Warren Cole Smith was the publisher of WORLD Magazine.  Presently, Warren Cole Smith is President of Ministry Watch, an organization that examines the conduct of a breadth of different ministries, and primarily local churches.  He just published “Faith Based Fraud.”

Recently, he has made some noteworthy, but not surprising comments concerning pastoral irresponsibility and accountability.  He stated that when it comes to local churches, he repeatedly observed that  . . . .”the bottom line is that there is very little accountability.”  That caused him to look for a common characteristic.  He states that his search . . .

“. . . opened my eyes to looking for that form of church government and church governance. So what the fancy word for that is church polity in other churches, and I found it, unfortunately, to be common in the evangelical world.”

Warren repeatedly realized that the factor was pastors and church leaders, “men who have very little accountability.”  The ministry or the church lacked the knowledgeable and necessary people within the ministry to address self-serving decisions.

In essence, the ministry was “staff run,” and what was happening was self-contained and managed by the pastor and/or his staff.

On the other side, the church members, and even lay officials, did not know what most of the staff knew.

There was no one “in the know” who would speak up, and the church members who would speak up, were not “in the know.”

Folks who are not really in a position to say, “Hey, dude, you need to do things differently here.”  Because the folks who are in a position to do that are usually people that are on the payroll of the church, and can be fired by that senior pastor. And of course, it makes them very reluctant to speak up.

The poisonous brew is the concentration of power.  A threatening staff environment ensues.  Those who should and could speak to the issues, don’t — and for good reason!  The church polity has sanctioned the inherent dangers which silence dissent.

When God’s people have little-to-no control over the election-nomination process, the hiring and firing decisions, or the operationally significant decision-making proceedings, things can go terribly wrong.

Number One — “Folks who are in a position to say — “Hey, dude, what are you doing.” — remain quiet.

Number Two — “The church,” which has the authority, has no awareness as to what has or is actually happening.

Warren is correct when he looks at church polity for where the most serious of problems are coming from in the local church setting.  Tell me how your church is organized, and you will find one of the first clues as to where the potential or actual problems are arising.

√ Elder-Rule
√ Deacon-Rule
√ Pastor-Rule
√ Long-time Member(s) Rule
√ CRINO – Congregational Rule In Name Only
√ Congregational-Rule

Approximately 25 years ago, my father-in-law was on track to only live another 12 months due to congestive heart failure. Mom and dad were Berean Baptist Church members in Grand Rapids, Michigan — a strong and good-sized church. I remember mom saying to me — “Pastor Margenson came by every week throughout the year to visit dad.”

That pastoral attitude and action are far too often “old-school.” I have seen, experienced, and continue to witness examples of “Pastoral-Care-Less-ness.”  There are those who never even take make the time to visit needy people on any regular basis, no less weekly.  Seen it!  — “Care less” attitudes by pastors, who are the ones given the great opportunity of ministering and strengthening their ministry, who are given the full-time advantage and the biblical responsibility.  COVID has created and demanded an even greater need for the Shepherd to “care deeply.”  Instead, it has too often confirmed the reputation of  “care-less.”

That “care less” danger was potentially present among pastors from the earliest days of the church.  That is why Paul challenges Timothy about the characteristics which must mark a man called to the local church ministry.  The various admonitions reflect the real possibility that there might be those who “care less” about the flock but see ministry as primarily about themselves.

• not in it for the money — not greedy of filthy lucre
• personally enjoys social opportunities — given to hospitality
• a giver, not a taker, not covetous
• not a self-important person — not a lover of preeminence
• does not abuse his position or power — not lording his position over others
• focused on service — minded to serve, not to be served

Paul lays out standards and qualities which mark a pastor.  They mark shepherds!  They are not a list of optional characteristics! Nor are the various pastoral qualifications open to  “pick and choose” — “I’m good at “apt to teach, and just not so much “given to hospitality.”  No, enjoying, loving, and caring about people characterizes a shepherd! AND appreciating, entertaining, and visiting people is connected to an effective pulpit ministry.

I have repeatedly tried to attend the funerals of others, whether I knew them extensively-personally or not.  If any people who should be present during these difficult days of others, of families we know personally or passingly, it is God’s people!  It is part of loving, bearing the burdens of others, and our godly influence in the lives of others.  If you as a local church pastor, find yourself embarrassed as to how so few church members attend a funeral, you might want to remember  — “You are the one who is there to teach them or has taught them about caring!”  It is the first and foremost responsibility of the pastor and the church leadership to testify to and teach about caring!

I know how it goes, how the cover stories are crafted. I’ve been in the ministry far too long to be flummoxed by the pastoral excuses and pretense!

• I have asked the deacons to make sure that they are calling – visiting – attending.
• The assistant/associate pastor has been visiting him/her.
• I made repeated phone calls, but couldn’t get a hold of them.
• There are too many people for me to personally address all the situations of need. [1]
• I called, and they told me they are doing okay  and that a visit was not necessary. [2]
• I prayed with and been in contact with them. [3]

Certain responsibilities cannot be passed off to other members of the church or the pastoral-administrative staff!  Pastors are pastors for a reason.  One of the expectations of a church pastor is that they be there.  Others — visiting, calling, attending, helping, assisting — might be appreciated, but the bottom line is — “the pastor!  You may want to lie to yourself by excusing yourself out of your personal responsibility as the shepherd of God’s flock. However, you are the one who is “prominently-desired.”   One of the first question which will be asked by family members, friends, and fellow believers will be — “Has the pastor been by!”  [4] Why?  Because you are the one who should have the heart which personally cares about people, and you are the first in line to personally minister to them.

While others may be doing what you are also doing, you are the one doing it “first and foremost!”  You as the pastor of the church, the shepherd of the flock.  You ought to be the one who is known to be the one who personally cares!  The pastor ought to stand out as the one who engages, talks with, entertains, is aware of, is attentive to, knows, [5] calls, “cards”, visits, shows up, and contacts God’s people. 

The word “pastor” and “preacher” are two different words which describe ministry activity!  What people hear, and whether preaching is heard, is attached to the pastoral ministry! 

There is no replacement for “the pastor!” 
There is a special and unique relationship
that inherently exists and is desired by God’s people.

There ought be no one else who cares more — and cares more sincerely — and in fact, is known to be the one who deeply cares the most!

“Show up, engage, and
care deeply about those in the” church.

1. Watch out for the duplicitous use of “all.” No one is saying “all” or “every.” There will always be situations and scenarios which make it difficult, or nigh to impossible, to address properly. That must be an allowable cover for doing what one should have done!

2. Every pastor knows that often God’s people will graciously excuse the pastor out of visiting. We also know that we need to visit and not allow ourselves to be excused out.

“No, Harry, I want to come over!  I want to share and pray with you! What would be a good time for me to show up at your house?”

Pastors know that we have a God-given responsibility to just be there and bear each other’s burdens! God’s people’s graciousness is no reason to not personally care for others during the most difficult times of life.

I have seen the “Care-less-ness of “Shepherds,” who almost never never visited people who were dealing with cancer and facing death, only visiting at the hospital during the final days of life!  

A pastor may falsely believe that he impacts and influences lives, while his words fall on deaf ears because of his own reputation of “care-less-ness.” 

3. Sadly, it often takes “20 questions” to find out the truth of what is being represented.  The contacts were “primarily business-oriented,” speaking to the spouse, making a phone call to him or her, the sending of a card, a text message, or an email.

4. Or — “Has your pastor been by”  — will be the question of those around that individual or family, because they know that this family is committed to a local church ministry.

5. “You’re good at names.”  No . . . . I merely understand how important AND BASIC it is to people, to know their name.  Therefore — I work at knowing names!

As stated . . . .

The “echo chamber” resounds among pastors. Too many repeat the same plaintive excuses, all which exonerate shepherds from a genuine awareness of the sheep. The Lord has already defined the word “pastor”, and it speaks of and demands awareness. If you leave out “awareness,” you will have to come up with your own word — suggestions include: church employee, hired hand, mercenary, day worker, hired gun . . . .

If you call yourself a “shepherd,”
then you have to sincerely, and deeply care about the flock.

Keith Getty resides in Ireland, but from September to June, he works in America. America was the most obvious strategic place to come, since he believed that so much of the church’s leadership around the world is still orchestrated in America. 

The Gettys started their unique American ministry in 2000. They indicate that they came to America to “write the hymns and be stewards of the hymns.”  

They believe that today’s worship music is decidedly directed by “Wall Street.” The deciding force in what music makes it into the local churches’ worship services across America, and beyond, are the companies listed on Wall Street, not main street.

Keith Getty is a clear and persuasive voice in the fog of the CCM debate, a debate that continues to take place among and in today’s church. If you would like to listen to him, make the argument, here is the link.

However, other substantial factors may play into the decision as to what worship looks like in the local church. I would suggest that at least two other factors have a prominent impact . . . .

√ ministry compartmentalization, and
√ theological education.

Ministry Compartmentalization:  There is a tendency for pastors to see themselves as the “one leg of the stool.”  Their job is to step up at the appropriate time to fulfill the preach-teaching role.  The “commercials”[1] & musical components are the task of others. 

The music leader (paid staff or lay song service conductor ) selects the congregational music, who and when others sing or perform, and the “genre” mix — or not. That is his or her lane. The pastor stays in his lane, indicating to the song leader what the thematic road is, and now and again, swerving a little into the other lane. The “informed or uninformed taste or opinion” of the music leader guides the selection. What that music leader values and enjoys is what shows up on Sunday morning with marginal pastoral input. Whether the music has serious pastoral endorsement, or ministers to the people, is not as important as what he/she values and enjoys.

The pastor is “happy to accommodate” with such an arrangement. There are far fewer decisions that have to be made by him and less mental distractions before he takes the stage.  However, without meaningful and genuine “like-mindedness,” the road can become fairly bumpy for both pastors and people.  The separate lanes can lead to a crash when members or pastors see the church moving in a different and unwanted direction.  It is usually the “music man’s car” which is most crumbled in a crash.

Theological Education:  The theological education of a good number of pastors is lacking or meaningfully absent. [2]  Whether it be mis-educated, inadequately educated, and even uneducated pastors, they become complicit.  Some — maybe far too many — pastors lack the theological background and/or have musically educated themselves by reading and/or listening to men like Keith Getty — and yes — those of other persuasions.

In 2020 ! — a seminary education is seemingly less valued as necessary than it was in the past. [2] There was a time when such an education was unavailable, or financially non-pursuable, and it was understandably acceptable. Today, when it is available and financially feasible, a weak or absent theological education is not rightfully deemed as unacceptable.  

What we see today is . . . . 

• full online degrees
• fewer classes / “semester hours”
• shortened programs
• credit for life-ministry experience
• little personal exposure to some of the best and finest seminary professors
• a loss of interaction with others going into ministry
• the discipline of semester deadlines
• fewer seminaries and decreasing enrollment
• stranger seminaries
• a business degree seen as qualifying for pastoral ministry
• fast and easy ordination or ministerial licensing — or neither
• churches with short and/or shallow statements of faith
• less emphasis on holiness and sanctification
• etc.

Why would we expect otherwise? 

Why would we or should we expect a discerning, discriminating, and/or judicious understanding of church music to be part and parcel of many ministries.  I say that not to argue for a position, though I have one.  But to make the point that leaders of local church ministries may disagree, but they should be able to learnedly and thoroughly “argue” their position — theologically and musically.  “It is a matter of taste or personal opinion” — does not qualify as that, nor is it persuasive!

Is Keith Getty Right?
Is it Wall Street, Not Main Street Who Is Making The Decisions?

Yes! . . . But! 
Not without the permission of many others in local church ministries!

1. The varied elements which keep God’s people informed as to what is happening in this-or-that ministry.  It includes the verbal announcements, the video clips, reports on what is happening in this-or-that ministry, birth/death/sickness items for prayer, etc. 

2. https://getreal.typepad.com/get_real_with_david_tarki/2017/11/you-are-called-to-pastor-do-you-really-need-seminary.html

Is Seminary Really Necessary?

https://www.christianpost.com/news/pastors-still-value-use-seminary-education.html

My biological father died in his early 40’s from “Rheumatic Fever.”  He was the father of three children — a two-year-old son, and about three weeks prior to his death, the birth of twin boys.  I was one of those twins.  It was 1946 and what would have been much more medically addressable today was not then.

Much of what I know about him came from my mother.  She tells me that he was the “floor foreman” at one of the looming mills in Paterson, NJ.  At that period of time, Paterson was known as “silk city,”  a major fabric producing mill town in the northeast.  The job of the floor foreman was to make sure that everybody and everything was working properly.

“Walking the factory floor” may be a dated or scant term in our culture.  There are fewer factories in America today.   Nevertheless, “Walking The Factory Floor” is a good term because it speaks of activity, production, presence, and awareness.

In leading a ministry or the local church, all of these elements are consequential.

Activity – Walking: The Lord connects wickedness and laziness — “Thou wicked and slothful servant.”  Those in ministry are not accorded a life-style that God’s own people do not have.  The “floor foreman” is walking, not sitting!  “Sitting in an office” is not the logo that brands our calling.  Ministering to people in word and deed is our trademark. [1]

Production – Factory: There is something terribly wrong with a factory which has product, people, and money going in the front door, and nothing is happening at the back door.  There is something terribly wrong with a ministry that has been given the glorious Gospel, people, giftedness, a location, a building, an ample talented staff, freedom, opportunities, and money coming in the front door, while nothing — or little-to-nothing — is coming out on the other side!

Presence – Floor: The “pastoral study” is not a place where those in the ministry are able to hide out.  It is a place of sermonic preparation, not isolation.   “Floor foreman” meant that you were on the mill’s floor, out and about, among the workers and the machinery of the factory.

Preachers who . . . .

• are “the last to arrive and the first to leave” – “care deeply“
• don’t know the names, nor the names of people or their children
• avoid “getting their hands dirty”
• don’t thoroughly enjoy people and therefore miserably fail at hospitality
• think that they don’t have to give their time in the same ways as others do
• exit as soon as it is socially acceptable to slip out / excuse not attending
• only have time for a small circle of “important” church friends
• don’t take the time value the time to physically work shoulder-to-shoulder

. . . . are “Ivory Tower Speakers,” who should not be given the responsibility and privilege of preaching to God’s people.

Awareness – Foreman: I detect a tendency in ministry today to compartmentalize ministry — “I preach-teach.”   In “silk-city,” it was unthinkable and unacceptable that the “foreman” did not know what was happening on the “floor.”  His job was “to know!”  And he knew that it was his job “to know” the people and the operations taking place on the floor.

The “echo chamber” resounds among pastors. Too many repeat the same plaintive excuses, all which exonerate shepherds from a genuine awareness of the sheep. The Lord has already defined the word “pastor”, and it speaks of and demands awareness. If you leave out “awareness,” you will have to come up with your own word — suggestions include: church employee, hired hand, mercenary, day worker, hired gun . . . .

I would repeatedly say to the fellow pastors of Faith Baptist Church . . . .

If you are not at church early — to roam around, shake hands, and talk to God’s people before a service, you will lose a significant opportunity. During the week, God’s people are in the world, making a living! Don’t minimize or neglect this opportunity of contact with them. In fact, there will be those who arrive early because they know you will be there and want to interact and connect with you as a pastor!

Ministry leaders or pastors who are generally unaware of what is happening in the lives of God’s people and/or in the various ministries of the church should not be entrusted with a flock.

I knew that some may struggle with these words, so I brought a witness with me . . .

Acts 20:32-35 –And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel.

Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.

I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

1 Peter 5:2 – Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight [thereof], not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

Ezekiel 34:2-10 – Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe [be] to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?

The word “pastor” has already been defined by the Lord,
and it speaks of and demands awareness.
If you leave out “awareness,”
you will have to come up with your own word.

1. Those who teach adult and children’s Bible classes have the same demands of preparation, and work a “40-hour” week in the secular world.  Pastors have been given the freedom from secular work.  That means that you have 40 more hours than they have to prepare — just a perspective on the privilege you have been given by “the church.”

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

“And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:”

“For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed”

“And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”

“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”

Let me begin with an observation which I think most of us have experienced . . . .

When a salesman, business, or company offers me a better price after I refuse their offer, they are admitting that they were willing to have me pay more if they could have gotten me to accept it.

Has that happened when . . . .

• You called to cancel a credit card because you no longer want to pay their annual charge, and they cancel the annual fee if you keep it.
• You communicate in word or body movement that you are about to walk away from purchasing their car.
• You call to cancel a magazine subscription, and they are willing to lower the annual subscription charge.  Or worse yet, you cancel it and they continue to send it to you (I imagine they want to bolster their subscription numbers?).

At times, you get the feeling that a business has been overcharging you, and its actions contribute to that suspicion.  It is only as you say in word or behavior that you are about to refuse the offer, that they begin to include more (include a free widget which wasn’t offered or even mentioned till now – humm), come up with a discount coupon (which was never mentioned before — humm), and/or lower the price (humm).

“Suddenly” — the business is willing to do more!  — and maybe even considerably more. 

Shoppers notice such shenanigans and often resent them.

The same can happen in a ministry! Whether it be a para-church ministry or the local church. When church or school attendance, finances, or general interest are in decline, “suddenly” the ministry or local church offers or does “more.” I understand the dynamics which operate and have found it easy to succumb to those currents if I was not careful and candid.

Our K-8 Christian school was maxed out! Multiple pre-school classes, double classes in K-5th, and a full 6, 7, 8th program — 414 students — with every room space taken! In fact, we had to move out the office personnel from their “classroom space” in order to accomodate. We set them up in the overflow space surrounding the auditorium! When that happens, when “customers” are knocking down our doors, the tendency is not to accommodate, to be less than we ought to be, to be less than we should be and would be — were we struggling.

A parent is . . . .

• Not satisfied?
• Unhappy?
• Has a complaint?
• Wants more?
• Finds it too expensive?

Do you sense the potential hazards which accompany such a situation?

Now flip it!  When things are going “south” in a ministry, a Christian school, or a local church, there is the tendency to do more!  That “more” may well have been what should have been the case before things started going sideways.

And yes — the “shoppers” notice it!

That happens with para-church ministries, Christian schools, and local churches.  Suddenly, ministries show a level of interest not present before.  Now, free books, messages, Bible study helps, prayer lines, and/or lower priced items are suddenly available!

Strangely (and maybe suddenly) those in ministry are making calls, visiting people in the hospital, implementing ways for reaching out to those in the world who need Christ, offering more help and care, changing or softening the tone in the pulpit, spending more time with people before and after the service, making more phone calls, shaking more hands, or showing more pastoral concern.

“Suddenly” — the church is doing more!  — and maybe even considerably more. 

And yes — the “shoppers” may well notice the change!
(Humm???)

Did I just hear the phone ring?
It’s who? — (Humm???)

Covid-19
has been a “REAGENT!”

Ministries simply waste money because of quick and easy decision making. Whether it be the quick and easy decisions born of procrastination or ineptness, both burn through the money that God’s people expect to be spent wisely.

Some of that waste is caused by . . . .

• not looking ahead for sales on paper, supplies, food, Bibles, etc. [1]
• failing to use money-saving or benefit providing credit cards [2]
• paying expedited shipping cost because of waiting too long
• paying “top dollar” because of indifference — not my money
• receiving personal benefits which ought to accrue to the church’s advantage
• ordering promotional materials far too close to the date of the actual event
• failing to think through promotional materials because of ineptness / inability

Let me focus on the last one of the above list.
Churches waste thousands of dollars because they believe that sending out a large, colorful, and attractive “Vista Print” postcard that includes the — “What, When, Where,” coupled with a beautiful full four-color processed picture — is going to motivate people to respond /attend / enroll!

These kinds of cards show up in our mailbox and on our door knob throughout the years. We do what most people do — Look at the picture and then throw them away. In almost every case, there is nothing that draws me into seriously considering “buying” what they are “selling.” They are one of many, and all too much the same.  They were created by someone in the office or the business owner who knows little-to-nothing about marketing.

Now, if the word “marketing” rattles you a little when it comes to ministry, then why send out a card at all, no less a full-color card, no less a large card with a beautiful picture on it.  Just print out a bland black and white postcard with the “W-W-W” on it?  In fact, why advertise at all?

That being said, this does not mean that promotional materials presenting VBS, a special service, Christmas, Easter, enrollment for a Christian education should not be sent out or distributed.  The point is that they say little other than the “W-W-W.”  They leave out the “WHY!”  Why should I be interested in what they are offering?

Some ministries need to take a class on “Copywriting.” Not “copyrighting,” but “writing copy.”  Two of the best established and mind-jogging books on “copywriting” are by Alastair Crompton [a classic] or Joseph Sugarman [of “Blue Blocker” fame].

To spend large sums of money on promotional materials which do not even have the potential of accomplishing its purpose is wasteful — at best. [3]  The hundreds and thousands of cards will likely be dropped in the garbage cans of the neighborhoods around us with little-to-no hope of yielding any meaningful response.

Oh yes — I know the mantra — “If just one person reads it and decides to attend.  And then that one gets saved.”  No one would run a business with this twisted ministry mentality — only the church thinks that way.  How about an approach which speaks of effectiveness — yielding the most from the time and money spent.  Can we have both — that one and the hope of drawing in many others — because we took the time to write copy that was more than W-W-W?

Educate yourself and/or find someone in the ministry who understands marketing enough to design and create promotional materials that have the potential of being read and even given serious consideration. [4]

1. It was common for me to walk into a business which stocked items we used in ministry (i.e. speciality paper shops) and ask . . . . “What do you have in quantity which you want to get rid of?” I walked into a full-service paper shop which we dealt with over the years. One day I walked in and asked that question — “What reams of paper do you have stacked up on your storage shelves which you want to get rid of.” They brought me to the back room where pallet shelving was loaded with mixed reams of paper. “I’ll take it all for $1000.00” He asked the store manager to join us. He said — “That works — . . . Sold.” Van load after van load was stacked on our shelves — from fine linen stock, to 11X17 ivory laid, to plain 20 lb. reams, to.. to … to… We used that paper for years for flyers, notes, bulletins, special invitations, etc. We have done that with food stores, donut shops at the end of the evening, and party supply stores as well.

2. We sponsored mission trips around the world through credit card points! We paid for and/or significantly offset air flight ticket cost for church members who wanted to take mission trips, for missionaries flying in to our church, and for pastors who visited missionaries! Merely by paying repeating and standard church bills through credit cards, at times we accumulated more points than we could use.

3. Pastors, deacons, or church and school business managers need to understand that they are  stewards.  They should handle ministry money as if it were our own.  Making quick and easy decision in spending the ministry”s money is unprincipled!  If you wouldn’t pay that or buy this if it were your funds,  why would you do that with the money of others?

Over time, burning through money because of procrastination, laziness, ineptness will be seen and noticed.  There needs to be a growing confidence in a ministry’s handling of God’s money!   You will find yourself having to coax and to lean on people because of a leadership-created-resistance by God’s people to give.  Ignore building that financial confidence at your own peril.  As I have been heard to say, “Ride that horse, I say it’s a nag! It won’t cross the finish line.”

4. Links On Copywriting:

The 3 Laws of Copywriting

https://www.enchantingmarketing.com/copywriting-tips/

13 Peculiar Examples of Creative Copywriting in Advertising

There will be no lack of thoughts, informed and/or uninformed opinions, and posts that seek to answering of that question.

This morning, as I was returning from my four-mile walk, I again had the opportunity to talk to my British “ministerial” friend, Andrew.  He was on the other side of the main boulevard, waived, then crossed the street to where I was walking . . . .

///////

/////

I haven’t been out walking in recent weeks with Winston (his dog) because . . . . 

/////

(I looked down at Winston, and a obvious large patch had been shaved and the stitches ran about 12-18inches)
Oh — wow — those are some big stitches — what happened!

Yes, he went through an operation and was barred from walking for several weeks until today.  Nothing life-threatening.  He gets the stitches removed today!

Well, that’s good!
How are things going at the church?

[Hesitating] Good —  The Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons are upon us, and trying to figure out what that means during COVID is difficult.

The churches that figure out how to navigate these final months will be the advantaged!

/////

Andrew is a protestant minister. I well imagine that many of us would not consider his church within the definition of “Bible-believing.” Nevertheless, throughout our conversation, it was evident that he was focusing on ministry ideas during these final two months of 2020, during these nationally celebrated “holy days” throughout America.

We talked about some unique and interested ideas for making the Thanksgiving & Christmas season meaningful during Covid-19.  As he was leaving . . . .

/////

By the way, I’m stealing that idea.

It’s yours.
Enjoyed the interaction.
Hope all goes well with Winston.

/////

/////

Churches realize that 2020 has taken a real toll on attendance.  Most believe that there will be an end to this COVID-19 crisis, but will the wake of COVID-19 produce some long-lasting or irreversible damage? Some All church leaders are praying that the impact does not permanently bleed over into 2021.

Which churches will be advantaged?  We talked about some unique and workable ideas, but it is not the ideas we talked about [1], but a mentality that flowed through the conversation that will advantage a church.

#1 — Self-Motivated:  Isn’t it somewhat of a surprise (at least to me) that there are churches and pastors who we (as baptist) might well marginalize, but are thinking about — “How do we do Thanksgiving and Christmas as we finish off the final months of 2020?”  There isn’t anyone pushing Andrew.  He is self-motivated.

I have often repeated these words in different contexts in order to cast and recast the vision of what we were doing in respect to this-or-that ministry (a VBS example). . . . .

Churches all over the Trenton area will be promoting and conducting a VBS ministry throughout the summer. Ours will again be the two full weeks after July 4.  It is a lot of work — 6:30-8:30 every evening, Monday thru Friday.  Approximately 400+ children will be attending night after night.  Then on Friday we invite all the families to a cookout with their children during the two hours before VBS begins.

At the end of those two weeks, we will all leave exhausted.  In fact, after those two weeks our Sunday attendance will probably be the lowest of the summer because many will plan their family vacation!

Now imagine with me — driving by the local Jehovah Witnesses’ “Kingdom Hall” during this VBS season. As you drive by, you see 100’s of children attending their VBS program. Cars, parents, kids, leaders, pulling in and out of their parking lot. What are your thoughts?

Those children will be taught out of a Bible translated by their organization, designed to mislead people about the person of Christ. The Jehovah Witnesses will teach a false Gospel of works. Children — not just the children who may attend that ministry — but 100’s of children who have little to no church background will attend and listen to a false Gospel!

As you drive by — how are you feeling? What are you thinking?
Now listen — we have the opportunity to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the truths of the Bible to 100’s of children! We may be the only source of Bible teaching some of those children and their family members hear this year — this summer. If not us, who?

The same reality is present this Thanksgiving and Christmas season.  If not us, who?  The world is going to do something during these final months of the year — during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season.  Either it is the world, or we can provide an alternative.  If we are not ministering to our people, someone else will.  If we are not reaching out to the community, someone else will be.

The advantage will go to those who are self-motivated.  Without an aggressive mentality that thinks through options, midst COVID, little or nothing will happen.  Not only will the season pass, but so will the potential advantage in this 2020 moment.  I don’t know if this-or-that idea will work out for Andrew.  But I do know that the answer is not “do little-to-nothing,” or “do nothing!”

When I stand before our Lord, I may hear . . . .

That was a lousy idea. 
There were some really better options and ways to minister.

What I do not want to hear is . . . . .

You never even tried! 
Why didn’t you do something with what you had!

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#2 — Creativity Born Of Drive: As stated before, drive and creativity are “buddy-buddy.”

Drive & Creativity:  In the equation, neither one can be “zero,” or there will be no effective ministry during difficult times.

• If drive is zero, brainstorming comes to a halt. There is no desire to come up with possible options. Without drive, the various options all speak of . . . .
  • too little money
  • too much energy
  • too much planning
  • too little resources
  • not enough time
  • too few calendar days
  • to few people
  • etc.

There will always be a reason an excuse “not to.”

• If creativity of thought is zero, the result is a “mistaken perceived inability.” Without creativity, the drive ends because there seems to be no good way to reach the goal. If creativity is in the lower numbers, creative ideas are hackneyed and/or feeble. Rather than bringing in others who are highly effective in thinking outside the box, the goal slowly slips away.

The advantage goes to those who are driven to come up with creative options.  The lepers of II Kings 7:3-5 put many a ministry leader and/or pastor to shame.  A wild option? — Go the camp of the Syrians!  When driven, creativity never stops thinking about the options.

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#3 — Understanding Connectivity: “Lost Connectivity” may be the greatest cause of the ministry damage of COVID-19– a lost of fellowship and/or pastoral concern!  Fellowship is part of what makes a church a church.  Preaching relies on the belief that the pastor truly cares about those who listen.  There is little influence by those who show little concern and connectivity!

May I suggest that if you do not have preaching and fellowship – – you do not have a church as the Lord designed the local church.

When Little-To-No Preaching, It Is Not A Church:  That is why you merely have a social club if the Word of God is not central on the Lord’s Day.  That is why a worship service, marked by more entertainment components than by the exposition of God’s Word, is a consumer event.

When Little-To-No Fellowship, It Is Not A Church: That is why “streaming church services” on the Lord’s Day, as a long-range approach to ministry, is unacceptable.  That reality has become obvious and clear to us during the COVID crisis in America.  That is why merely listening to various church services online (even before the COVID crisis showed us that) is not “church.” [2]

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As Andrew and I talked, the various suggestions revolved around getting people connected again — member to member AND with Andrew their pastor.  It was a connectivity idea which caused Andrew to close saying . . . .

By the way, I’m stealing that idea!

It resonated because he knew the loss of connectivity was the damage maker.  It resonated because he saw the need for and the road to creatively promoting connectivity!  He knew that the idea had the potential of connecting people during this COVID crisis.  At least it was worth a try!  Now, it was about thinking through the logistics — about making it work!

The advantage will accrue to those who rightly identify the damage-maker.   If you misjudge where the damage is coming from, you will only come up with solutions that never address the real problem.  The creative options will address the wrong problems!

The advantage goes to those who understand the nature of the challenge and then can turn squarely into the wake.

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1. I am not disregarding the importance of ideas.  The ideas do matter to the degree that they are doable ( we can pull that off with our resources), meaningful (address the problems which are accompanying the crisis of COVID), and innovative ( are more than a rehash of the same old same old).

2. Link to previous post on what makes a church a church

Some “church ministries” are going to disappear in 2021 because of 2020.  The reasons for the demise of some “church ministries” are several, and probably caused by more than these three triggers.

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√  Seemingly, its absence has shown it to be relatively unimportant.
√  Ministry has been a lot easier without it.
√  There is no longer any congregational interest in it.

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#1 — Seemingly Unimportant:  This-or-that ministry has been, and still is, out of operation for months, and none of the vital church metrics have changed.  That ministry has not been restarted as people have slowly filtered back to a “Brick &-Mortar” service.  Yet, it seems like Sunday attendance, support, new membership, and response to the Gospel remain steady.

#2 — Easier Ministry:  Not running VBS, AWANA, Visitation, Outreach, Sunday School, Multiple Sunday Morning Services, Evangelistic Outreach Programs, Church Fellowships, and/or Youth Events has really lightened the load — ” Let’s not restart that ministry, or at least not as “intensely” as we have in the past.”

#3 — Lost Interest:  The congregation interested in this-or-that ministry has seriously waned and withered over these past several months.  The church members are not asking about it.  Actually, they may indeed welcome its demise for good or poor reasons — It was ineffective, and they knew that, or their lives are easier without it (see point #2 — like pastors like people).

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Some Pushback:
#1 — Seemingly Unimportant:  There will always be ministries that do not change the church metrics of attendance, support, new membership, and/or response to the Gospel. There might be other church ministries, which were they to die would not affect those metrics as well.

As you may be already thinking, no church ministries should be metric related or driven!  Obviously, that is not true.  “Effectiveness” is a metric decision — getting the best response out of the effort, time and money expended.

Yes, some ministries ought to be put out of their misery!  They are not effective and ought to die!  But not to die without a fresh attempt to birth a more effective ministry, reaching out to people within and without the church.

Nevertheless,  we do engage in some ministries because it is good and right to minister in this-or-that way, regardless of how it affects attendance, money, response to the Gospel, or new membership.  In fact, some ministries draw down some of those metrics, but we accept that reality because that church ministry matters!

Let me also add that some ministries feed into other ministries.  While they do not seemingly contribute to the effective outreach of a local church ministry directly, they provide part of the flow into the main currents of local church growth and outreach!

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#2 — Easier Ministry:  Fewer “church ministries” do make it easier! WOW — some ministries took an immense amount of time. A member once remarked that if a ministry takes more time to arrange and set up, than to run, we should drop it. I suggested that his wife stop cooking meals or serving a family Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. [1]

“Church ministries” do take time, hard work, money, energy, apprehension, tension, etc.!  Nevertheless, as I have often stated, we in ministry ought not be less passionate than the owner of that stainless steel food wagon on the corner of New York City who is selling hotdogs and sausage.  Up early – no matter the weather — hoping to sell more today than yesterday — wrapping it all up in the evening — and going at it again tomorrow.

Some pastors should work on a NYC street corner for a few weeks and come to appreciate the call to Gospel ministry!  The ministry is far too rampant with lazy and self-serving pastors who care more about their ease than evangelism and/or strengthening the saints.

Everything Rises Or Falls On Leadership!
— Dr. Lee Roberson — 

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#3 — Lost Interest:  There is always the prospect of “lost interest” on the local church’s horizon.  How many times has a ministry begun with great interest and anticipation, only to dwindle down to a few sympathetic members who feel for the few others who will turn out?

Sometimes, the lost interest should be a red flag as to its effectiveness — or lack thereof.  God’s people may well recognize that there are more effective uses of money and time, and other avenues should be pursued — i.e. evening home visitation may have passed its effectiveness.

However, it is also the responsibility of a pastor to cast and recast, and recast, and recast a vision.  The “church ministry” is good and is needed, but God’s people need to hear and understand why it is important, how it fits into the overall approach to ministry, and to hear about its effectiveness as it has evolved and changed.

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Sadly — and it is sad — There are “church ministries” which have died in 2020, others which will die in the closing months of this year, and other which will be pronounced dead in 2021.

Some will die this Thanksgiving and/or Christmas season.  “Less” will mark the end of the 2020 “holiday season.”  Instead of creatively planning and designing some different and unique opportunities, innovation and new ideas will die on the bed of preferred comfort.  They will take too much planning, work, money, time, energy, effort to seriously consider.  “Maybe next year?”  Just thinking about doing ???  turns some away from doing much of anything!

Some “church ministries” will die, not because they should have died, or could not have been redesigned to be more effective [2], but because those in leadership are “the children of our age” — Luke 7:31-35; Matthew 11:15-19 —  “wisdom is justified of all her children.” They die because leaders make decisions that do not strengthen the church, but which contribute to the darkness of this world, and which transparently deepen the coldness of hearts.

While such leaders speak about the coldness of the saints and/or the Great Commission given to the church, the truth of the matter  — It is the failure of leadership that kills church ministries!  They don’t die without pastoral instigation and/or approval!

Proverbs 27:16 — The shameful truth is obvious because it smells so loudly!

The reality is, church leaders are responsible for the “church ministry mortality rate,” and the lack of creatively birthing new attempts to reach out to a lost world.  “Saul” can say it was the people, but God knows, it was the leadership.  The Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons will only substantiate that reality when yet other ministries disappear, and/or creative alternatives [3] are smothered by ease, disinterest, and/or laziness.

The death of some church ministries is due to . . . .

#1 — a shallow grasp of the need and value of that “church ministry.”
#2 — a dispassionate or lazy leadership.
#3 — an inability to keep the vision alive among God’s people.

It will be the leaders who grasp the opportunities during these closing two months of 2020 which will prove that they have the leadership mentality to thrive and grow as a local church after this all passes. [2]. They will grab the advantage of some really creative ideas in outreach — and there are some really good ones!

The men of this world work wiser
than the children of light!

Taken on the entrance of Tampa Bay, 2020, by Ted Martens.

Everything Rises Or Falls On Leadership!
— Dr. Lee Roberson — 

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1. The work involved in planning and setting up a “Harvest Hayride” for decades at Faith Baptist Church was at times exhausting!  Two weeks of 10-12 hour cold October days before, and a full week after to take it all down, as well as the actual Friday and Saturday evenings, alongside hundreds of other fellow co-workers, was hard physical work!  But seeing 2,500 people come out on those two Fall evenings always reminded us that we had tried again to reach out to our community.  I know what the answer to outreach is not — “Drop Ministry,” or Do Less,” or worse yet — “Do Nothing!”

2.  As a local church, what are you going to do in church ministry during the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s “holidays?”

• People are going to do something over these next two months.  If the church has no plans, the world has.
• What can you do?
  What would work?
  How can you still reach out to those families around you in a meaningful way?
  What would be some novel, unique, effective, creative ways to minister to those who need to hear a message of Thankfulness, about the birth of Christ, and/or the start of a new year?

3. Drive Determines Creativity:  When you are driven, creativity kicks in!  When you have little-to-no interest, your mind shows no interest in thinking about options.

4. “78% Of Church Leaders Are Moderately Or Significantly Concerned About Their Christmas Plans.’  — https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?zx=cfgvawsigey6#inbox/FMfcgxwKjKnfsJrKsxwmTHdJDFGBltlW

I am only one,
but I am one.
I cannot do everything,
but I can do something.
And I will not let what I cannot do
interfere with what I can do.

I am only one,
But still I am one.
I cannot do everything,
But still I can do something;
And because I cannot do everything,
I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.

I am only one, but I am one.
I can’t do everything, but I can do something.
The something I ought to do, I can do.
And by the grace of God, I will.

— Edward Everett Hale

There needs to be a fair and honest discussion
as to what constitutes “GOSSIP.”

If it merely means the communication of information that may be embarrassing to another, pastors are guilty of GOSSIP!

Anyone who has attended a pastoral staff or deacon’s meeting knows that is what happens when discussing the local church ministry and its operations.  Ministry involves people, all kinds, at all different levels of spiritual growth, coming into the faith and a local church with all kinds of baggage.  But does that mean that discussions involving the members and friends of the ministry fall into the category of GOSSIP?

Please do not take the position that pastors do not have feet of clay when it comes to what is deemed by them, and preached against, as GOSSIP!

Pastors Do GOSSIP!

Pastors GOSSIP — inadvertently or advertently — for several reasons . . . .

#1 — Relationships — To establish and/or solidify a relationship: When you share private information with another individual, you are communicating a secondary message as well. You are non-verbally telling them that they are trusted and exclusive. That they are a person you trust, and are part of a circle to which others do not belong.

What such “pastors” may not understand is that the GOSSIP can undermine their credibility and integrity.  Worse yet, their relating of such information may come back to bit them when it becomes known what they have said, and/or said about others.

Over the years I have been told by various pastors what I considered to be rather personal information about others under their ministry and I have been taken back by the fact that it was shared with me — a person who had no absolutely need to know that information.   The information was irrelevant to my relationship with that individual or family.   Some church members would have been shocked that this-or-that was shared with me, but apparently not the pastor.

I repeatedly thought to myself . . . .

“If he is sharing that about them, he will find no reluctance to share things about me with others as well!”

Seeking to establish or solidify a relationship by breaking faith with other church fellowship members is not only wrong-headed but manipulative. A pastor may think that he is drawing others closer to him, but actually, he is laying the groundwork for a “cumulative-reasons-movement-away-from-him” or even eventual departure.

One criterion for defining GOSSIP . . . .  

Sharing information which has no relevance to the person with whom it is being shared.

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#2 — Defensive — To defend their decisions, actions, and behavior:  At times, pastors may share GOSSIP because it is used as a weapon, a means of defending a decision, action, or behavior.

When an individual questions a decision, action, or behavior, the easiest way to defend oneself is by employing an ad hominem defense. Attack the person who is questioning or challenging the pastor. That can be done by either bringing up facts and details about them that others might not know. Or by injecting information into the discussion which questions their right to be even asking or addressing this-or-that issue!

The information being shared is to divert attention from the issue at hand, to the person who has challenged, called-out, or questioned the pastor!  While it is done all the time in the political world, it seems like it has also become part of some pastor’s toolbox for avoiding the real issues at hand.

Another criterion for defining GOSSIP . . . .  

Sharing information which is motivated by defense. 

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#3 — Self-promotion — To exalt or promote themselves by contrast:  As I John states, “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” all draw us away as believers. The flesh and the desire to be a significant someone causes some pastors to contrast themselves with others.

It is the same spirit that says — “Thank God I am not like this man, a tax collector.” All of us are drawn by that temptation and are marked by repeated failure when it comes to pride and ego. However, as a pastor, GOSSIPING about others in order to draw a comparison that exalts or promotes is heinous. Heinous? Yes, I think I will stay with that word!

Why heinous — because the pastor comes to know, and knows, information about people which far exceeds common awareness! That information is not merely personal or private to some circles, but is secretive. As we all know, there is information that only our families know. We have said to our children, “This is family information. It stays within the family.” It is “inside information!” No one has the right to use it to “trade off of” and personally profit, no less a pastor!

That is the kind of information that many a pastor is privy to due to counseling situations, family crises, and spiritual guidance.  To share highly confidential family and personal information with others, in order to self-promote is — yes — heinous! — to garner respect or enhance one’s power at the expense of others

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#4 — Sermonic Value — To make a great illustration:  I think any pastor would agree that various people and situations do not come to mind as one works on a sermon —   “Wow, that situation really illustrates the point I want to make!”

In fact, as we think back about this-or-that illustrative situation, it may even help one understand the elements or dynamics operating regarding that biblical truth or principle.  That only increases the temptation to share privy and personal information through an illustration,  to GOSSIP about a person — publicly!

Pastors can be tempted to share an account, that they believe is unknown to those listening, but still share privy and personal information which would embarrass others were they present.  Merely because someone has died, moved away, is in the distant memory of but a few, or unknown to all, does not mean a pastor has a right to GOSSIP about him-her-them in an illustration.

Some information that is personal and privy to you, needs to go to the grave with you! — “I know that many do not know, but he struggled with pornography since he was a kid.”

Some information that is personal and privy to you is not for use in an illustration; it is not yours to share for interesting and informational sermonic use or consumption! — i.e. “I walked in on them, and he was stark naked when I opened the door.”

Some information privy to you need not be used in an illustration to prove how important and/or wise you are!  — “They told me that they had tried to commit suicide / wanted to commit suicide and I was able to talk them off the ledge.”

There needs to be great care exercised when calling up past people-events-situations to illustrate a point. I claim no innocence, but I am willing to acknowledge that it can easily and quickly be GOSSIP in the form of an illustration without diligent care and concern.

Don’t feel an unrestrained freedom to add weight to your words by calling up an illustration based on private and personal information known only to you as a pastor.  What you know as a pastor is not for advantaging you sermonicly.  Don’t illustrate at the expense of others.

Without trying to cover all possibilities, perhaps it is best to take the effort of keeping it in the “hypothetical” rather than making a specific reference to a person . . . .

“Could you imagine a situation where someone who teaches the Bible in the local church, ends up leaving his wife — and children?  That even the pastor or other church leaders could not persuade him otherwise — that he would knowingly violate the Scriptures.  I know it hard to imagine — but it happens and it happens in Bible-believing and teaching local churches!

Note: The reason for sharing such GOSSIP may also fall into one of the above categories as well.

Note: Let me add, that whether or not anyone knows who a pastor is referencing in the illustration, those listening are thinking  — “Will I become an illustration some day?  That is the end of me sharing personal, private, or family information with the pastor!”

Another criterion for defining GOSSIP . . . .  

Sharing private and personal information which costs others; it is used at their expense. 

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#5 — Credibility — To counsel others: What we know about others’ lives should not be used to bolster or prove to others that we are qualified to be heard. Speaking in general terms, without breaking the trust relationship of other counselees, is simply ethical! To open up the windows of the lives of others will not only chill the atmosphere of those being counseled, but when it is “reshared” (and it will be), the source will become revealed as “the pastor.”

If you have to bolster your counsel and prove your words are wise, then you have little-to-no hope for effective counseling anyway.

Note: Part of your pastoral credentials are your “confidence” and “trust-worthiness.”

Another criterion for defining GOSSIP . . . .  

Sharing private and personal information to bolster our credentials

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#7 — Sway — To provide personal commentary and opinions: Making or repeating comments about Christian institutions, other churches and church ministries, or secular leaders (such as the President or past presidents), with little-to-no knowledge about a situation is GOSSIP.  Whatever GOSSIP is, no one would question that the truthfulness of a comment plays into the definition.

Surely, GOSSIP is GOSSIP when we do not know the truthfulness of what we are sharing.  Pastors (and God’s people) across America have slandered ministries, ministry leaders, presidents, and political leaders.  While we believe in “freedom of speech,” we do not believe that pastors have the freedom to propagate or perpetuate lies and half-truths.  Disclaimers don’t wash as an excuse . . .  “I have heard it reported.  Don’t know if it is true.” [2]

“Do unto others . . . .” — Let’s follow that same standard when it comes to your actions and name! Truth matters, and there are enough lies floating around without being complicit. Let’s make sure that what we are repeating or saying is true, and that we are willing to stand behind what we say to others.

Another criterion for defining GOSSIP . . . .  

Stating opinions and viewpoints which may or may not even be true or accurate.

3. Attention: The word “GOSSIP” is also used as a defensive weapon . . . .

• to suppress what ought to be revealed and known by God’s people
• to quiet and stifle even the most reasonable levels of discussion and questioning
• to shame people into submission

Multiple examples of this could easily be provided.  Is it GOSSIP when a member of the church speaks to another person about . . . .

• their disagreement with a church policy?
• the music being used in worship (of course? it is not GOSSIP if they speak favorably)?
• a questionable or inappropriate reference a pastor made in a sermon?
• their support of, or refusal to support,  a particular church ministry
• the lack of love and concern by the leadership during COVID-19?
• their disagreement with political comments being made from the pulpit?
• the lack of evangelistic outreach by the church?
• the lack of modesty in dress by those on the platform?
• the spending of money?
• salary and compensation?
• the lack of church growth?
• etc.

Sadly, there is no lack of examples of failed accountability in ministry!

James MacDonald is the most recent example of a flawed and failed local church model of accountability!  Over and over, we see the same pattern — The Inability Of Church Leaders To Hold Men Accountable.

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As was said concerning Bill Hybels — Our church model for holding pastors accountable is repeatedly seen as unworkable and, in fact, broken. Relationships interfere with clear-mindedness and judgment.

“Once someone gains power in a broken system, then, they enter an elite subgroup within that system. Their fellow power-holders will do everything in their power to protect them.” [1]

As stated, the power holders finally speak out when it eventually or ultimately becomes perfectly safe to do so, when this-or-that leader makes a terrible decision or engages in an inexcusable action, which makes him radioactive then impossible to help or save.

“A broken system contains almost no provisions for reining in wrongdoers or removing them from power — because then all of these power-holders’ positions would land on the chopping block. None of the leaders in these systems really deserve to be there, and most of them behave in ways that would get them instantly removed from power in more functional systems. Not so, in broken systems.” [1]

As stated by Christianity Today, pastors may seek counsel, but the counsel “was misguided, or went unheeded.”  Too often, counsel and advice come from supportive friends, which because of their relationship, dismissed a leader’s or pastor’s lack of wisdom or even wrong-doing.   They fail to warn them of the dangers in their decisions, words, or actions.  Rather than dinging or damaging the relationship, they tell pastors and/or ministry leaders what they want to hear, not what they need to hear.   Like youth leaders who to often go into ministry wishing to be a friend to the teenagers, those who counsel pastors and/or ministry staff members mistakenly focuses on encouraging, supporting, and/or excusing the action of their “ministry friend.”  What was needed was honest rebuke and confrontation!

While all of us will say (How can we say otherwise?) . . . . “Now I want you to tell me the truth.” . . . Few of us actually want to hear the truth, no less in a way that rightly captures what needs to be said and deeply felt. Instead, the counsel is “sugar-coated” in a way that the truth is also buried and lost, and at the most critical and consequential junctures of ministry decisions.

Or the counsel exonerates — “No, I don’t think that is/was wrong to do/say.”

Or worse yet, some “counselors” encourage their friend to even greater levels of unwise action or wrong-doing — “I would have said or done far more than that!  I would have said / done /added / decided . . . .”

The result is that the counsel leaves that friend wide-open to making the same mistakes over and over . . . and again. [1]. I am reminded of a conversation with a Christian University vice-president who stated that they had to “let go” one of the administrative team members. He had foolishly come behind a woman in the office, and propped his chin on her shoulder. She was very uncomfortable and reported it to HR. When that team member was confronted, he stubbornly refused to see it as inappropriate. That vice-president said . . . .

We had to let him go, not because of what he did, but because he did not see it as inappropriate.  If he does not face nd recognize the inappropriateness of his action, he will do it again. We cannot allow that to happen again!

That vice-president was personally saddened by having to let that member of the administrative team go.  It was a real and personal loss, but they could not and would not take the risk — and what they rightly understood as a very real risk because of a justifying rather than a recognizing attitude.  His response only increased the chances of it  happening again!

Too often there is a reluctance and an accompanying delay (maybe years of delay *) to do and/or say what needs to be done and said.  Why?  The dynamic in play is “relationships.”  Those giving counsel and advice desire to have or maintain a relationship with someone in position and power.  They may not want to ding or damage the shared benevolence and/or deference which flows out of that relationship.  Or,  the relationship may give them a semblance of importance. [2]

Anyone who does not acknowledge that reality has not read about Falwell Jr., James Mac Donald, John Ortberg, Tullian Tchividjian, Ravi Z., or…or….or…or. Read the accounts reported on by Julie Roys just in 2020, and it is obvious that this is the flawed model that appears repeatedly.

Sadly, wherever power structures exist, there exists the danger or even sanctioned misuse and abuse of power, by those who ought to be safeguards within the ministry or local church.  Throw the dynamic of relationships into a power structure, and the brew can be consequential!

It is
power
and
relationships
which corrupts.

Because the relationships give permission, rather than argue or demand restraint.

James Mac Donald was finally called-out because there were those who were willing to break their relationship with power.  However, it was only because he had “turned radioactive!”

As Julie Roys reported . . . .

“While I am heartened
that the elders finally removed MacDonald,
he should have been fired five years ago.”*

Roys says five years ago because it was in 2014 when MacDonald issued his first apology.  It was not until 2019 that  MacDonald was fired!

Frankly, all the sitting leadership which surrounded and supported MacDonald should have resigned!  They were part of the problem for years in that they refused to call-out MacDonald’s abuse and misuse of power and position!  They share the dishonor for allowing it to take place and to go on for years!

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UpDate:
This post was prompted by the most recent “Update” — October 2020:  James MacDonald is now back in ministry!

Whether he has surrounded himself with some needed “truth-tellers,” who can speak to him without all the sugar, only time will tell.

Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely!

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Let’s Get Real:

There is something broken in our “ministry accountability model.”  Over and over, men in ministry and the pastorate let their position go to their heads.  The present-day model assumes that the other church lay-leaders who flank such men will provide a check and balance.  The present-day accountability model relies on these other church leaders within the ministry to be able to overrule . . . .

• “the high” which accompanies being associated to those in position & power
• the pride of being elected, chosen, or asked
• the fears of dinging or damaging a friendship
• the social pull of relationships
• the lure of self-importance (the pride of life — “I am important”)

I am convinced that few can do that successfully! 

Our model relies on men and women
who can resist the persuasions of relationship.

That is why our accountability model is seriously flawed
and proves to be unworkable time and time again!

With MacDonald, some of the “few” were elders who supported MacDonald early on, then spoke up, and then finally and unexpectedly left.  Unfortunately, upon leaving, everything which was toxic was still in tact — with the same dynamics still operating and waiting for the next outbreak.

James MacDonald or Ravi Z would be the last headline.  It reminds me of when the “Me-Too” movement was on the front-pages.  I often thought — who will be outed next?

Who is the next ministry leader or pastor who will show up on the pages of Julie Roys? He will probably be another high profile national ministry leader.   As MacDonald, he will also be finally called to account and leave, and the wake left behind will be for the church membership to handle for years ahead.   There will also be other ministries which are far less well-known or prominent, that will not appear on the front pages of the news.  They too will have found themselves bitten and maybe killed by the same church dynamic — all revolving around a failed accountability model.

The ministry model of accountability is flawed and repeatedly fails.  Sooner or later — and the sooner the better —  someone will will have to address the flaws and failures of this ministry model in a way which meaningfully challenges and changes the way church governance and polity operates.

1. Christianity Today — See article on John Ortberg

2. Relate this concept to those who are around the President of the United States.   Have you ever said to yourself . . . .  “Someone needs to tell the President that he needs to / needs to stop. . . . ”  Either someone has and it goes unheeded, or no one is.  Then there are those who have resigned from positions of great personal contact.  Agree or disagree, they decided that they could not and would not let the relationship twist their beliefs or integrity.

Self-Important Leaders
&
The Persuasions of Relationships
Are The Real Killer Bees!