Sermon Central
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An Ode To The Messed-Up Church Series
Contributed by Jim Butcher on Sep 11, 2020 (message contributor)
Summary: This passage details the numerous efforts the Paul made to get the Corinthians back on track and the harsh reality that some churches are just a mess.
- Maybe start with the story of Pastor Mark and church “J.”
THE SITUATION FOR THIS MESSED-UP CHURCH:
1. Paul handled his ministry there with integrity.
- 2 Corinthians 12:11-12, 17-19.
2. Paul sacrificed for them.
- 2 Corinthians 12:13, 14b, 15-16.
3. This was not the first time he’d tried to straighten them out.
- 2 Corinthians 12:14a, 21.
4. They bought into false teachers.
- 2 Corinthians 12:11.
5. They accommodated their sin.
- 2 Corinthians 12:20.
THE UNFORTUNATE, PAINFUL TRUTH: With some churches, there is no easy fix.
- 2 Corinthians 12:14a, 21.
- Sometimes it’s bad leaders; sometimes it’s bad theology; sometimes it’s bad influences.
- As is true for parents, sometimes a pastor can do everything right and still end up with a mess.
- Reading a lot of Christian leadership books or listening to Christian leadership conferences, you can come away presuming that every troubled congregation is five easy steps away from wholeness and unity. Some congregations are just big messes.
- This principle also applies to other arenas: families, workplaces, etc. You try to sacrificially love amid the turmoil, but sometimes the turmoil doesn’t get better.
