What beats my understanding is the level at which the ministers of the gospel are verbally fighting within and without, aiming to character assassinate one another regardless of their call, position and influence. Such a tendance undermines not only the perpetrators but also the church vitality hence, stunts her growth and health.
Just as medical doctors examine their patients to ascertain signs of health, diseases and injury to determine the degree of health, it is possible to evaluate churches or any other organization’s health. Like a human body that requires regular exercise, good diet, rest etc., a church ought to attend to her vitality.
Much as church health is entirely God’s work, God uses human beings to accomplish it. Some of the indicators of church health are obvious like passion to reach out to lost souls and fellowship while others are uncommon. Some of the unhealth indicators are open conflict, moral decadence among others.
Due to space and time, let’s emphasize on spiritual vitality aspect of the church. For Christian growth to be realized, a lot should be put in place. Such require prayer, fellowship, soul cutting message and studying of the Word among others. Here the leadership contributes a lot as the maturity of the church shall be outwardly rated on the maturity of its leaders.
Pastor’s cardinal role
The Bible states the cardinal role of the fivefold ministry (Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers) as “to prepare God’s people for the work of service so that the body of Christ may be built up” (Eph.4:12). From this verse, whichever ministry you have in church whether tangible or intangible and is not aligned with the above, is then not worth to function – in church. Here, a Pastor, the in charge and custodian of a local church, plays a vital role beginning with himself then the followers.
What question pops into your mind when you see and hear pastors on media insulting one another before believers and prospective believers? Are they building up (edifying) or tearing? Is that part of their cardinal roles as per the call? I acknowledge that conflicts are unavoidable but they are manageable in the church. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “I say this to your shame. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute among believers? (ICor.6:5). Could lack of conflict resolution be ignorance of Bible teaching or lack of supreme authority to regulate on what is done in churches today?
Dangers
Four dangers facing the such ministers and their congregation in line with church vitality elements:
- Undermines their call.
One called to edify is instead breaking as they think of what they have to say in order to create mistrust in the opponent (character assassination). In Proverbs, the writer says, “Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin….” and adds, “Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam”. (Prov. 17: 14, 19). A quarrel is premeditated and a drop falls after the other. We shouldn’t be made to think that sin is only adultery, fornication theft etc. yet we are living with it daily as we prepare sermons blended with attacks to others. Why should one deliberately sin? Do they present on TVs and Radio stations by accident? No, but through thorough preparation that includes quarrel, ridicule and all sorts of degradation conceived in their hearts.
- Misrepresentation of the authority
Misrepresentation and impersonation are synonymous. If you’re a leader, you have a body you subscribe to. Even today during COVID 19 lockdown, government won’t allow you distribute food to the starving. Why? You may misrepresent their interests. No corporate institution can allow to be misrepresented and why should we disregard the supreme authority? (heaven)
- A revelation of one’s state of the heart
What you do is revels your heart since everything flows from the heart (Prov. 4:23). It is also a sign of failure to guard their hearts.
- Bad precedence to the flock
Apostle Paul said, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me -put into practice….” (Phi. 4:9). Consider the above verbs Apostle Paul uses to learn; receive, hear and see. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, many are emulating what we do whether good or bad. The moral authority both spiritually and publicly is lost and souls of followers are endangered. It is hard to stop your child from what you have failed to stop! You beat and insult your spouse? Wait on, your children will do the same as your disciples.
Dear friends, we ought to know that as living beings reproduce themselves, it is obvious that such leaders will definitely reproduce their own kind. Why should you expect a goat to reproduce a sheep? Why expect a quarrelsome proud leader to produce humble one? The misuse of the grace of God to attack and hurl insults to others simply because you own or have access to media house, will certainly produce the same offspring to do exactly what you are doing and if such so happens, in your heart know you have nurtured but negatively!!
Conclusively, the growth and health of the church should be the natural product of its spiritual health which is, the inclination with God the life giver. In whatever we do, we affect those around us either negatively or positively hence contributing to either the health or detriment of the church which has a direct link in standard with the believers therein.
Are you contributing to the life or loss of life to that Church? Don’t take anything light, a small mosquito can cause a deadly disease to the body, even death! Let’s take heed, the owner, the (CEO as in corporates) is soon coming to evaluate you!
Joseph M. Mumbe
The author is a theologian, teacher and Pastor
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