Christians & The Changed Life

[Thoughtful Monk]

Should the way that another conducts himself be allowed to impact on "my" own walk?
Serving in a church full of pew-warmers puts a person in a massive mission field.

My first reaction if a church is so fallen away that it is viewed as a mission field is the current church leadership should be dismissed from office for gross incompetence and the church closed.

My second reaction based on my experience in churches is treating a church as a mission field will result in a church split. As people changed from pew warmers to active believers, they will have different expectations from the community. Eventually this will cause conflict with the maintain the status quo crowd. Someday the church won't be big enough for both and the split occurs. Sometime later, the remnant in the church throw in the towel and close it. Except for the closed part, I lived through this one.

I would only try this if I was the senior pastor of that church or I had a really clear message from God that is what He wants.

Question though: if a church is really that fallen away, is the pain of trying to revive it better than letting it peacefully die? Seeing the sentence makes me realize the answer is yes. Maybe I need to deal with my pain aversion.

[tabibito]

My first reaction if a church is so fallen away that it is viewed as a mission field is the current church leadership should be dismissed from office for gross incompetence and the church closed.

It's been done. Not without a few refugees being sent to churches with a less corrosive influence though. The mission field approach is the last ditch attempt to prevent that outcome.

My second reaction based on my experience in churches is treating a church as a mission field will result in a church split. As people changed from pew warmers to active believers, they will have different expectations from the community. Eventually this will cause conflict with the maintain the status quo crowd. Someday the church won't be big enough for both and the split occurs. Sometime later, the remnant in the church throw in the towel and close it. Except for the closed part, I lived through this one.

It's a better course than allowing everyone to go down with the ship. Remonstrant's comment about separation is apropos but incomplete - sometimes a person is called upon to persevere until he gets the royal order of the boot. The difficulty lies in assessing which approach is appropriate for the circumstances under review.

A church which refuses sound teaching will not for long tolerate its presence - but members who do welcome such teachings will not stay when the teacher is ejected. (again, it's been done.) With the refugees safely out of the line of fire, the church will be permitted to self destruct. (and yet again, it's been done.)

I would only try this if I was the senior pastor of that church or I had a really clear message from God that is what He wants.

It would seem from your comments that he has done just that. Asking to be given something by way of confirmation is an approved action.

Question though: if a church is really that fallen away, is the pain of trying to revive it better than letting it peacefully die? Seeing the sentence makes me realize the answer is yes. Maybe I need to deal with my pain aversion.

Yup. There might be one or three who are simply overwhelmed by the problems. Viewing such congregations (and betimes perhaps, entire denominations) as mission fields prevents tossing the babies out with the bath-water.

[Cow Poke]

My first reaction if a church is so fallen away that it is viewed as a mission field is the current church leadership should be dismissed from office for gross incompetence and the church closed.

Agreed! But if the local congregation has that authority, they've probably accepted the leadership "having itching ears", hearing what they want to hear. If the denomination or some presbytery has the authority, they probably condone such nonsense.

My second reaction based on my experience in churches is treating a church as a mission field will result in a church split. As people changed from pew warmers to active believers, they will have different expectations from the community. Eventually this will cause conflict with the maintain the status quo crowd. Someday the church won't be big enough for both and the split occurs. Sometime later, the remnant in the church throw in the towel and close it. Except for the closed part, I lived through this one.

And that can be a GOOD thing, yes? Kind of dividing the sheep and the goats?

I would only try this if I was the senior pastor of that church or I had a really clear message from God that is what He wants.

Question though: if a church is really that fallen away, is the pain of trying to revive it better than letting it peacefully die? Seeing the sentence makes me realize the answer is yes. Maybe I need to deal with my pain aversion.

We have several churches in our area who seem to have "a form of godliness but deny the power thereof". In some cases, it's just a social group where some local politicians have their "membership" so they can promote themselves as "a member of XYZ church". These churches, however, just in the short time I've been here, seem to be dying a natural death. With no evangelism or outreach, they've pretty much sealed their fate with each successive funeral.

[Rushing Jaws]

This is where confession to a priest helps. The priest, when told of these private struggles, can give advice beyond "keep doing what you're doing."