My pastor was under attack.
He couldn't sleep. He couldn't study. His personality turned inward.
He was a wreck.
Why?
Years ago, in my third church staff position, a small group of vocal members began to criticize the church's pastor ... who was also my supervisor.
Their main claim? That he didn't preach often enough, an indication that he was lazy.
35 years ago, many Protestant churches had:
*Sunday School
*Sunday morning worship
*Sunday evening service (with youth group meetings before or after)
*Wednesday night prayer meeting
That's a lot of teaching time to fill!
My pastor's main gift was shepherding - not teaching - so he utilized a team of teachers on Sunday nights and Wednesday nights. I was happy with the arrangement because I enjoyed hearing others speak ... and because I got to speak once a month as well.
I can't recall what set off the grumbling, but many of us started feeling heightened anxiety around the church campus. One night, someone caught me in the parking lot and told me that 10% of the church was going to leave if the pastor didn't start preaching on Sunday nights.
Now what would you do with that information?
Some Christians would keep it to themselves.
Some would tell family and friends from the church.
Some would throw in their lot with the 10%.
Honestly, I wasn't sure what to do.
I had a friend in the church - a man who went on to become an evangelist - and he and I discussed the situation. We decided to visit the most influential man in the church ... a layman known for his teaching, integrity, and straight talk.
My friend and I sat in his living room and said something like this, "There are people in this church who are attacking the pastor. They are threatening to leave if he doesn't start preaching on Sunday nights. The pastor is devastated by this news and seems paralyzed to do anything about the situation. What can we do to help him?"
Looking back, I don't know whether or not this man was supportive of the pastor, but we had to take the risk.
He told us, "Gentlemen, when Paul talked about troublemakers in the church, he named names. Who are these people?"
Wait a minute. If we mention the names, isn't that gossip? Aren't we tattling? Couldn't we get in trouble if we said too much about what was happening?
And some of those people were our friends. How could we single out friends like that?
But this man was right. Paul did name names - along with John, the apostle of love:
Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme. 1 Timothy 1:19-20
Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. 2 Timothy 2:17-18
Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message. 2 Timothy 4:14-15
I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church. 3 John 9-10
With biblical precedent upholding us, my friend and I divulged the names of the troublemakers we knew about - especially the ringleaders.
I learned an important lesson that day. Sometimes church powerbrokers are successful in making threats and demands because nobody has the courage to identify them by name.
Think about this:
Last night, my wife and I watched a recently-produced film on Solomon's life. The film opens with King David near death - but he hadn't yet chosen his successor.
So one of David's sons engaged in a pre-emptive attempt to be anointed as king - in league with David's top general.
Their names? Adonijah and Joab.
Not "one of David's sons" - but Adonijah.
Not "a high-ranking military officer" - but Joab.
They were both executed for committing treason against David's choice for king ... Solomon.
One of Jesus' 12 disciples betrayed him.
His name? Judas from Kerioth.
Not just "one of the Twelve" - but Judas.
Before anyone could finger him, Judas took his own life.
Paul wrote in Romans 16:17:
I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.
If you're in a church, and you hear that someone is plotting against your pastor ... do something about it.
Warn the pastor. If you sense the board is supportive, talk to the board member you know and trust best.
Believe me, the pastor and/or board may have no idea of any division inside the ranks. Your information may give them time to head off an attack before it ever takes place ... or give them a key piece of information they lacked.
If you know that an individual or a group is planning on "going after" your pastor, speak to someone in authority - even if the plotters are your friends.
Because if you don't, your church will eventually experience months of tension, division, and ugliness. Friends will separate, donations will plunge, and people will leave.
If you know something, tell somebody!
Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins. James 4:17
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