How Your Church Family Works: Understanding Congregations As Emotional Systems (Paperback)

Human interactions are among the most complex things possible for study - they do follow patterns on micro- and macro-scopic levels, but there are so many variables that it is impossible to predict and plan with total accuracy (and so much the better, many would hold, including this author). Yet the application of field theory types of paradigms to understanding congregational dynamics is worthwhile. There is a self-perpetuation and internal cohesion to many of the processes, and they often seem 'to take a life of their own', in other words, are somehow self-generating.

We tend to think of churches as places of holiness and justice, forgetting that because they are comprised of human beings at all levels, they are just as susceptible to corruption, pettiness, and the petty place-seeking and unhealthy dynamics of any other human organisation. That this should not be so is granted - that it is often so is a sad reality. It is not denominationally-specific, either - even those denominations that pride themselves on fairness, justice, rationality, or any other positive quality can find itself falling victim to its own people.

The church is not a family. Steinke says this very directly. However, there are significant patterns that parallel family dynamics, and in many metaphoric senses, church communities are meant to be a family. Thus, looking at the emotional dynamics of family units gives some insight.

This book combines personal and congregational stories with theoretical ideas. The first part of the book concentrates on looking at the different concepts of family dynamics and emotional systems theory - anxiety and reactivity, separateness and closeness, stability and change, and clarity and compassion. These draw on psychological theory, historical and literary examples, biblical theory, and even neurophysiological research.

The second part of the text builds these theories into practical situations by incorporating stories. These stories are short and to the point; they illustrate points well, and help to drive home the ways in which leaders and congregation members can work together. These stories can help both the ministers and congregation members recognise when dysfunctions are occurring, as well as possible solutions that look to the wider system rather than individuals.

There are charts, tables, genograms and other tools to use; these may be new to the reader, but they are explained in sufficient manner to be useful. There are also little touches that are useful, even preachable, as examples of the concepts.

The final chapter talks about the importance of interrelationships (something systems theory and biblical stories have in common), as well as the importance of vision - those who don't know where they want to go will probably never get there.

In all, this is a wonderful book, full of insight and inspiration.