A colleague told me how they had struggled with one of the people they engage with from time to time over the fact that, when faced with something they don't like, they always returned to the same old strategy. Regardless of the issue, they would merely resort to the, "If you do that then I'm going to resign from the ministry team. See how you will get on then when you have lost me," gambit.
the person was sure that without them, the church would fall empty, broken and hollow to the ground. They were sure that because of the many gifts, skills and abilities (well actually, sometimes it's just being there and being able to give time) they had, the church would crash and burn if they left. Sadly, this proved to be a very mistaken viewpoint.
The question, "What would you do without me?" has been answered, I would guess, fairly consistently since 'Church' first began. The answer is simple and perhaps, especially for the threatee (ie. the person who makes the threats), a little saddening in that it is 'we will just carry on as we always have. Bye! Of course this is not true for often the church, and the minister (AKA the 'threatened') that has lost the person making the threats carries on as an even happier place.
Nothing cramps the life and ministry of a church more than someone who wants to continually hold it to ransom. It is for this reason that during my training we were told that if anyone ever comes to us and tells us that they will be leaving unless {insert cause), 'call' (not usually God it transpires with hindsight] of complaint, accept it with both hands and rejoice (but not too much of course, have to be kind).
The only person the Church cannot do without is, of course, Christ!
I have been in churches that have lost some key members over the span of my Christian walk thus far and the wonderful thing is that as the 'special' people leave, the ordinary take their place! On a number of occasions I have seen the star turns leave and the pathetic, 'ordinary' little people come forward and take their place with humility and a genuine call to that role. It was only because the 'special' people made themselves special by making the rest of the church less than special that they looked good. Away from the church, having taken their toys and left, it is startling to see that in fact, like the Emperor in the story, they are naked!
So, as we look at the call on our life, may we always keep in mind that Church is all about Jesus, not us. The old chestnut about placing our hand in water and then removing it and examining the hole that is left as a measure of how much we will be missed. (i.e. not at all).
The day we think we are 'the' person in any church is the day we have misplaced the call upon us (and this is not just for ordained folk, this applies to us all, for we all have before us our baptismal calling) and the fact that it is jesus who is special and the people of God who are precious.
The day we threaten to leave to get what we want (or prevent what we don't want) is the day that we should expect to be said goodbye to.
So let's make sure we never get there, eh?
4 comments:
Quite!
Who was it now who was to inherit the earth?
Good advice for those whose self importance and ego gets in the way of the Gospel.
Many years ago...in a parish far far away...there lived an organist and choirmaster. He decided that as the tradition of the church didn't suit him and the Vicar didn't want to make drastic changes for a minority. He would take his toys and a small group of friends and leave. That's all well and good, and the sensible thing to do in the situation one might think....
However, as he left he wrote a damning strongly worded letter to the Vicar by way of explanation and said cruel, hurtful and downright pointless things to the Vicar regarding the quality of his ministry and teaching. He used 12 sheets of A4 to do this and sent a copy to the area dean, archdeacon, and the Bishop. He also sent the same letter to every member of the choir inviting them to join him in leaving and this included a letter addressed to the Vicar's 13 year old daughter (!)
Strangly enough the choir continued on without him, the organists were found on a sunday to sunday basis until a replacement was hired. The church is still standing and the Vicar continued in the parish for 6 more years.
I wish the organist concerned had been able to read your post before he wrote his horrid letter, I really do! It wouldn't have changed the outcome, but maybe the spirit in which it happened.
I have had a number of mail which have voiced the same sentiments and it's a real sadness that so many of them have been organists or choirmasters. Seems to me that when we think we are the sole provider of something that we come to believe that without us all would fall.
Painful for those who leave, for those who remain and for the leaders.
Thanks for your comment here - always helpful to hear and gain perspective.
V
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