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I’m shopping for two items: an Apple watch and a tombstone. One seems more exciting than the other, but I want to buy both. With the watch, I look forward to more enjoyable runs, sending and receiving messages, checking on news and weather, and looking at emails. With the tombstone, I’m reminded I won’t be…
I hereby resign as a…of this congregation — effective immediately! There may be a nod of the head, his wife rises, and they exit the back door. Or a gasp when even his wife didn’t know it was coming. I’ve observed or heard of it happening from elders, deacons, and preachers. Without discussion or planning,…
I know Jesus said to talk to people you have something against, but it won’t do any good because they won’t listen” My question: “What did they say when you talked to them?” Often the answer is, “I didn’t talk to them because it won’t do any good because they won’t listen.” “How do you…
This is the way we’ve always done it. We don’t do it that way around here.” During an eldership funeral (topic for another blog post), I asked the elders, “Will you let new elders be a part of the team? Or will they be junior elders? Would you do anything differently if they suggested it…
How do shepherds, their families, and friends encourage honest, open, and accurate communication? What happens when people want to “send messages” to the elders by someone else? Several years ago, a lady was upset about two issues in the church: she had definite opinions about who shouldn’t be considered as elders and her dislike of…
In a previous post, The Best Day of the Week to Fire Your Preacher, I told of the way my dismissal was mishandled. There is certainly a better way and a better time to tell a preacher he needs to leave. But the elder who did this wasn’t a vicious man. He was a gentle…
It was Sunday, December 19, 1976, 10:20 a.m. I had just taught a Sunday School Class. An elder gently asked me to step into the elders’ office. When the door was closed, he said, “Brother Jerrie, I think you ought to think about resigning today.” What a shock! That had never entered my mind. After…
A question by email: I was involved in a discussion today while in the presence of three christian ladies, hardworking and dependable. A question was asked, and it was obvious that it was headed in the direction of gossip, at which time I ended the discussion. On the way home it occurred to me that…
When working with a church in conflict, one of the most frequently asked questions is, “How can we get rid of a bad elder” (that usually means an elder that doesn’t see things as I do)? My answer is, “Have a lot of elder appreciation parties!” I think that will work — and here is…