{"id":83636,"date":"2025-01-25T14:28:31","date_gmt":"2025-01-25T20:28:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=83636"},"modified":"2025-01-25T14:28:31","modified_gmt":"2025-01-25T20:28:31","slug":"dead-wood-among-the-branches","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/dead-wood-among-the-branches\/","title":{"rendered":"Dead Wood Among the Branches"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\tby Jack Behle<br \/>\nvia Sentry Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 11, November 30, 1983\n<p>The teacher tenure law in our state protects teachers against being dismissed arbitrarily after teaching in a district for five years. In fact, it is very difficult to fire a tenured teacher, no matter what the reason.<\/p>\n<p>The law was designed to give academic freedom and promote quality education, but all too often, it has been abused. Once some teachers make tenure, they think they have it made. They have sort of a once-saved-always-saved mentality. They are no longer conscientious. They tend to cause more disruption when things don&#8217;t go their way. They do just enough to draw a paycheck and escape insubordination, one of the grounds on which they could be fired.<\/p>\n<p>Charles McGehee, in the Chronicle of Higher Education, May 12, 1982, speaks of the dead wood that has been allowed to remain on faculties due to abuses of the tenure laws. He classifies this dead wood into the following types:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Unsure:<\/strong> These teachers may actually be sure within themselves yet refuse to admit it. They constantly seek one more proof and, therefore, do very little.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ignorant:<\/strong> These may have some knowledge of their specialty, but they seem unable to relate it to the rest of the world.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Inept: <\/strong>Teachers who never want to leave the area of their own specialties. They fear making a mistake.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Scared:<\/strong> These are unsure of where they are going. They fear that their goals may not actually be worthwhile and don&#8217;t want to take anyone else there with them.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Tired: <\/strong>These have been sure, knowledgeable, capable, and fearless. Now they are just tired. These need some motivation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Application to the Church<\/h2>\n<p>Many concerned Christians wonder about the apparent lack of growth. We plan &#8220;campaigns&#8221; to promote growth, but the problem may be that there is just too much deadwood among the Lord&#8217;s branches. If everyone did exactly as I do, would the vine be all deadwood?<\/p>\n<p>One way the Lord described His relationship with His followers was as a vine and branches (John 15:1-4). The same types of dead wood seen on school faculties can be seen among these branches, perhaps for the same reasons. Maybe we think we have tenure.<\/p>\n<p>The <strong>unsure<\/strong> profess belief but are not really bold enough to take a stand. Like Peter, when confronted, these decide to deny (John. 18:25-27). They constantly want a little more knowledge, a little more proof before they will go teach another. Like Thomas, they want to see the marks in Jesus&#8217; body to be sure (John 20:24-29). They are not really ready to give an answer for their hope (I Peter 3:15). They need to be as sure as Paul in II Timothy 1:12.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;<em>For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.<\/em>&#8220;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The <strong>ignorant<\/strong> really don&#8217;t know enough to teach others. Whose fault is that? The parents, elders, preachers, and teachers might share the blame, but the responsibility for knowing belongs to each of us (Hebrews 5:12). The word was written for our learning and belief (John 20:30-31; II Peter 3:1-2). Are these anything more than dead wood who will not learn the word of the one they profess to follow?<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0<strong>inept<\/strong> do not handle God&#8217;s truth rightly (II Timothy 2:15). These could do more damage than good as they try to teach others their misconceptions (Matthew 23:15). Besides destroying themselves, they lead others to be lost (II Peter 3:16). These must practice using the truth aright. Let them practice, exercise, and learn under the watchful eye of someone more skillful (Hebrews 5:13-14).<\/p>\n<p>There are more <strong>scared<\/strong> than want to admit it. These know whom they have believed, have practiced, and learned, yet they fear failure. Someone might show them up. Once again, pride gets in the way. These need to remember the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30). God doesn&#8217;t require more than we can deliver. If rejection occurs, it is God being rejected, not some man. They need to remember Paul&#8217;s words in Philippians 4:13, &#8220;<em>I can do all things in Christ which strengtheneth me<\/em>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Finally, there are the <strong>tired<\/strong>. These have been faithful, courageous, skilled, knowledgeable, and sure. Now they are just tired. They have been at it too long and number too few. But they need to be reminded to keep on trying. Like Elijah, they should not think they stand alone (I Kings 19:14-18). Remember Galatians 6:9:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;<em>Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not<\/em>.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Jesus continues in John 15:5-7 describing our relationship to Him as a vine and branches. He says the dead wood will be collected and burned. We don&#8217;t want to be fuel for that fire. To escape, we need to get nourishment from the vine. Feed on the word of God (Matthew 5:6; I Peter 2:2). Learn the word of God and learn to use it. Grow in zeal. As Paul said in Colossians 3:16, &#8220;<em>Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom&#8230;<\/em>&#8221; Teach it to another who can teach it to another (II Timothy 2:2).<\/p>\n<p>Remember, there is no tenure in Christ. Don&#8217;t be complacent. &#8220;<em>Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall<\/em>&#8221; (I Corinthians 10:12).<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by Jack Behle via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 11, November 30, 1983 The teacher tenure law in our state protects teachers against being dismissed arbitrarily after teaching in a district for five years. In fact, it is very difficult to fire a tenured teacher, no matter what the reason. The law was designed to&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[511,106,383],"class_list":["post-83636","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-apathy","tag-discipline","tag-growth"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2089,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-is-the-philosophy-of-true-education\/","url_meta":{"origin":83636,"position":0},"title":"What is the philosophy of true education?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 18, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: What is the philosophy of true education? Answer: At its core, education is the process of transferring knowledge, understanding, and wisdom from one individual to another. John Milton Gregory, in his book\u00a0The Seven Laws of Teaching, said, \"Teaching is arousing and using the pupil's mind to grasp the desired\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":56042,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/education-who-is-to-be-blamed\/","url_meta":{"origin":83636,"position":1},"title":"Education: Who is to be blamed?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 22, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"by Abraham Smith 'I am to blame if I don't do what I can' Many times lately we have heard, \"Our children are not getting a good education.\" Parents have been blamed, as well as children, teachers, administrators, and our government. Just exactly who is to blame? I am to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Article&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/11\/school.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":66829,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/let-not-many-of-you-be-teachers\/","url_meta":{"origin":83636,"position":2},"title":"Let Not Many of You Be Teachers","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 29, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton \"Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment\" (James 3:1). James 3:1 makes this statement, but what does it mean? In the context, it was a certain \"you\" that was quick to speak and slow\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Article&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":69505,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-i-take-courses-that-teach-evolution\/","url_meta":{"origin":83636,"position":3},"title":"Should I take courses that teach evolution?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 29, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Recently, I've been thinking about the future, how my life will be, and how my career affects me. I picked a job in botany. But after taking an online course, I feel utterly terrified. A lot of history is about the evolution of plants. I know this won't affect\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":37980,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/false-teachers-and-lying-prophets\/","url_meta":{"origin":83636,"position":4},"title":"False Teachers and Lying Prophets","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 31, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0As long as God has had teachers and prophets in the world there have been those who taught falsely. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Jeremiah complained about the false prophets - Jeremiah 5:30-31 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Paul had problems with teachers binding the Old Law - Acts 15:1-2 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Paul warned the Ephesian elders\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Audio&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":54083,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-a-church-secretary-or-treasurer-a-permanent-position\/","url_meta":{"origin":83636,"position":5},"title":"Is a church secretary or treasurer a permanent position?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 31, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I want to know whether a church secretary, treasurer, etc. once appointed or chosen to that post is permanent, or they can be rotated on a tenure basis. Answer: There is no such office in the church as a secretary or treasurer. Duties, such as these, are usually filled\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83636","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=83636"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83636\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=83636"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=83636"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=83636"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}