it: Tribalism in Christianity is stupid, and I’m willing to bet we are more alike than we think.

Too often, we focus on what divides the church rather than what unites. 

Jonathan Davis follow a number of groups and think-tanks that put out great resources. Some of these groups are more conservative, some more liberal. 

A liberal Christian think-tank recently posted something from LifeWay Research on its Facebook page. A number of people commented, saying things like, “Why did you post something from a fundamentalist group?” and “Can’t we come up with our own research? Why do we have to read what they write?” and even “How dare we promote them! They don’t align with our theology.” 

Of course, if Thom Rainer at LifeWay shared an idea from the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists, the backlash would be the same. Maybe worse. 

It amazes me in light of all the statistics about church decline, and with all the bemoaning of “not enough young people in our churches,” many Christians still cling to the tired tribalism of the past century.

Why is it so hard to admit we all serve the same God?

My experience has been that partnering with people from different backgrounds only enriches my ministry. If this is true personally, how much more on a congregational or even denominational level?

A nonprofit organization in our rural county—the only one of its kind—receives churches’ support to help the poor. They do amazing work, helping people who need food, clothing or wheelchair ramps, even replacing furniture in homes damaged by fire or flood. A few churches in our area refuse to partner with them because—wait for it—the president of the nonprofit is female. Tribalism.

Before you think I only pick on uber-conservatives, read on.

I once served as youth pastor at a very moderate church. I tried to partner with other churches in our area—many far to the theological right of my church—to do an areawide youth revival. After pledging money from our youth budget and promoting the event to parents and youth, our pastor decided to forbid our participation in the event because the speaker might—shocker—give a public invitation to follow Christ. Really? Tribalism. 

Maybe we really are more alike than we think. 

When tribalism takes over in our counties, towns and cities among Christian churches, I believe three things happen.

• Tribalism grieves the heart of God. 

God desires unity in the church almost more than anything. When Jesus prays for the church before his arrest (John 17), he doesn’t pray for revival, evangelistic crusades or even that the church would gain political power. He prays that “they may be brought to complete unity.” When the church fractures from tribalism, the heart of Christ also breaks.

• Tribalism diminishes the urgency of the gospel. 

Whether your view of the gospel is more eschatological—heaven and hell—or social—helping the poor and seeking justice—when disunity sets in, the mission of the church is in peril.   

• Tribalism makes the church look foolish to the world. 

Nothing turns off non-Christians more than good ol’ judgmental-bickerin’-backbitin’-mean-spirited-hypocrisy-spewin’ Christians. Why would anyone bother with the body of Christ when it cannibalizes itself?

The church never will benefit from internal turf wars. How long will the tribalism continue, while we scratch our heads in wonderment that young people distrust institutional Christianity—and other institutions also? Perhaps tribalism in the church is but a symptom of tribalism—think politics—in the larger culture. What prophetic word does the Body of Christ offer here?

I am reminded of what Jesus said: “Whatever you do to the least of these, you do also to me … unless you have to partner with a group that doesn’t share your exact theology in order to reach ‘the least of these.’ Then you’re off the hook!” Also, don’t forget the great teaching: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, but remember, that doesn’t necessarily require you to actually appeal to the lost to make me Lord of their lives.”

Yeah, I’m pretty sure Jesus never said those things.

Maybe if we did more partnering and less infighting, we’d realize we are more alike than we think. So, for the sake of God’s joy, for the sake of the gospel and for the sake of the world, let’s drop the tribal mentalities.  

Jonathan Davis is pastor of Urbanna Baptist Church, in Urbanna, Va. He is a doctor of ministry candidate at Logsdon Seminary, where his research focuses on equipping small-town churches for 21st century ministry. He is the founder of the Small Town Churches Network, which is dedicated to sharing research, ideas and tools to help small-town churches. Follow him on Twitter @jonathandavis_.