Denominations are now quite certain they are best in managing their menageries. Before the Great Depression, mother churches tended to establish their own sister churches, where the land and buildings were funded built up by people from the original parish. Later, the headquarters argued that they could handle the costs of similar projects and take on the burden of those wanting to expand.
The Michigan District President, LCMS, said they had more money in their expansion fund than the entire Lutheran Church in America had - $40 million at the time. One Michigan LCA district had a mission supervisor so drunk he could not hold onto the desk phone when someone phoned. Lunch with him was not much better.
This went on everywhere, not just among the Lutherans. Those who objected to Holy Mother Church were punished by exile from the choice congregations while the apostate or cool guys, a tight-knit group in many cases, got the best deal.
The know-it-all executives mess things up and blame everyone else. They follow the trends. The future executive pooh-bahs flew to Fuller Seminary or drove to Willow Creek, checking out how the Hour of Power became Purpose Driven. One hilarious brainstorm had LCA-ALC-LCMS-WELS gathering together for a great, holy, getting along great pratfall, financed by LB-AAL->Thrivent.
- The parish pastors did not stand up for anything.
- The college and seminary professors idolized the ELCA stars.
- The laity whimpered and became even more passive.
- The Means of Grace vanished in the face of the Next Big Thing.
- The worst Bibles made the most money so they were OK!
- Worship and the liturgy evaporated slowly.
- They all leaned to fads instead of dwelling on the Word.
- Faith in Jesus Christ made people uncomfortable.
