Wednesday, October 31, 2012
The number one reason I think elders quit
There it is. The number one reason I think elders give it up and quit. Or maybe it is the one thing that will drive me to give it up some day.
I think church politics are different than power struggles. Church politics are what you do when you can't win the power struggle. They are what you practice when you cannot convince everyone to do what you want. Or it is what you do to work around the system so your idea wins.
It is when elders, ministers, or members decide that the ends justify the means. That is the only reason I can imagine that would lead someone to play church politics in the kingdom of God. They are so convinced that what they want is right that they have to do whatever it takes to get their way.
So they work around people who do not agree with them. They have secret meetings and talk about issues in small groups while making sure not to discuss certain items in any setting where they might not prevail.
Church politics make use of scare tactics:
"If we do -- or don't do -- my certain idea then all the givers will leave, and we can't meet our obligations."
Or, "all the young people will leave and we won't even have a church in 20 years."
Church politics are manipulative, deceitful, and secretive.
And church politics will destroy a church.
They cause tension, division, and heartache.
And I believe God hates it.
It is why elders, or preachers, get ulcers. It is why they can't sleep at night. It is why they dread going to meetings.
I know lots of good men who were called to lead their flock who will not because they cannot stand the church politics. They quit because they do not want to be tempted to use the same tactics. They quit because they will not be part of dividing the church.
Or it could be I hate church politics so much because I am no good at it. And I am glad.
And it is why someday I will quit.
I think church politics are different than power struggles. Church politics are what you do when you can't win the power struggle. They are what you practice when you cannot convince everyone to do what you want. Or it is what you do to work around the system so your idea wins.
It is when elders, ministers, or members decide that the ends justify the means. That is the only reason I can imagine that would lead someone to play church politics in the kingdom of God. They are so convinced that what they want is right that they have to do whatever it takes to get their way.
So they work around people who do not agree with them. They have secret meetings and talk about issues in small groups while making sure not to discuss certain items in any setting where they might not prevail.
Church politics make use of scare tactics:
"If we do -- or don't do -- my certain idea then all the givers will leave, and we can't meet our obligations."
Or, "all the young people will leave and we won't even have a church in 20 years."
Church politics are manipulative, deceitful, and secretive.
And church politics will destroy a church.
They cause tension, division, and heartache.
And I believe God hates it.
It is why elders, or preachers, get ulcers. It is why they can't sleep at night. It is why they dread going to meetings.
I know lots of good men who were called to lead their flock who will not because they cannot stand the church politics. They quit because they do not want to be tempted to use the same tactics. They quit because they will not be part of dividing the church.
Or it could be I hate church politics so much because I am no good at it. And I am glad.
And it is why someday I will quit.
Comments:
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Steve, don't we need to train elders and others to remain strong and not succumb to such petty politics. Maybe if we ask God to help us deal with this, people won't be enabled to get away with it. Allowing it to continue will only lead to additional resignations. I think it is important enough to fight it, a lot of times by just ignoring it and continue to serve God instead of other agenda.
# posted by 
: 3:08 PM PDT
: 3:08 PM PDT
If you are a Spirit-led eldership, it seems the self-motivated politics / power struggles should go away.
I think the main issue I see is that there are elders in the church who believe they are there to represent (and have actually articulated this) a particular constituency (pick a group: elderly, youth, etc) and fight to ensure that their group is represented in the elder meetings...as though you are elected Congressional representatives.
The HUGE problem I see in the eldership is a lot of positioning in this way, rather than being truly Spirit-led. This leads to self-pride over Spirit guidance.
Ultimately, this is why good men quit. I agree. It's sad.
However, I have also seen amazing (humble) men put their positions and constituencies aside because they listened to the Spirit's guidance. I wish that would happen more often than not. God works when we set our politics aside and listen.
I have one question that I have asked before to SH elders and just get shrugs in response. I'd love your thoughts:
Pick a topic that generally leads to political posturing (music, women's roles, missions, etc). If an eldership is truly Spirit-led, how can it come to a split decision on an issue? Please help me understand why the Spirit would lead elders in two different directions.
It requires significant humility to set your church positioning / politics / constituencies aside and actually listen to the Spirit. As an eldership. Together. But, I don't think the Spirit would move us in counter directions. Am I wrong? Is there scripture to show that the Spirit works to create confusion in our decisions?
Thanks,
Matt B.
I think the main issue I see is that there are elders in the church who believe they are there to represent (and have actually articulated this) a particular constituency (pick a group: elderly, youth, etc) and fight to ensure that their group is represented in the elder meetings...as though you are elected Congressional representatives.
The HUGE problem I see in the eldership is a lot of positioning in this way, rather than being truly Spirit-led. This leads to self-pride over Spirit guidance.
Ultimately, this is why good men quit. I agree. It's sad.
However, I have also seen amazing (humble) men put their positions and constituencies aside because they listened to the Spirit's guidance. I wish that would happen more often than not. God works when we set our politics aside and listen.
I have one question that I have asked before to SH elders and just get shrugs in response. I'd love your thoughts:
Pick a topic that generally leads to political posturing (music, women's roles, missions, etc). If an eldership is truly Spirit-led, how can it come to a split decision on an issue? Please help me understand why the Spirit would lead elders in two different directions.
It requires significant humility to set your church positioning / politics / constituencies aside and actually listen to the Spirit. As an eldership. Together. But, I don't think the Spirit would move us in counter directions. Am I wrong? Is there scripture to show that the Spirit works to create confusion in our decisions?
Thanks,
Matt B.
# posted by : 8:22 AM PST
: 8:22 AM PST
Good points. Both of you hit on one of the great struggles in serving as a shepherd -- rising above the politics. And Matt, you are right that some actually serve as if elected by a group of constituents instead of trying to lead the flock.
Let me speak to Matt's question -- and I may blog on it later because it has me thinking. I am not sure why no one will answer this, but I think I can speak to this, at least for the SH eldership. I do not believe that the Spirit leads in different directions. And I believe in the plurality of elders and the fact that even individual elders submit to the entire eldership.
so on controversial topics, we may have a wide range of views. So we study Scripture, pray, everyone voices an opinion, and then we begin to work on a concensus decision.
We acknowledge that our votes are not always unanimous, but our decions are. Every elder agrees to abide by, and support, the overall decision.
If they are not able to in good conscience, they are expected to resign.
Interestingly enough, you will see this in action at SH right after the first of the year.
Good thoughts.
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Let me speak to Matt's question -- and I may blog on it later because it has me thinking. I am not sure why no one will answer this, but I think I can speak to this, at least for the SH eldership. I do not believe that the Spirit leads in different directions. And I believe in the plurality of elders and the fact that even individual elders submit to the entire eldership.
so on controversial topics, we may have a wide range of views. So we study Scripture, pray, everyone voices an opinion, and then we begin to work on a concensus decision.
We acknowledge that our votes are not always unanimous, but our decions are. Every elder agrees to abide by, and support, the overall decision.
If they are not able to in good conscience, they are expected to resign.
Interestingly enough, you will see this in action at SH right after the first of the year.
Good thoughts.
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