Insiders/Outsiders: Its Impact On Church Members

This was a comment in regards to the previous Insider/Outside post.  It deserves a separate conversation:

This is the way it was in WCG. Exactly. No exceptions. It is a clear picture of the way things were. 

I spent my teen years in Y.O.U. in the Worldwide Church of God. 

There were the teenagers of the big contributors and the "important" people. The money makers, the pastor and assistant pastors kids, the "cool" kids, and of course, the athletes. They had their groups completely set.

Then there were the rest of us. The shy, the loners, and the children of the poor and quite frankly, the weird and wacky. I was one of those. 

Putting it nicely, you knew your place. I'll call the former group group "A" and the latter group that I was in group "B". 

There was no way you could get into group "A". They'd mock you, make fun of you. The girls would make it totally clear they were not willing to dance with you at any Y.O.U. dance function. I still see the "grimace" on one girl's face that time I asked her to dance with me to this day. It was the day my self-worth and self-confidence really took a nosedive. I remember the time they made fun of how I dressed because I was wearing suits 20 years out of date because my parents could not afford new suits because of the tithing policies, in part. I remember the looks they'd give me from their cliques when I walked in, or how they'd walk away when I approached. During events when they HAD to interact, it was cool and forced. A relative of mine of the same age, under peer pressure, even ignored me completely because I was in group "B". They were the insiders. I was an outsider. We were in the same group, and the same church. And I knew it. And the parents sanctioned or supported this behavior. Some may be quick to judge that it was somehow my fault, because I was poor or trying to hard to make friends, or home-schooled, and the church was my only source of interaction. Maybe, but that's not the point. The point is the clear insider-outsider behavior and the impact it had on people like me. 

This makes sense when you think of what became of the "Insiders" in the WCG back in the day. Who became the pastors? Who got sent to Ambassador College? Who were the ones that had such incredible experiences and memories in the church? Who ARE the ones today who sit in high places casting judgement and condemnation at their whim? I submit they are the very ones who were in "Group A" 20 to 40 years ago - who's attitudes and behaviors never changed a bit from the way they were back then. The very ones who were arrogant, condescending bullies who made fun of the weak and the poor I submit are the very ones who occupy the pastor's chairs or the leader's chairs today. They are also the very ones who think we're crazy or it's our fault when we share our experiences because they can not relate. 

It's this insider vs outsider clique culture which explains so much of the behavior of the COG's, from the top to the bottom. 

LCG: The Culture of Insiders and Outsiders

From an LCG source:

I think there is definitely an insiders vs. outsiders kind of culture. 

For those on the inside—families with money, who make big donations, and people who are in or related through marriage to the "insider" families—I'm sure life is great. They've got tons of family at all the LCG events, and their personal shortcomings are more tolerated. 

Outsiders have a very different experience. You go around thinking you should be feeling this whole "brethren in Christ" thing, but it never really works. It's easy for the insiders because they ARE family. But the rest of us are just there to make up the numbers. 

In a sense, you can't complain, because that's how all human institutions work. Except, this one CLAIMS to be different. The only real difference is there's a heavy dose of self-righteousness on top of everything else.

Today's teens are light years ahead of the ACOG's in many, many areas.

From a reader here:

Today's teens are light years ahead of the ACOG's in many, many areas. 

They are a well informed, device-laden, information-ready, active generation. Their schools are interactive, their music and interests are digital. Even the ones born in COG's thanks to their schools and their smart devices. They hear anything, they can look it up in literally seconds to find either the refutation or acknowledgement of the statement. They are not bored with what is offered. (Call it "the World", if you wish.) They ARE bored with the COG's. 

Let's look at what MAINSTREAM CONTEMPORARY Christianity offers teenagers that COG's do not, and will not. 

1. A Dedicated Youth Pastor specifically hired and trained to meet the spiritual needs of teenagers. 

2. A Dedicated Youth Service specifically designed to engage and teach the issues and concerns of teenagers. 

3. Wholesome Christian Music by a special Teen Praise Team where teens can worship God with music and song. 

4. Mission Trips to impoverished places to help teens learn how to help others and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Here is what the COG's offer the teens during Sabbath Services. 

1. Sermons about everything they cannot do.
2. Sermons about adult material they are not ready for, nor should have to hear. 
3. Sermons about some historical thingamajig in a place called whatchamacallit. 
4. Sermons given by a person who has no idea how to give a sermon. 
5. Sermons about marriage or child rearing they have no reason to stay awake for. 
6. Corrective sermons that a kid should not have to hear. 
7. Sermons about demons, satan, and the paranormal that are approached in a far too adult and descriptive manner. 
8. Special music, that to the teens, is not special. 
9. A great time to catch a nod off while making sure not to realllly fall asleep. 
10. Endless recitations of scripture without engaging content. Just write it down on the notepad and close your eyes again. 

This has been a COG Culture for as long as the COG's have been around, from Radio to Worldwide to the scattered churches. The problem is - the Youth and Teens have changed. The Church structure and ministers have not. 

They are NOT meeting the needs of the youth. The Mainstream Churches have far more superior programs because they have invested time, money, and skill to the cause. The COG's thought that a big sports program, summer camps, and youth trips would be enough to keep them in while making them listen to their main sabbath services. These days - it's much different. 

I'm pretty sure it's just as boring as being in detention at school - or sitting at a library for two hours. I wonder just how many teens sneak their cell phones out during services without the pastor knowing about it. 

IF THEY WANTED to, they could develop a cohesive program that could at least be a start to make the youth feel welcomed and fed. But they do not. So the teens leave, and then the COG's wonder where they all went to.