Source: https://thomrainer.com/2017/04/seven-ways-deal-gnats-ministry/
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 06:39:08+00:00

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I particularly hate the gnats called the no-see-ums or sandflies. They are present certain months of the year on the beach. Though almost invisible to the naked eye, they can pack a powerful sting.
All who serve in vocational ministry have gnats. They come with the call. They are the critics. They are those who always have a better way to do things. They are the ones who expect you to visit them regularly. They are the ones who always speak up in a business meeting, always negatively.
They won’t ever go away. So you can either leave ministry because of them, or you can deal with them. Here are seven ways you can deal with gnats.
Realize gnats are gnats. They are troublesome, at times demoralizing, but never fatal. Well, they are not fatal unless you treat them like the larger problem they are not.
Look beyond the gnat moments. If you are a pastor or church staff leader, you will have gnats. You will have those who seem to constantly bug you (pun intended). But the issue almost always goes away. You will look back on those gnat moments and wonder why you acted like it was a major crisis.
Focus on those things that really matter. If you focus on the gnats, they can take you down. If you focus on those things God has called you to do, you will forget about the gnats.
Pray for the gnat source. Jesus told us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). We can do the same with our gnat sources.
Realize gnats are a cost of leading ministry. Some pastors and church staff move from church to church trying to get away from gnats. But they simply move from one nest of gnats to another. God called you to ministry. He didn’t promise it would be easy; and He didn’t promise He would remove the gnats of our ministry.
Find joy where joy is evident. I once coached a pastor who was gnat-obsessed. He couldn’t find joy in his ministry because he was too busy focusing on the small bites of the gnats. I coached another pastor who seemed to have the same level of gnat attacks. But he focused on the great things God was doing in his church. Do you want to guess which pastor is doing well in ministry today?
Seek a wise confidant. Perhaps you can find a wise mentor in ministry who has several gnat bites himself. If they have persevered in ministry and still have joy in their local churches, they can offer great perspectives for you who are experiencing gnats today.
In my younger years, I tried to make gnats go away. Now that I am older, and hopefully wiser, I realize gnats are a part of ministry.
We must not only accept a gnat-infested ministry, we must learn to accept the gnats, pray for the gnats, and love the gnats.
Then, and only then, can we know the true joy of serving in the local church.
Please make the distinction between gnat and the entitled ministry leaders. Prior to answering could it be who is viewing the situation? What glasses are being used to analyze the church or organization? Episode 315 versus today’s podcast.
Anyone who asks a question, disagrees, or speaks up can be branded a critic.
There are different varieties of criticism. I don’t mind it from people who truly want to help, but let’s face it: many people criticize the pastor simply because they enjoy tearing others down.
If the leadership is “always” entitled then are there really gnats or are they people who want to weed out the corruption and entitlement. This goes both ways. Leadership that is arrogant and incompetent hates being questioned…. so are you saying just maybe it is best just to leave. Corruption and entitlement is rampant in the ministry. Most could not hold a full time job in business because of the discipline needed to succeed.
Have you ever been a pastor?
And, why is this important? I have lived a professional life for 40 years, and I have found most pastors and you to be most unprofessional.
I daresay if any of us came to your place of business and tried to tell you how to do your job, you would be quite defensive and resentful. We pastors always encounter people who try to tell us how to do their jobs, and they have absolutely no idea what they’re talking about. This means you.
Bill, with all due respect I believe you brought light to a serious issue. When we look at the Biblical office of the pastor/elder we do not see a professional businessman position. If you are expecting your pastor to be such then you may very well have an unhelpful view of church, ministry, and shepherding.
There are scriptural ways of dealing with problems in the church. Statements like “Leadership that is arrogant and incompetent hates being questioned…. so are you saying just maybe it is best just to leave. ” show a total lack of understanding with regard to that process. Ignoring (or simply being ignorant of) the proper scriptural processes does not qualify a person to evaluate the leadership. If you don’t know what s SUPPOSED to happen, your complaints may be way off the mark (like statements such as “Corruption and entitlement is rampant in the ministry. ” indicate).
But, I would love to hear about the quantifiable data that supports a statement like “Most could not hold a full time job in business because of the discipline needed to succeed.” I suspect that the supporting evidence is filled with such scientific statements as “everybody knows”, “I personally know of a person who”, and “you can Google the information”.
You only show your arrogance. I have seen it up close as an elder. I along with three other elected elders of 7 resigned in a period of 8 months due to this. Integrity is the issue. Obviously you have no experience in dealing with the truth and are bitter as a pastor.
You seem to be quite good at judging people you’ve never even met. You sound rather on the bitter side yourself. Before you start pointing your sanctimonious finger at others, perhaps you should read Matthew 7:3-5.
This is what I meant by a lack of supporting evidence. You have taken a bad situation with your leader and attempted to paint all leaders with that same brush. As an elder, you are certainly aware that YOU were one of the church leaders. Do you paint yourself with that same brush?
While you are getting ready to call me arrogant, I have another question. Why would the majority of elders resign their positions of leadership rather than lead the church through this difficult time? From the outside, it would seem that the leadership abandoned the church at the very time when the church needed their leadership (and integrity) most.
That, of course, leads to a whole host of questions about what the elders did after that.
And, to help you formulate your reply, let me tell you a simple truth. I am not now, never have been, and (barring divine intervention) never will be a pastor.
I spent 20 years in the military then another 7 in business before being called into ministry. Without a doubt, the gnats in ministry have been far more vindictive, mean spirited, and vile than anything I ever encountered “out there.” Your comment shows a significant lack of understanding and is less than helpful in contributing to the discussion.
Significant lack of what? Arrogance on your part and why you experience gnats.
You’re awfully free in your use of the word “arrogant”. Excuse me for saying it, but you don’t exactly sound like the epitome of humility. Remember Matthew 7:3-5.
Bill, your statements tell me that you are grasping at straws to try to support an outrageous claim. Yes, there are corrupt leaders in churches who have no business being there. But you have corrupt leaders in any business. That’s because men are sinful. Statements like “most could not hold a full time job in business because of the discipline needed to succeed” either shows your ignorance, or it shows what kind of men you’re voting into your church (if the claims are indeed true at your church). I know many pastors who put in full time hours in ministry after working a solid full time job. This ranges from everything from real estate to electrical work to banking. I personally walked away from a well paying job to serve where God called me. And when needed, I do find work to support my family. Ministry is often much harder work for far less pay and with far more critics.
Also consider the fact that biblically speaking, a pastor is not supposed to do everything. He is but one part of the body of Christ. And churches that thrive will all have members who are contributing in a positive manner (not just voicing “concerns”). Please read I Corinthians 12 and 13. It beautifully describes a biblically functioning congregation. God has blessed me with a wonderful congregation of hard working and loving people. And I could not see the “success” (for lack of a better phrase) that I have without them. Do we have gnats? Most definitely yes. But I choose to focus on the good ones. Because truth be told, at about any congregation, the good people far outweigh the gnats. They just aren’t as aggressive in voicing their opinions.
All that to say this. Instead of criticizing, find out how you can help your pastor. Become his biggest blessing. And help him in the areas of ministry he is weak in. He has gifts that you don’t, and you have gifts that he doesn’t. Work together in love for the cause of Christ.
If the pastors are crooks, how do you “help” them except turn them in, which I did, but the government is very slow to intervene in corrupt churches. Besides, they are arrogant and do not want help.
There you go again. Matthew 7:3-5.
I worked a full-time job at a large corporation for 27 years. The last 10 years I worked there I was a bi-vocational pastor. I worked hard at both jobs and was highly successful. I was then called by God into full-time ministry. It cost me half my previous salary and the house I built. For the past 10 years I have worked full-time as pastor of a very fast growing church. In both churches I pastored neither my tremendous success nor my tireless work ethic made exempt from the gnats. No matter how much I get done I am always reminded by the gnats that I missed something or somebody. The gnats always asked unfair negative questions in business meetings and their generous gifts to the church would always be followed by a list of things they expected of me. Gnats are pesty at best. I don’t work for them or for a church board. I work for Jesus. If he’s pleased I’m pleased. There’s nothing wrong with my work ethic. I didn’t need a job when I quit the one I had to follow God’s call. Your stereotyping of people in ministry is unfair. Please don’t allow yourself to become a gnat.
Bill, I am assuming that you have been hurt in the local church by someone in ministry. You comment came across very critical. I am a businessman and a trained pastor so your question of competence was very hurtful.
Great advice! One must also learn to distinguish the gnats from the predators who use their influence in the church to kill and devour.
This is a great post! I wish I had learned this gnat perspective three or four years ago. Now, when I look back, I realize I was trying to slap those gnats out of existence. More than once I’ve picked up a hammer to kill a gnat that was resting on my body (not really, but you get the picture).
It’s hard to maintain perspective when you’re in pain, even if it’s a little, annoying pain.
Lord ,We need your mercy! Little child posting commits about words that are saying or calling Gods creations gnats. Christ said to his disciples Oh ye of little faith! not you work harder than the others because those who are called to do the ministry of Christ should know He didn’t, work alone First God Our Heavenly Father, Pray then seek God for direction.God loves the sinner and hates sin. Gnats are good for something you just have to seek God first? Besides God Love covers all sins! Loves righteousness????
Don’t be deceived, not every one of God’s creatures in a church are innocent. Self righteousness is the most deceptive of all. Jesus also called church goers of his day vipers “in Matt & Luke”.
Elected officials can often be the worst as they are often elected by Men with dark hearts rather than God.
Great article Thom. Where do you think the line is where you must confront the gnat and decisively deal with it versus merely accepting it and considering it a price of leadership?
Thank you. I really needed to hear this today! I was contemplating nuking the gnat, but now realize I need to water the soil.
From now on when a church member comes to me with a complaint, they must tell me first when was the last time they invited someone to church or told someone about Jesus. If they can give me an affirmative answer they are free to complain.
Chronic critics, Ask and believe it shall be given, seek you shall find, knock and the door shall be open . Could the chronic critics be because we need patience, compassion, understanding, faith, longsuffering, encouragement, operated by Love. My people perishs from lack of knowledge.
It seems to me that the really big recommendation on your list is #7. A wise confidant would identify the other 6, IMO.
Everyone has a limit too. After 22 years of ministry I reached my end. Evil people who attack non stop can eventually wear the strongest person down. I have been more encouraged in a secular job these past 6 months that I was the last 6 years in ministry.
I don’t think that’s what Dr. Rainer meant by “gnats”. I think he was talking about people who generally mean no harm, but still tend to get on your nerves. Many times it’s neither the pastor’s fault nor the church member’s fault; it’s just a simple personality clash.
On the other hand, there are those who make it their business to destroy the pastor. I dealt with a lady like that on a pulpit committee once. I told them I wasn’t interested, because I knew if I went to that church she would cause me no end of trouble.
P.S. In other words, Dr. Rainer was talking about people who can be a nuisance, but don’t do any real harm. It sounds to me like you were dealing with a much more serious type. Someone below mentioned the book “Antagonists in the Church”, by Kenneth Haughk. Among other things, it gives you helpful guidelines in telling the difference between real antagonists and those who just rub you the wrong way. In your case, you may have been dealing with some genuine antagonists.
We should keep praying for more Grace to endure and tolerate in our work for God. Gnats, critics, cankerworms etc are in every church. Worst are the members that benefit from church more try to pull the ministry and ministers down.
I suppose swatting them is out of the question? (Kidding!) Seriously, I think your advice is right on target. If a person is truly destroying the church or attempting to destroy the pastor, firm action may be needed. However, I think you’re talking about well-meaning people who get on your nerves. In those cases, it’s often wise just to grin and bear it.
Have you ever read a book by Kenneth Haugk titled, Antagonists in the Church? Should be on every pastor’s shelf.
I read it when I was in seminary. I agree!
Praise God for the gnats because they keep me on my knees. I have found in 21 years of pastoring that the gnats help me to be more creative in my approach to ministry.
Just going through the comments, and this one is the most productive in my opinion (still reading through them though). “Gnats” can be used as a reminder to pray for them and for us to stay humble in our leadership positions as well as our personal lives.
I would think that one would pray to God just like we would for any other problem in our lives. God is omnipotent and has the power to give you discernment regarding the gnat (s) and how to handle them. If you go about it handling it on your own, God will let you do just that, handle it on your OWN and we know by experience how it will end, Disastrous! Give it totally to God.
I find the whole tenor of this post breathtakingly disrespectful of the laity.
Yes, there are jerks among us, both in the pew and in the pulpit. But I daresay if our wonderful pastor related to anyone at our church as an annoying gnat keeping him from succeeding, I would find a different church with a true shepherd.
That does not mean I believe pastors are fair game for chronic complainers. But the tone of this post paints pastors as saints and any who disagree with his majesty as equal to an insect. It leaves a sour taste, portraying pastors less as put upon by complainers and more as predatory users not to be bothered with the common folk.
We can, should, and will expect better than that from both our pastor and those of us in the pew.
You know, from the pew, we could find all those “uplifting” sermons correcting all our faults as chronic complaining and negativity. Two way street.
Better to preach Christ and Him crucified and all of us, clergy and laity alike, show some respect for each other.
As one of the laity to which you refer, I have to tell you that I did not find it disrespectful to me at all. It would seem to only be offensive to those who are guilty of acting like those gnats.
I agree with Linda. I think the comments on this post show an elitism and why there are gnats. While I have seen pastors who really care for the people to whom they minister… there are those who have publicly stated and act as if they are not accountable to the laity. Become accountable and transparent instead of arrogant and condescending.
Linda – Thank you for your wisdom.
Ken – The well worn speck and log text. Often used as a defense mechanism to dodge a real issue and deprecate the believer offering a “rebuke, correction, instruction in righteousness”. “You’re judging me…” when in fact there is no judgement is involved. The word of God is being delivered – God’s judgements.
But there are carnal practices initiated by the laity. Sometimes they are making judgements.
What is needed? Intimacy and mutuality – practicing the 58 “one another” instructions. We both know the main gatherings of believers are dominated by the opposite – very strict one way communication with almost zero verbal expression from any believer in “lay” status. We both know that elevating titles, pay checks, fenced off ministries, claims to authority with an “office”, 500 years of ecclesiastical tradition, twisting of God’s word with the shepherd – sheep metaphor, all force clergy and laity into separate functional casts in a household of faith designed to be of “one mind” and ” perfectly one” like Jesus and the Father are one. Jesus prayed for this before he was betrayed and crucified. Most believers have been trained to be passive, docile, perpetually dependent sheep. It’s easy. They have been suckered to think it’s godly. They will serve sporadically. By the grace of God there are at least a few who rise up to witness, disciple, and give a pass on everything the Spirit says “their pastor” is doing wrong. They accept their lower rung in the official pecking order. These are systemic realities to the current dominant practice called “ministry”.
The very system you champion creates the gnat relationship and multiplies it. It creates carnal, flesh driven relationships with what is considered “orthodox” practice. It’s so easy to blame the laity and exempt yourself from any error. Matthew 7:3-5. Speck – log, done!
Hired pastors experience so much pain and suffering, coast to coast, every brand name, no exceptions anywhere per this article, yet you will not question the SYSTEM that you practice. You will not “re-examine” what you have been told with the scriptures to see if it’s true. Acts 17:11. You will assume everything is good, rather than “test everything, hold on to that which is good”. 1 This. 5:21. If you do look something up, it’s in a commentary or lexicon created by the same people who fed the system to you. You are in a bubble with people all around you supporting the bubble, yet having to swat gnats all around you and even fight wholesale destroyers. You cannot make use of intimacy and mutuality. That is foreign to professionalized leadership. You’re an elevated specialist with a “higher calling”. I know the scripture twisted to justify that, and the scripture all through the NT that teaches the opposite.
Gnats are not part of “taking up your cross”. They are the fruit of a long tradition driven system that is white washed with the selected and twisted text. Most people like it because it panders to the flesh all the while claiming to be “the work of God”.
Thirty five years ago when I was in my Pastoral Education training, I was told by a nation-wide preacher, book writer, conference speaker, etc, that we Pastors should maintain a professional distance from the people. We were the shepherds and they are the sheep. This separation breads gnats and gives you permission to label them as merely gnats with your tongue in cheek. This is not funny.
Immediately a red flag went up in my heart, by the grace of God. I knew this was corrupt from what I had read about Paul’s example of ministry leadership, connecting deeply at the heart with the results being full reproduction of spiritual leadership to every believer. The same with the example of Jesus, the good shepherd, the great shepherd, the chief shepherd. .I now have much more insight into the system and how the scripture is used to justify it. There is much more Biblical corruption than I could have imagined. It’s all interwoven as protection to perpetuate the gnat disfunction – both sides of it.
Please, I urge you. Wake up and examine with a straight look at the word. Refuse to exonerate yourself. Observe the self protecting bubble. It’s a bubble with great reformation from the Pope’s bubble, but it needs much more reformation. The Methodists made a good start at it but reverted. The Brethren made some fixes but have reverted. The Church of Christ did not fix it. The charismatics did not fix it. Eldership does not fix this. We can fix it.
I will participate in helping test any scripture you think supports the gnat enhancing clergy system. We can be intimate and mutual here. If I’m perceived as being a gnat because of this, I’m open to correction.
My use of Matthew 7:3-4 was quite fitting in this case. Bill freely labels anyone who disagrees with him as “arrogant”, but he is hardly a model of humility.
Ken – “Bill freely labels anyone who disagrees with him…” Anyone who disagrees? This is a very broad assumption. You have only heard him address this blog issue. Bill made an assuming statement and you have joined him.
I understand Bill in spite of his unfortunate judgmental statement. Believers like Bill, Linda, I, and others, who recognize the systemically deprecating function of the clergy – laity false dichotomy struggle with how to address it speaking the truth in love. Linda did a good job.
Both sides of this struggle are victims of a corrupt system called godly. I understand you feel like you are only doing exactly as the Bible says. You are a leader of God’s people, just like the “men of God” before you with their “higher calling” to “full time ministry”. I don’t know if you realize how arrogant and exclusive these phrases are and how they are deep corruptions of what the Bible says about “men, calling and ministry”. You have been led to think the Bible says “lecture the word, with strict one way communication, by just one man, for the whole time, no verbal participation by ANY other believer, in season and out of season…” The Bible doesn’t say this. You assume this practice into this text by the power of 500 years of tradition. You have been led to think that the Bible says “lecturing the saints in strict one way communication, by just one man, for the whole time, no verbal participation by ANY other believer, to do the work of the ministry. You cannot exposit this strict narrow practice from “preach” or “equipping” or any other text or example. It’s all assumed into the text by the power of 500 years of tradition. You don’t realize this shuts down the priesthood of the believer, the manifestation of the Spirit in every believer, the “speaking the truth in love” by every believer as “each part does it work”, the “stirring up one another on to love and good works” which is the “habit of meeting” believers are not to “forsake”, and many others. But you do it every week thinking it’s godly and obedient. It’s disobedient.
Both sides of this dichotomy must recognize the errors of tradition, repent of our failures and reconstruct true church practice. I realize this is not easy, but God’s power and grace are greater than this severe problem.
What ARE you talking about? You don’t even know me. How do you know what I’ve been “led to think”? You’re jumping to an awful lot of conclusions. You come on here with your long-winded harangues and then you accuse others of “lecturing”? Who do you think you’re kidding?
Ken – 99.9% of evangelical churches have a pulpit which means the worship hour is dominated by what I just described. Whether you stand behind a pulpit or sit in a pew, 99.9% think God asked for this. This is a blog where this is considered normal. Are you really an exception? If so, praise God. If not, we need to interact more. I know you far more from your interaction than seeing your face and shaking your hand. I’m pleased to meet you. Most saints will spend years together in a pew and know less about each others hearts. The power of two-way communication is amazing. One-way communication is weak and shallow. The God of the Bible is a two-way communication being. He thrives on intimacy.
My “long winded harangues” are very short compared to what lay folks must endure every Sunday. My last post was 90 seconds. The one before 4 minutes. I spent days reading a book by Marshall Shelley called “Well-intentioned Dragons – Ministering to Problem People In The Church.” It was insightful into the well-intentioned corruption of the clergy system. This is full two-way communication. No lecture here. I’m not kidding anyone. You would rather pick on side issues than deal with the core of gnats and swatters. I am addressing that core. I’m delivering scripture and contesting it’s abuse that creates severe disfunction.
God has given us a specific plan for increasing “love and good works” from his people. It culminates in believers “stirring up one another” and “encouraging one another”. This is the “habit of meeting” that believers are not to “forsake”. It’s the opposite of lecturing the Bible by one man. It involves every believer in 7 day a week church with “let us draw near with a pure heart”; let us hold fast our confession of faith”; and “let us consider how we can “stir up…”. This simple plan is fully rejected for the “worship hour”. When believers are stripped of their responsibilities, led to consume 84% of their “giving” to hire and build for alternatives, everything is complicated and self-absorbed. This is gnat breeding.
Lighten up, huh? Dr. Rainer was only using humor to illustrate a point. Besides, how would you like it if someone came to your place of employment and constantly tried to tell you how to do your job, even though the person clearly didn’t know what he / she was talking about? I daresay you wouldn’t like it very much. For pastors, that sort of thing is a way of life.
How about pastors who do not know what they are doing? You assume someone who has a position automatically knows how to do the job. I have seen very few, most abuse the position, very few know what Biblically called to the ministry is about, most think of it as a job. In my experience they pick and choose what they like to do. For some it is a country club experience.
You might think me a gnat, but most parishioners sit passively in the pew and act like dumb sheep and do not question anything, and when someone stands up and for the first time questions things like the financials (as an example) they become an enemy of the state. I remember I once questioned use of facility as no different than use of money and I was ripped by the pastor as “none of my business”.
This stuff goes both ways.
No, I don’t think you’re a gnat. Gnats can be pesky and annoying, but they’re generally harmless. You are quite another species. Someone on this thread mentioned Kenneth Haughk’s book, “Antagonists in the Church”. I advise you to read it, because you’re displaying many attributes of a hard-core antagonist.
P.S. I’m sorry you’ve had bad experiences with pastors, but that doesn’t give you the right to take out your wrath on the rest of us. I’d also be interested in hearing the pastor’s side of this story, because critics don’t always let the truth get in their way. You think you know so much about how it’s done. I’d love to see you try to do it. With your nasty disposition, you wouldn’t last six months.
LOL, you are not worth further response. Use of single texts out of context is arrogant and a poor defense mechanism, which only proves your inability to think critically.
I took nothing out of context. My use of that verse was quite appropriate to address this situation. You’ve been nothing but critical and condescending in all of your replies, and yet you accuse us of arrogance. This is clearly a case of the proverbial pot calling the kettle black. As for all those pastors who allegedly mistreated you, I would be interested in their side of the story. You don’t sound like you’re the kind of person who lets the truth get in your way.
I find this one of the best perspectives. Gnats often come and go with the season. I have struggled with “labels” like alligators or antagonists, and I know they exist–but not everyone who disagrees with a pastor should be labeled as such. I move from how wonderful God is working in this congregation, to wanting to avoid the gnats–which in reality are just a small bother, not affecting our outcomes. I listen, hear them (often what they want is to be heard), and then move forward in mission–sometimes with a tweak because what they said had value. Thanks.
Thank you for this wise post, Thom — God’s timing for me personally. Appreciate the reminder to view gnats from a spiritually healthier perspective.
I totally agree with your assessment and have swatted at them for 18 years. Lol. One thing I have learned is their always going to be around. Just as one of my mentors told me there is always a Judas among your leaders. I have also discovered that there are Sandpaper People that come our way that rub you the wrong way but help with smoothing out our rough edges or make them sharper depending on how we react to their rubbing us. The trick is determining which they are and how to respond to their bitting or rubbing.
Bless you and your ministry, Thomas.
John 21:15 “Tend My lambs.” 16 “Shepherd My sheep.” 17 “Tend My sheep.
so that we may present every man complete in Christ.
“4. Pray for the gnat source.” Actually points to a teaching of Jesus. Blog posts can’t be all encompassing.
I find that many of the articles and the following comments I see on this blog are very critical and minimizing of lay people while heaping encouragement and to those in vocational ministry.
Good for you on the encouragement to our pastors…they need much more than they get.
I don’t like the “us vs. them” attitude that i see here in the blog and the comments. We are told from the pulpit to turn the other cheek, but i don’t see a whole lot of 70×7 in here.
There is rich irony in someone who says to turn the other cheek while he is offering criticism.
John, you are right. I suppose it is ironic to pull out that story to support my case when feeling I’m offended. And this doesn’t originate from the pulpit…it comes from Christ himself. When it does come from the pulpit, it comes rightly.
At the same time, I find rich irony in “love the gnats” which calls you to love people but also says it’s OK to call them names and put them in a box at the same time.
That is my problem with this article.
I believe this fosters and “us vs them” mindset forgetting a “one another” approach.
I have been in church most of my life (20 something in my church now). I serve and lead and have never questioned our staff on anything. Never even had a cross word with our pastors. I’ve been loved thru my failures and rejoiced alongside our pastors in Christ’s victory.
Yet I struggle within myself about how I’m to relate. Is it wrong for me to question in my heart and mind or have a conversation about where I might disagree or question something.
I don’t think so, but what I see in this post and in the comments is that it’s certainly not welcome.
But at least you’re supposed to love me anyway?
No, that’s not the one thing, but that’s pretty much the essence of it. Did you not read Dr. Rainer’s blog? He was telling pastors that we’re supposed to love people in spite of their quirks and difficulties. Yet you can’t seem to get past the fact that he used the word “gnat”.
The purpose of this blog is to encourage people in vocational ministry. What do you expect?
Ken – “..encourage people in vocational ministry”. I think the title says “Growing Healthy Churches Together”. Sounds like that includes all of us, as it should. I understand that “vocational ministry” seems as Biblical to you, as the the Papacy seems Biblical to Roman Catholics. I was immersed in it just as you have been most likely. But by God’s grace I became a “more noble” believer like the Bereans and “examined the scriptures daily” to see if what the hired preacher said was true. Acts 17:11 I am a “vocational minister” and I work in the market place. Everything I do is sacred to God. I’m serving Christ, not men. Col. 3:23. I’m “always giving myself fully to the work of the Lord, knowing it is not in vain”. 1 Cor. 15:58. I shepherd lots of people and lots of marketplace workers shepherd me. None of us considers each other gnats.
I do not recall Jesus calling people names except when calling out leadership. He used some strong language to get their attention. Speaking of people as insects, any people, disrespects the Imago Deo within. It saddens me that taking the higher road is the road less taken in these days. I understand that pastors have a difficult job, but it is part of the Call. I take umbrage with the descriptors, not the assessment.
I recall Jesus also saying something about “straining at gnats”. For crying out loud, Dr. Rainer was using a very apt illustration. One of the reasons we have so much disunity in the church is because people have a tendency to make mountains out of molehills. Dr. Rainer’s use of the word “gnat” is definitely a molehill.
Ken – Disunity starts with the clergy – laity division; the pulpit talkers separated from the silent pew sitters. Thousands of divergent brand names with their separate facilities showing clearly to the lost that God’s people are divided.
The opportunities are where the problems are.
Bill – I find it interesting that the definition you give assumes the greater error in the non-leader and the greater good of the “leader”. I googled this name and he is a “Reverend”. I have a comic where a Pastor is talking to his wife by the top loading washing machine. He says “Of course I know what an agitator is. I work with the deacons.” That is a laugh for the clergy but it’s sad for Jesus as he seeks to build his church.
Hey, I agree with you, this book was being quoted repeatedly in this blog. There is a true distortion, by the very concept of “vocational ministry” as if there is a “professional” ministry and a non-professional. This by itself creates a we versus them and essentially class distinctions. It is as if the professional is not to be questioned….. he/she is a pope…. with absolute authority by virtue of office.
The so called professional, in my opinion and experience, has no idea what it means to teach or on the other hand learn….. all one needs to do is review many of the comments on this blog.
I agree, thanks for posting.
So, your position is that we are to ignore those parts of the Bible that conflict with our own personal beliefs? That explains a lot of the comments I have seen from you and Bill.
Ben – Were you merely going to make a general accusation or give some specific basis for what you are thinking? I’ve given some specific scriptures that clergy twist and scriptures they ignore in their tradition. Do you care to respond to any of those? With no basis, or a specific example, your accusation seems shallow and empty.
You talk about others twisting scriptures and then rip the scriptures from their context and try to get others to believe what you say they mean instead of what they clearly say in the text. Pick a translation, and 1 Corinthians 9:14 says the same thing. You just don’t happen to agree with it. Yet, you want to suggest that there are other passages that contradict that passage (without citation, of course).
You want to use Matt. 10:8b to make it appear that the pastors should work without pay. Of course, the passage says nothing of the sort, and your false suggestion is clearly negated in verse 10 of the very same chapter. Jesus is telling the apostles to take nothing with them because they WILL be cared for by those to whom they minister (“…the laborer deserves his food”).
Paul clearly teaches that pastors (and everyone else) should be paid what they are worth. Passages like 1 Timothy 5:18 STATE that the worker is worth his due. The ONLY way that a person can come to the conclusion that pastors should not be paid is to assume that pastors have no worth.
Read 1 Corinthians 9 (ALL OF IT). You take passages in which Paul says that he declines the right to pay (not that he has no such right) and try to use them to suggest something that Paul never said. In short, you try to rewrite what the Bible actually says to make it say what you want it to say.
“The laborer deserves his wages.” I get paid for what I do. I can choose to not take the pay if I so choose. But, that does NOT mean that other people in the same job should not be paid.
Yes, He does, Bill. And, God has some rather negative things to say about those who lead others astray by their teachings. You need to be very careful what you write in a public forum if you are going to try to tell others what the Bible says.
You would always be wise to go back to what the Bible says in the context in which it says it instead of pulling isolated verses out and creating bad theology from them. But, if you continue to do so, I would advise you to keep such things to yourself rather than incur the consequences that God has said will follow. Ultimately, the choice of action is up to you. The consequences are up to God.
True, Bill, but you still have a chance to repent.
Ben – Thanks for interacting.
A. You must assume “those who preach the gospel” is meant by Jesus (and Paul) to mean those who lecture (strict one way communication by only one man for the whole time) the Bible to believers every week (who have already heard 500 – 2000 lectures) in perpetual dependency. You cannot exposit this strict function from any word translated preach or teach, or any example of either. It is assumed into the text. Strictly one man? Strictly one way communication? No interaction? No questions? No participation by any one? Assuming is bad exegesis.
B. “…should get their living by the gospel.” ESV & NASB; “…should be supported by those who benefit from it.” NLT. You are right, however it is only almost every translation. Young’s literal says “… of the good news to live.” A little extra digging shows no where else in the NT is zoa used to indicate the English phrase meaning “earning a living”. It always means life vs death, or character of living. Jesus commanded those who speak the gospel should make sure their life example is in sync with the gospel. Jesus is teaching against hypocrisy, not teaching professionalized preaching in strict one way communication by one man with perpetual dependency results. It is easy to understand why translators want to make their version compliant with the deepest tradition in the evangelical church. They have a vested interest in selling that which will be liked by every Bible expert who also wants a full pay check from their use of the Bible.
C. All these institutionally correct versions all add words into the text that are not present. The NLT is the most obvious, but they all do it except Young’s.
D. Verse 14 is Paul’s last statement before he does a 180 and rejects all the arguments he has just given that are used by the Corinth church to justify professionalized leadership. This statement is a “command of the Lord” the Corinth saints are twisting to justify money transfer rather than life consistency with the gospel. In verses 1-14 Paul asks 16 questions all of which reflect the Corinth logic (remember they were Greeks invested in logic) used to justify pay-the-teacher routine. The answers to the questions are NOT rhetorical. They are challenging and thought provoking. Every analogy Paul gives involves an “analogy fallacy”. They all have built in logical fallacies. Example: The soldier. Every believer is a soldier, not just a few select Bible experts in a separate cast system who got a special “calling” from God to never work in the marketplace. After verse 14 Paul gives multiple reasons why he ministered “free of charge”. You cannot practice professionalized ministry, the opposite of Paul’s example, and get these results.
v . 18 A reward for ministry “free of charge”.
v. 19 Free from all and a servant of all so as to win more.
v. 20 -22 All things to all people that by all means I might save some.
v. 23 Free ministry is “for the sake of the gospel” and “share in it’s blessings”.
v. 24 – 25 Demonstrates self control and running to win the prize which is “imperishable”.
v. 26 Avoids aimlessness and beating the air.
v. 27 Engages body discipline and avoiding disqualification.
All of these reasons are grammatically connected to ministry “free of charge” but even commentators like John MacArthur will not connect them. Same with Charles Swindol when he lectured on this text regarding Paul’s immense passion. They all want a pay check, not Paul’s example.
Final translation corruption: I think it’s four times in this chapter and once in chapter 8 that is connected in logic and grammar, Paul uses the term exousia – which means authority or positional power. The translators choose the word “right”. They down grade the term so you will not see the connection to the very specific instruction of Jesus “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you.” No “authority” is to be “exercised” by his followers to one another. The only position is “slave” and “servant” – just like the “Son of Man”. So when Paul says in verse 18 “so as not to make full use of my authority in the gospel”, he is making his practice to be consistent with the instructions of Jesus. So when a hired preacher claims authority (right) for a pay check, he is rejecting the apostolic example of Paul and the instruction of Jesus. They follow the Corinthian preference, who mocked the practice of Paul.
I’ve only addressed your first point but you can see there is a large dose of translation corruption and commentating corruption that does not fix it and perpetuates long standing tradition. Is there any error in my exposition?
Tim, thanks for taking the time to get deeply into the text and for calling out the false prophets for their nonsense hermenuetics and exegesis. One of the consequences of a “professional” minister is they are dependent on the system…. they are unprepared to really face the truth because they have no or few marketable skills. I have seen this too many times… and they destroy parts of their ministry in order to preserve their power base…. and keep their salary, pension and benefits.
I continue to find it amazing that so many find giving a lecture is the same as preaching. The “church” has lost the art of preaching. So many sit in pews and think a lecture is somehow the thing to do and by enduring this they have now done their duty. This was a major reason for the Great Reformation, people tired of the pompous and arrogant clergy telling them how to behave to get into heaven.
I serve as a chaplain in prisons, nursing homes, homeless shelters, and do hospital visitation, along with pulpit supply. I have never received compensation, I provide from doing work in the marketplace. And, I do not do lectures… one would be surprised what the people have to say when you interact in each of these settings as I allow questions and inquiry. Sometimes I learn more than I have to give.
Ben, it is a waste of time to try to hold an intellectually honest discussion with people who make assumptions and then tell you that they are YOUR assumptions. They can only interact with their own personal prejudices and seem incapable of reading what was written as written.
What is really interesting is that they lecture you while they decry those who lecture. And, sadly, they don’t recognize what they are doing.
LOL, fools make a mock of sin.
You insist on having your little immature child school yard sayings. Enjoy your last word. I find it amazing! I have had mine.
This is the issue, Ben. They want to rip verses out of context from a translation of a Greek text that was only about 60 years older than the KJV 1611 (Estienne 1550). And, while they are doing that, they want you to completely ignore the translations of Greek texts that are centuries older.
It would appear that they assume (to use their own word) that what is older is not as good as what is newer. Imagine the translation of modern English if someone literally (without any regard to English idioms) translated a statement about you trying to go green. Imagine the scene that would be pictured of someone catching a cold.
The resulting picture would be of a person whose skin was turning green while they chased a cold with a net. This is why it is very important that we learn more than just the vocabulary translations (which Young’s does very well). It is important that we learn idioms and context cues to truly understand what a passage means. And, you will NEVER get the latter by removing text from its context and attempting to make it stand on its own.
It isn’t good theology. It isn’t good philosophy. It isn’t good logic. It is, however, a great way to make an unsupported position appear to have legitimacy.
Thanks for this post–it freed up something in me and that freedom has lingered. The yearning for the approval of man is a tricky thing. We all want to be liked, to do well, to be approved, but our goal must be His approval and it’s paramount to focus on the goal, not the gnats.
I sometimes find myself pushed and pulled by friends of varying authenticity, but I think the true mark of a friend is that they lovingly wish the best for each other–even if we don’t always agree or see things the same way. Love covers a multitude of sins…and I cling to that.
Praying for those we disagree with is one of the most difficult things for me to do, but I feel the rightness of it deep within me. Love Jesus, Love others…keep on keeping on.
From this whole thread of comments..
.I made the right choice to quit the Sunday morning popularity-american idol-nonsense which is American protestant Christianity. I found a few men on Skype who just want to study the Word, walk deeper, hold each other accountable and worship God unabashedly. We’re nothing special…just a group of men who have unexciting jobs and lives and just break bread and speak of things of God. Look at all these comments and the post. Petty squabbles. Referring to the ones not cool enough inside the Church as gnats. Self righteous pastors, entitled laity. So glad I left the church.
It would seem that you missed the whole point of the article. The gnats to which the article refers are nothing like the gnats to which you refer. Before you condemn others and create a church in your own image, it might be worthwhile to actually listen to what you are being told.
I think a lot of you should take the focus off the word “Gnat”. It is just a word being used to show the effects a person might be having on a minister or the ministries of the church. If you are truly a child of The King, that would not bother you at all because you know it’s not meant in a bad way. Meditate on what the post is telling you. It’s not a us vs. them thing. If you are not part of the problem, be part of the solution. Some of you have clearly been hurt in your church, but everyone is not the same. Be positive and ask God for the discernment you need to follow this.

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