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hope for churches in stress

Disappointed, but not Surprised

The difficult departure of a lead pastor resulted in unhealed wounds among the pastors, staff, members, and attenders of a strong church in South Central Pennsylvania. In response, the governing board initiated “a process of discernment, reconciliation, governance and leadership adjustments, and recovery.”


Called in to help, I interviewed a total of 50 persons. I listened to most of the board, all of the staff, two former pastors, a former music director, and a number of church members as they described the distress from their perspectives and points of view.


As I listened, it was possible to identify words and actions—with the clarity of hindsight—that could have been managed differently. I found everyone, without exception, to be earnestly seeking to follow Jesus, well-intentioned, and wanting the best for the church. At the same time, there were serious errors in judgment, aggravated by unredeemed traits, by all parties.


Every church is to be a “hospital” for people recovering from the brokenness and residue of sin. When the interplay of still unredeemed traits creates distress at times, none of us should be surprised. At the same time, we must be intentional in repairing relationships and adjusting unproductive patterns.


After the interviews, I gave my assessment of the contributing causes of the setbacks that the church experienced. I recommended seven ways to foster recovery and reduce the church’s vulnerability to similar distresses in the future. I expressed hope that key adjustments in governance and practice could coalesce into good, functional patterns of congregational life and mission.


As a word of encouragement, I quoted Dietrich Bonhoeffer from Letters and Papers from Prison: God always leads us along “the best and straightest path to holiness.” Even in distress, Jesus is working to accomplish a deeper and fuller work in us, individually and together. As the apostle Paul wrote centuries before, "light and momentary affliction” can prepare us for “an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17).



2025.01.14

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Barnabas Initiatives is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donors are invited to contribute. Client churches are asked to reimburse expenses, but are not assessed a fee for service. Instead, as they are able, churches are asked to consider a per diem or customized contribution. 

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