Transforming Church

An Open Letter To Council

Dear Members of Council:

Peace to you, in the name of Jesus Christ.
I step out of my staff role and write this letter as a parishioner.
Regarding the recent attack against Pastor _____, the ministry and council of _____
Church:

It is of concern to me that council is lending validity to the unpleasantness of a very few mal-contents. These people number less than 20, yet they are holding hostage this congregation of 350+ members. They only hold this congregation hostage because they are allowed to do so by giving credence to their gripes. It would be appropriate to listen to them if they were constructive, committed believers with an active faith that was evident by a life of commitment to the mission and ministry of the church, however, the individuals involved show no such evidence.

These individuals are a festering wound on the periphery of the church, and have been for many years. They are the remnants of a control-clique that has manipulated and agitated in this congregation for 40 years. They treat the church as their own private club, and only welcome those who patently agree with them. They are malicious toward any who would differ with them, and they are antagonistic to any agent of change. They have resisted any forward motion of the church, and have openly opposed any ideas that did not fit into their idea of what a church should be. They resent the growth of the congregation, their loss of influence, and any other change that would upset their private-club.

Granted, they are no longer in-power, due to the size of the congregation diluting out their influence, but they continue to create as much difficulty as they possibly can. The timing of their destructive behavior is not coincidental. It is carefully orchestrated to disrupt whatever is happening. It usually crops up during a strategic congregational meeting or other significant event.

What is interesting is that they are obviously not aware of what this church is; they cannot be because they are not a part of any active ministry. They have refused all attempts to involve them in the ministries of the church. They have a sour-grapes attitude: if they cannot have it their way, they refuse to take part, and do their best to discourage others. Here is the point that most intrigues me: if they are so completely unhappy, why do they stay? Certainly not to be a part of positive change or any form of constructive solution; their behavior clearly shows that. No, they only seek to be divisive and venomous, causing as much damage to the leadership of the church as they can. They use the tools of the terrorist: innuendo, doubt, insult, gossip, half-truth, passive and active aggression, intimidation, and fear.

With all of this in mind, why do we give them any credence? To say we listen to them because they are members of the congregation is ridiculous. It is ridiculous because we actually halt active ministry to deal with their assaults. If they were members worth listening to, ministry would not have to cease for them to express themselves. If they were worth listening to, they would express themselves in a constructive manner. If they were worth listening to, they would embrace the ministry of the church in a spirit of Christian unity and obedience to scripture. If they were behaving as Christians, none of this would be necessary.

It is said that “the squeaky wheel gets the grease”. This is valid; one must maintain the equipment so that it will function. However, the squeaky wheel should not determine the direction that the wagon travels.

Who should we listen to? Who should influence policy and ministry?

First and foremost, our Lord, Jesus Christ. The church is not a democracy, to be run by popular vote. The church is a theocracy, ruled by God, not by men. Men are only servants and stewards in God’s service. Jesus Christ is the head of the church. We are the body.

Second, to influence the direction of ministry, who are we as a congregation called to reach?
Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” We are called to disciple “all nations”. That starts in our own neighborhood. Ministry must, therefore be geared at reaching those in our community who do not know Jesus Christ.

Third, to influence the direction of ministry are those who are being ministered to, and ministering in-turn. Council member, I ask you, have you given at least equal concern to those positive individuals that are actively participating in ministry? I cite to you these examples:

110+ children who participated in Vacation Bible School. These same children came forward to profess belief in Jesus Christ.
The 30+ members of the choir who joyfully bring us music each Sunday.
The 90+ children involved in Learning Hour. These kids love learning about Jesus.
The 60+ adults involved in learning hour. They are active in increasing their faith through study and discussion.
The 350+ people who worship each Sunday.
The many visitors that join us each week.
The vast number of people that have joined the congregation in the past few years.
The large group of people that serve in various capacities in stewardship and service.

These large groups of faith-active people are not “squeaky-wheels”, so maybe they are not as noticeable to some, but they are the VAST majority of our congregation. They are the present and future of the church. Their voice MUST be heard. They are joyful. They are committed.

What rights do we have as members? To serve. To embrace the mission of the church as outlined in The Great Commission. To partake of the sacraments. To live in Grace and extend it to others. To bless others as we have been blessed. To share in the joy of the harvest of souls.

So, what should one do regarding malcontents? The Biblical model is to love them. Loving, however, does not mean allowing them to injure others or harm the ministry of the church. Loving them means to graciously listen, to genuinely care, and to seek to help them grow in faith. When these persons embrace the cross, they will embrace the mission, Christ’s Great Commission to us.

If, however, they choose not to embrace the ministry of the church, then they should still be welcome, but not in any position of influence. Should they persist in destructive behaviors, they should be informed by the leadership of the church that they are welcome, but their destructive behavior is not. Should they continue to create dissent, then they should be asked to leave. This is the loving way to deal with such people. We must always remember that we must care for ALL of the church, not just a noisy few. Those noisy few cannot be allowed to destroy an entire congregation just because we are too tolerant.

All sheep need shepherding. There can only be one shepherd of a flock, with under-shepherds to assist in caring for the sheep. Part of caring for the sheep is to make sure that all of the sheep get fed, so that no bullish sheep prevents the meeker ones from eating. One bully can cause the starvation of many other sheep. The under-shepherds also help to guard the sheep from wolves that would do harm to the flock.

Our pastor as a shepherd is a good one. (The growth of ministry and the congregation is evidence of that.) The council and the church staff are the under-shepherds. I ask you, as an under-shepherd, are you making sure that all of the sheep are equally fed? Or are you allowing a bully to hog all of the feed in the trough? For that matter, are you allowing wolves-in- sheep’s-clothing to get into the sheep fold?

I urge you to move forward in ministry. Recognize the validity of those who serve in love. Recognize the wolves and defend the flock from them. Remember that churches grow only in two directions: forward or backward. There is no “status-quo”. Churches that are content with “good enough” quickly cease to be good enough. Jesus tells us to make disciples, not to pacify members. If we embrace our Lord and His ministry, we will follow His commands. If you have doubts about any of this, the Holy Scriptures will be your finest reference.

Standing with you in Peace, Unity, and Christian Love--
Mike McCay
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