Church politics

Amen!

We've been in the same church 25 years and I've seen politics on ALL sides. First heavy in one direction, then heavy in the other. Great patience and long suffering is required by all.

I would also say 20 60 20 is pretty right on.

Tater, the bigger your church, the more you'll be expected to rise to the occasion. There'll be even more snotty noses to wipe, and more tears to dry. It may not be what you hoped for, but it WILL be!

 

Tater, we must have been in the same church. Are you in New Jersey? I may be talking to a fellow church member and not know it.

Believe me, I definitely feel your pain. Been there done that.

I'm going to write a book about it some day. I've got a theory. I call it fossilization. All churches eventually fossilize. But most churches started out in flames of revival. The odd thing is that the people that claim to pray for a return to the "old days" of sweet revival are the same ones that resist it. Now I'm definitely not one that is for modern methods, but regardless of what a church may be doing to seek God's power, biblical or not, there are these people that are so obsessed with their unreasonable demands on the pastor and leadership that nothing of a spiritual nature can happen.

How does fossilization happen? Normal human dynamics is to blame. The problem in churches is that people think that a church is exempt from normal human dynamics when they are not. In any group of people, leaders are going to emerge and seniority takes precedence. Founding pastors are greatly admired but subsequent ones can't match up, and not only that, but they are young, and because some deacon or deacon's wife has been around the longest, the people look to him/her for leadership. The pastor becomes a hireling with specific duties, which is to preach on Sunday, make visits on demand (of course he has to read minds or have ESP or something to know that someone is at the ER with impaction), and then shut up and keep his nose out of church business. Of course, he will eventually be dismissed because he can't read minds and won't keep his nose out of church business. And so the cycle starts. Hireling preachers and spoiled, demanding, fossilized church members.

This is why I think the proliferation of new churches is a good thing. It's the only way to break up the routine.

Don't take my comments in the wrong light - I am absolutely opposed to the church growth movement as represented by Rick Warren. I think there are some things that the old folks are opposed to for good reason. But many of them, unfortunately, are just against ANYTHING good or bad, because they've been unintentionally taught that being a spoiled and demanding person is somehow spiritual.

And some of you thought it was only the kids that I hate! I guess I hate every body. Hmmm, maybe I'M spoiled and demanding.??

But it has been said rightly - politics can't be avoided, so get used to it, and don't let it effect your own walk with the Lord.

 

Just tell 'em they're full of it.













:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

 

I wish I could forget all the times I was beraded for "not being there" when no one ever let me know. I guess I missed the "mind reading" class in seminary.

It is true that part of the pastorate is political. I wish you could just preach the Bible and everyone would follow along, but it doesn't happen that way. I constantly find myself trying to get the younger folks to hold back just a little and trying to get the older folks to move along just a little so the church can move together as a unit. And then theres that small handful of people that don't like any body! Especially any pastor!

 

Kinda reminds me of a saying I read years ago entitled
"The Seven Last Words of the Church":


WE NEVER DID IT THAT WAY BEFORE!! :thumbs: :thumbs:

 

The seven last words of the aforementioned church:

I was impacted and you didn't come!!!

I guess I should feel guilty for hijacking...however, if you laughed, then you forfeit any right to complain. :laugh:

 

BTW, I think e-Bay has a big sale going on for impact hammers. (I'm told that there's a clergy discount for them, too!!) Better hurry.......... :laugh: :tongue3: :smilewinkgrin: :smilewinkgrin:

 

Gracious alive!!!! Preachers are "chided" for not being there for an "impact"---then again on the other hand---the ONE time he IS there---and it so happens to "blow"

Its a "Catch-22" ain't it??!!!! You get "Poo-poo" blown all over you---regardless of where you are or ain't!!!:laugh: :laugh:

 

No comment, just enjoying this thread

Seeing it from the other side:smilewinkgrin:

 

Tater, how do we report a post for TMI?

just wondering...:smilewinkgrin:

:laugh:

 

Just for discussion,
could y'all clarify more about this? LeBuick SEEMS to be saying and others seem to be agreeing that a TRUE believer is one who follows the pastor unquestioningly. That seems to me potentially full of problems, too.
That 60% actually sounds like a pretty good group to me.
I work if the pastor needs me. I work at what I think I am supposed to do, regardless of him asking me. But I don't just do stuff to keep busy so the pastor will think I am not lazy.
Many people have very effective ministries that are not visible to their fellow church members.

Karen

 

Now Tater that is too much info That brings a new visual for being in over your head!!!!!:smilewinkgrin:

Bro Tony

 

Reminds me of a statement made by one of my former pastors over 30 yrs ago.

He was convinced that any "victories" that may be experienced at our services were probably due more to a group of people who seldom darken the doors of our auditorium.

He was referring to our congregation's shut-ins.

What a blessing it was for me to visit with some of them from time to time. You go there with the intention of being a blessing to them, but more often than not, you are the one who winds up getting blessed.

Perhaps only eternity will reveal how much was accomplished to the praise and glory of Christ by these faithful prayer warriors who daily spend time on their knees praying for our churches and their pastors.

Thank God for them!

 

:thumbs: 100% agreed KTN:applause:

Bro Tony

 

The model Jesus gave us for the Church is that of sheep and shepherd. You even find this model in the old testement. When Moses left Egypt he went to learn to be a shepherd. When Israel wanted a King GOD gave them a shepherd (not Saul, David).

It is the job of the sheep to follow the shepherd.

The problem with the Church is it has lost sight of the sheep shepherd relationship. Now days the sheep want the shepherd to be a sheep.

That's what we're talking about, the sheep that are trying to make the shepherd be a sheep.

 

:laugh: Thats great, thanks :thumbs: