church

When Your Church Has Leadership Selection Looming

What does your congregation need in a leader?
Who shall weigh the prospective church leader...and how?

So your church needs another leader. And you get to be part of the leadership selection process. May I help?

No, I don’t mean helping your church pick. And I certainly don’t mean helping by being that leader. I mean, may I help you personally as you “figure out” for whom you will vote?

For the sake of the prospective new leader, know the answers to these three questions:

  • What does being a minister mean in your congregation?
  • To what do you expect him to commit himself?
  • In what areas are church members to obey church leaders?

Before you make your nomination or cast your vote for someone, resolve at least these things about you and him: Read it all

How to Prepare to Share a Bible Lesson

Ideas, tips, and clues for teaching from the Bible

I am to speak on that subject at our congregation this coming Sunday evening. I intend my presentation to be practical help for Sunday School teachers and Vacation Bible School teachers, for school teachers, and for other public speakers at church events. I hope it has its inspirational moments for the other listeners as well. 🙂

I don’t know if I have 20 minutes or 40 — I think I’ll find out Sunday morning. That gives me the afternoon to adjust my notes accordingly.

Monday evening I started jotting down random notes, here’s what I have so far: Read it all

Seven Things You Can Do to Cast Down Gentile Power in the Church

How to rein in an unbiblical reign in your congregation

“Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them” (Mark 10:42).

That’s what I call Gentile Power.

“Power. Authority. That’s pretty heady stuff! Too often, those who have it want to preserve it, and those who don’t have it want to acquire it.” (Mark Roth, c. 1994)

Gentile Power infects churches, church committees, and church boards. That’s because it infects disciples. Even disciples of Jesus. Read the context and background of the verse above if you doubt me.

Over the weekend I finally posted an article I wrote on this subject. In it I mention five categories of people according to their response to or perception of this evil. I also offer seven options for the consideration of those weighing their response to such use of church authority.

Along the way, I ask:

You have… You have… You have… But that person — minister, chairman, whoever — continues to use his position as license to exercise Gentile Power.

What are you supposed to do?

Jesus' disciples, watching Him closely

I eventually offer the challenge to choose between two other options. Then I advise:

Choose well.
You’ll pay dearly for either one.
But only one will reward you handsomely.

I invite you to read my full article (Gentile Power in the Church) then come back here and extend the discussion below.

When a Pastor Gives Up…

who will weep, who will shoulder the blame?

This evening I feel twinges of nostalgia and sadness. And perhaps a twitch of a whiff of bitterness? No, I overcame that a long time ago.

Twenty-five years ago this evening, at the Mennonite church in Santa María (Sonora, Mexico), the first national minister of that congregation was ordained.

photo of Emanuel church in Santa Maria

As I recall, my Dad (James Roth) gave the charge. And as I recall, the church’s “founding father” (Joe Mast) as well as two members of BMF Missions (Merle Kropf and Wilton Smucker) were there from Oregon as well. I was the congregation’s pastor.

I continued in that role til I resigned in March or April (as I fuzzily recall) so Manuel Torres could take over. My family and I had to leave the field (in May, I think). Read it all

I Flunked Song of Solomon 907

I wrote it for ninth graders and overshot the mark.

You may know I’m writing Old Testament lessons for high school freshmen. Recently I got to the sole lesson on the Song of Solomon.

The instructions I had were quite elementary:

The lesson focus is that last sentence.

In addition to those mandated parameters, I had these of my own:

  • Make it practical for ninth graders.
  • Avoid eye-rolling stretching to make the passage point to Christ and the church.

Well, I finally settled on using these passages:

  • Song of Solomon 2:4 (85)
  • Song of Solomon 4:1-7 (176)
  • Song of Solomon 5:10-16 (143)
  • Song of Solomon 7:10 (107)
  • Song of Solomon 8:6,7 (217)

The numbers in parentheses tell you how many words I dedicated to each passage.

I began and ended the lesson with these paragraphs respectively:

Song of Solomon is a difficult, much-debated, little-understood book. Perhaps it describes a real-life romance. Perhaps it’s more a poem or play to instruct and encourage husbands and wives. Perhaps it’s an intricate allegory illustrating God’s relationship with His people. Perhaps it’s some combination of those. This lesson, though, will help you consider several portions of the Song of Solomon from three different angles: pre-marriage guidelines, marital principles, and spiritual truths pertaining to Christ and the church.

Nothing shall be able to separate us from divine love (Romans 8:35-39). As the church is secure in Christ, so the church must secure her love for Christ alone (Matthew 24:12; Revelation 2:4). We should let Him know in thought, word, and deed that we are His alone.

Considering the parameters I had, I was enamored with what I submitted. Well, that’s too strong. Maybe infatuated. No, not that either. Pleased, anyway.

So much for feelings. I received instructions to please rewrite the lesson. :mrgreen:

(Oh, you’re wondering about the 907 in the post title? Well, 101 is so predictable, passé, and/or blasé.)

Today I started that process by reading through Song of Solomon. Alas, now I’m less optimistic than when I started. 😯

Do you have any passages to suggest (that fall within the above parameters)?

Above all, love God!