In 1996 Pastor Growth was turning around the declining church of Retirement Baptist. The growth was causing a renewed spirit within the church. This attitude changed quickly once new members wanted to serve in the church actively. Retirement Baptist had many longtime members who said, “They can serve when they have been here as long us.” Not only was their statement impractical, but these mature believers showed their immaturity through their attitude.
This conflict resulted in Retirement Baptist becoming an even smaller congregation than before Pastor Growth came. Their attitude frustrated him to seek another church to shepherd that desired real radical change.
Sadly, the “mature” believers ended up having their way; they hired a new pastor that attempted to maintain their congregation how they wanted. Meanwhile, within their community, the reputation grew that Retirement Baptist was for those who were finished serving the Lord. Too often, nearby neighbors would say, “Well, that church can’t keep a pastor!” Even when the next pastor came, they’d warn him, “Oh, you’re the new pastor. You won’t be there long, either!” OUCH!
Though the new pastor did not cause any conflict, the church was not growing. See, the new minister’s name was Pastor Interim. Fortunately, his tenure was long, and he upheld many ancient traditions without any real change or growth. Many “mature” believers loved his approach for years, but even with his hands-off approach, they eventually grew restless—finally, the “mature” believers in hiring another young, dynamic Pastor. From one extreme to another, they kept teeter-tottering.
Immediately Pastor Chaplain grew the church by bringing in new members again. His appeal was his strong convictions and evangelical spirit. His demeanor, which came from his chaplain experience, was also a detriment for both him and the church. The “mature” church members being very strong-willed caused many disagreements. Sometimes the conflicts were for disagreement’s sake alone. They had been approaching “church” this way for far too long.
Being a student of history, Pastor Chaplain attempted to understand the conflict of Retirement Baptist. He found that for nearly 50 years, the church conflicted with its prior pastors. Learning of the church’s reputation within the community, he suggested the church do the responsible thing and close its struggling doors forever. Eventually, Pastor Chaplain had to leave because his suggestion of closure confronted the congregation’s primary sacred cow: the love of their tradition and building than the love of their neighbor as Jesus instructed. After remaining church members, himself, and his family, gained scars on each that will last a lifetime, he chose to leave the congregation as their pastor. While the “mature” believers were prone to inflict damage, Pastor Chaplain did not want to add to their casualty rate.
Since then, Retirement Baptist Church went years again without a pastor. On multiple occasions, they almost hired a new pastor, but each attempt failed. They even turned down a Certified Transitional Pastor because “they didn’t want someone telling them how to run their church as Pastor Chaplain did.” Sadly, they now have a handful of people from when they were the premier church in the city to attend. The remaining members now expect a pastor to save their church, with no change on their part at all. They expect a “miracle worker” who can affirm their generations-old approach while attracting a modern-day audience that does not identify with their gone-by traditions. As a result, they are still a struggling congregation that is slowly dwindling with an inward mission to support themselves than share the greatest hope of all in Jesus Christ with an external world that needs their outreach.
Let’s pray that the correction of such a church – if it exists – is done by holding one verse as paramount to the Christian faith. Luke 10:27, “And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” May all churches seek to love Jesus and others above self each time! Soli Deo Gloria!
