Wreaking
Havoc in Ministry
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor
sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Psalm 1:1
I often wonder why
people who say they are Christians and love the Lord cause so much havoc in church.
I realize that God never promised his children that serving Him would be easy.
From the start, I expected I would have to fight against Satan; however, I
never in a million years thought I would have to fight with those who claimed
they were Christians.
How is it that people
can sit in church together, worship together, serve together, eat together,
call each other brother and sister, but yet, work against each other causing
division within the Kingdom?
In my book, A 21st
Century Deaf Ministry –From a Biblical Perspective, I wrote the following:
If
there is a conflict that needs to be resolved between you and another member of
the team, you should talk to your teammate before discussing it with someone
else or clinging to ill feelings. Nothing breaks down team dynamic quicker than
gossip or unexpressed disappointment. Matthew 18:15-16 states, “If your brother or sister sins, go and
point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you
have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along,
so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three
witnesses.” A simple conversation can clear up a
misunderstanding. Failure to communicate can allow even the simplest
misunderstanding to become a huge stumbling block between members in the
ministry, impeding effective communication and the spread of the gospel.
The reason
I included this excerpt in my book is because I witnessed constant conflict happening
in Deaf ministries. Some of the conflicts were caused by individuals seeking
position. Others were caused by individuals seeking attention. Some of the
conflict was even caused by ministry workers who are just miserable and had no
clue as to what it means to be Christian or Christ-like. Whatever the reason, these individuals seem
to disregard the true purpose for being involved in ministry, and they lacked
the proper skills necessary to resolve conflicts.
For an
example of this behavior, let’s say we have a deaf ministry in Kansas City, MO.
The ministry consists of 12 deaf members and 7 interpreters. We will name the leader of the Deaf ministry
Thomas (Tom). Tom isn’t the best interpreter of the group but constantly seeks
to improve his skills in American Sign Language and his knowledge of Deaf
culture. One of the other interpreters has been a part of the ministry since
its conception and really has a desire to lead the group. This member (and we
shall name her Jane,) keeps her desires to lead a secret but criticizes
everything that Tom does.
Jane has
become quite the trouble-maker. She began a clique and started recruiting some
of the newer members. Although a senior member of the interpreting team, Jane
shows no respect for the ministry leader or other officers. She’s very
pessimistic and tries her best to embarrass Tom. This behavior is observed by
not only the other interpreters, but also the deaf members. When asked about
her behavior, Jane denies that she’s negative and swears she’s not trying to
undermine Tom’s leadership. Her behavior demonstrates just the opposite.
Tom, who
tends to be a very peaceful guy, gets very frustrated and sometimes appears
ready to give up. He often states he doesn’t have the energy to fight the Devil
and his human counterparts. Yet, he feels a since of obligation to ensure the
Deaf members receive the weekly messages. Tom is encouraged by those who truly
follow the Word of God and those who intercede on his behalf.
While Tom
doesn’t fully understand why God called him into the leadership position, he remains
obedient. Ministry members can see the
call of God on Tom’s life. Some also see the confusion caused by the two
different personalities and constantly pray for unity. They recognize that the
destructive behavior of one is merely an attempt to knock Tom out of the
position God has assigned. They recognize that if both Tom and Jane worked
together, they could be an incredible force against Satan’s kingdom. Sadly,
Jane doesn’t see her actions as destructive and therefore has no desire to
change.
While Tom
and Jane are factitious characters used to illustrate my point, many deaf
ministries face people like Tom and Jane on a weekly, if not daily, basis. Resolving
the conflicts that arise can be challenging.
To encourage those of you that might be experiencing adversities in ministry,
in my book, “A 21st Century Deaf Ministry: from a Biblical
Perspective,” I have included a special chapter on teaming in a church setting
called, “On the Winning T.E.A.M. In this chapter, I discuss what key elements
are needed to make a ministry team a “winning team,” one of which is conflict
resolution.
Those of
you who are experiencing conflict in ministry should consider yourselves
fortunate and blessed. Before Satan can even approach you, he has to get
permission, (Job 1:6-12). God granting that permission only means that He trust
you and He knows you can resist the Devil, resist giving in, and make a
decision to “Win for Christ.”
Matthew 5:44
My response
is “Do what you know you were called to do. Don’t worry about the haters.”. Remember
you must bare your own cross. Each experience serves as a test of your faith.
It also gives you and opportunity to stay before God in prayer, leaning not on
your own understanding, but acknowledging Him in all of your ways. (Proverbs
3:5). The end promise of this scripture
assures you that God will direct your path.
Encourage
yourself and remember Romans 8:28. No matter how dark the path, know that as
Christians, we have an expected end and “We Win!”
“A 21st
Century Deaf Ministry –From a Biblical Perspective-" is available in in paper
back and electronic copies. The workbook supporting the text is only available
in paperback. To order your copy, please
click on the following link:
