HOW CAN YOU ADDRESS THE CONCERNS OF YOUR CHURCH?
Being a good Christian also has negative connotations. That is, you begin to be concerned about the cause of Christ – how He is worshipped; how this and that should be done, especially in the house of God. Imagine yourself being part of this church community, perhaps you have been a member for as long as your mind can recall. You love this congregation with all your being; you are so connected to the point where it is unthinkable to imagine yourself somewhere else. What then should you do if you begin to see a few things (perhaps many) that you are not pleased with? And I don’t mean just what you don’t like according to your personal preference, but the point is, as you look into Scripture: how the church is supposed to be run biblically, then you see that your local church no longer aligns with that. The issues can range from minor issues like the music style to serious problems like leadership that is walking in sin. If you are doctrinally conscious like I am, then false teaching is also an abomination in the church.
I am a strong believer in church discipline. That is, when I, as a member of Christ’s body, should wander off the course of righteousness, God’s people sit me down and correct me back to the truth. But then, who disciplines the leadership when they are no longer walking according to the covenant of our Lord? It’s you as a member! You have that right. How then can you address these things without being misunderstood?
I mention the issue of being misunderstood because that is what always happens when a believer comes with a matter of concern to church leaders. Invariably, they are often accused of trying to bring division among the people of God. Remember, the last thing we want to be guilty of is sowing discord among brethren (Prov 6:19). At the same time, we do not want to be responsible for tolerating evil in the church, under the name of maintaining peace (1 Cor 5:9-12).
Because of this, many of God’s people – upon observing problems in their worship assemblies – either continue gossiping about it or leave the church altogether – and just join another one next door. I am of the opinion that this kind of action should be the last resort after all else has failed. You must express your concerns, regardless of the risk involved. Either way, somebody has to stand up for what is right and confront error from its root because, at the end of the day, the reputation of the Name of Christ is damaged and the innocent are deceived. Here is how I think it should be done…
1.) Examine your motives - Because of our sin nature, we are bound to have unhealthy motives one way or the other. Therefore, whatever problem you think you see in your church, could it be because you want things done according to your way? Or could it be because you just don’t like the leadership for whatever reason? Check that first. However, if you are confident that it’s not about anything personal, but you do have genuine care and love for Christ, His glory and the salvation of souls, then your motive is good. You have a right to be upset about that particular issue.
2.) Consult godly counsel - Yes, find someone spiritually mature and trustworthy; be it outside or within. Tell them about what is happening at your church in detail and ask their advice going forward. You do this because sometimes, you may be the one who is overreacting. What you perceive as a problem may be, in fact, not a problem at all. Hence a second opinion would give you a proper perspective of the whole situation.
3.) Approach the church elders – The next step would be to approach the leadership of your assembly. The ideal scenario (the biblical model) is that a church is supposed to have multiple elders who are there to help the lead pastor, especially with the needs of its members. Get talking to them, humbly and sincerely. If possible, write down your concerns in detail so that you won’t be overrun with fear and emotion before you say anything meaningful. Depending on the maturity of that eldership, they will listen to you, and who knows? God might just use you to correct the church back to repentance. It’s sad to say that most churches in Africa are a one-man show. There is only one guy who is in control of everything, with nobody to challenge or hold him accountable. He appoints and removes at will. If you are in that kind of “church”, then tough luck. You are not going to win either way. You would rather maintain the health of your BP by leaving in peace.
4.) Tone of approach - No matter how genuine your concerns are, it won’t matter as long as your attitude and tone is bad. I have already hinted about the idea of humility because there is nothing as vital as this. Do not project the “I know better” attitude or that kind of thing. Instead, let the aroma of Christ shine through and through. Whatever you do, maintain a calm posture without bursting into emotional drama. Do not accuse them of anything, but just state your point of view about what is happening in the church and the direction it is taking. After all is done, thank them for their time, and be willing to give them enough time to process your issue before they get back to you.
Another unfortunate thing that often happens is that some leaders choose to ignore the issues raised and toss them aside as soon as the conversation is over. That is a steward who runs away from his responsibility, completely betraying his Gospel calling. Yet a good leader will come back to you, and honestly tell you what he thinks, even if it means rejecting your suggestions. At least you will have an idea of where your church is going, and make the decision to either stay or leave.
Personal matters
There are some instances where your problem may not be with the leadership of the church per se, but perhaps you had a personal beef with another brother in the congregation. If that is the case, I suggest you should not bother approaching your elders with your personal issue with a fellow member. Rather, apply the Matthew 18:15-17 principle. Approach the person directly about your displeasure. Only if they don’t listen, should you then escalate the issue to the rest of the church leadership.
When it’s time to leave
If all else fails, perhaps it may be your time to move on from that fellowship. However, do not do the common but evil practice of fighting with everyone when you are leaving a church. You do not have to talk badly about that leadership and try to influence other members to revolt. If, according to you, that gathering is no longer fit for you, that is fine. Leave in good terms and glory God in the process.
Sinothi Ncube.
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