Church- Aaaarrrgghh!
Well I figured this would be front page news for most of the people who shared the ordeal of yesterday's AGM with me. (I really felt like turning off the power and telling them we'd just have to do it another day...). For what it's worth I do have some thoughts on the subject.
First point- Our church is a puzzle. I think it must be one of those impossi-puzzles, cos people have been trying to work it out for a looong time now. In our various hurts and angers and maybe even hates, we always seem to try and evict somebody from the house. Word to the wise people: YOU CAN'T COMPLETE A PUZZLE BY GETTING RID OF THE PIECES THAT ANNOY YOU! I'll just let ya dwell on that for a minute. Now of course everyone will come and go in time, but as was mentioned on Glenn's blog (see Glenno's Globs in the links section to the left) we seem to have a huge 'sack the coach' mentality. Whether the coach needs to go or stay is not the issue, it is this mentality that really needs to be dealt with.
Second-It was mentioned a few times that a radically new way of 'doing church' needs to be considered. (I'll point you over to Glenn's blog again for a good read on this). It's pretty obvious that the way we run the business end at the moment just doesn't work, and those who know me will know that I have an ever-growing chip on my shoulder about democracy in church. It has no place there people. Seriously, grow up. True church is a THEOCRACY. Say it with me THE-O-CRA-CY. In simple terms it means God reigns supreme. God is in charge. God makes the decisions. We are called to do something really straight-forward - OBEY.
Okay, it's not always as easy as that, but you get the point. We have these crazy upside down churches, where the people have the power to determine who gets to lead them. Except they also have the power to decide what to do with them, which means the leader becomes subject to the scrutiny of every individual. If people don't get their way, they take it to the ballot. If someone can back up that model of church with New Testament scripture, please write in. I don't remember Paul getting voted out of office (or not having his contract renewed) and yet he wrote letters to some churches that really wouldn't have made them feel too good about themselves.
I think that will do for now. I could probably write for days on this, but I want what I say to come out of my desperation to see Christ-like love and compassion restored in my spiritual family, and not out of my own sadness and anger at what is going on.
First point- Our church is a puzzle. I think it must be one of those impossi-puzzles, cos people have been trying to work it out for a looong time now. In our various hurts and angers and maybe even hates, we always seem to try and evict somebody from the house. Word to the wise people: YOU CAN'T COMPLETE A PUZZLE BY GETTING RID OF THE PIECES THAT ANNOY YOU! I'll just let ya dwell on that for a minute. Now of course everyone will come and go in time, but as was mentioned on Glenn's blog (see Glenno's Globs in the links section to the left) we seem to have a huge 'sack the coach' mentality. Whether the coach needs to go or stay is not the issue, it is this mentality that really needs to be dealt with.
Second-It was mentioned a few times that a radically new way of 'doing church' needs to be considered. (I'll point you over to Glenn's blog again for a good read on this). It's pretty obvious that the way we run the business end at the moment just doesn't work, and those who know me will know that I have an ever-growing chip on my shoulder about democracy in church. It has no place there people. Seriously, grow up. True church is a THEOCRACY. Say it with me THE-O-CRA-CY. In simple terms it means God reigns supreme. God is in charge. God makes the decisions. We are called to do something really straight-forward - OBEY.
Okay, it's not always as easy as that, but you get the point. We have these crazy upside down churches, where the people have the power to determine who gets to lead them. Except they also have the power to decide what to do with them, which means the leader becomes subject to the scrutiny of every individual. If people don't get their way, they take it to the ballot. If someone can back up that model of church with New Testament scripture, please write in. I don't remember Paul getting voted out of office (or not having his contract renewed) and yet he wrote letters to some churches that really wouldn't have made them feel too good about themselves.
I think that will do for now. I could probably write for days on this, but I want what I say to come out of my desperation to see Christ-like love and compassion restored in my spiritual family, and not out of my own sadness and anger at what is going on.
posted by T | 12:04
11 Comments:
Hear Hear ... Toby, I know how you feel, but consider this ... the leadership of this church has made no attempt to redress the hurt and confusion, and unfortunately for most people Congrergational meetings are the only forum! Yeah, I know we are called to be open and honest and go see our brother/sister to redress bad feelings and wrongs as these things affect our relationship with God. Then again people struggle in doing that or feel they have little opportunity or feel judged for it! So deep are these feelings that it won't be unity till ther smallest voice is heard, but AGM's are not the place!
A revived and strong Pastoral Care will help!, healing services will help more, but what is needed is integrated activity where people get to tell their story and share in that true Christian community as described in Acts
Act 2:44 All the believers were together, and they shared everything with one another.
Act 2:45 They made it their practice to sell their possessions and goods and to distribute the proceeds to anyone who was in need.
Act 2:46 They had a single purpose and went to the temple every day. They ate at each other's homes and shared their food with glad and humble hearts.
Act 2:47 They kept praising God and enjoying the good will of all the people. And every day the Lord was adding to them people who were being saved.
Weekends away, shared community work, thats it! and I believe that the youth have taken a lead with helping Roger...
and now Roger is grateful, Wonderful. Every chance we have to share let us share, both hurts and celebration but lets encourage and bring it out at the right time (before it festers) and right forum (in a loving and concerned environment) ... Yeah that's my soapbox bit... thanks Toby
Thanks for your input Peter. Yes, another thing that stood out to me at the meeting, and also regarding Roger's situation, was the phrase 'I had no idea...'
having no idea that someone is hurting or in need shows that there is a lack of true community. A lack of openness and honesty with one another, and rather than running around pointing fingers and trying to work out who hasn't communicated properly, we ALL need to respond to this as a challenge to do better.
For this reason alone, I don't believe our congregation or leadership are in a position to make significant decisions right now.
well yeah it all suxs!!
i do believe however, that we do not need to do church differently necessarily, but that we need to really SEE GOD for who he is, see his greatness, holyness etc, and be obediant and fear him!! there is so much obvious sin in the church, that of course church is boring and dead, as sin = death.....
maybe then church will naturaly change as we are seeing God, fearing Him amd hearing Him!!! and experiencing all that comes with that.
dont worry Toby your a great guy one day you will find a lady,
Well, that's mighty cheeky sneaking in a tag line like that!
I'm sure that there will be churches who continue to operate the way we see now, and to be honest I don't doubt that they will still be affective if God decides to work through them.
As for that last line, God himself is my every provision; my every need fulfilled. If He chooses to bless me with a companion as well, then I will be very VERY blessed!
ahhhh AGM..drove me crazy!!! i nearly punched people out!!!! lucky i have self control....
what was with the life stories??!?!?!?
oh well, good thing god is in control, and knows what he is doing!! hopefully we start to see him and listen as a church..or maybe thats just a dream......
Wow! I'm also glad you have self-control- I haven't seen an AGm decend into a real fist fight yet, but I'm sure it's happened some places. God is very much in control, which is great. I hope we can respond to Him instead of each other. It's more than just a dream!
There is a need to look at ones self. To understand that I, myself is accountable and answerable to God.
It is “I” that is commanded to love one another, neighbour, enemy etc And to carry out the Great Commission.
The AGM was too much about you……., or perhaps them…….
Yes we as a Church body need and must be focused on God, just remember as much as we, or you need to be focused on God. “I” must also be focused on God and His will.
Thanks for your comment, Craig. There is always a challenge to us to take the log out of our own eye before we try and help our neighbour (or our church) with the splinter in theirs.
Having a blog does give me the opportunity to openly and honestly express what I am feeling as I write, which is why I will make no apologies for the 'I' focus.
I am constantly accountable to God for my every thought and action, and thanks to friends like you, I am accountable to other Christians as well. Cheers Craig.
Yep, its great being held accountable, supported and encouraged by other Christians.
As Christians we should also hold other Christians accoutable to their actions. Which I guess thats what some were trying to do and express at the AGM. I guess it felt like there was more judgement being expressed than holding others accountable. Does not God do the judging for us?
In relation to Peter's comment - I just want to stress the fact that we all need to be obeying the bible whether it is hard, or you feel judged or whatever. I know that it is hard to be vulnerable enough to talk to people about things that hurt us, but it is vitally important. I have had to do it myself, so I'm not just spouting words - its a hard and important reality. We can not blame our leadership for our disobedience.
AMEN to Michelle!!
see bean, theres no reason for debate.. me and michelle are always right....
yeah craigs right,we should get over ourselves.......
yes there is so much sin in out church... AHHHHH no wonder it is dysfunctionsal....
lucky i perfect
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