Churchiness' Poli-ticks: a 'letter to the editor'

I just sent the following letter to my Pastor in response to some bad omens about our Trustee's strange and unbiblical behavior. I pulled out full names and the town location, but those in the situation should be able to recognize the issues at hand... and rightly they should. I would have sent this to the entire congregation, but that's for the Pastor to decide. I gave him my permission, but he's a soft-spoken man. And, currently he seems to be using the 'wait and see' strategy with all of the folks in our little white-washed tomb. So, we'll have to 'wait and see' what happens in the coming months. (so far, some vipers have left the building...)

Various Thoughts:

1. since last summer, I have not trusted the trustees. I believe that BW is working in his own best interests, that DN is interested only in the investments and doesn't know what to do with the Church, and that RF is just going along with whatever the other two have to say. I seriously doubt that they are prayerfully considering the will of God in their decisions, and it doesn't seem that they are working in the interests of the congregation; therefore, I wonder who's interest they are working in? At them moment, it seems that they are working in the interests of the dead, instead of the living -- when they are supposed to be working for the glory of God in honor of those who have gone to be with Him.

2. Why does God want churches? Because churches are made up of Christians… and God wants more Christians in town. Right here, teens are doing drugs, getting pregnant and having abortions. Right here, parents are divorcing, adults are committing suicide, and many elderly people are lonely and afraid. Right here, there are people who need to understand the Love of Christ. This is why there should be more churches in our town. Church is not a Sunday Morning destination or a social club, it's a 24/7 job description, it's the process of learning, changing, growing, of getting to know God and becoming what God wants us to be… and God wants us to be a light in the world.

-- How can we be a light in the world if we run away and then turn off the lights on the way out?

3. The "Tradition" of requiring a financial match in order to utilize gifts given to the Church is unethical and unbiblical. It is unethical because it withholds gifts given to the Church, from the Church. Also, by requiring a financial match in order to determine "the will of the church," the trustees create a situation in which those with the most money wield the most power. This is not a biblical model, but a worldly model. Our Church will not succeed as the Body of Christ until this worldly model is abolished. Christ does not require that we provide cash in order to do the will of God. In fact, in the New Testament accounts we find that in the early Church, slaves held positions of authority over their masters. In the Kingdom of God, one's economic position means nothing. Rather, it is one's relationship with Christ that means everything.

4. My parents recently moved into a small home 45 minutes away from the family homestead. They had been church accountants, Steven's ministers, on the Facilities Board, the Technology Board, the council for church planning and planting, and very active in the choir for 30 years. Just a few short years ago, my Dad was at church every day, opening doors, attending meetings, going to rehearsals and special services.

When my parents moved, they visited a small church down the street. They've met the pastor and have gotten to know many of the members. But, they still drive 45 minutes each way to worship at their old church each Sunday. They've retired from all of their leadership positions and no longer attend weekly and monthly business meetings, but they still go to Sunday worship with old friends.

Someday, they won't be able to drive as far, but then they'll already have a church family close by of neighbors and friends. They understand what it means to be part of the Body of Christ. The first order is to worship. Then, they serve as they are able.

The morale of the story: If a member of our church leadership is not attending worship, they should not lead. If they are attending other places of worship, they should be involved in leadership in the Body in which they worship.

Happy Friday (...but Sunday's commin'!)

- MrsQ