Having served on the pastoral staff (relatively briefly) of a couple of churches, ran a Christian counseling center (for much longer), and served on the faculty of multiple seminaries, I have seen the recurring struggle over what is more important, people or institutions.

When counseling one or two members of a marriage— should one focus on restoring the marriage (institution) or helping/protecting a member of that marriage?

When a church leader abuses his (or her) power, does one try to protect the church (institution), or side with the victim?

There are many more scenarios, but you get the idea. Institutions can include incorporated bodies— churches, businesses, schools, governmental bodies, NGOs, etc. However, Institutions can also include unincorporated concepts— marriage, education, religion, governance, health maintenance, business, finance, etc.

One probably should add a second stage.

People are More Important than Institutions

Victims are More Important than Victimizers

(One could add more explicitly that Victimized People are More Important than People who are More Important to Institutions)

Without these rules, it is easy to fall into patterns that are harmful.

I have seen pastors send abused wives back to their abusive husbands— apparently based on the belief that God loves marriage more than the individual members, and the abuser more than the abused.

I served in the military where the pattern of addressing big problems was: Cover up, Cover up, Cover up followed by (if the first three steps did not work) Witch hunt, Witch hunt, Witch hunt. These steps are done to protect the institution first, along the (senior) victimizers.

I have seen the abused in churches and schools encouraged to keep quiet, not because it was good for the abused, but because it was good for the institution, or the abuser(s) in power in the institituion.

Strangely, siding with people over institutions is also good for institutions in the long-term. Institutions need supporters, not fans. What is the difference? Supporters hold institutions (as well as people) accountable. Covering up for corrupt officials will gradually make governments and other institutions more corrupt. Churches that protect abusers become more abusive. Addressing problems with proper priorities will strengthen institutions over time…

…and if an institution is not strengthened by doing this, the institution is probably not worth protecting anyway.