DEALING POSITIVELY WITH CHURCH TROUBLE           

 

BACKGROUND:

Satan is attacking on all fronts.  Though the church would like to put on its happy face all the time, the church must be realistic enough to admit that it is a prime target for satanic onslaughts.  There are plenty of grieving congregations to prove the above premise.  And there are too many parsonages overwhelmed with stress to underline this truth.

Is it the times?  No doubt.  The culture has turned against morality and the church.

Is it the complexity of life?  No doubt.  People have wound up their daily schedules to an unbelievable pitch.

Is it the greed of our society?  No doubt.  Materialism has reached an all time high.  The spiritual is left to fend for itself.

Yet whatever the stimuli for the strain upon today’s church, it must be recognized for what it is and then dealt with positively.  Not to deal with church trouble is simply to permit it more time for further destruction.  The poison usually starts with a few wagging tongues and then spreads.  It is wishful thinking to conclude that such trouble is going to halt on its own.  It won’t. Satan will see to that.  Some congregations are existing with this trouble-making on an on-going basis, at times for years, with one pastor after another coming and going.  The revolving door of ministers and families must stop if there is going to be any depth to local ministry.

Solution:

One church, having gone through a most difficult season of satanic attacks, concluded to make damage control the prime concern of the local church leaders. It was decided that the pastor alone could not take on the leverage for confronting trouble-making.  The minister had to have the total support of his local elected lay leaders.  It had to be a team affair.

This goal was then made known to every person in the congregation by way of a printed statement distributed at worship.

There was follow-up by way of further statements, usually in capsule form, in church bulletins.

Each church council was reminded to be aware of the possibility of satanic inroads. Prayers were then offered for unity in peace within each particular council’s deliberations.  After a short time, a climate of vigilance against satanic attacks became a part of the congregation’s mindset.  Yet this did not happen by chance; it occurred because the minister and lay leaders determined that it was going to take place. With this mindset, those prone to make trouble were put on guard.  And the good people of the church were given the leadership support they longed for.It is wiser to create purposefully a holy, positive environment in which God can work  than simply assume that such a peaceful milieu will “just happen.”

Uppermost then in church life must be the spiritual setting of all believers who gather. That setting must be defined and then maintained. It can be if the people are warned of the invisible divisive powers which would attempt to destroy what God has birthed.  The pastor must set the proper spiritual setting in place by explaining its need to the local lay leaders.  Then the lay leaders must be commissioned to teach their peers of what is expected regarding Christian attitude within the local faith community

.Surely prayer must cloak all of the above.

In Paul’s letters, he attempted time and again to see through the unity of the church, whether he was writing to pastor Timothy or the congregation at Corinth.  Paul did not assume anything regarding the local spiritual setting; he instead set forth the profile of what was right and warned against what was wrong.  He then pled with the good people in each locale to set in place what was right.

The same must be the intentional agenda of every church

DAMAGE CONTROL

CHURCH POLICY RE: PREVENTING DISSENSION

l)  Church Board will take a positive stand for loving and caring for Christians within the church community. Emphasis should be on serving others in the name of Jesus.

(2)  In light of (l), the Church Board will state that dissension, trouble-making, or  gossip will not be tolerated by anyone.

(3)  In dealing with the above in (2), Church Board will proceed with a compassionate letter written to anyone alleged to be causing dissension.  Such a letter will read:

Dear ____________

Perhaps we as a  Church Board are misinformed. Perhaps what we have heard is in itself rumor.  Perhaps what has come to our attention is not at all accurate, according to facts. [List the rumor]

 

We pray that the above is not true.  We pray that we have received incorrect details for we hold your friendship and allegiance to the New Beginnings Church of the Nazarene in high regard.

However, could it be that you have been party to some dissension?  Could it be that Satan is attempting to use your life for ill?  This can happen even to the best of us, sometimes when we are unaware of Satan’s subtleties.Therefore, we as an understanding Church Board, ask you to search your own heart before God, asking Him to reveal to you if there is any damage done to the divine work.  If not, then you can rejoice in a clean conscience; however, if there is need for spiritual cleansing, then please seek such from the Lord. He will heal your condition immediately and then commission you with: “Go and sin no more.”

Thank God for mercy from heaven’s understanding heart!

If there is reason for you to communicate further with us about any matter, please know that we are open to receive your input for we do not want any misunderstanding.  (Address your reply to Church Board, New Beginnings  Church of the Nazarene, P.O. Box 1086, Camp Verde, AZ 86322).

We believe that you do understand our commission from God, that is, to spiritually lead the Lord’s sheep in Bible truth so as to keep unity in peace in our church family.

Blessings,

Church Board / New Beginnings Church of the Nazarene

(4) If the individual continues to sow seeds of dissension, then the  Church Board will make an appointment with that individual to discuss the matter fully so that dissension does not spread to others within the church family–and to those outside our church influence as well.

 (5) Church Board will publish this policy as is, distributing same to all worshipers over several Sundays in order for all persons to receive the information. Also, Church Board will register the policy in the secretary’s minutes for future reference.  Also, each Church Board member will pray over the policy regularly, examining his and her own conscience to make certain that the spiritual leaders of the congregation are free from dissension.

(6)  Church Board will present the policy to the altar at which time the pastor and Church Board will kneel before heaven, imploring the Holy Spirit’s protection upon our church family–protecting us from further hurt due to dissension. 

I have read and understand the above  policy and by signing my name below I acknowledge that I  will adhere to it.

 

________________________________________Date _______

 

 

New Beginnings Church of the Nazarene

Membership Covenant

 

Having received Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord, and being in agreement with the mission, beliefs, and lifestyle of this local church, I feel led by the Holy Spirit to unite with the church family. I commit myself to God and to the other church members to do the following:

 

1. I will protect the unity of my church.

• by acting in love toward other members,
• by refusing to gossip, and
• by following the leaders of the church.
• by adhering to the dissension policy

 2. I  will share the responsibility of my church.

• by praying for its growth,
• by inviting the unchurched to attend, and
• by warmly welcoming those who visit.

 3.  I will serve in the ministry of my church.

• by discovering my gifts and talents,
• by equipping myself for ministry, and
• by developing a servant’s heart.

 4. I will support the testimony of my church.

• by attending faithfully,
• by living a godly life, and
• by giving regularly.

 

Signed __________________________   Date ____________________