exit, voice, and loyalty
In his book, Exit, Voice, and Loyalty: Responses To Decline in Firms, Organizations, and States, Albert O. Hirschman argues the inevitability of failure at times in any institution. Hirschman contends, “No matter how well a society’s basic institutions are devised failures of some actors to live up to the behavior which is expected of them are bound to occur, if only for all kinds of accidental reasons “(pg.1). In order to repair the lapses of economic actors, Hirschman suggests society “marshal from within itself forces which will make as many of the faltering actor as possible revert to the behavior required for its proper functioning”(1). Does this theory work in developing countries where there is no freedom of expression? From what I know in my context, when the community arises to bring about change, they often face rejection by authorities. We do not have leaders who care enough to listen to our society’s deep cry. My country was founded on colonialism and continues to oppress its citizens. Our leaders come to power to divide, rule, and control the resources, not to serve. Where do we go if we exit? To whom do we voice our concerns? The best coping mechanism to survive within my country’s divide and rule politically oppressive regime is to be quiet and do what we can with patience. This too shall pass someday.
When it comes to Protestant churches in my community, they also struggled for many years, ignoring the need to incarnate Jesus in the language and culture of the people they serve. Consciously or unconsciously, the Protestant churches adapted into Orthodox Church’s colonial mentality that forced the ruling tribe’s religion, language, and culture upon all nations at the expense of theirs. Consequently, Christian religion has been identified with colonialism; the Good News of Jesus became irrelevant for societies like mine.
In my understanding, one of the challenges to growth churches in my community face is their lack of ability to build relationship, to love and listen to others. In my current church, we have community leaders come to us all the time and urge the church to participate in community matters. However, our leaders are always reluctant to go or encourage believers to go to the community meeting where people from different religious and political backgrounds gather to discuss issues that matter for all of them. Why would this make believing communities uncomfortable? Do churches really know what they are missing? When they detach themselves from the very people they want to share the gospel with, how can they possibly share the transforming message of the kingdom? My church’s mission strategy is to organize evangelist conferences and invite others to attend which is not a bad thing. However, Jesus called us to go, and make disciples of all nations, this requires us to be strategic and intentional in how we address our society’s spiritual and physical needs.
A couple of months ago, I had a conversation with a young Oromo businessman who told me he stopped going to church because he found Ethiopian Christianity to be anti his culture. As an Oromo nationalist and social justice activist he could not fit in the church, so he had to leave. This is true for many young Oromo nationalists in America who enjoy the privilege of freedom of expression and join the community of their choice. Strangely, this does not seem to be a big concern for many church leaders to evaluate their ministry approach. Leaders are too busy to set times to listen to their members. How do we do ministry without listening to God and others we serve?
One time, I asked a leader in my church about a sister who left the church, his response was “ she is a mature Christian and able to find her way back to community if she wants.” I wonder why he thinks she will return someday? Is it because there are not many Oromo churches in the area? Now it has been four years since she left our church. From what I heard from a leader who lived in the States over a decade, often when our people leave the church, they end up not coming back because they cannot bear the shame of being outside of the church community for so long. For me, this experience made me very careful in how I share my opinion with leaders in my church because I felt opinions are not valid.
In my opinion, the mission of the church is different from that of a salesman, where the focus is only on selling stuff not so much in connecting and building trusting relationship. The truth is we are not getting anywhere. It is just a shallow spirituality, which has minimal, or no impact on our neighbors. There is hope for churches in my community to revitalize the transforming message of the kingdom, if they are willing to gear their strategy from primarily focusing on membership production to listening and building loving relationship with those within the church and others in their community. May the Lord help His church.
About the Author
Telile Fikru Badecha
10 responses to “exit, voice, and loyalty”
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Telilie,
Thanks for your writing and reflection, both on your country and the condition of the church within it. You ask some excellent and challenging questions that are relevant for our (my) setting as well. In particular you asked, “When they detach themselves from the very people they want to share the gospel with, how can they possibly share the transforming message of the kingdom?” That is a huge challenge and is often at odds with the demands placed on those in leadership from attending to their congregation needs and their denominational requirements. The lists are long in terms of leadership responsibilities and the time required to do them. How do we realign our expectations for those in leadership to reflect the priorities you suggest, and with which I agree? thanks of helping me to think this through.
Deve, Thank you for insights. I do understand that there are lots of expectations from congregation to those in leadership. However, I wonder if the challenge in my setting has to do with the lack of vision for their neighbors. What we prioritize shows what we care for. My answer to your question is there has to be open communication between leaders and congregation on how to realign their expectation for those in leadership. Leaders often tend to carry all the responsibilities themselves and fail to collaborate others share the work. Above all, the issue of building trusting relationship with others in our community is a responsibility of all believers; and ministry leaders need to learn how to equip believers to engage with their neighbors.
Telile,
Wow. This is such a sad situation. Thanks for sharing so transparently. Easy answers are not there for these matters. In my view, there is such a need for true revival everywhere, both in your country and in mine. And part of the answer for this, perhaps a good part of the answer, is that we become people of prayer. I am not saying that we only pray; I am just saying that we must pray for a real outpouring of the Holy Spirit, especially for our leaders. You say, “We do not have leaders who care enough to listen to our society’s deep cry.” I think this is true in most places. Leadership is often the key to everything good — and everything bad as well. Again, I do not have an answer, but I do know that whatever the answer is, God must be an active part of that. Those are my thoughts. My heart goes out to you and to your country’s needs.
Bill, I totally agree with you we need to pray for true revival everywhere, both in your country and in mine. Thank you!
Telile,
It is sad that Christians do not want to be “mixing” with others that are different or believe differently than they do. I am glad that Jesus gave us the best example to follow as He readily ate with tax collectors and sinners. If His followers think that they may be tainted by their interactions with sinners than they have not truly embraced the Lord of Christianity and His love for sinners. Seems like they desire to be Pharisees keeping themselves from touching the “undefiled.”
Amen to your statement about the mission of the church being different from that of a salesman! Awesome!
Just today Michelle and I were talking about how too many churches have the desire to become “professional” Christians rather than completing the missions Christ has for us to complete. You are right! We are not getting anywhere. I pray that you will be a positive voice to your church and nation. Blessings Telile,
Mitch
Mitch, It is so true you said, “many churches have the desire to become “professional” Christians rather than completing the missions Christ has for us to complete.” I also know some churches care so much about social justice and oppose to sharing the Word. It is a real challenge for many churches to understand the social action as important as evangelism or vise versa. Thank again for your insight.
John, thank you for your insightful comments and questions. The communist regime lasted for seventeen years in my country. Almost all Protestant churches were closed. Many Christian were imprisoned and many gave their lives for Jesus. Like you said, during those dark days Christians used to meet underground.
Thank God there is a freedom of religion under current regime but there is no freedom of speaking up again injustice. Our biggest challenge is the church is divided and there is a spirit competition among churches. I appreciate your prayer for our churches and country.
I always appreciate your perspectives on our readings, Telile! This one especially, as you voiced some great concerns for your church and your country. My history studies and work over the years put me in Eastern Europe and Russia. A number of studies of Soviet Russian history concerned the oppressive government’s control that was in existence for so many years. As you also suggest from your context, exit was not really an option…so what did the people do? What historians are finding was that there was wide spread subversion to the rules in Soviet Russia, from black markets to secret church meetings, to clubs and social groups that worked outside the system and provided a way to “exit” the system without actually going anywhere. It shows the resilience and creativity of people in the most oppressive of situations. I am wondering in your country if you see this same kind of counter-cultural but subtle protest by the people that might be attempts to give voice where they know they may not be heard? I think often it is human nature to need to speak up, to be heard…and where it is so hard, often creative ways must be found…and I believe that (as in the Soviet example) the Church has opportunity to be that other voice, the voice of hope and reason in midst of suffering and chaos. But it must a church that (as you clearly state) that can be for the people, that stands for more than just a spiritual escape from the hard realities of life…but speaks to the real needs and concerns of life NOW. A purely “other world” focused church is not the Church that Jesus demonstrated (who fed the hungry, healed the sick, showed compassion to the outsider) nor is it a church will speak to where your people are at. We will pray for your church and your country, and for the wisdom for God’s people to be that subversive and alive yeast to bring vital change to lives and to society. Keep up the good work, Telile.
Deve,
You speak such truth! Sometimes I don’t understand how so many church leaders can come into contact with God and end up being so shallow. It seems that we run from our core responsibility in this world. This week, my wife had an encounter / conversation with a friend through Facebook who has been posting racist remarks and propagating xenophobia…this was done in the name of Christianity. Further, the shallow and uncaring spirit was continued through posts of other people also claiming to be Christians. They did this throughout their posts on Ebola. My wife spoke up and shared the facts with them…and she will probably take the heat for quite sometime. The reality is that most people won’t even speak up when they see a wrong being done, for fear of being rejected. These people of Facebook couldn’t even see that what they were doing is so wrong and against what Christ teaches. I see that many American Christians have become so complacent and shallow…sometimes it is as if Christians don’t care anymore. After this week’s reading, I have to wonder if this complacency is, in part, attributed to the fact that people have lost their voice in so many churches. We lack the forum to challenge each other. “Iron sharpening iron” is not commonly seen across the people groups within churches.
Hi, Telile,
Thanks, your post addresses issues we all must confront … it is true here in the Western culture of my home church that all to often we do not see the relevance or the need to go to people where they live. It might be different from your church in Ethiopia but the outcome is the same. We continue to think that we have the answer and people ought to be seeking us – attracted to what we believe. This is so mistaken in our present society.
You have hit on the truth when you say, “Leaders are too busy to set times to listen to their members. How do we do ministry without listening to God and others we serve?” Also, you refer to the importance of building relationship. This can only have when we are willing to listen which also means hear with an openness to learn and grow together. There is much I can learn from the multi-cultures around me and those I engage on a daily bases. There are some things that are nonnegotiable but when Jesus is the subject, even these differences become things we can talk about and we find common ground. You are right, build relationships as we listen listen to each other and allow the freedom for people to express there differences in a wholesome and holistic manner.