New Meeting Time

Never again will I attend an elders' meeting that takes place Sunday morning before worship. From now on, elders' meetings need to take place in the evening, so that afterward, instead of leading worship, I can go home and cry.

Yesterday's monthly meeting forcused, as it always does, on the church's financial situation. Never mind that we worship a God of abundance, or that we should perhaps discuss spiritual needs as well as financial needs; the focus is always on what we can't do, not on what we can.

Eventually one elder looked right at me and said, "If we ever get to the point where we have to choose between a building and our pastor, I'll take the building." The way he said it made it clear that he was directing his comment at me personally.

Granted, everyone expects comments like this from this person. That's just the type of person he is. Nevertheless, I was tempted to respond by saying that the next time he needed pastoral care, I'd send him a couple of roof shingles instead.

Obviously, I said no such thing. The truth is, as mean as he can be, I still love him. That's one of the occupational hazards of being a pastor, I guess, or perhaps of being a Christian in general: we can't help but continue to love even those who are mean to us in return.

I have some friends who have a church that meets in their living room on Sunday evenings. (Yes, their church has a pastor, but no building.) I went to worship at their house last night because, as I told my wife, "I need to experience worship where I don't have to preach, and where I'm reminded that people like myself are, in fact, more important that non-living structures built of wood." I'm glad I went. Worshiping with my friends, I was indeed reminded that I am God's child, holy and beloved.

I don't know why he is so mean and viscious to people. Perhaps he has some hidden pain buried so deep within him that even he is unaware of its presence or influence. But I do know that, no matter what he says or how he acts, I will continue to love him as best I can. It's what I'm called to do. It's the only way I know how to respond.

Well, that, and changing the time of our meetings.