Building the Right Way
Building with Compassion
Church Fights
I’m told that there is a church in Texas that debated over the issue of telling a lie. Some felt that there were some occasions in which a little white lie was acceptable. The others felt that there was never an occasion in which a lie of any kind was acceptable. The discussion got so heated over time that the church split and one group headed down the road and started a new church. They were known as the lying church while the old church was known as the non-liars.
It gets positively silly doesn’t it!
Why do some churches fight and some enjoy unity?
Before I answer that question let me say this. We enjoy a fabulous unity here at MCC. In all the years of our existence we have yet to have a full blown fight and battle over anything and I pray we never do.
If we ever should have division and disharmony come into our church then what we now enjoy our children will not even remember. The stain of division and fighting becomes so pervasive that it is remembered for a generation or more.
Why is that? Well there are some good reasons. Let me tick off a few real quick.
First: We have a good Eldership that focuses on people and sets the general direction. They are wise enough to leave the details to our ministry staff and leaders.
Second: We don’t let gossip loose. The few times that there have been the beginnings of gossipy stuff our elders have talked to the folks involved and it stopped. That’s important.
Third: We don’t let judgmental attitudes get loose. This is a hospital for broken people who want God’s healing. It’s not a palace of flawed people pretending they are perfect.
Fourth: We allow people to make mistakes. In some places if you make a mistake you are punished or dismissed. We think that a good mistake can help teach a person how to get better and stronger.
Fifth: This is the most important – We love one another. Look around you. The people who are a part of Meridian Christian Church are here because there is love and acceptance here. This is a place where they can feel right at home. That is so important.
The critical key to all of this unity and love is good leadership – at all times – and especially in the middle of a campaign to do something big for God.
Take Nehemiah for example. You knew I would get to him sooner or later – right? Well, In Nehemiah’s world all was not well. Yes, the wall was built and there was a great victory but these were difficult and tough times.
Let’s start with the fifth chapter of Nehemiah. If you have your Bibles turn with me and read along.
Tough Times Are a Part of Every Life
The men and their wives complained loudly against their fellow Jews. 2 Some of them were saying, “We have many sons and daughters in our families. To eat and stay alive, we need grain…”
Neh 5:1-5
The people were in trouble. Some of the people were taking advantage of the others.
• There were some who were hungry,
• some had mortgaged their lands to buy food,
• some had borrowed to pay their taxes
• and some who had sold their sons and daughters into slavery.
These were difficult times for the people of Jerusalem. They were having some difficult economic issues… The place was a mess.
Not only had Physer and Comerica moved out of the land but chariot sales were down and factories were closing. No wait, that’s Michigan not Judah.
Actually, I think that the state of the economy that Nehemiah was dealing with was a lot like it is here today.
The fact is that tough times are a part of every life. If life is good for you today… hold on, it will get tough tomorrow. That’s just the way life works.
Clearly the people in Jerusalem were having a tough time in their lives and it would be easy for some to say to Nehemiah, “Hey! What are you thinking? Why are you investing all this money in a wall when what we need is food?”
Yet, Nehemiah understood that this is precisely the time to build a wall – for the good of the people and the community.
Now it required sacrifice in tough times but it will result in something big for God and good for his people.
Let me say something here. It is in the toughest of times that God’s people are at their best.
I have always remembered the word of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians about the church in Macedonia.
Tough Times Demand Great Sacrifice
And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.
2 Corinthians 8:1-2
The people of Philippi were in tough shape when Paul wrote of them to the Corinthian Church and used their generosity as an example of how we should all give.
Listen it is when things are tough that we prove our mettle. It’s when things are difficult that we are able to best show what we are made of and what we put our faith in.
The people of Judah under Nehemiah stepped up and built a wall while their cupboards were empty. The people of Philippi gave generously to the work of God – even as they were pressed from all sides.
It could be a temptation for us to step back in fear and say that because the times are tough we can’t proceed with the building of our walls but that would be a huge mistake. Now, I have been encouraged by your response to this need and by your giving. We are following in the ways of the church of Philippi and as a result we are on the verge of doing something big for God in tough times.
But there is another issue in these verses we must see and understand.
Even as Nehemiah did something big for God he never lost sight of the needs of the people!
Let’s read on in Nehemiah 6.
Tough Times Promote Selfish Actions
6 When I heard their complaints about these things, I was very angry. 7 After I thought about it, I accused the important people and the leaders, “You are charging your own brothers too much interest.”…
Nehemiah 5:6
When Nehemiah became aware of the plight of the people he grew angry. Not just because they were dealing with tough times – everyone does from time to time in life.
No, the matter that infuriated Nehemiah was how that some of the people were taking advantage of the others who were in need. They weren’t looking out for each other – they were charging usury and making money off the misery of their brothers and sisters.
It’s important to state here – categorically – that anger is not wrong. Anger is a God created, God given motivational emotion. God himself was angry enough with humanity that he drowned everyone but eight souls in a worldwide flood. Jesus was angry enough with the religious hypocrites that he turned over their tables in the temple and drove out their animals with a whip.
Anger is not wrong – as long as it motivates you to do right. Look at how Nehemiah used his anger to move him to confront the people in the land that were abusing others.
He was angry but before he acted, he thought about it. There is an excellent lesson for all of us.
Once he had thought about it then confronted the people (the important and the leaders) who were becoming wealthy on the misery of others and challenged them to stop.
Listen, folks one of the important lessons of this passage is how critical it is for those in leadership to act with integrity.
The higher the level of leadership and importance the greater the responsibility and the less freedom you enjoy. This is true in all levels, types, and forms of leadership. It is the same whether in the business world, in politics and government, in non-profit service organizations or in God’s church.
There are two areas that will destroy any credible leadership – the absence of moral behavior and the lack of financial integrity.
There were leaders in Nehemiah’s congregation that had abused both of these characteristics – and Nehemiah confronted them directly. Here is what he said.
The Fear of God Trumps Tough Times
9 Then I said, “What you are doing is not right. Don’t you fear God? Don’t let our foreign enemies shame us…
Neh 5:9-11
The best and only real motivating power that changes us is the fear of the Lord God.
It is the esteem that we hold God in that has the power to change us from center of the heart to the tips of our finger. When you fear God your behavior gets right – with both the creator and the created.
And know this! We are being watched. We are being observed. Those foreign to our ways want to know if what we have and what we proclaim is real.
In some ways they hope it isn’t so they can keep going the way they are without feeling guilty but at the same time they hope it is real because they desperately need what we say we have.
Several years ago I went to a restaurant with a man who was attending church and I was getting to know. He hadn’t yet fully committed his life to Jesus but he was checking it out pretty carefully. After lunch was done he took the check and paid the bill. At the register he too the receipt, hesitated for a second and then offered the receipt to me if I needed it.
I said, “Hey what are you giving me that for? I didn’t buy anything.” He looked me square in the eyes and said, “Right Answer.”
He was testing me to see if I really feared God or just my religion, my place, and my leadership to get what I wanted.
That guy became a committed follower of Jesus and eventually served on the finance team.
The Fear of God Leads to a Good Example
I was governor of Judah for twelve years, until his thirty-second year. During that time neither my brothers nor I ate the food that was allowed for a governor…
Nehemiah 5:14
Nehemiah bent over backwards to not abuse his position of power and prestige. He could easily have made himself rich – but he didn’t.
In 12 years he could have owned great lands and done much for himself but he gave himself to the work of God and the people of God.
Nehemiah lived it with his life. He fed a whole host of people at his own table. He took care of a host of needs personally.
He didn’t take advantage of his position He looked to God for his reward.
As I read these verses and think about his life I am humbled and moved. Here is an example of real and compassionate leadership and it shaped the community.
At a Promise Keepers Pastor’s Conference, Max Lucado spoke and he shared two statements that a friend challenged him with. Max asked the man- “What is the greatest lesson God has taught you this past year?” and the man replied, “God has shown me that IT’S NOT ABOUT ME, and IT’S NOT ABOUT NOW.”
Pick a problem in ANY church and I guarantee you that there is an element of “It’s about ME”...and “It must happen NOW!” behind it.
Pay close attention to Nehemiah here: It’s not about HIM...he’s taking up the offenses that grow out of a lack of “fear for God” and injustices done to OTHERS.
AND it’s not about now...he is sacrificing for his people knowing that God’s approval and God’s reward in the future are what really matter.
The Remarkable thing about fearing God…
“The remarkable thing about fearing God, is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else.”
Oswald Chambers
It is the fear of God that frees us to serve and live best. It is the fear of God that changes us and because it changes us it changes those around us.
When we fear God we take care of his most precious possessions… his kids. We are his most precious possessions.
What we are building here is not a building but a community – the church of Jesus Christ.
While the Building Team is focused on the building I am focusing my efforts on building up the church itself. I’m working hard to build up our Life Groups, to re-energize our ministries, and to launch new efforts to reach out to this community.
Why? – Because I want our Lord to be honored and pleased with the people inside the walls and the love of the body for one another. I want this place to be a place where no one is spiritually hungry and no one is hurt because they are used instead of being loved.
I cannot do it alone. I need your help.
I’ll do my best to set an example.
Pray for me… Pray for our leaders… Pray that we will have a victory in the middle of what some would say are tough times.
