Living With A Low-Grade Infection
John Vawter
July 1, 1989
An elder told me two couples were upset with our worship services. We were in the process of evaluating the services, so I asked him to have them contact me. A few days later, the elder returned and said, "They don't want to meet with you, because they feel you would intimidate them."
"Well," I said, "would they be willing to write me a letter outlining their concerns?"
The elder agreed to ask them.
A few days later, the elder, beginning to feel like a rubber ball bouncing between us, returned again. "They refuse to write a letter, and they say they don't want to be identified."
"How can we make changes," I exclaimed, "when people won't tell us what's bothering them?"
Low-grade infections
After pastoring for almost twelve years now, I've come to realize that not every problem can be neatly resolved. No matter how prayerful and circumspect the ministry, some degree of criticism, disrespect, and tension will exist. I call ministry in this atmosphere "living with a low-grade infection." It is the price any pastor has to pay for the privilege of influencing dozens or hundreds of lives for Christ every week.
I was quite close to one couple. A few years earlier I had helped them through a tragedy in their family. I heard they were upset about some issues in the church, so I called them one Friday to talk about it.
"Have you read our letter?" they asked.
"No, I haven't received it yet," I said.
"Well, be sure to read it before Sunday." They didn't want to say any more about the issue.
The letter arrived later that day. In essence, it said, "For two years we have observed the Holy Spirit leaving our church. It is our perception that he has left. And we are leaving also."
I thought the couple and I were close. This was their first indication ...
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