10 Things Healthy Churches Do Well particularly when it comes to dealing with

Joe McKeever more from this author » problems.

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Scripture: Acts 6:1-6:7 1. They Expect To Have Problems.
On Facebook I posted an invitation for Any growing body will have its share of
people to say, in one word each, their aches and pains. The Jerusalem church had
concept of church, sermons, and church been basking in the sunshine. All was well.
music. To no one’s surprise but mine, I God had sent miracles, new believers were
suppose, the responses were all over the arriving daily, and a sense of contentment
map. With so benign a request, I had settled in upon the leadership. Suddenly,
unearthed acres of pain and anger about the from inside the family, a groan went up.
Lord’s people and His churches. Many of the Then it swelled into a chorus of complaints.
church’s severest critics are faithful brethren In the distribution of food for the
who carry scars from mistreatment by the congregation, the widows received priority.
Lord’s own people, the very ones they had But for some reason, Hebrew widows were
been trusting. getting the lion’s share to the neglect of the
Write a book on “Why I’m Through with the Grecian widows. Did someone there say, “Oh
Church Forever,” and you will make money. no! We have a problem! What are we doing
Even those of us who love the church and wrong?” Did they panic? Did anyone jump
have devoted our lives in her service will feel ship because the presence of a problem
a need to hear what you have to say. But must indicate they were failing God? Not that
write a book on “Why I Love the Church,” we can tell.
and you’ll end up with a garage full of your Any church will have the occasional problem.
efforts. Those who already love the church Like a growing child, a lively family, or a
will “Amen” you, and critics on the outside thriving business, challenges arise within
will mark you off as deluded. growing enterprises that have to be dealt
Whether we are a critic or a lover of the with. Not only is it not bad, it could be an
church—or for some of us, both—it’s indication you’re doing something right.
important to remain balanced. Let’s 2. They Handle Criticism Well.
acknowledge that there are both kinds of The healthiest family will run into a problem
churches in the world today: good and bad. from time to time that results in unhappy
Strong and weak. Churches that ought to be campers needing to speak up. People who
cloned and some that should be euthanized. gripe do not think of what they are doing as
And for these moments, let’s focus on the undercutting their leadership and
churches which are healthy and strong, demoralizing the troops. They are just
faithful and loving, redemptive and full of registering their displeasure at the way
grace. something is being done in the church. There
There are cases in Scripture of churches is, of course, a healthy way to complain, and
getting it right. An incident in Acts 6, there is a type of complaining that is like a
comprising only seven verses, is a wonderful cancer in its deadliness, a knife in the cuts
illustration of a congregation that faced up to and wounds it inflicts, and a slap in the face
a crisis in a healthy, Christ-honoring way and for the abrupt wake-up it administers.
bore great fruit as a result. Let’s use that The pastor of a megachurch in Texas, a man
Jerusalem church as an object lesson. Here who had led that church from near death to
are ten things healthy churches do well, become a powerhouse in the Lord’s work,
told me one day that he had a deacon who
had fought him on everything he had tried to That same day, I called a meeting of our
do. I was stunned. Surely, I thought such a leadership to deal with that letter. We all
strong pastor would have dealt with that agreed the couple had identified a serious
character in short order. But he hadn’t. He need. We did not leave that room until we
never told me why he had left that guy in came up with a plan for instituting
place, but I think I know. Sometimes unfair safeguards and a parental-identification
criticism can perform a useful function. system for the nursery. Then I called on the
Others hear it and do not want to be young family and assured them of our
associated with that position. They shrink appreciation for their letter. They joined our
away from the naysayer and rush to the church and became valuable members of our
support and defense of their leaders. family.
A wise pastor will not panic when he learns 4. They Depend On Their Lay Leadership.
someone is criticizing. “Consider the source” Acts 6:3. The twelve summoned the
is always good advice. The “fix-it” mindset in multitude of the disciples and said…“Seek
me wants to say that if we incorporate out from among you seven men...”
structures into the church organization so Preachers do not have to handle every issue
people can register their complaints and themselves. In an unhealthy church, they
suggestions, we will not have the murmuring may have to. “That’s what we pay them for,”
and bellyaching which drive the leadership I can hear someone saying. No, sir. You do
nuts. not.
3. They Deal With Problems Promptly. Some ministers are unable to turn over jobs
One of the differences in healthy and sick and feel their authority is being undercut if
bodies is in their promptness in responding they ask someone else to do anything. This
to an infection. Some critics can be left alone is not authority but a sickness. God does not
safely, since the body has walled them off send His pastoral servants to do everything
and they will do no harm—and can actually themselves, but to assist others in finding
do some good indirectly. Most problems that their spiritual gifts, their calling, their place
arise, however, should be dealt with by of service. Problems that arise can provide
specific action. A healthy church will either ideal opportunities for such ministry.
already have a way to deal with problems, I always loved it when my pastor would say
criticism, and trouble-makers, or it will find a to me, “Joe, such-and-such has arisen and
method quickly when the need arises. we need to jump on this. Can you get with
Some years ago, the church I was pastoring the teachers in that department and deal
received a letter on a Monday morning from with this?” Absolutely. He’s trusting me. He’s
a medical doctor and his wife. They had doing what he should do—find the right
visited our services the previous day, they person and delegate the responsibility. Later,
said, but would not be back. He said we had it was fun to write a report to him on what
failed to provide security in the nursery area we did and how the problem was resolved.
of the church. The father said, “After church, 5. The Pastoral Leadership Stays With Its
I walked up to the window and pointed out Divinely-Given Priorities.
my child and said, ‘That one,’ and the lady Acts 6:2, 4. “It is not desirable that we
handed her to me.” He said, “Anyone could should leave the word of God and serve
have done that. She would have given that tables... We will give ourselves continually to
child to anyone who pointed out my baby.” prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
In a healthy body, the head (not the divine 7. The Congregation Supports Their Leaders
“Head,” but the overseer—episcopos) does And Trusts Them To Do The Job.
not stop its activity of receiving information, Once good leaders are chosen, the
of thinking and studying, or of learning and congregation should get out of their way and
analyzing in order to pull another part of the let them do the work they were assigned.
body out of trouble. It stays with its Invariably, they’ll come in for criticism at
priorities. After all, some other part of the some point—it’s the nature of the leadership
body—an arm, a hand, fingers—is better beast—and will need two things: their pastor
equipped for rescue work than the head. to defend them and the congregation to
One reason so many pastors meet reaffirm their trust.
themselves coming and going is that they Even when we do not agree with a decision
have misplaced their priorities. They end up our leaders have made, affirming that they
printing the bulletin, contacting nursery did their best is still wise. The injunction of
workers, and filling in for absent teachers. Ephesians 5:21 to “submit to one another”
And we wonder why they burn out. has to mean something: Even when we
6. The Congregation Chooses Good And Godly disagree with each other, we are still going
Leaders. to be supportive.
Acts 6:3. “…seven men of good reputation, The church which insists on making every
full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom…” decision, great or small, in its monthly
Nothing speaks to the health of a church like business meeting is sentencing itself to
the quality of the people it chooses as its dwarfism and its leadership to misery. This is
leaders. Take deacons. I’ve seen churches one element in what Ken Hemphill has called
choose able-bodied, mature men of integrity “the bonsai theory of church growth” (in his
for this work (and more than a few great excellent book of the same name).
women, but we’ll save that discussion for 8. Solutions Model Christlikeness.
another time). And I’ve seen churches—alas, Acts 6:5–6. And the saying pleased the
I’ve pastored them—where the congregation whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a
chose men on a popularity basis and ended man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and
up with well-liked but weak men with no Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas,
biblical foundation. Pity the pastor who is and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, whom
sentenced to work with leaders who see they set before the apostles....
themselves as big-shots sent to rule over the In his commentary on this passage, John
members and order the ministers but who MacArthur writes, “The seven men chosen by
don’t have a clue as to what the Bible says the church all had Greek names, implying
about anything. they were all Hellenists. The church, in a
In a typical church, the people will know who display of love and unity, may have chosen
the godly men and women are and who does them to rectify the apparent imbalance
not qualify. As a rule, the pastor will not involving the Hellenistic widows.” I think I’d
need to give guidance in the selection of have said it even more strongly: They chose
such. What he may need to do, I hasten to them for that very purpose!
add, is to ensure that the process of Sometimes in churches where I’m teaching
selecting such leaders is not a popularity this text (and it’s almost always a majority-
contest. white congregation here in the deep South),
My point is very simple: I’ll tell them it’s as though the African-
American members of the church were
complaining that their widows were being twelve things begin to happen from that
neglected in favor of the Anglo widows. So moment.
the congregation chose seven black men—all  God is glorified.
godly and mature—to take charge of the  Jesus is pleased.
distribution of food. Think of the statement  The Holy Spirit is freed to do whatever
that would make to the church’s own He had planned.
members as well as to the world!  The devil is infuriated. This is not
The next time a group of people in your going according to plan.
church cry that they are being neglected in  The enemies are puzzled. You are
ministry, ask yourself what would happen if behaving differently from what they
a representative group of them were put in had expected.
charge of the work. We need to emphasize  The critics of the church are silenced.
that if this is to work, the group must be  The church itself is edified and
mature and godly; otherwise it’s a disaster in strengthened.
the making.  Church members going through hard
9. Problems Are Dealt With So Well That The times are encouraged and instructed.
World Is Impressed.  Outsiders are impressed and want
Acts 6:7. Then the word spread and the some of what they see in you.
number of disciples multiplied greatly in  You yourself are blessed.
Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests  Your reward in Heaven is great (Luke
were obedient to the faith. 6:35a).
The outside world was watching. When a  Your reputation goes through the roof
problem arose within the membership, some (Luke 6:35b).
held their breath. This would tell the tale on Anything that can achieve all of this in one
the Christians. Would they panic and self- motion has to be considered a blessing
destruct? Would the leadership impose a indeed!
cult-like autocratic rule over the Most of us have learned to look behind us
membership? Or would they handle this and thank God for what appeared an
legitimate issue in the love which they insoluble problem but which He turned into a
preached? major blessing. The trick is to give thanks in
They got it right. They did it so well that the advance, the moment the problem arises.
outside world—lay and priest alike—said, After all, experience has now taught you that
“We like what we see. We want what you these are opportunities for the Lord to do
have.” No problem which results in this kind something special. Aren’t we blessed to have
of harvest is bad. Any problem which causes such a sovereign, active, blessing-oriented
the church’s leadership to forget who they God!
are (and Whose they are) and to adopt the
world’s way of problem-solving is no friend. Joe McKeever
10. Twelve Other Things Happen Immediately.
Whenever God’s people do the hard thing in
the Lord’s way—when we love the unlovely,
when we forgive our attackers, when we love
our enemy, when we soldier on in the face of
adversity, when we maintain our joy in the
midst of disaster and retaliate with love—