Church politics

Gee Tater, how do you really feel

 

I don't know. Your post reminded me of a political commercial.:smilewinkgrin:

Seriously, I think I know where you are coming from and I know the kinds of things you are talking about. I will pray for you and your Church.

Joseph Botwinick

 

let er fly.. .I hate politics too... I refuse to play.

If "Christians" don't like growth, they can stay home.
It is time this generation comes back to Christ, and stop playing church.

If only Christ would return.

 

This statement has got me thinking (I know a dangerous thing). I have heard many pastors and leaders in churches make similar statements and probably even said it myself. However, is it really possible to be a pastor and/or leader in a church and not to some extent play politics?

 

What your church needs is a decider.

 

Tater,I guess it is true, great minds do think alike

I agree with you and the longer I am a pastor the more I realize that we all play the game to some extent, the trick is learning to play in a way that honors God and fulfills your calling.

James, what is a decider?

 

He's the one who decides. You know, the decider...?

 

No, I hear you. I go to a small church, and we are blessed that there is not a lot of strife between brothers and sisters. We have a new building that we are finishing and I expect that God will bring some challenges our way once it's ready and He begins adding to our number.

 

This I agree with, I do a pretty good job and catching the necessary and letting the rest fall off me. It helps that I have ADD so unless you give me the short version I probably didn't hear it all anyway. Then I get home to, "I can't believe you let them talk to you that way" or what are you going to do? I say about what and she acts like I'm joking. It get's to her far more than me, then that's what gets to me (home not peaceful).

My Dad taught me that most Churches are split 20, 60, 20. There are the 20% true believers that will follow you while never giving you any trouble. There's 60% that you will have to pastor but they will listen to sound reasoning and will work if you need them. Then there's the 20% that you question their salvation and are just there to be a pain in your back side. You could give them a million bucks and they'd be mad about the color.

His advice was Pastor the 60%, the upper 20% will follow and hope the lower 20% don't spoil it for the others... But whatever you do don't let them get under your skin.

 

I would venture to say that it would be very hard not to politic and be a preacher.....I've not met one yet that isn't somewhat of both.....:Fish:

 

I've been in church for nearly forty years and I've never seen this.

Politics? Griping Christians? Y'all are kidding, right?

 

And as Rick Warren would say, wait patiently for them to die or leave. :smilewinkgrin:

Joseph Botwinick

 

The most dangerous thing you can do is to try to placate the nay-sayers. They assume that because of their longevity or perceived status they have something of a veto on everything ... or that anything that was not their idea in the first place must be wrong. Placating them about this issue or that only postpones the inevitable, because it's not about the issue at hand, it's about being the kingpin in the church. In my years of pastoral experience, the most painful moments I recall were those in which the contributions of a new member were dismissed because, "I don't know who he is". But keep on bringing new people and new ideas to the fore wherever you can, and the negatives will at last get the message. They may not like it, but they will get the message that this church is moving on!

 

You're makin' Blackbird laugh, TaterTot!!!

I mean---here's an "ole Bitty" who is IMPACTED(stopped up:thumbs: , for all of you Rednecks out there)----as in need of an enama!!!! And she wanted to know how come the preacher wasn't there at 2am to hold her hand?????

I mean---listen---woman stopped up at 2am---this is what the preacher is gonna be doing at 2am!!:sleeping_2: :sleeping_2:

 

Joseph writes:
"The most dangerous thing you can do is to try to placate the nay-sayers. They assume that because of their longevity or perceived status they have something of a veto on everything ... or that anything that was not their idea in the first place must be wrong. Placating them about this issue or that only postpones the inevitable, because it's not about the issue at hand, it's about being the kingpin in the church. In my years of pastoral experience, the most painful moments I recall were those in which the contributions of a new member were dismissed because, "I don't know who he is". But keep on bringing new people and new ideas to the fore wherever you can, and the negatives will at last get the message. They may not like it, but they will get the message that this church is moving on!"

I was head of a navy civil service research organization of about 70 people for 14 years before I retired. Since it was government civil service, I couldn't get rid of the bad actors. Much of what I read on this thread also applied to my organization. LeBuick's 20/60/20 percent of types of people is about right.

Anytime you have to deal with people, there will be problems. Call it politics, humam relations, etc.

What caused me to retire as soon as I could was being tired of "drying eyes" and "wiping noses" so to speak.

 

That did it!!!! I'm not coming back!!!! YOU, you, you preacher's wife you!!!

lol

OK, I guess I am forced to play along to some extent... But I really, really hate it.