A reflection on my years of Baptist ministry

Having served in full time ministry now for 23 years as a youth pastor, association pastor and senior pastor in three separate Baptist churches, this new series seeks to highlight key issues I’ve observed and reflected upon, writes Ross Dilnot

My heart and intention is to shine a light on some of these issues - and that change may come, under the Holy Spirit’s guidance, where necessary

 


Part 1: It isn’t Your Church

How often do we hear people referring to the church they attend as ‘my church’ or ‘our church?’  

We’ve all done it, I’m sure.

Often, I think this is just because we mean the church we attend. We identify with it because we get behind the vision of that church, the people in that church, the activities that church does, the teaching and worship culture of that church and we give to that church.

However, in truth, the church does not belong to any of us at all.

It goes without saying, but I’m sure we would all agree that the church is not the building. People see a building where the church meet and call it a ‘church,’ but the church is really the people.

A gathered group of all ages, cultures, nationalities, and backgrounds, that come together with a common purpose, to love and serve the Lord and to make disciples, as Jesus appoints us to do in Matthew 28. The church was God’s plan, known of before creation, shadowed in the Old Testament, and became a reality in the New Testament, arguably at Pentecost.

The church - the people, belong to Jesus, paid for by His blood shed on the cross, (1Cor6:20) and called to live as He would have us live, and do the things He would have us do.

And don’t forget, particularly in our ecclesiological context, our churches are a theocracy, never a democracy – it’s about what God wills and desires, not what we want, or think is right.

Now, you may argue this is just semantics, but I'd respectfully disagree. 

Unfortunately, I have observed (and I’m sure you have too) some of our Christian brothers and sisters whose actions would suggest that they see the church as theirs, and therein lies a great danger. To actually believe and claim the church we attend as ‘my church’ or ‘our church,’ is to claim something of God’s as our own, which is sin and idolatry.

I think there are times where some people can believe they own the church i.e. the people. They may not articulate it this way, or even see that that is what they are doing, but their actions suggest and demonstrate otherwise. 

How often do we see or know people that when something is proposed or something happens in church that they don’t like, they stop their financial giving?  

Or they hold the church / leadership to ransom in some way?  

Sometimes they may even withdraw their membership but remain in the church.

Sometimes they make it very hard to see positive, God guided decisions made, because they set up their own ‘camp of opinion’ by calling others to support their cause, rather than truly listening to what God is leading the church to do.

Sometimes it is a family that has been in the church for years and feels an entitlement.

Sometimes it is one person in a role that makes it incredibly difficult to move forwards.

Sometimes it is the pastor or leadership team making it difficult for the church by not humbly serving and seeking Jesus as head of the church, instead leading too heavily and dogmatically.

And then there are times when people can make it so hard for a leadership team and / or minister to serve the church, that the leadership team and / or minister resigns!

Sometimes even the leadership team can rise up against a minister, causing the minister to resign. 

If you recognise this in yourself, I would gently but firmly challenge you to repent of such actions. Seek God’s forgiveness as well as those people you’ve hurt. Forgiveness brings freedom and a start to healing!

Now, as I am writing this, I know some of you are reading it and nodding along, understanding what I am saying and, possibly, have sadly witnessed these things. Some of you will be saying, “yes but …”  

Obviously, I cannot cover every eventuality or situation. But yes, I have seen and heard of these things in our Baptist family from my own experience. There have been two occasions over the past 23 years where I have almost quit ministry altogether due to people’s behaviour towards me and, worse, my family. 

But let’s not forget that even though the church we belong to isn’t ‘ours,’ there is still a call for wisdom and discernment on our behalf, because we are the priesthood of believers (1 Peter 2:9).

There are times where propositions made may not come from God, they may be worldly, or ego serving, or if they are from God perhaps the timing isn’t right, etc.

We don’t get everything right all of the time – sometimes we are too quick to judge others’ mistakes, and how often we do miss that plank in our own eye that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 7.3?  In my experience, because the church belongs to God - we are His people, He will confirm His will and desire in various ways as conformation of His plans.

Therefore, we must listen to God, through the Holy Spirit’s leading, and follow what He says, even if it is not what we’d do, or think is wise – remember theocracy, not democracy. That is a sign that we regard the church we attend not as ‘our church’ or ‘my church,’ but Jesus’ church, doing what He says, in His way, taking those steps of faith in His timing, for His glory. Scripture tragically shows times where God’s people refused to go His way in His timing, and we read of the often-devastating consequences.

So, to conclude, what, if anything, do you need to do in response to this issue? Remember, the church belongs to Jesus, not you, and it was paid for by His own sacrifice. God bless you.

 

Image | Marcus Williamson | Creationswap

Ross Dilnot is minister of Shenley Christian Fellowship, Milton Keynes 

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