The World Convention is Coming Up

Though I've mentioned the World Convention of Churches of Christ on this blog before (see that post here), I believe it needs another mention or two before it actually meets later this summer. Mike Cope mentioned World Convention on his blog and some of the comments were a bit disappointing. One, who called himself "Baron," created quite a bit of unnecessary confusion by taking issue with my use of the term "brethren" in my initial comment to Mike's post. The rest of the comments seemed to circle around this invented "problem" created by an antagonistic individual who doesn't seem to be a part of the movement or fully appreciate our international nature. People seemed to focus more on those comments than on World Convention itself, and so I bring it up here where I hope people will discuss the merits of such gatherings.

This year the World Convention will be in Nashville , Tennessee in the United States from July 30-August 3. Sadly, not too many people in the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement are even aware that it exists. Part of this may be because the convention is held around the world every four years, so it isn't exactly in the forefront of many people's minds simply because it travels around so widely. Really, though, a lot of the lack of familiarity is likely due to suspicions in this movement of mostly autonomous congregations towards any sort of "denominational structure." This is unfortunate, though, given that the World Convention does not claim to exert any legislative or otherwise authoritative role with respect to the denominations and congregations that make up this worldwide fellowship.

Another concern from some sectors would be that by participating in this type of gathering, Christians from more "conservative" churches would be in some sense endorsing the views of people in more "liberal" or "progressive" portions of the movement. There's not much to be done about this, I'm afraid, but I hope that more and more Christians from all perspectives in the fellowship of Stone-Campbell churches around the world will be able to set aside such concerns, understanding that attendance at a particular gathering does not mean one agrees with everything that is said or done there.

Western society in particular (the one in which I live) seems to be tending towards more and more factions. There is a special interest group, party, club, association or church for virtually every "taste" or preference. Some of us, perhaps not too many, are beginning to hunger for a tough unity that is capable of overcoming differences and agreeing to disagree without being disagreeable. This is no easy task, and getting past our consumerist approach to everything including faith challenges many of our basic ways of viewing life. Patience and forgiveness are required traits, and these are hard to come by in an age of getting our own way and having it now.

In these times, even loosely-organized movements need points of contact. We don't necessarily need formal top-down structures, but we do need to get out of our sub-groups and get to know one another, especially as we attempt to proclaim to and in all nations the Good News that Jesus is Lord.
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See also: World Convention in the Christian Standard and promotional files here and here.