The Parish Paper - January 2017: Conquering the Cutback Syndrome

In church life, the cutback syndrome reflects the human temptation to over-simplify when complex problems arise. As feelings of fear around these problems codify, leaders and members want to find a way to make a situation easier to understand, and the primary thought is to solve it with simple solutions. Generally, this prompts leaders to make arguments that place a premium on efficiency and economy. The proposed actions take aim at eliminating what appears to be unnecessary, redundant, or inefficient organizational features or groups in the church.

The tragic consequence of the syndrome is how it accelerates downward momentum rather than stabilizing the church or reversing decline. Because cuts produce a downward force that creates even more momentum, the result is less positive impact and greater negative impact with each new cut.