I just returned home from leading a conference on how to minister to the church staff and their families. How thankful I am that people really want to know how to minister to you and your husband and your children!!
There was one particular woman that attended who was so precious! Her heart was breaking over the sin in her church because of the treatment of her pastor. She is fearful that he will soon be asked to leave. Unfortunately, should this terrible thing happen, it will not be the first time for this particular church. From what she told me, there is a group of people who, when dissatisfied for one reason or another—(never Biblical reasons, mind you)—begin grumbling and gather around them people who will agree with their sentiments….call countless others who have not come to church in decades to attend meetings and take votes. She and I wept as she recounted her story to me.
There is another couple in their church….a young pastor and his wife who are attending this church because they also have just been asked to leave the church he pastored.
How do we handle such pain? What do we do? Where do we turn? Is there anyone out there who understands our hurt and our disappointment? Do we just throw in the towel and find another vocation? Do we allow the bitterness and resentment to fester?
We turn to Jesus. We saturate ourselves in the Word. We know the One who understands because He, too, was rejected by man. We do not throw in the towel. We “run the race with endurance with our eyes fixed on Jesus”. We take our bitterness and resentment and ask the Lord to turn it into love and forgiveness.
A scripture that has really encouraged me over the years is Psalm 94:16-19. “Who will protect me from the wicked? Who will stand up for me against evildoers? Unless the Lord had helped me, I would soon have died. I cried out, ‘I’m slipping!’ and your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me. When doubts filled my mind, Your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.”
Father, I lift up my sister who needs your protection from the wicked. Who is slipping. Surround her with Your unfailing love and fill her mind with Your comfort and give her Your hope and cheer. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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It seems there is a growing lack of respect for leadership in our churches. We call a pastor to be the spiritual leader of our church but then don't give him the respect and ability to lead.
This is very sad. Everyone has their own agenda and seems to care less about God's leading.
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