“[Name Withheld] Church is built on the vision God gave Pastor [Name Withheld]. We will protect our unity in supporting his vision.”

So read the children’s coloring book page from a mega church that went viral over a decade ago. Also included on the page is a picture of the pastor to color in and Romans 13:1 where Paul implores readers to submit to governing authorities.

Does the pastor have exclusive access to God’s vision for a church? Should congregants simply submit and do as they’re told?

The church of my childhood split when I was in college. From what I hear, half of the elder board thought the pastor was leading the church in the right direction and half thought the pastor was leading the church in the wrong direction. They couldn’t find consensus.

Should a select team of leaders steer the direction of a whole congregation?

Is it naïve to think there is another way to function as a congregation—a way that seeks input from the whole congregation?

A Question of Power

On the surface these are questions of discernment, but just underneath they are questions of power. Is the church bound to hierarchal power or is there another way?

One of my favorite leadership books is New Power: How Power Works in Our Hyperconnected World—And How to Make It Work for You. The authors contrast old power (held by a few, is closed, inaccessible, and leader driven) against new power (made by many, is open, participatory, and peer driven). With the explosive growth of the internet and social media in the 21^st century we are seeing a revolution of new power (think #MeToo Movement, Wikipedia, GoFundMe, self-publishing, etc).

The central push of the book is this: “The future will be a battle over mobilization. The everyday people, leaders, and organizations who flourish will be those best able to channel the participatory energy of those around them.” (p. 10)

Many years ago, I was a part of a clergy group that was asked to collaborate on a missional project. The process to agree on a project was rushed and we ultimately decided on something that only one person in the group was passionate about. As you can imagine the collaboration didn’t go very far.

People who are not a part of forming a vision are not going to be energized to participate in that vision being carried out.

An Existential Threat to the American Church

In my work in denominational innovation, I pay close attention to sociological trends impacting the church. One of the trends that keeps me up at night is institutional distrust.

Institutional trust has steadily declined over the past half-century and the decline is accelerating. Institutional forms of church are not exempt from these trends and in fact it explains much of American church decline. Public trust in pastors is at an all time low. Even pastors don’t trust pastors.

We’re in trouble if we maintain our hierarchal, institutional forms of power and decision-making. On the other hand, participatory power offers a map out of distrust.

Participatory Church Leadership

So, what does it look like to seek the input of the whole congregation? Here’s a few potential ideas to get you started:

1. Crowdsourced Worship Elements: Ask members to suggest songs, write prayers, or submit art or scripture reflections for services. Share the sermon text ahead of time and invite feedback, questions, or stories from the congregation.

2. Use Collaborative Decision-Making Tools: Invite members to help shape church priorities using simple tools like:

   • Polls or surveys (e.g., Google Forms)

   • Digital town halls (Zoom + live chat)

   • Idea boards (Padlet, Miro, etc.)

3. Open the Pulpit (IRL and Digital): Invite members to occasionally share reflections, testimonies, or co-lead sermons (with guidance if needed). Let people contribute their own reflections, testimonies, prayers, or faith stories on a church newsletter or social media feed.

4. Transparent Budgeting & Planning: Hold open forums where members can see the budget, ask questions, and suggest priorities. You could even let congregants vote on how to allocate a portion of it (like participatory budgeting).

5. Skill-Sharing Network: Create a simple system (e.g., spreadsheet, Slack channel, or bulletin board) where members offer their time or talents—whether it's graphic design, guitar lessons, resume help, or gardening.

6. Youth or Student-Led Projects: Give young people a budget, platform, and mentoring to design and lead a project or ministry they care about.

In Conclusion

There are so many ways to open up participation and decision making, but of course there are limits to participatory power. As the authors of New Power admit, they want a dentist drilling their cavity who has been formally trained and licensed by traditional institutions not someone who maintains the “Tooth decay” Wikipedia page. However, there is plenty of room in the American church for mutual listening, shared discernment, and participatory infrastructure to increase. And doing so could bring newfound energy and a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit to your congregation.