The Organization of the Church—Perfect?
On April 6, 1830, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was established as a legal entity in New York State. It did not start as a complete organization with all the details laid out perfectly. The concepts were in place, but it took many years to become a full-fledged church.
At the farmhouse in Fayette, about 60 individuals met to take what they had been given through revelation and practical knowledge and officially become a church. The church’s primary purpose was to satisfy a divine mandate and provide spiritual benefits to its members and, eventually, the world. The practical side of the organization was to obtain legal recognition and protection under the law.
The church’s organizational structure differs from nearly all other churches in that no paid clergy exists. The living allowance given to those whose service precludes them from earning a living by other means does not qualify as paid clergy as tradition would define it.
This brings us to the unique nature of the church among the many churches existing today. Church leadership is tricky. It requires people capable of leadership but, more importantly, humble people. It is extremely rare to find individuals who meet both criteria.
This is where The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints stands apart. At local levels, with enough population, there are enough competent people to lead and enough humble people to serve. Since callings change often, when a competent person gets too full of themselves, they can be replaced with others who come into the calling with more humility.
The Lord values humility over competency, as evidenced by the calling of great prophets throughout history. Enoch, Moses, Joseph Smith, and many more fit this profile.
Finding a competent person who remains humble over time is a one-in-a-million thing. When the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was founded, there were not a million members, so the Lord chose the best available ones. However, as history attests, many could not be both competent and humble. The road was treacherous initially, and many leaders came and went. However, enough members remained humble to fill the gaps in the organization.
This brings me to the question asked at the beginning: Is the church’s organization perfect? No. However, its brilliance lies in that people rotate through calling enough to keep the work moving forward. Those who have callings for life are the one-in-a-million. Are they perfect? No.
So how do you get a group of 15 men not to screw things up? You have a mandate that any decision of great consequence requires all 15 to agree on it. Brilliant—yes, but perfect, no. The Lord does the best with what he has.
So what about the proverbial wolves in sheep’s clothing? This is an ongoing problem that will likely exist in any organization with millions of members. We have all heard the stories of bad bishops who have abused their positions, and horrible things have happened. However, this scenario is less frequent in the church than in organized religion in general.
According to the Internet (take it for what it is worth), here are some numbers to consider. Four percent of Catholic priests were accused of abuse, while a survey of Protestant clergy revealed that 12.7 percent admitted to sexual intercourse with congregants. The 16,800 Scout-related abuse cases in the church and the rare bishop being convicted seem to be a lot; it amounts to 0.05 percent of those in leadership positions. Interestingly, the cited data suggests that these relatively low numbers are due to the church’s organizational structure. Hmmm? That seems to be an all-knowing God’s way of managing his church.
On the positive side, look at how church members flourish spiritually and materialistically because of the organization. First and foremost, the spiritual message is that there is a clear path to salvation and exaltation. Personal revelation is encouraged in place of a pastoral approach. Temple worship and blessings give hope to the eternal nature of marriage and family, which is unique among religions.
On the material side, lay ministry benefits ordinary people by allowing them to develop leadership qualities. The church’s global network ensures uniformity in teaching and practices. The ministering program gives people a chance to serve and be served. The church’s welfare and humanitarian programs meet the needs of poverty and aid. Promoting healthy lifestyles results in a lifespan of 6-10 years longer. Other benefits include a purpose-driven life, support during crises, accountability, youth programs, etc.
Too much structure? For some—probably. For the vast majority—no. Think of the law of Moses if you want to compare.
So, what happened on April 6, 1830, was nothing short of a miracle. Is it perfect—still, the answer is no, but it’s the best we imperfect humans can manage—even with God’s grace.