Jump Start # 1071

1 Peter 5:2-3 “Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples of the flock.”

We are looking this week at why small churches tend to stay small. Understand, it’s not wrong to be in a small church. A person CAN go to Heaven having been a member of a small church. We are not saying that larger churches are better than smaller churches. What our attention is upon are the reasons why some congregations always stay small, for generations. Some started small, and have been small for a long, long time. Circumstances and location has a factor. Those are external factors. We are addressing the internal factors. There may be reasons some congregations never seem to grow. It has nothing to do with the external things. It has everything to do with the internal things. The internal things can be improved upon. The internal things can change. When they do, things change in the congregation.

One characteristic and reason why small churches tend to stay small is a because of leadership issues. Much too often, in smaller congregations, there are few if any who are qualified to lead. Decisions affecting the church are left to men in a meeting. This has to be done because there is no men who can step up and take the role of shepherding the flock. The failure of leadership leaves the church limited and bound to the voice of the majority. Critical decisions are hard to make and often disagreements keep the church from moving forward. Just a few folks voting “no,” kills the plan that was put forward on the table. The “no’s” tend to keep the church right where it has always been.

One of the biggest disadvantages of having unqualified men leading the church is that decisions are made by every male member that happens to show up at these meetings. Some may not be strong spiritually. Some may have their own agendas. It would like a family sitting around the table and mom and dad allowing the kids to have a say and a vote on critical issues such as paying the mortgage, going to school or discipline. The kids are not in the position nor have the maturity to make those decisions. God did not want novices in leadership roles because they lack maturity and insights that are necessary to make the hard and right decisions. The church suffers without qualified men at the helm.

There are congregations that have men who have taken on the leadership roles, but they are not leaders. They are in the role of a leader but they do not lead. They like to keep their thumbs upon people and they use force, threats and intimidation as a means to keep members in line. They create an atmosphere of fear and guilt. People show up to services because they are afraid of the leaders. Nothing changes, unless the leaders want it to change. They hold the purse strings very tight. If the congregation has a preacher, he is on a short leash with these leaders. Growth tends to level off under such leadership. Those in charge have mistaken leading with control. The members are viewed with suspicion. Folks feel like they are in a prison. People are afraid to say anything, for fear that their faith will be questioned and that they will be ridiculed. For many, there is no other option than that congregation. There is no hope of the leadership changing. When one is added to the leadership, he steps in line with the former leaders. Nothing changes. Life is smothered out. It becomes a chore to even muster up the energy to attend services. Little is said about Christ. Move away is the only hope for most members.

Ezekiel 34 paints an ugly picture of what the shepherds of Israel failed to do. The list includes not feeding the flock, not strengthening the sick, not healing the diseased, not binding up the broken, not bringing back the scattered, not seeking the lost. What they did was take care of themselves. The Lord rebukes them for using force with severity to dominate the flock. They failed. The flock suffered. That same spirit is repeated today. Some become “bossy” at church. They can’t be the boss at work. They are married to women who are bossy at home. So the only place that they strut themselves about is at church. There they boss. There they hide behind a title which they interpret to mean that they can do anything that they want. Their decisions are not made with the thought of what will help the congregation. They do what they feel like doing. The church is chocked. It will forever remain small as long as poor leadership is using domination to put fear into the members.

Such leaders feel challenged by every suggestion and idea that others make. They interpret ideas, even from the preacher, as a threat to their leadership. They have a real self esteem issue. Leadership is about power and position for them. They are always looking for someone who they feel is trying to  knock them off the top of the hill. So, most ideas are shot down without any serious consideration. They do not create an atmosphere of openness and sharing. Their negative ways and maintaining the status quo, discourages the preacher and drives the members batty. Most don’t want their leadership, but are afraid to challenge them. Most would like to see changes but fear a battle that they anticipate losing. So, nothing changes. No breath of fresh air. No new ideas. No growth. No new people. Any new people that happen to show up usually leave and never come back. The leadership brands them as being weak and unfaithful.

I know too many places like this. A certain few is killing the church. They believe that they are doing right. They believe that they are keeping the church on the right track. They have their hands around the throat of the church and all life is being squeezed out of the people. It’s very sad and very wrong. They are convinced they are right and are doing a fantastic job. They will not listen to anything else. I feel for the people who are in such congregations.

Churches like this are destined to stay small. They will not grow as long as such leaders are in place. They will change preachers, but nothing changes. It is a leadership issue. These men are wrong. They are not following the will of God. Their sinful lack of leadership is killing members. They will be judged by God for what they are doing.

Our passage today warns God’s leaders not to be lording over the flock. Lording has to do with control and power and position. God’s leaders set the example. They are leading. They are true shepherds who are compassionate about the flock. They want the flock to do well. They want each member to be healthy and thriving spiritually. They will sacrifice self to that end. That’s God’s leaders. That’s the way it ought to be.

What can someone do who is in a congregation like that? I have seen this so often. My first suggestion would be to talk with the leaders privately. Don’t stir things up. Don’t come in with threats. They don’t respond well to those things. Use the Bible. Show them Ezekiel. Show them the good shepherd examples of John 10. If that doesn’t work, and if they turn on you, you may have to leave. You may have to drive miles to find another congregation. How much is your spiritual health worth to you? Would you drive an hour one way if it meant worshipping and growing in a healthy congregation? Would you pay the price to be in a growing congregation? The alternative is to stay there and die spiritually. Is that really an option? There comes a time when we must be willing to do anything for our soul. If the early Christians were willing to die for Jesus, can’t we drive an hour to save our spiritual health? Those are tough choices. I had to make a choice like that. We moved. It wasn’t easy. I look back and it helped save my family. The cost was worth it.

Get to Heaven and don’t let anyone get in your way!

Tomorrow: “No Plans.”

Roger