Question for the pastors/pastor's wives

[DiamondLady]

I am wondering where the line is in making the person's intentions known. Do you keep your mouth shut if they've taken advantage of one or two members, or do you wait until several people are out hundreds of $$ and angry that you knew and didn't say anything? If you DO say something, then it might be considered gossip. Some folks are very good at playing on the sympathies of others, and can appear to be honest, good Christian folks "in need" when the pastor/pastor's family knows differently.

The line is when you realize what they are doing is deliberate and wrong. Then it is time to stop being an observer and go into action. To sit idly and allow it to continue makes you a participant in their wrongdoings as you are enabling them to continue by keeping quiet.

 

[glfredrick]

Scripture says otherwise:

1Co 5:2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.
1Co 5:3 For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing.
1Co 5:4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus,
1Co 5:5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

In the case of known sin that falls under the pervue of Matthew 18, I agree with Paul's guidelines for church discipline.

But that being said, Jesus offered this, which should likely take precidence up to and unless a clear sin issue has been identified and handled in the manner proscribed in Scripture:

Mat 13:24-30 (KJV) Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

 

[gb93433]

I am wondering where the line is in making the person's intentions known. Do you keep your mouth shut if they've taken advantage of one or two members, or do you wait until several people are out hundreds of $$ and angry that you knew and didn't say anything?

That happened in a church I was pastoring. What I did was to give a sermon on giving and how we made decisions in the church. I once heard a pastor say that when someone gives to another the person thank the giver but when a church gives to a person the recipient thanks God.