Let me give you a real story of the problems I see
Question:
- Three members of a church of Christ have been shunning two others for two years for reasons unknown.
- One member spreads unfounded gossip about another woman using vile language. She later asked for forgiveness but never apologized.
- Some members lack the courtesy to say, "Good morning," nine out of ten times.
- The minister, a widower, has a girlfriend who sticks to him like glue. They travel together everywhere. It could be platonic but does not look cool.
- My wife did not attend for three weeks due to illness. The minister did not call even once.
- There are groupies who have the same personalities and others are being ignored.
- Heaven forbid if you are an attractive looking, well-dressed woman but have done nothing but good and generous deeds to the very same ones.
- Heaven forbid you are a foreign-born member with a different, but a better understanding of the English language and blunt about issues.
- Most of these folks are old and have been members of the Church of Christ for 40 or more years.
Now to my observations. We push doctrines, no music, alcohol is bad, etc. We do not teach Christ, self-examinations, or love to a brother.
What I think of these folks has no effect. What does the Master think? Is it a wonder there is no growth? We receive your gospel minutes and should you use some of my concerns I will be identified. Frankly, I don't care. We still go there to worship and give the Lord our best. and leave early to be with others who seem to understand love, tolerance, politeness much better.
I just gave you a real story.
Answer:
I have no idea where you attend, or who you thought you were addressing. You reference "your gospel minutes" but since I don't send out any, I know you haven't reached whomever you thought you were writing to.
But none of that matters. The reason you have no growth in your congregation is because of people like yourself who grumble and complain. You seek faults and find plenty of them, but you do nothing to seek solutions. See the lesson, "The Nature of Criticism" and "Ten Rules for Improving the Church" for more details.
Question:
You just proved my point. Your address was the wrong one. You are just like so many stiff-necked preachers of the old school. You know it all except Christ. You think I am the problem. Thank you for your compliment. You have bigger ones. The lack of compassion, love, and concern are only 3.
Good day. Please do not respond. You don't have the qualifications.
Answer:
"Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew 5:11-12).
"Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you" (Titus 2:15).
"Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?" (James 4:11-12).
