Monday Morning Insights

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    “Conflict:  Ask Ken”:  Winning the Tug-of-Wars Over Church Structure

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    I would like to expand my comments this week by pointing out that such structure will, in most instances, positively impact the church's culture. That is to say, pastors and other leaders will be able to “relax‿ and enjoy their work. They can feel more secure in their roles. Ironically, if they don't have to fight to retain control, they can much more readily adopt the ideas of others with the realization that such input does not threaten their authority. The end result is a more collaborative relationship.

    "As you consider the following chart, collaboration is the goal I strive toward when working with a church regardless of the form of polity that particular church subscribes to."


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    This approach corresponds well to what is found in the New Testament. I Thes. 5:12-13 reads, 12We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.Â


    In this passage, Paul links the idea of respect for and esteem of church leaders to peace in the church. Verses 12-13 are structurally linked together, being set apart by the Greek particle "de" in vv. 12 and 14. This particle is used as a little signpost indicating a new section of thought. What Paul wrote in vv. 12-13, therefore, are connected thoughts.



    In summary, an essential need within the church is to explicitly establish an infrastructure with well-defined lines of authority. Clearly delineating where individual boundaries of authority begin and end and where overlapping boundaries of authority begin and end is foundational for creating a church environment of stability. In doing so, love and cooperation will more likely characterize the culture of that church.


    Ken

    Here’s this week’s "Conflict: Ask Ken" question.  Dear Ken, Ours is a church of 600. Leaders of this church cannot decide who should lead. Actions are being taken and there is a lack of agreement within the congregation. There seems to be many “tug-of- wars. It reminds me of I Cor. 3:1-4.  Mark.  Dear Mark, Your comments are remarkably similar to ones I cited last week in my posting entitled, “Whose the Boss When Everyone Wants Control? There I spoke about the need for a clear demarcation of the roles and relationships between the various leadership circles and how that can be achieved in the church. (See that article for practical help).


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    Comments

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    1. Ron Good on Thu, November 11, 2004

      A church that I just recently left from instituted a Leadership Covenant to help aleviate issues such as this.  I am currently working with the leadership at the church where I started a few months ago to adopt this same Leadership Convenant.  If you are interested in a Word attachment drop me an e-mail and I’ll send it out to you.  The basis of this covenant comes from Dr. Robert Lowery, professor at Lincoln Christian Seminary.

    2. Charles Chalson on Thu, November 11, 2004

      Yes, I too, have experienced conflict and tug-of-wars in the Church. There is a reason why so many Christians are experiencing this uncomfortable sense in their spirits that something is not quite right in their churches.


      We know that since the period known as the ‘Dark Ages’(when much from the New Testament Church was lost), most essential foundations of the faith and Christian principles have been revealed again by the Holy Spirit (although it is still sad that many Christians do not have a good understanding of the foundations of the faith: Heb. 6:1-3).


      The next great move of God will be the restoral of His Church to Biblical government and structure. The worst problem that occurs when churches are organized unscripturally is that leaders assume power and control that is not authorized by God. Consequently, God’s people come under religious bondage, rather than being free in the liberty of the Spirit of Christ Jesus. (There’s a difference between organizational authority and spiritual authority from God. With unscriptural organization, you only receive authority from men.)


      Another sad consequence has been that most Christians have become passive members of a church, rather than active demonstrators of Christ’s love, wisdom and power as members of His Body. The five-fold ministry needs to learn how to cooperate together to equip all Christians to do the work of the ministry.

      Christians have become frustrated. Their spiritual gifts have been unrecognized and disregarded. In the Biblical Church that God is restoring, every member of the Body


      will be important and learn their true purpose in God’s Kingdom. They will receive the essential training to rise up in their full potential. Most importantly, they will learn how to experience the intimate, loving relationship with God in the spirit.


      There is much that God wants to teach His Church. A humble heart and an open mind is required to receive God’s Wisdom. Spiritual pride, education, our own intellect and ability, and impure motives can stand in the way. Our man-imvented religious traditions have given us so much. Therefore we have much to lose: our prestige, title, reputation, money—all the things that Jesus had such a tough time with. This is why the Pharisees were threatened by him, and persecuted him.


      Unless we humble ourselves and repent, we will be left behind when God’s people see the real New Testament Bible Church again. God is pouring out His new wine, and the old wineskin will not hold it.

       

      We love all Christians. Isn’t it great that when we disagree, we can still love one another. Jesus said that we would be known for the love that we have for one another.


      If you would like to learn more about scriptural, New Testament church government and leadership, check our web-site.


      Love, in Him,


      Charles D. Chalson


      Director of Ministry Impossible


      http://www.ministry-impossible.org

       

    3. Rev Jon Matthews on Sun, November 14, 2004

      We haven’t had wars on structure as much as territorial struggles, meaning a lack of submission from leaders and dept. heads when instructed to do certain things a certain way for a certain reason.


      We have found that it comes down to the Pastor’s willingness to make the tough decisions to step someone down and place them in a process of restoration.  What this does is expose whether the Leader is truly sincere in their desire to serve or whether they are serving their own agenda.


      Everything is measured within the context of the vision given the Pastor.  I am sad to say that we have lost more than we have kept, but the congregation has never had to question what we are trying to accmplish as a church within the context of the vision we have been given.


      If one spends too much time discipling the few renegades they risk losing the rest of the flock.  After all, the Bible states their is chaff among the wheat.

      Rev Jon Matthews


      Huntington Beach, California

       

    4. Dick Daniels on Mon, November 15, 2004

      I have found one book to be particularly helpful for pastors.  It will alert a pastor to be more intentional in anticipating the signals that will typically begin to show up around church life indicating that problems may be brewing in the private conversations within the congregation.  The book is:  Clergy Killers by G.L. Rediger, Westminster John Knox Press, 1997.

    5. Harry Miller on Wed, November 17, 2004

      Jesus should lead.

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