WHO OWNS A CHURCH?

As a regular attendee of my church, Common Ground in Decatur, IN, I have come to find my faith once again, something that was lost in response to the behavior of people in the previous church I was attending. The problem there was a difference of opinion between people which resulted in one person (who was helping bring people back into the church through his/her ministry) being told that perhaps he/she “…didn’t know how to pray right.” The end result was he/she left that church, those who didn’t like him/her were rewarded and attendance dropped. I left the church as well since the pastor in charge bended to those who were more forceful rather than control the situation. Looking back now I realize that as a Christian I should have realized it wasn’t those people who were wrong, my friend who was trying to do their best or the pastor. It was Satan working among those there, influencing their actions to achieve his goal which was to bring down that church.

Now I find similar circumstances going on at my current church. Some who were unhappy with the direction things were going or insulted or spoken to in ways they weren’t happy with have chosen to leave. That happens. It’s a natural thing. But rather than just leave some have chosen to speak out against the church or the leaders of that church while figuratively walking out the door. As I read their words I’m reminded of that previous church I left and my decision to leave it back then. Could it be that once again Satan is trying to use others to tear down another church, to break it apart?

When I think of those who were involved years ago through those I read now speaking out I’m forced to do something that most of us should do. I pray for those people. I pray that they will find direction and a church home that provides them with what they need as opposed to what they want. I pray that God will speak to them and tell them that in saying spiteful things about others they are not doing His will but their own.

1 Peter 2:1-3 says “So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.” I think what he’s saying here is not to speak ill of anyone if you truly believe. When we feel wronged we feel the need to retaliate. Right or wrong doesn’t fit into the discussion. It might be that the way you were told was wrong but the concept behind things was right. Because of that we fail to see clearly what was being said. In return we lash out at those we feel wronged us.

By the same token the possibility that someone in charge of a church might speak wrongly is just as possible. That’s because believe it or not those in charge are nothing more than human. They may have been chosen by God to bring the word to us but they are just as susceptible to failure and the flaws of man as the rest of us are. They can get angry and speak with an angry tongue. They might be tempted by the flesh. They might be lured into grandiose ideas that will never come to be. I’ve known pastors in all of these categories, one who just bowed his head when things were bad, one who cheated on his wife and one who can let his anger take control. As I’ve grown older I’ve realized that they were simply men like I was. I also realized that as messengers of God the odds were pretty good that they were under attack by Satan more often than I was. Who better to take out first than those who lead in God’s name?

I’ve witnessed two items in my current church that get discussed by some. The first is that the discussion of money seems to take precedence over the discussion of people. I thought long and hard about that. I listened for weeks after that idea was brought to my attention. I even considered it on my own at one point. Again I later realized it was a frontal attack on the church. Was money discussed to often? Perhaps. But then again it takes money to make things happen. Not just projects but everyday things like someone to answer a phone, someone to deliver a sermon, someone to take care of kids, light bills, heating bills, cleaning bills, printing programs, water bills, etc., etc. Without offerings those things would stop and so would the building you are in. As for projects we could do without them if we wanted. But then some would complain that we’re not doing enough. It becomes a damned if you do damned if you don’t scenario. The thing is that many, rather than get involved with the structure of the church, simply complain or talk among friends about things they don’t like. Perhaps they would be better served to become more involved, to get on the board, to sit down and talk with the leaders of the church.

It’s been said that some pastors only like to surround themselves with “yes men”. Well…yeah? I don’t know of anyone who surrounds themselves with “no men”. I will agree that there should always be someone in place who will bring forth the questions and concerns of others. I will agree that in placing spineless people in positions of power to simply get your way isn’t the smartest nor most successful way of doing things. But once more, everyone is human. Everyone wants to be agreed with. And perhaps rather than slander someone for making the wrong decisions the best thing to do is to pray for them, to pray that God whose house they are in charge of would step in and let them know that things can be achieved that HE wants not by loading the deck but by opening your eyes.

I read something the other day concerning a church where leaders were being rated as employees of a business are rated. If your job performance figures were too low then you were tossed out. Was this in my church? I don’t know, I have no clue of what goes on behind the scenes at all times. But I can see this as a good/bad thing. If numbers are the only way to judge then that’s wrong. If someone is tossed aside because they can’t get the numbers, that’s wrong as well. If someone is having difficulty reaching those expectations it would seem nurturing that person would be the right course of action as opposed to just simply tossing them aside. And if one person in the group is having a problem doesn’t that reflect not just on them but on the entire group? It’s a team effort folks.

But numbers are important. I used to think the numbers of people coming to a church were determined by those who worked there. I don’t think that’s the case any longer. The numbers of a church are determined by God himself. He is the one who reaches out to people and lets them know there is a sanctuary for them to find safety in. He is the one who directs their lives to attend. He is the one who determines the success of that church. If those he placed in charge are failing to obey him then he might let them fail as a church as well. It’s why those who attend a church should not complain that things aren’t going the way THEY want but should prey that God directs the church to go are going the way HE wants.

This takes us to my last thought. If you attend a church that doesn’t do things the way you want have you ever considered that perhaps it’s not about you and what you want? Have you considered that Jesus didn’t have one disciple but twelve and that each of them spoke about him differently than the person who was sitting next to each of them? Could it be that God realized that people are different and so he reaches out to people in various forms rather than one? Some people prefer the classic Catholic method of worship while others enjoy a hard core Baptist revival with people yelling at the tops of their lungs while others prefer a more sedate setting where each week they dress in their finest clothes and worship. Some like the old style hymns and others like more contemporary music. Some like ornate carvings and sculptures of Christ on the cross while other like a simply cross to represent what he went through. At the core of each is one thing: belief in God. It’s time to realize that each of those churches are HIS houses not ours. He’s more than happy to have you enter any of those homes. I’m guessing he’s less happy when you speak ill of one or more of them or those He has placed in them to care for them. I used to do that, I don’t any longer.

In the end we must realize that those in charge of God’s house are one thing and one thing only: they are human. Each member of a board, each member of a staff, each person working within the walls of that building are called there by one person, God. And each and every one of them are under attack by just one person as well, Satan. He will do his best to damage their reputations, their sense of wrong and right, their ability to convey messages sent from God, to try and destroy everyone within the confines of its walls. Without faith, the messages falls on deaf ears. Without faith, those who God has placed in charge will falter. And the best solution to keeping alive that which God has created is to pray for our leaders to have wisdom, compassion, humility and to be able to reconcile with those they might have harmed when those things weren’t present. I think this solution works far better than to tear apart a church or its leaders because you disagree. If you weren’t happy, what is solved by taking them to task once you’re gone? Perhaps it makes you feel better to speak ill of someone or somewhere else. It doesn’t help matters for the church. And perhaps that’s all that Satan wants is to insert that seed of destruction among the churches members. Sorry but I don’t think I want to play on his team.