Reconciling Battling Members
Edward Dobson
Just as a doctor can resort to ice packs for a sprained ankle and antibiotics for an infection, so I can bring factors to bear in a dispute that will encourage the disputing parties to seek their own healing.
—Edward Dobson
One young man in our church, a fairly new believer employed by another member in our church, resigned his job with the understanding that the company owed him a sizeable sum of money.
Months passed, and the owner, a long-standing member of our church, refused to pay. Finally, rather than sue, John lodged a complaint with the Restoration and Healing Committee of our church. After six months of mediation, both parties agreed to a settlement of 20 percent of the original sum.
Months passed, and we were told that the owner of the company would not pay up. So the church board got involved again. The committee voted to discipline the company owner, barring him from ministry in church and placing his membership on hold.
Saturday night at 10 P.M. he called me at home and demanded to see me immediately.
Like it or not, pastors at times are firefighters. And it doesn't take a ten-alarm fire to scorch a pastor—a flickering match can inflict third-degree bums, and a smoldering mattress can kill through smoke inhalation.
Whether members feud over something as minor as Mary forgetting to invite Betty to her tea or something as major as thousands of dollars, the pastor risks hurting feelings, feeding opposition agendas, making enemies, creating factions.
So why hazard it? Why not just let people handle their own problems?
Why Risk Getting Burned?
Actually, most of the time I don't get involved. In our church we have established a Committee for Restoration and Healing, which at any one time is handling twelve to fifteen cases: ...
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