1. The pastor has to know who the people of faith are and spend a great deal of time with them.

2. The pastor has to be a person of prayer and sometimes fasting. If he is not, then nothing of any importance is going to happen.

3. The pastor must be willing to pay a personal price to unseat the unwashed inflexible from positions of leadership.

4. The "unwashed inflexible" will not go quietly. If the pastor and other leaders are not courageous enough to face the attack these people can mount, nothing will ever change. Lest readers are prone to take these people too lightly, I recommend reading Numbers 16. Verse 2 calls the group rebelling against Moses' leadership "men of renown." They were people to be reckoned with. Only determined leaders looking to the Holy Spirit can win this struggle.

5. When they leave the church—as they will if the pastor and his faithful helpers stay the course—they will take with them other members and whatever finances they contribute. So, things will get worse before they get better. Godly leaders must see this as a necessary step for the church to get healthy. Weaker leaders will see the lesser numbers and budget problems as proof they erred in forcing these people out.

6. By forcing the "unwashed inflexible" to make a decision—go along with the faith-filled leaders or leave—several things are happening:

a. The leadership is showing them tough love. You are not hating them but showing them true righteousness. It goes without saying—almost—that everything you do regarding them should be in kindness and Christlikeness. Even in resisting them and pointing out their errors, you can be both kind and firm.

b. The great majority of the membership is watching this dispassionately at first (they did not know what it was all about) but will rally around the pastoral team as soon as they realize they could end up with a healthy church.

c. Only this kind of radical surgery can save the patient, the church. Otherwise, it remains good looking on the outside but with a deadly cancer on the inside.

A Final Caution

Churches must exercise great care in choosing leaders to make sure those who become deacons and committee members and other key leaders are solid blood-washed believers filled with a balance of grace and truth (see John 1:14). Truth keeps them doing right, but grace makes them merciful and gracious. (Clarification: Truth refers to doctrine, knowledge of the Word and such. Grace refers to one's attitude toward everyone, but particularly to the undeserving and fallen.)

How do you find out these things about prospective leaders? Pay attention. Listen closely. Ask around. Pray for the Holy Spirit to give you discernment.

Do not be put off by the beautiful exterior (including the starched shirts). Listen for two things: an appreciation of the mercy of God in saving a sinner like himself and a graciousness toward everyone else around him (see what Isaiah said in Is. 6:5).

"Dear Lord, bless Your church, please."

Dr. Joe McKeever writes from the vantage point of more than 60 years as a disciple of Jesus, more than 50 years preaching His gospel, and more than 40 years of cartooning for every imaginable Christian publication.

For the original article, visit joemckeever.com.

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