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Pastor & Elders in Standoff
Orginally published on Wednesday, January 05, 2005 at 5:00 AM
by Todd Rhoades
This article comes from SignOnSanDiego.com. Church infighting is nothing new. Two thousand years ago, the apostle Paul wrote in the Book of Acts about bickering intense enough to require a special meeting in Jerusalem to help resolve it. But at La Jolla Presbyterian Church, conflict has turned into a showdown of sorts between a pastor who refuses to resign and elders who want a change in leadership.
For the past nine years, the Rev. Stephen T. Murray has pastored the 2,200-member church, one of the largest and most affluent Presbyterian congregations in the county.But earlier this year, La Jolla Presbyterian's board of elected elders, called a Session, voted that Murray should resign. He refused, saying he believes his calling is still with this church.
As this conflict festers, Murray has been sent home while an administrative commission appointed by the Presbytery of San Diego, the governing body for the district, tries to sort out the situation.
"There's a lack of trust in his leadership," said the Rev. Timothy Beal, who heads the commission.
Beal said Murray's support is strongest among newer members, who regard him as a charismatic, effective preacher, while longer-time members see him as an autocratic manager whose leadership style has led to high staff turnover and alienated church members.
Nearly half of the 30 or so workers have left in the past year and a half ? and so have some church members, according to several in the congregation. Some members also are reportedly withholding their financial contributions.
"This is a situation where the church family is in a fairly strong fight between factions," said Beal, who is executive pastor at Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church. "It's not so much as what he did or didn't do."
Murray declined to comment, but a spokeswoman said he is committed to following the commission's process.
Just last year, La Jolla Presbyterian completed a $15 million expansion that included a new congregational center, administration building, youth facility and two-level underground parking. But internally, dissension was mounting.
In July, the church's Session voted 10-5 to ask for Murray's resignation. Last month, at the request of the Session, the Presbytery appointed the seven-member commission to take over financial and personnel control of La Jolla Presbyterian. Shortly afterward, the commission placed Murray on administrative leave, with pay, and the Rev. Chuck Hammond was brought in as temporary pastor.
The commission is expected to make recommendations to the Presbytery next month about how to resolve this conflict. In the Presbyterian system, pastors, in essence, are hired by the Presbytery and serve at the will of the local church.
Beal said that rather than focus on how things have been done wrong, the commission is trying to figure out how things can be done better in the future. "We need to learn how to live beyond who wins this particular fight. We may have had our disagreements, but we must be able to work and worship face-to-face with each other, with honesty and candor down the road," he said.
Any thoughts?
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Wednesday, January 05, 2005 at 11:32 AM
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Wednesday, January 05, 2005 at 11:59 AM
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Post Your Comments:Ugh.
How can a Pastor “shepherd” elected officials in his congregation who can just up and determine whether or not he continues as pastor?
There should simply be no such thing as democracy in the Body of Christ. How many of these “board members” would vote Christ himself out if it meant they had a little more control? COME ON!
This one inflamed me. I think it’s wrong to give anyone but God and denominational authorities the right to vote a Pastor out. This shows that we care little about mission and much about position. This authority grabbing crap has got to stop. He spends 9 years in one place, expands the facilities, brings new people in, and this is what he gets for it???
Can we PLEASE re-define the role of a pastor in the modern church to allow him to do what he is called to do? PLEASE???
Of course we can’t judge, because we can’t know the real story from a few paragraphs.
However, John, why side with the Pastor, just because he’s the Pastor? Maybe the Board is more Godly than he is? Just because the Pastor directed money for church expansion doesn’t mean it was God’s will. Did he do it by manipulation or other ungodly means? Is the pastor holding on to the job because he simply has no other job opportunities? No one likes to lose their job, but it happens all the time in the secular world. Haven’t you ever met an incompetent Pastor? There are plenty, just as there are incompetent secular workers. Even if they work miracles, it doesn’t mean they are of God:
Matthew 25:
41“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
46“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Matthew 7:
21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
...Bernie
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/247/
I find this situation disheartening. However, this happens more often than we know throughout this country. Again I am astounded at the authority of denominations over local congregations. By what authority in the New Testament do denominations have? I can find no justification for denominations in the New Testament and wonder why this local congregation does not make their own decision concerning this pastor. I am sure there are others within the local leadership of the church who are connected to God.
Yes, this conflict is devastating to the church and their testimony. The struggle between generations is nothing new to the church. My hope is a resolution through proper congregational conflict management. And the wishes of God for the local church would become clear through the decision of local leaders rather than an outside Presbytery.
John Morris is way off base in that he neglects to view the possibilities of both sides being right or wrong. What I see in John’s comment is probably some past hurt or situation that has left him a little bitter. When we work with and for the Lord our reward is not what we deem we deserve because of our accomplishments but in fulfilling the will of our Father in heaven. The mistake many of us make is looking to man for those rewards and more often than not they let us down. There has been a trend in charismatic circles that gives the pastor complete authority over the congregation and its elders and I have seen this system abused a lot more times than that of ruling elders.
The situation is sad in that it has to go to arbitration. This leads me to believe that the issues involved are not performance but of a more personal in nature. The lack of love and the inability to come to compromise is a sign that the devil has infiltrated the leadership as they struggle to gain “controlling power”. To me it would have probably been better to dust off my shoes than to go to arbitration. Even if the pastor wins the damage is done and his ability to lead the congregation forward will be challenged by those offended simply because the relationship to Christ is lacking on both sides.
May the Lord open the eyes of those involved and bring them all to repentance.
Why is this so Alarming. When Paul no longer wanted John whose surname is (Mark) to travel he made it clear. The bible declares there was great contention, but in the end Paul’s new accomplis became Silas. A local body one who has chosen a Pastor (A position that is elected in most denominations and churches) should have the liberty to ask the same to step down. What right or argument can an individual have over the voice and preordained electoral voice of the board. There are some things quite frankly the board will see and understand of a Pastors Greatness and or a Pastors indescretions that the body never will and ultimately and prayerfully have to govern themselves and their decisions upon, and the local body has to trust them. However another issue of great concern is when a Pastor, Shepphard, Elder or what ever title for the donomination feels that they have a right to defy or refuse to step down. The Pastor must remember it is not his church, but it is the Lord’s church. He has proclaimed touch not my Anointed, and if their is any injustice, vengeance is mine saith the Lord. The continued fight of the flesh will leave confusion,dilemma and separation. That Pastor should take his leadership and expertise and put it to use in a congregation that desires his ministry.
My question for the Pastor would be: Why does he want to stay? He is going to cause a church split if he is not careful.
This has all the makings of a textbook Church split. If you don’t like the way the Pastor is going about the Father’s business. Simply question his ability, mix with it a little murmuring, stir in some dissention. Presto - “Roasted Pastor to go”
The root of the problem is not with the Pastor so much as it is with the body. People holding back there tithes - Wow, that’s Scriptural? What’s next? Gee God, I wanted you to answer my prayer last night and you didn’t answer it to my likening. So I’m not going to church until you do it my way?
Please, The body wants change yet change will never come if they continue to walk in disobedience to Gods word.
It sounds to me like the Pastor needs a better mix of board members. It sickens me to hear time after time - Board members who think their place is to control a Pastor rather than take their rightful place as his armor bearer. Get some backbone and stand infront of the man of God instead of cowering behind him.
We have a crisis in leadership. I know of THREE other LARGE churches in Southern California who have asked their pastors to step down in the last two years. These are all long term pastors (approx. 15 years). The common thread that ran through all the stories was that each one of these men had taken on a quality of “papal infallibitlity”. If the elders or the church said “no” to them about anything ...financially or otherwise which slowed the building of their “personal kingdom”...they went ballistic. Sometimes pastors of “mega churches” start believing their own press and taking personal credit for the growth and the success of the church. Power corrupts. Servant leadership is hard to find these days. Pastors need accountability partners, wise counselors, and prayer warriors around them. Being a pastor is one of the most “dangerous” positions known to mankind. Satan knows that if he can take the leader down first ..the rest of the church is much easier to attack. Sorry for the sermon..but this is something I’ve lived several times and it has greatly affected my life and my calling as a worship minister.
We are working to help a congregation, a “mainline” church survive a pastor who is not mentally stable. Temper tantrums, pitting one congregation member against another. This is time for the denomination leadership to step in. We are let to wonder how some people make it to the ministry when there is a history of histrionics, paranoia and a martyr syndrome.
I live in central southern Africa and similar situations are there.In my own opinion,situations like that come about because people’s spirituality has gone down.If you are in a constant,genuine and sound relationship and fellowship with the triune God,you would handle such matters with Godly wisdom.It is a pity that just because we do not see God or hear him audibly,anyone can claim that they are doing the will of God.Issues of God must not be handled secularily.We must be guided by carefully interpreted biblical principles.Talking about the cause of the conflict,i think there are two things.(1)power struggle and (2) failure to accommodate change.
I am a formerly strong supporter and longtime member of La Jolla Presbyterian Church, and am heartbroken over the outcome. The congregation was never allowed to vote because the group that was trying to kick the pastor out knew that the congregation would vote overwhelmingly to retain him. The Presbytery of San Diego has nevertheless fired him on their own.
Our church had been dramatically gaining membership and growing revenues under Steve Murray’s leadership. I am astounded that the Presbyterian Church would take one of its thriving churches and tear it apart. But that’s exactly what they did.
Sadly, it is true, that this situation happens FAR more than we want to believe. Having just gone through what this dear pastor in La Jolla has suffered, my empathy is clearly in his favor. Under extreme pressure, (which was more abusive than anything) I resigned from a congregation a year ago that I loved, served and sweated for. Our church was growing, new believers were being baptized, but it only took one disgruntled associated to tip the scales toward a couple of power elders who then were off to the races. Nothing I could do could ever ‘please’ them - and allow I pleaded for reconciliation, there was none allowed for.
This pastor, in submitting to the preysbtery did the right thing: as a good shepherd, he stood his ground. Now, sadly, he will find as I and some 45% of all pastors at some point in their tenure have found, the bitter disappointment of loss that comes with this kind of humiliating divorce.
My church family was never allowed to vote on me either - and after a ‘high road’ leaving approach, the church split anyway. Clearly, the wrong ‘leader’ has left this church in this thread. Not perfect, but a leader all the same. Let us pray for the reconciliation that Jesus would want among His leaders in His church!
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