Bulletin Battle

As I sit here writing this blog post, I am shoving a handful of nerve pills aka Peanut M & M’s in my mouth and considering how best explain an event that took place last night.  Actually, I think I need to vent for a moment.

Our quarterly business meeting was held last night.  It should have been a quick five minute meeting.  You know the kind- the “nothing is on the agenda” business session.  However, four senior saint women had other ideas. 

Over the summer some new changes have occurred to our bulletin style.  The staff and the office assistants decided to go away from the “folded” style which list the Sunday morning “set in concrete; Holy Spirit can’t adjust it” the worship service.  (Nope, the Holy Spirit cannot impress on the worship leader to change a song or cut one.  Nope, the Holy Spirit certainly can’t stir the pastor to call people to pray for a crisis in our community or the world.   You must stick to the Baptist mass and there is no veering from it).  Our new bulletin is modern and simply lists the events of the upcoming week with a place for sermon notes.  Our once a month newsletter puts emphasis on all the events for the month with all the needed details and information.

 

Anyway, the spokesperson for the senior saints made a motion to change the bulletin back to the old style.  Her reasons were that she could not check off the morning service and people just did not like the new modern and up to date style.   

After literally a thirty minute discussion of the pros and cons of making the change backwards or going forward with the new bulletin, a vote, yes sisters, a vote was taken!  I have never in my thirty plus years as a pastor’s wife seen a vote taken over a piece of paper.  A retired pastor’s wife was sitting next to me and she was absolutely shocked that a vote was occurring.  This vote was a first for both of us.  Thankfully, the majority of the people there last night voted to keep the bulletin as is and to keep moving forward to reach our community of young adults. 

Here is what is even more frustrating.  My husband shared prior to this bulletin vote that God has blessed our church with a huge growth that they have not seen in over 25 years.  This year alone we have had over 70 people join and 25 of those were by baptisms.  There were only a few quiet Amen’s spoken across the congregation.

As a pastor’s wife who visits with other sisters in ministry, I am hearing more and more congregations arguing over trivial matters like bulletins and style of music and rarely stopping to praise the Lord for the souls saved.  (Ok, I am finished venting). 

Even with last night’s negative moment, God is blessing.  This Sunday our church will have a celebration/ribbon cutting for our new, modern preschool wing and up to date children’s area. Our church is healthy and financially sound.  There is an excitement in the air and people are anxious to see what else God is going to do in our midst. 

I simply want to remind each of us in ministry that when God is working in a person’s life or in the life of a church Satan is working overtime to discourage us.  We must keep working for Jesus no matter what because soon and very soon He is coming to get His followers.