Christian Tribe vs. Tribal Christian. There’s a Difference.

There’s nothing wrong with being part of a Christian tribe. 

Reformed. Charismatic. Contemplative. Missional. Gospel-Centered. We all want to belong to a network or a team. Brand identity makes us feel safe and gives us the impression we’re not alone. Our impulse to be associated with a specific movement or flavor of Christianity is understandable.

It’s not a bad thing. 

Christian tribalism, on the other hand, is something different:

If a tribe is about belonging, tribalism is an unhealthy posture towards those who don’t belong.

If being part of a tribe is about being excited about one’s distinctive, being tribal is to be excited about tearing down what we perceive the other camps have wrong.

If belonging to a tribe is about forging healthy boundary lines of identity, tribalism is an attitude of war towards those who we perceive are pursuing a lesser version of Christianity.

Until recent years, I felt like there were a lot of Christians in different tribes. In the last few years, I’ve had a growing sense that Christians are becoming more tribal. The divisiveness of the last year seems to have accelerated and accentuated certain attitudes of tribalism.

I don’t think this is a good thing. Here are 4 reasons why: 

1. Tribalism prevents learning 

While every tribe leaks and disappoints, every tribe also contributes and inspires. This means that while every tribe has something left wanting, there are things to be learned from every tribe.

Charismatics teach us how to pray like we can change the world. The Reformed camp teaches us the beauty of the Word and Spirit in the life of a church. Contemplative spirituality speaks into the deep recesses and longings of the soul. The Missional Church inspires us to roll up our sleeves and do the grunt work of gospel ministry. Tribalism prevents these learning opportunities from other sisters and brothers in the Lord. 

2. Tribalism mirrors the culture.

If a gift of the various streams of Christianity is the revealed diversity of the Kingdom, tribalism echoes the division and outrage which is so often displayed by our culture today.

This is sad because we are missing an opportunity to stand out in a world that is divided in so many ways. Rather than seizing the opportunity to answer Jesus’ prayer of unity for the church (John 17:21), we’re ceasing to be the counter-culture presence our world desperately needs to see, hear, and feel.

3. Tribalism is a practice in theological short-sightedness. 

If you affirm the “already, but not yet” theological framework, you know that the Kingdom of God is simultaneously here and still arriving. God’s reign is present today. This is why we see disciples being made, lives being transformed, and churches growing. We still await, however, the full reign of Jesus, which is oriented towards the future.  

So when someone is tribal and believes their version of Christianity is the missing link that will revolutionize the church and save Christianity, I can’t help but think this is an over-realization of the Kingdom. I can’t help but feel that this person is actually longing for the “not yet” Kingdom but has misplaced their hope to the wrong center. Every tribe leaks. Every tribe is a part of the Kingdom, but a shadow of the Kingdom to come. 

4. Tribalism hurts the next generation. 

It must be odd to be a youth student or college student today and see the divisiveness amongst Christians play out. I wonder how these individuals would reconcile the undeniably emphasized tone of church unity in the Bible with the various postures of superiority and belittling we see today.

To take it one step further, I believe the next generation knows the true underlying reason for tribalism: Power. To preserve our own status means to build up one’s own tribe. This also means tearing down the status of those we believe we’re in competition with. It would be an understatement to say that the next generation sees right through all the posturing and virtue-signaling.

Conclusion  

Author and Professor Gerald L. Sittser in his work “Water from a Deep Well: Christian Spirituality from Early Martyrs to Modern Missionaries” writes, “Every generation of believers faces the risk of becoming a prisoner to its own myopic vision of the Christian faith, assuming that how it understands and practices faith is always the best.”

It’s my hope and prayer that God stirs my generation of pastors and leaders to be set free from our “myopic vision” to love our tribes sincerely while extending a hand of love and learning towards others.

I believe the church at large, and the world, will be better for it.