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During a gospel meeting, I watched an elder work hard for hours on one of the air conditioners at the building. I asked the preacher if they had a deacon whose ministry was the upkeep of the building. He said they did. “Why doesn’t the elder let him, encourage him, hold him responsible?,” I asked….
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…
Why can’t we get anything done?” “Who’s responsible for that?” “How long have we been talking about that?” In our elders-preachers meetings, we found we were letting things “fall through the cracks.” It was 1985. I bought my first computer. I read an idea in The Insight System for Planning Your Time and Your Life,…
Our deacons won’t do their work.” “The elders won’t let us do anything!” “They get started and then quit.” “They try to take over.” “We get started and then the elders come in and do it their way without explaining. I’m not going to waste my time anymore.” I hear these comments in congregation after…
What is the eternal destination of a person who commits suicide? People contemplating suicide have asked this question as well as relatives and friends of those who killed themselves. Last year I was called to preach the funeral of a friend who committed suicide. After a few introductory remarks, I said, “Let’s discuss what people…
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…
“I don’t want to hear another preacher telling elders what to do. He hasn’t been an elder. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” I understand someone tiring of being instructed by a person who seems to have no reason to understand. However, most male doctors have never had a baby and yet they help…