Day 21 – Protecting Your Church
I had a hard time identifying with this chapter in terms of protecting a church but the lessons apply to just about anything important. Warren focuses in in the reading on reasons I have left the church and feel that it is a hindrance to my own brand of worship. However, Warren also calls on us to lead vs. divide or resign. This is a lesson I can understand. I often feel that too many people seek to destroy what is bigger than they are vs. lead. I feel people duck and run vs. take responsibility to see tough things through to the end.
Warren gives 5 points that make sense in protecting and building a stronger community.
- Be realistic in your expectations. Don’t focus on the ideal but work to understand and know the real.
- Choose to encourage rather than criticize. Find ways to encourage folks vs. taking the easy road of firing potshots at them
- Refuse to listen to gossip. Gossip, telling tales out of class, and passing around information that does not belong to you undermines the purpose of being together and fellowship.
- Practice God’s method for conflict resolution. Stepping to the side and walking away from conflict does not serve anyone. Rather working with the person in a loving and private way protects a relationship that is important.
- Support your pastor or leader. Someone who takes a leadership role also takes all the responsibility for the good, bad, easy, and difficult. Being supportive of that leader helps make things more enjoyable for all involved.
Point to Ponder: It is my responsibility to protect the unity of my church.
Lead, follow, or get out of the way. Standing on the sidelines is easy to do, but it does nothing to serve the cause. Rather taking a role in the cause aids in protecting it and strengthening it.
Question to Consider: What am I personally doing to protect unity in my church family right now?
Taking that my community is the long term friendship that I’ve developed with a caring and supportive group of folks, I think by participating in the group completely protects it. Working to employ the steps Warren outlines above is already part of our interactions. Continuing that is important to protecting the community.
Image Source: Ben Cooper
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