The new wording found in the vocabulary of the emerging church culture is, “creative destruction”. Is it creative? “Yes”. Is it destructive? “Yes” The body of Christ is never honored by disunity and deceptive practices which leave the congregation stunned and destroy the effective work of a soldier of the cross who has served on the front lines of battle and has shown faithfully and clearly what it means to serve under the banner of the cross of Christ our Savior.
The church office door was opened by a highly respected elder of the congregation. By his demeanor and carefully chosen words it was evident that this was a serious, purposeful visit. In fact, he came as a designated spokesman sent by the eldership to relate everything that was wrong in the church and their concern that changes needed to be made. He delineated that the building program they had desired was now completed. The move to the new location had gone very smoothly. Now we find ourselves wanting to move to the pattern of the purpose driven church style of congregational growth where more emphasis is placed on the “seekers” rather than edification of the saints.
It was personally offensive to even have this conversation in this setting. As the lips of my office visitor moved, an atmosphere of tense disunity began to prevail. The words were issued in a personal attack culminating months of discussion which now at last spilled out in front of me for the first time.
The summer had ended. The children of the congregation had returned to school. The weather began to cool the daily temperature and fall was fast approaching. Working on another years’ programming leading to the fall kickoff of ministries had always been a motivating and inspiring time of deepening personal growth. Prayer and constant encouragement challenging worshippers to stand strong in their Christian faith had seen great victories in people’s personal lives. New families were attending services, baptisms were taking place, and the church had seen significant growth in recent years. Could it be that all that had transpired in our walk together with Christ was now to be challenged as an ineffective way to serve Him? Was a paradigm shift necessary? Must “creative destruction” be the only answer?
A handful of people filled with a heart felt vision had laid the ground work for a strong new congregation. Through the years the Lord had opened doors of faithful challenge that led us to a deepening relationship with Christ. Together we had overcome each obstacle that was placed in our way. Moving into the new church building brought a new sense of purpose and a focused effort to evangelize our community. God’s people were united in a common purpose to accomplish the task before them and by so doing influencing generations to come.
Now this meeting, today, brought to a halt to all that God was doing in our lives together. Being asked to make a choice as others sought control was unbearable. In reality the choice had already been made by those who refused to take personal responsibility for their actions. The eldership would have a more respectable appearance if the minister could be forced into making the decision. The misplaced responsibility of being asked to, “take some time to consider the matter and then choose what you want to do”, only compounded the deceptiveness of those seeking authoritative control. Was there no one who would rise up to defend the ministry of the past years and keep in focus the true Head of the church, Jesus Christ?
These events would be made known to only a select few. The entire congregation would be informed in the way of a letter. The majority of the congregation was never really aware of what had happened. Wording was carefully crafted to lay all the decision at the feet of the minister with no fault staining the hands of the eldership. Members of the church soon felt that there was something drastically wrong, but could not comprehend the total scene being played out before them. There were questions, everyone felt it, and no one knew what to do. A feeling of helplessness pervaded within the Church.
To effectively display authority over the matter and to quiet the minister the eldership told him he could attend church for a brief period but he was not to lead music, not to teach his Sunday School Class, not to preach for the next several weeks, or to make any public prayer or statement to the congregation. This would be called a time of rest and sabbatical for him. Following this period he would be asked for a final decision. The elders effectively prevented an open congregational meeting and had decided to keep things as quiet as possible all under their immediate control. They felt that in electing them, the church had given them the power to move in the direction that they deemed expedient. Now, it was made to appear that the entire matter rests on the minister alone who was prevented from communicating to the membership of the congregation. I could not fathom how the word, “rest” or “sabbatical” could ever be used to describe my personal feelings. How does one, “rest” when you see the,“creative distraction”, crumbling before you. All you worked for over the past years is now in question?
No one seemed to question the decision. Wasn’t it true that the elders must be right? Unfortunately, if someone did ask a question he would be immediately labeled as a divider of God’s people. Was there no accountability for church leaders who forced these types of decisions? Individuals and families were treated like blind sheep and had lost the careful protection of a loving shepherd. The eldership had a first priority to care for the sheep, not to devour the servant of God. What about the effect of all this on the children of the minister? What about the effect on his wife? What effect will this have on the personal life of the minister who so long ago was ordained to the ministry and pledged his life to serve Christ in all circumstances?
On the office wall, over the shoulder of the elder who now came bearing this new direction for the church, hung a gift that was given to celebrate 25 faithful years of service to the church. It was more than just a plaque; it was a reminder that only a few years before the same eldership rejoiced in the work that was being accomplished and wished to recognize the labors of their chosen servant. A few short years later, was he no longer worthy to do what he had done for the past 27 years. What about the countless hours of serving as the general contractor during the construction of the new building?
Now there was to be a new direction for the church. Someone else was to carry the church into a faster and more progressive growth style, targeting the “seekers” and specifically “the emerging church”. An unrelenting movement over the past several months to take away the emphasis of invitation during the worship service and move to a decision day where many baptisms would be celebrated, to change music styles to ultra contemporary, and to lay aside the Biblical qualifications for church elders and deacons had now led to a place where the minister could not go. The determined effort to take more and more time in the service to make sure that a card be filled out by all visitors had led us down a road where any minister must say, “enough is enough”. A call to fill out a card had replaced the more important call to repentance at invitation time. As the door closed behind the exiting office visitor that day, tears began to fall on my checks. For the first I realized that I was alone. God is still to be honored as we step into the unknown and search for His will. Hand in hand joined together with Christ we share blessings that will reach beyond this present journey. My ministry was over and there was no question of what was to come.
By the time the congregation was notified the damage was done. The divisive spirit had prevailed. The minister was never allowed to address the congregation. Never once was the whole story ever told, openly informing the congregation of the real purpose behind the decision that had brought us to this moment in congregational history. Secret and deceptive moves employed by the “elected eldership” were brought to fruition on this day by the designated spokesman who entered the office door. Phase one of the “creative destruction” had now been brought to its ultimate conclusion. The door to phase two of the “creative destruction” model could now be opened. What would be behind door number 3?
Door number 1 – The office visitor came to see me on Thursday. Door number 2 – Our son’s college van accident was the following Saturday morning, only two days later. Door number 3 – Bryan came home from the Hospital three months later and within one month our family was asked to vacate the parsonage. No opportunity to bring my ministry to a close or to say good-bye to the congregation I loved was never afforded me. Do not speak – just leave.
I still live with the wounds and scars of that ministry. So much had changed in two days. We had lost our ministry, nearly lost our son, and could not speak to anyone. With My wife’s recent departure to Heaven and now in my current retirement serving a small church in North Texas I realize that there are so many servants of Christ who are wounded by “friendly fire”. Jesus never promised that ministry would be easy. The battle always continues in the trenches. Stand tall warrior! Your work does not go unrewarded! Well done thou good and faithful servant! Continue on in changing lives by presenting the teachings of Christ! Jesus instructed each of us when he said, “I am the light of the world … If I be lifted up I will draw all men to me.”
Isaiah 53 calls attention to Jesus and brings into clear focus that Christ was wounded and we esteemed Him not. My prayer has always been, “Help me to be the servant that you want me to be. Humble my heart and teach me that it is your church that I serve. Help me to instill in others what Christ desires. Not my will but yours. Mold my personal life and the life of the congregation with whom I serve. Help me to lift up Christ and lay down my own will so that you alone may be honored.” I love every one at this church where we served the Lord together. It is indeed a true blessing to see the continued growth of the Lord’s church in this community. Serve on – My brothers and sisters in Christ.
Paul Sisson
TREASURES FOR THE HEART 