When You Need to Motivate -- or Correct
Leith Anderson
Get the right people in the right positions to begin with. Motivating people who fit their jobs is much easier than hassling with those who buck the system.
— Leith Anderson I once invited a well-known preacher and educator to speak at a Christian education banquet held at our church. An hour and a half before the event, I learned our Sunday school superintendent, a main figure on the evening's program, would not be attending. He was protesting the presence of our "theologically liberal" guest speaker. I picked up the phone. "Bob, I understand you don't feel comfortable with our speaker's theological convictions," I said. "Uh, yes." "In the spirit of Matthew 18, then, can I ask you several questions? Have you confronted him personally with your concerns? If so, have you met with him again, taking along a member of the church? Finally, if you were unsatisfied with the results of your first two meetings, did you request that the matter be brought before the church?" A long silence screamed from the other end of the line. "No," he admitted reluctantly. "If you follow through with your protest," I said, "I believe you'll be going contrary to clear biblical teaching. Unless you follow these biblical guidelines in the next hour, then, I hope you'll fulfill your duties at the banquet." To his credit, the superintendent showed up with his game face and managed to endure the program. Not much later, however, he resigned. His behavior was inappropriate. But it would have been more inappropriate to let it slide. He needed to be held accountable. Situations like this are always gut wrenching. But they're part of church ministry. Do it well, and the church hums; do it poorly, and programs crawl, people fume, efficiency grinds to a halt. I'd much ...
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