On this episode we answer this email question from Denny Dillman:
"A member gets angry about a decision in the church. One minute they are onboard with you totally. The next they are gone, and seeking out other members to see if they can be "turned". The dust settles, but as a Pastor, you find yourself avoiding contact with this person. In a small town, you know you're going to bump into this person at the Dollar Store. Pastors, what should a brother Pastor do?"
THERE ARE 6 MAJOR ISSUES AT PLAY IN THIS SITUATION!
- A decision has been made that has introduced some kind of change in the church.
- Examples: Wallpapering the bathroom, starting a Sunday school class for singles, moving the service time, etc.
- Some people agree with the decision, some people do not agree.
- Someone who said they agreed now disagrees.
- This is common, but maybe not normal.
- Perhaps:
- They didn’t understand the decision.
- They were present for the decision and seemed to agree, but really were just not paying attention.
- They thought more about it and changed their mind (might have even been influenced by someone who always disagreed).
- You offended them in another area, now they disagree with you in this area.
- They lied! They were never really with you, but said they were.
- The person is being divisive. Danger, Will Robinson!!
- 1 Corinthians 1:10
- Philippians 2:1–3
- Titus 3:1-11
- The dust has settled.
- If that just means that people have stopped talking about the issue, that isn’t good.
- The pastor now feels himself trying to avoid this person.
- As pastors we are going to know that, when certain people come our way, they are likely to say something attacking, or cutting, or just disagreeable.
- Ephesians 4
- Christians don’t have the luxury of having people in our lives we just don’t deal with.
- Ken Sande’s The Peacemaker
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