Leaders need to have some form of accountability and those IN authority also need to be UNDER authority. Unfortunately what we SAY we do is not what we practise; there may be "official" reporting relationships designed to ensure accountability that are ignored (or even flouted) with apparent impunity. It's always so hard to determine when it's appropriate to overlook such offenses and when to tackle them, but we should never sacrifice doing the right thing in order to maintain a false peace. God's Word has some pretty strong things to say about saying "peace peace when there is no peace"; staying silent in the face of leadership that holds itself above accountability because one fears the consequences of speaking out is never a good idea, though it may be the most comfortable.
Diana (Guest)
Posted: January 03, 2008
Looks like more questions than answers. Our pastor & head deacon came from the "old" church and everything is done their way. We have had board meetings to iron out issues; think the issues have been handled, to find out later everything is the same. Everyone from the "old" church do whatever they want, even if the board has agreed to do differently. We are a very small church, and have a regional office that we report to. Since everyone knows everyone else, we hesitate to inform them. Our minister has a few years before retirement and his wife was seriously ill, almost terminal. He's very loving and will do anything for anyone. We would not want to be the reason they would have to move. I have offered to have someone come in to help evaluate our congregation, but he oposses it. There are some who quote the bible "to not touch God's anointed and/or God is handling it." Even though I love this church family, I am ready to leave for a more stable environment. Help!!!
Matt Branaugh (Registered User)
Posted: January 03, 2008
I think Bob provides some wise counsel here; one thing I would add: Bring your fellow church planters together for prayer seeking God's counsel in this. It's situations like this that Satan tries to use to divide church bodies, and to create individual doubts about overall church life. A support network is a useful, and necessary, tool to help during a time such as this.
Here on Building Church Leaders, you might consider a couple of useful resources: a Survival Guide entitled "Avoding An All-Out Church War," a Practical Ministry Skills entitled, "Dealing with Difficult People," and a Training Theme on "Handling Conflict."
We also have several free articles regarding conflict and church discipline, including:
http://buildingchurchleaders.com/articles/2001/le-2001-002-21.103.html
http://buildingchurchleaders.com/articles/2004/101304.html
http://buildingchurchleaders.com/articles/2005/071305.html
http://buildingchurchleaders.com/articles/2005/051005.html
Bob (Guest)
Posted: January 03, 2008
The solution is simple but the consequences may be devastating. Christ tells us if we have an issue with a brother to go to him one on one, but since this appears to involve a group of individuals I believe you along with several other key leaders in your church need to meet with this group and put it all on the table. Depending on the outcome of this meeting you would need to decide if you next move would be to bring it before the church, needless to say this whole situation needs to be bathed much in prayer. You don't say what the denomination of your church is, that might play a role as well as there might be a person within the denomination whose role is to be involved in matters such as this who can help the discussion to stay focused on the issue and not to become an us versus them or be seen as a personality conflict as opposed to a serious ministry issue which from what you presented it appears to be.
Richard (Guest)
Posted: January 02, 2008
We had a situation at our church. We were in the process of planting a church. One of the leaders (who is also an elder at the mother church) backed out. The plant was still moving forward. We were regrouping/forming new teams. One of the other elders from the mother church asked for the money that was tithed into a whole seperate account under the new church name and deposited into the mother churches account. The understanding was that this money would stay in there until new teams were formed. In the interm, they spent it. Was this leagal? I have proof that the plant was still moving forward, proof that the money was to be held in that account. The tree elders deny this. They called in a biased party (whom the one elder has had a long standing relationship with, who by the way this elder has a serious control issue!). This elder even admitted to forcing another elder out who wasn't inline with the church plant. Does anyone have any input to this situation.
