07/22/2024
A couple of days ago we discussed the topic of praying for our pastors, but today let’s turn our attention to our churches themselves. My devotional reading this morning was titled "The Church Equals Its Leaders" and the message, although not a hard one to grasp, warrants our attention, and has been a difficult one for me to write about. In my reading there were a couple of thoughts I felt worth repeating... "Preachers are pre-eminently God's leaders... They shape a church’s character and give tone and direction to its life.", and... "The church is divine, the treasure it holds is heavenly. But it bears the imprint of the human. The treasure is in earthen vessels."
The migration of Christians from church to church is steady and seemingly constant. Some churches are destinations while others are points of origin from which many have fled. What initiates such migrations? As I thought about this phenomenon, it occurred to me that there are three underlying reasons. The first is a change in a church's doctrine, the second a change of leadership or a lack of faith in them, and the third is hurt feelings or a sense of not belonging. All three of these major causes of church flight involve the "human imprint" in our churches, and each merits a month if sermons to address.
The first cause is a change in doctrine. It is never the Word of God that changes, because that is infallible and unchanging, so the actual root of this type of church flight has nothing to do with God and all to do with our humanity and, more often than not, our manipulation of God's Word as we men attempt to make Him say what we would have Him say… or tolerate what He cannot. This comes when a church's leadership begins to serve itself and uses God's Holy Word in blasphemous justification. The inverse can also be true when a pastor or other church leadership attempts to return a wayward church to God's Word once it has strayed. In this particular case prayer by the leaders and all those who follow them is of great importance. Through searching prayer God will return His church to Himself.
“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”
Matthew 18:12-14 ESV
The second cause (a change in leadership or the lack of faith in them) is more purely human... It happens for many reasons, but especially when a long time pastor leaves or retires; a man who is beloved by the congregation. Sometimes a church’s vision becomes clouded over the years and it begins to worship the messenger almost as much as Jesus Himself. They have trusted him in spiritual matters so completely that they are at a loss when he is no longer there. Related to this pastoral void is a lack of faith in the church leadership that leaves it floundering and searching for direction... or worse. This particular issue calls for much prayer, and the infusion of a strong pastor who can effectively teach the congregants how to seek out their own salvation and knows what it takes to spiritually lead a church.
“Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.”
Colossians 4:12 ESV
And finally, the reason that disturbs me most, are the hurt feelings or a sense of not belonging. I find it perplexing when long time Christians and church members leave a church rather than dealing as the Word teaches them regarding conflict and relationships. We can have no relationship without finding ourselves in a disagreement at some point. Walking away rather than facing this adversity shows a lack of courage and trust in God. Scripture deals directly with how we should interact with one another. We need to listen, be humble, and obey.
“with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—”
Ephesians 4:2-4 ESV
"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”
John 15:12 ESV
Each church does take on the character of its church leaders. When they are effective and walking in the will of God then all is well, but when they lose sight of prayer and The Word, then trouble is on the doorstep. A church’s leaders should be chosen wisely and after much discernment and prayer. God places leaders, but sometimes He does this to teach us a lesson that is anything but harmonious or spiritually advantageous. When this happens it isn't time to run away, it is time to be wise, pray, and ask the Lord to direct us. We should use God's Word to lead us through such seasons of discord that we find ourselves in.
This morning as we pray, let's lift up our churches; let's ask God to guide them and that they seek His council in all matters. If we happen to find ourselves in one of those situations that would make it easy to walk away from our church let's ask the Lord to cure the disunity, the lack of leadership, or the personal cowardice that is trying to drive a wedge between our church and His desire for us. Let's ask that we be given the wisdom needed to bring ourselves and our church back into His holy will.
““For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’”
Malachi 3:6-7 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for joining us together into churches, and for giving us one another to reaffirm, and lead each church in faith, and in keeping us true to your Word. Thank you Lord for teaching us how to deal with discord, wayward theology, heretical thinking, sin, and the many other things that might divide us, and cause us to lose our way. Help us to return to you when we hear your voice calling us home, and when you are looking for us when we are lost. Teach us to pray as we should when we have lost our way, and to lean on your Word as we seek your will, guidance, and a holy unity with you and one another. Keep us true to your Word Father, and show us your will for our churches, and ourselves. Give us love, and an ability to resolve all the issues and conflicts within our churches in a Christ-like manner. Keep our eyes fixed on you Lord, and never let us twist your Holy Word to suit our human desires. In every conflict, or impending change of direction that we might experience personally or as a church, let your Spirit lead us to you in prayer and supplication. Abba, in all things teach us to seek perfect unity in you. In this way we will praise, worship, and honor you always, and find joyous eternity with you.
“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.”
Psalm 133 ESV
Amen!
Rich Forbes