When there is disagreement about what church leaders ought to do, there will certainly be division in the congregation.
In 1 Corinthians 3 & 4, Paul addresses how disunity at Corinth was related to their view of ministers and members. He first identified the cause of disunity: behaving as “mere humans” (1Co 3:1-4), when immature Christians ate the spiritual junk food of jealousy and strife, which had stunted their spiritual growth. Then he identified five areas in which a congregation can either mature toward unity or digress in disunity:
- Their view of ministers: God’s agents with assigned roles
- Their view of ministry: built on the foundation of Christ and according to God’s blueprints
- Their view of self: not deceived with pride or worldly wisdom
- Their view of ministerial success: judged by God for faithfulness, not results
- Their view of ministerial faithfulness: defined by God’s standard
How does God view ministerial faithfulness?
If the congregation has a different idea about what constitutes a minister’s faithfulness to his call — and thus, to the congregation — then there will surely be division. Paul identifies in himself six things that characterize a faithful minister. Ministers should strive to imitate these these, and congregations should strive to permit their ministers to be faithful to these things.
Admonish lovingly. Admonish means to see something incorrect in belief, and correct it, and to see something incorrect in behavior, and correct it. Paul gets very stern in his letter to the church at Corinth, employing shock, sarcasm, and irony to get their attention in order to facilitate needed change. But he does so not to shame them, but with a view to their good, as beloved children.
If ministers aren’t willing or able to correct members, and if members don’t want their ministers to correct them, there will be division.
Love paternally. Paul loves the Corinthians as his children. This is not love as the world defines it, or as the Corinthians had defined it, according to charisma and how the ministers made members feel good about themselves. Ministers love by laboring in prayer, teaching the Word at every opportunity, by spending whatever time necessary to see the flock grow in holiness. People demonstrate affection in many ways, but a minister of God will demonstrate it this way.
If a minister doesn’t long for the members’ growth in holiness, he doesn’t love them. And if members have worldly ideas about what the minister should do to prove he loves them, other than these, there will be division.
Father spiritually. Paul tells the Corinthians that they have many guides, but only one father. He considered them their father because of his unique relationship in proclaiming the gospel to them and seeing them converted. Members have many guides in the sense that there are many resources to provide information and instruction in Christian living: books, podcasts, internet preaching, etc. But these men don’t pray for them, apply the Word to them personally, weep with them, rejoice with them. Paul did.
Ministers should not abdicate personal ministry to people. And if members reject their ministers’ care in favor of that from men they can keep at distance, there will be division.
Model humbly. Most ministers choke a bit on the words “imitate me.” But as any earthly father knows, he wants his children to learn his ways, or to avoid his mistakes. In this way, God’s ministers should want members to imitate them: to learn his ways as they are consistent with God’s, and to avoid his spiritual errors.
Ministers should want members to learn his ways. If members think there is nothing to imitate in their ministers, there will be division
Teach diligently. A minister’s driving motivation is to teach other people the ways of God. He doesn’t “clock in” (he’ always “in”), doesn’t take a break, never goes on vacation, and certainly doesn’t ever retire. Every moment is a “teachable moment.” His instruction doesn’t always look the same, and is adapted for each situation, but a minister of God teaches.
When ministers don’t teach, and when members don’t want their ministers to teach, there will be division.
Discipline appropriately. Ministers are frequently referred to in Scripture as shepherds. In Psalm 23, the shepherd is pictured as having a rod, and a staff, both of which provided comfort to the sheep. The staff was for rescue, the rod for correction. Paul asked the Corinthians what they preferred: love with a spirit of gentleness, or the rod. He did not relish the need to be severe, but knew he would do so if the Corinthians’ response required it.
If ministers leave some of their shepherding tools in the shed, or if members don’t want their ministers to discipline them, there will be division.
When ministers and members understand what God expects of ministers, and when ministers are faithful and members receptive, the church will be in much better shape to be unified.