What if we spent less time reading reports, more time getting to know one another?

Ministry can often feel like a lonely task. Pastors with large undefined workloads feel lonely and stressed. Congregations discouraged by small attendance feel isolated and adrift. Does anyone understand the challenges we face out here?

Strong relationships help with these kinds of issues. The Presbyterian way of being the church is designed to provide those relationships. The 1876 Basis of Union of The Presbyterian Church in Canada rested on three pillars. Most familiar are affirming the Old and New Testaments as “the only infallible rule of faith and manners,” and naming the Westminster Confession of Faith as the “principal subordinate standard” interpreting the scriptures. Less well-known is the commitment to “government and worship . . . in accordance with the recognized principles and practice of Presbyterian Churches as laid down generally in ‘The Form of Presbyterial Church Government’ and in ‘The Directory for the Public Worship of God.’”

“Presbyterial Church Government” starts with the exalted Saviour Jesus Christ giving “ministry, oracles, and ordinances” to “one general church visible . . . for the gathering and perfecting of it in this life until his second coming.”

This visible church consists of all those who profess faith in and obedience to Jesus Christ, together with their children. That’s a lot of people, but Presbyterial Government is ready: “When believers multiply to such a number, that they cannot conveniently meet in one place, it is lawful and expedient that they should be divided into distinct and fixed congregations, for the better administration of such ordinances as belong unto them, and the discharge of mutual duties.”

In these distinct gatherings, people know one another, which facilitates central church functions such as education, support, discipleship and discipline. They know where and with whom they live, allowing for contextualized mission and outreach. They are well placed to exercise compassionate and corrective church discipline. These individual congregations have great advantages, but also limitations. As Paul explained to the Corinthians, every part of the body needs the other parts of the body. Discipline means guidance, not only of individual Christians, but also of gatherings of Christians. The parts of the church need the whole church to be sure they don’t wander from the way of Jesus.

Scot McKnight wrote in A Church Called Tov, toxic leaders “tend to gravitate toward . . . nonaccountable church structures where they answer to no one . . . narcissistic pastors and leaders are found in denominational churches as well. But independent churches are especially conducive to leaders who want to be unsupervised and unchecked.”

The parts of the Body of Christ don’t have the resources of the whole Body of Christ. As the Form of Governance recognized, individual congregations “need all mutual help one from another, both in regard of their intrinsical weakness and mutual dependence, as also in regard of enemies from without.”

This is why “The scripture doth hold out a presbytery in a church. A presbytery consisteth of ministers of the word and such other public officers as are agreeable to and warranted by the Word of God to be church-governors, to join with the ministers in the government of the church.

“The scripture doth hold forth, that many particular congregations may be under one presbyterial government.”

This is a way the Presbyterian system emphasises relationships. Presbyterian government happens in a community. There is no individual CEO, even with wise advisors and assistants, who can provide proper oversight and guidance to the church. This is why we need to remember, as our Book of Forms reminds us, “the organic unity of the church is maintained in a hierarchy of courts (in contra-distinction to a hierarchy of persons).” It takes a community of disciples to shepherd a community of disciples.

When Presbytery meets, there is business to do. But the Presbytery is also a gathering of neighbours. If the Knox congregation wonders how to respond to a challenge, the people from St. Andrew’s can share how they responded. If one minister wonders what to do in a certain situation, another minister can offer advice gained in a similar experience.

As the Presbytery community shares their mutual help, it strengthens ministry across the region. As we receive from the strengths of our neighbours and give them help and encouragement in their need, we make real an often-overlooked blessing of the unity of the Body. As Paul told the Corinthians, “. . . as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness” — 2 Corinthians 8:13-14. (ESV)

In the ongoing community of the Presbytery, continuing conversation facilitates follow up. How’s it working? How can it work better? What can we change to better meet the situation next time?

How long did it take for things to turn around in your congregation? We are encouraged to stay the course when we know others are on the same journey we are.

The Form of Presbyterial Church Government acknowledges another level of government in Synodical Assemblies, but these are different groups so their oversight is different. As our Book of Forms notes, “The General Assembly differs from the lower courts of the church in that it has, as a body, no permanent existence.” It meets, does its business, then dissolves.

What abides after General Assembly are the decisions and rules it passes. It does not live with those rules. The Assembly can’t change, adapt, modify, or revise those rules because the Assembly that passed them no longer exists.

The Presbytery lives with its decisions. The members of Presbytery can see how they’re working out, where they need to be changed, adapted, clarified. Presbyteries live with their decisions, and live with the decision makers. They can continue to discuss the meaning of the decision; they can pursue how to adapt it to better enable ministry in their congregations.

Presbyteries have a permanent existence. In the form of Presbyterial governance, what abides in Presbyteries is not simply rules and policies but relationships and ways of living together. When the partnership of Presbyteries becomes the focus of union in our church, we are focused on things that incarnate the love and care of Jesus Christ.

Which is not to say Presbyteries function today as they ought. As the managerial revolution in the larger society influenced the church, and denominations became more like regulatory agencies, presbyteries lost focus. They became more interested in making sure congregations followed national rules and policies. We neglected the partnership and relationship aspects of life together.

But we can get back to where we once belonged. We can get back to focus on the relationships and partnership of the people who profess faith in and obedience to Jesus as the tie uniting the Body of Christ. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our presbytery meetings spent less time reading reports and more time getting to know one another? We can commit to spending less time rule keeping and more time to burden sharing and comfort giving.

The church doesn’t grow when people see how well we’re following policies. It grows when people see how we love one another, for in strong relationships the love of Jesus Christ is made real. As we are strengthened by what others can give, as we give to help others in their need, we will live the comfort and care Jesus gives through His body. We will live in the place where Jesus promised to grow His church.

Rev. Paul D. Johnston is Minister at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Arnprior, Ontario. He serves on the Assembly Council as a presbytery representative from the Presbytery of Lanark and Renfrew.