In a recent article, Dr. David Gunn, president of Regular Baptist Press, stated . . .

“This [congregational church government] can be messy sometimes, but as Jeff Straub cogently argues, it is the New Testament pattern. And one of the many benefits of responsibly implementing congregational church polity is that it mitigates the cultivation of corruption and heavy-handed leadership practices among officers of the church. When power is shared, it becomes much more difficult for a single person or small group of people to abuse that power toward unsanctified ends. And that, in turn, tends to decrease the chances of ministry collapse.” [1]

Pastors, deacons, ministry leaders, and staff need to . . . .

√ Go ‘Over-board’ To Be ‘Above-board’

√  Above-Board Is Why “The Church”

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If you want to observe a ministry or local church lose employees, membership, workers, volunteers, faculty . . .

Be Less Than Above-Board!

If you want to develop a reputation as an unhealthy ministry or institution, college, or local church . . . .

Be Less Than Above-Board!

If you want to create, aggravate, and/or perpetuate discord in a ministry or local church setting . . . .

Be Less, Far Less Than Above-Board!

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√  Above-Board Endorses & Appreciates Light:

Being genuinely “Above-Board” requires humility.  It requires a level of humility as well as a reasonable degree of self-awareness that realizes that. . . .

• not all we say and do
• not all we say about what we say and do, nor
• not all the why of what we say and do is why we say and do,

. . . . reflects the reality of the situation!

That is why “Transparency” is so vital to ministry and local church decisions and action.

Transparency involves . . . .

• an open airing of the details — what was said and done
• bringing in others from outside of the situation
• an objective evaluation and evaluators
• an opportunity and place for questions and answers
• feedback from those who do not have a dog in the fight
• an opportunity to explain, support, and/or clarify
• “the church”

. . . . Because too often we do not have “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”  We may have “our truth,” or our sincerely believed perceptions, which may or may not reflect the reality of a situation!  We may even have deceived ourselfs and subconsciously know that we fudged on the facts! [2]

Because all of us are not suspicious enough of our thinking, our perceptions, our recall, and our accounting of the details and facts, that there must be a willingness to examine our own hearts, thinking, motives, words, and compulsions to avoid self-deception, and thereby the deceiving of others,

That is exactly why genuine congregational church government promotes an honest level of transparency.

That is why, when dealing with sinful behavior, the Scriptures say . . . . “tell it to the church . . . . neglect to hear the church.”

Because both sides involved in a disagreement may see and recall the details and facts differently.  “The church” is brought into it to discern, as best as they are able as a diverse body of fellow believers, as to what is the actual “truth” of the matter.

Because “the church” is composed of individuals who are not party to the offense.  In fact, how twisted the thinking that would argue that those who are party to a dispute can adjudicate it.   The fact that “the church” is a “disinterested party” to the issue gives the church body legitimacy.

Because “the church” is composed of a wide variety of individuals — with varied experiences, with different thinking, with a variety of temperaments, friends with and not, related and unrelated to, older and younger, male and female, sympathetic and detached, etc.

Because when “the church” comes to agreement — to act or not to act accordingly —  it gives legitimacy to the fairness and equity of the process.  An individual’s decision or a “select group” only leaves the church in the dark about that decision.  “The church” fellowship as a whole is called upon to hear, arrive at, and support a corporate-body decision.

Because when “the church” hears the details and “facts,” misinformation, rumors, and gossip is quelled.  “The church” fellowship understands, as fully as they can, as to what has actually taken place, versus what is said to have taken place.

“ABOVE BOARD”

. . . . ought to be the words that mark deliberation, decisions, actions, procedures, church discipline, policy changes, discussion, committee considerations, voting, constitutional changes, discussions, analysis, examination, et al.

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Pastors, deacons, ministry leaders, and staff need to . . . .

√ Go ‘Over-board’ To Be ‘Above-board’

√  Above-Board Is Why “The Church”

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The #1 Way
To Blow Up A Ministry . . .
Play Games!
[3]

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Trust
“the church”
to make good and godly decisions
when they have the right information,
when they hear and know the facts!

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Other Information & Links:

1. David Gunn: https://baptistbulletin.org/the-baptist-bulletin-magazine/preventing-ministry-collapse/

2. Psalm 15:2 — “He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.”

3. Part of that “game-playing” is nuanced words and answers, and/or parsing words, to give the impression that what is being said reflects what actually happened!