Sorry I haven't been on here in awhile, I've been really busy- I had spinal surgery, a fusion of my vertebrae. It's been a long road and hope has been hard to grasp. I'm hoping to start having a greater presence here, maintaining my goal of holding myself accountable and having others hold me accountable.
There has been a topic I have been considering discussing for a very long time, one which I was not certain I could discuss with equanimity. But I feel waiting has given me a little perspective, and I feel I can now write with reason, although I am still disappointed. I have really found that using this blog has a forum has been an amazing way for me to take my disappointment in some of the mistakes I have seen around me and turn it to a lesson and gain some perspective on it.
As you know by now I attend a Christian School. This school has a Praiseband. The school is a college preparatory academy which is in a church building. The school is considered a mission of the church in which it resides. Lets call the church Haven Baptist (if there is a real Haven Baptist, I apologize, this is a fictional name in this case). We'll call the school Haven Christian Central.
The school has a church service each and every friday which has worship music provided by HCC's Praiseband class. This class uses Haven Baptist Church's (HBC's) sound system in the sanctuary. The church does not lock the sanctuary during the week, and there are several church groups which use the sanctuary after school during the week. Unfortunately, there tends to be problems with the church's sound system, whether someone is tampering with it during the week, the praiseband doesn't turn it to the right settings, someone comes in and uses the keyboard without permission, or the church doesn't record where it left the settings properly so that the school can restore it.
Despite the fact that the school has documented cases of church personnel coming in during the week and using the sound system, the church always blames the praiseband if there are technical difficulties. Most of the time in the cases of visible tampering it is ultimately proved that one of the church groups used the sound system with permission. But the church finds it easier to believe that students (even under the control of a dedicated teacher) would mess it up than members of their own congregation. It really isn't that unreasonable of a thought process if you forget that the class has a document listing all the settings which need to be returned and the church groups which use the sanctuary request it from the church office proper, not from HBC's worship team, so they have no such document.
The church (now understand this is one instance and this is an amazing, spirit-filled church, and only some of the members are involved with this situation) doesn't even bother to check and see if they have their facts right. Nor do they keep an eye on their sound system during the week. The praiseband class started going to the principal of the school whenever they noticed something was changed when they came in to practice. The principal started sending time-stamped e-mails to members of the church when this happened. Just as was suspected, the church members came to us within a day, saying the school had done it. Fortunately those times there were records in the e-mails the principal had sent to the church. Despite this convincing evidence, issues continue, and the praiseband continues to get blamed.
For some reason, the word of the principal (elected by a School council chaired by several church members) is not enough to vouch for the class, and the amazing praiseband teacher. At this point the church began to "protect themselves." (again not an illogical course of action) by hiding the good microphone cords and equipment. Unfortunately, the equipment remaining ceased working. And despite requests by the principal and the class instructor,the praiseband ultimately had to go buy their own on the teacher's personal money (the school couldn't afford them).
Somehow, despite using a greater amount of their own equipment the class was still perceived as causing problems with the sound system. The church limited the volume the students could use, the locations on the stage to which they were permitted to place amps, and the settings the amps had to be set to when the church returned.
Eventually the teacher decided that trying to work with the church wasn't going to work (sad) and decided to buy her own sound system for the school, again with her own money. And here's why it has been on my heart today to post this - now HBC has decided that the new sound system is dangerous to the electrical circuits in the sanctuary and the students should not use it.
Now, I know this was a long situation to read through, and I am very sorry to have taken so long to get around to the point, but I find this very disappointing. The school is supposed to be a ministry of the church, the church supporting it. The praiseband is asked to perform at the church, and to go from school to school advertising for the church. The praiseband performs at all of the functions promoting the church and the school and is also used at fundraisers for both institutions.
Now, I know all church's at some point encounter what we call "political" issues. We face conflicts within our churches all the time, conflicts over funding and authority, conflicts between ministries and with ministries and the church. But in a spirit-filled church, these are usually dealt with by delving into the scriptures, or peacefully and prayerfully negotiating. Normally in a situation like this I would assume one of the institutions didn't have its heart in the right place. But the fact is, having met members of the church and church council, I truly believe that they are Christ-filled people.
So shouldn't Christian workers in God work together instead of against each other. Colossians 3:23 says "whatever you do, labor as for Christ, not for man." This ministry is an important part of the church, providing funding and members, etc. It is a huge ministry in the community as well, the school holds can drives, fundraisers, provides wholesome education for the people of the community, christian events and fellowship.
Colossians 3:17 says "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." It is very disturbing to see a church at odds with itself, fighting with another of Christ's servants. Even those who do not know the path know that to get along one needs to hear another out, not jump to conclusions, hear the evidence, give others the benefit of the doubt.
Matthew 18:15-17 lays out the groundworks of how to deal with conflict within a church body or with a brother in Christ, saying "“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector." This not only points out the flaws in the method of mediation these Christian groups have used. While the praiseband teacher sent private letters before addressing the church board and the school board, which was a solid plan, the church ignored her action and continued to behave as if she had not attempted to heal the rift in the church. Ultimately, once groups from both sides of the equation became involved the gossip began which just worsened the issue.
1 Timothy 3 describes the character a leader in the church should have, dignity, honesty, a clear conscience, and both they and their wives are required to not be slanderers and gossips. Ephesians 4:29 says "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear." and Proverbs 16:28 says "A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends."
In some situations I would advise that perhaps this is a sign that the service is not spirit filled. But many students have come to Christ in the school's chapel service, it's winning hearts. I really feel this church shouldn't be fighting something so obviously filled with the spirit of Christ. I think sometimes when a mission or a ministry is meant for great things, everything of the world comes against it to prevent the spread of God's message.
I think this should serve as an example for all of us. If we as a church, person, nation, decide our needs or wants are more important than God's will, than we are in the wrong. We need to be supporting other believers in every way so we can to get the message of Christ out to the world. Obviously, fighting a ministry is not doing that.
I am sure you all know the great commission by heart, but here it is "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you....Matthew 28:19-20a
I feel this should be a call to unite as a church, as people of Christ, and work together to spread His message. To cast aside all divisive thoughts and actions, to heal rifts and join together. Remember our mission.
