Church Family
“When they came to Geliloth near the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an imposing altar there by the Jordan. And when the Israelites heard that they had built the altar on the border of Canaan at Geliloth near the Jordan on the Israelite side, the whole assembly of Israel gathered at Shiloh to go to war against them.”
Today’s Text: Joshua 22:10-20 (Living Life Daily Devotional)
When it comes to church community, the things that are said and done can often carry symbolic meaning and weight for others—sometimes in a positive way, and other times in a negative way. As Christians grow in maturity, we grow in understanding how to communicate in love and build each other up in love (Ephesians 4:15-16).
Communicating and building each other up in love is a two-way phenomenon.
On the one hand, we need to learn to speak and act with mindfulness of others in our community. How might they receive what we say and do? At the same time, it takes wisdom to not fall into paralysis such that nothing is ever spoken or done.
On the other hand, we need to learn to receive what others say and do with a default attitude of grace. We should not assume that they are acting and speaking with any ill intent. We need to give people the benefit of doubt.
But that also takes wisdom, because there may be the occasion when a person does speak and act with ill intent. Even then, the first step is to respond in love and grace. We all have bad days every once in a while, and no one speaks and acts with wisdom and love all the time, except Christ.
That is why it is so important to have the right model of the church in our hearts and minds in our interactions with one another. The model that has served me well, I believe, is to think of church as a family—not a dysfunctional family, but a healthy family.
Members of dysfunctional families are easily offended and hurt one another in return. They are ready to leave the family over any little infraction perceived.
Members of healthy families support each other and work out disagreements and work together so that specific issues will not cause hurts and rifts.
Another model that does not work for churches is the corporation. Whenever a person becomes a part of a church community, they should be considered as a covenant member, an integral part of the family. They should not be measured for their usefulness or their performance in the way companies do.
I strongly believe that to be true even with respect to the pastors. And I have no qualms about discussing this, even though I am a pastor. Who else is going to bring it up.
Many churches just hire pastors and see if they can sink or swim. If they sink, the church fires them and hires another pastor. That strategy is why there so few youth pastors and EM pastors in seminaries today.
And besides, that strategy of hiring and firing pastors teaches a completely wrong understanding of the gospel to the less mature, especially to children.
Churches have a responsibility to vet their candidates thoroughly. But once they hire someone, there should be a lifetime covenant relationship between the pastor and the church, based upon God’s sovereign will.
Father, You are sovereign over the church. Forgive us for acting on human terms and not on Your terms. Thank You for bringing me into this GCC Canvas covenant family. Grow us in maturity, love, and grace, so that You are glorified in our speaking and acting. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
