Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Don't Go Changing
I had a phone call from one of our members last night. He has ties to a church north of us. He was calling to tell me 4 of our “older” members had placed membership with neighboring church.
Big deal / little deal. As a shepherd I do tend to take some leaving us for another church as a loss. I guess that falls under the category of “Should da, could da, would da.”
Little loss – If they feel that their “issues” are more important than their fellowship with our church family, then they need to go.
I’m O.K. with that. Maybe I shouldn’t be but I am.
My issue – Something my caller said to me concerning my “elder-ing.” He said that part of the problem was we (the elders) had allowed too much change to take place in a short time span. He said, “If he had been an elder, he would have put a “stop” to some of the changes and held on for at least a year.”
That bothered me. It shouldn’t but it did. So I began to think of all the “changes” that had taken place since I became an elder. Here’s what I came up with:
1. There is now smattering of clapping during worship. It seems that I can’t get away from that particular consonant (cl) blend. (clapping, closets)
2. Occasionally Don will play a video clip he’s downloaded off the internet and sometimes it will have instrumental music playing.
3. We now have men serving as deacons who had a divorce in their past. Can’t totally blame Jeff and me for this one. At the time we had 2 more elders who were both older than Jeff and me.
4. Does “change” include renovating our educational wing, the fellowship hall, and the front of the auditorium? If so, I’m a “change agent.”
5. We moved the “Communion Table / altar” to the rear of the auditorium.
6. We bought a new bus. Does that make me a change-agent as well? I’m a down-right theological liberal! I ready for the Meadville Lombard Liberal Theological School!
7. We had 2 preachers from two local Christian Churches speak for us during the summer. Does that count as a “change?”
Well, there you have it. Am I a change agent? Are you proud or disgusted with me? Enough or too much change?
I wonder which ones my caller would have held off on if he had been an elder? I’ve been an elder for about 4 years now. That’s 1.75 changes per year. Do I need to work on the other ¼ to get it up to 2 changes per year or scale back about ¾ of a change per year to at least only have 1 change per year?
Who wants to be an elder now?
Big deal / little deal. As a shepherd I do tend to take some leaving us for another church as a loss. I guess that falls under the category of “Should da, could da, would da.”
Little loss – If they feel that their “issues” are more important than their fellowship with our church family, then they need to go.
I’m O.K. with that. Maybe I shouldn’t be but I am.
My issue – Something my caller said to me concerning my “elder-ing.” He said that part of the problem was we (the elders) had allowed too much change to take place in a short time span. He said, “If he had been an elder, he would have put a “stop” to some of the changes and held on for at least a year.”
That bothered me. It shouldn’t but it did. So I began to think of all the “changes” that had taken place since I became an elder. Here’s what I came up with:
1. There is now smattering of clapping during worship. It seems that I can’t get away from that particular consonant (cl) blend. (clapping, closets)
2. Occasionally Don will play a video clip he’s downloaded off the internet and sometimes it will have instrumental music playing.
3. We now have men serving as deacons who had a divorce in their past. Can’t totally blame Jeff and me for this one. At the time we had 2 more elders who were both older than Jeff and me.
4. Does “change” include renovating our educational wing, the fellowship hall, and the front of the auditorium? If so, I’m a “change agent.”
5. We moved the “Communion Table / altar” to the rear of the auditorium.
6. We bought a new bus. Does that make me a change-agent as well? I’m a down-right theological liberal! I ready for the Meadville Lombard Liberal Theological School!
7. We had 2 preachers from two local Christian Churches speak for us during the summer. Does that count as a “change?”
Well, there you have it. Am I a change agent? Are you proud or disgusted with me? Enough or too much change?
I wonder which ones my caller would have held off on if he had been an elder? I’ve been an elder for about 4 years now. That’s 1.75 changes per year. Do I need to work on the other ¼ to get it up to 2 changes per year or scale back about ¾ of a change per year to at least only have 1 change per year?
Who wants to be an elder now?
Comments:
<< Home
Greg - Thanks for the encouraging words. I think what bothered me the most was the fact that I want even more "change" in the area of worship, body ministry, and level of committment from our church family. In my opinion, 1.75 changes per year is pretty pitiful and yet, I’m being criticized for that lack of performance. What does that say about us as a people?
alqbn (first letter in the “Whiners Alphabet.”
alqbn (first letter in the “Whiners Alphabet.”
Thanks Randy. I think when someone leaves it communicates at the very least, "we don't like you," at the very worst, "we don't trust you."
jctxx (Jct. 20)
jctxx (Jct. 20)
Good point Judy. I think it all depends on "how" the person leaves as to what message get communicated.
If all the people in Lausanne who left our church for all different reasons were still here, we'd be 150 people instead of 35. And each time someone leaves, there is a sense of failure and heartache (actually, it feels like part of your heart was ripped out!). So we try to do a "better" job and realize that we are just one influence among many in a person's life. But we still don't give up. And we still count other brothers and sisters as superior to ourselves, even if it doesn't seem to be the case...
Do hang in there.
Post a Comment
Do hang in there.
<< Home
