Poor Excuses for Sinful Silence

Mar 30, 2010 • By David Murray • 1 Comment

When you see sin in your family or in your church, what should you do?

Mary Gentile is a senior research scholar at Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Her book Giving Voice to Values will be published by Yale University Press in September 2010. For four years Dr Gentile has been studying “the moments when people decide whether to speak up about an ethical issue, and what they say when they do.” Her research has been focused on businesses and corporations. However, her findings also have a convicting and challenging message for pastors and elders.

In fact all Christians regularly face this dilemma, in their families and workplaces as well as in their churches. We encounter an ethical problem. We know we should speak up. But we start hearing powerful arguments, from within and without, as to why we should stay silent. In the March issue of the Harvard Business Review Magazine, Dr Gentile identified the four classic arguments for keeping silent.

1. It’s not my job. You don’t have to be a seasoned staff member, an expert, or have formal authority to raise a flag. Doing the best thing for the company is always your job.

2. It’s not a big deal. If you’re telling yourself that, it probably is a big deal. Instead of downplaying the severity of the issue, focus on trying to find a resolution.

3. It’s standard practice. Even if your company has always done it a certain way, if it’s creating a problem now or in the future, challenge the status quo.

4. I want to be loyal. Many times people feel there is a conflict between doing what’s right and being loyal to their coworkers, manager, or company. Though this question of loyalty may at times represent a true ethical dilemma, it is often just a rationalization.

Sound familiar?

Dr Gentile’s motivation is “to help younger managers raise their voices when they should and help senior managers build a strong, honest organizational culture.”

May God also use her research to similarly impact pastors, elders, and the Church of Christ.

And, in the shadow of Calvary, may God also give us the grace to begin with our own personal sins and our own “skillful” rationalizations.

Picture: 2006 © Christina DeRidder. Image from BigStockPhoto.com

The Pastor’s Worst Enemy

Mar 29, 2010 • By David Murray • 7 Comments

The pastor’s worst enemy is pride, and it is a special danger for young pastors (1 Tim. 3:6).

The Particular Causes of Pride

Public gifts. As your gifts are exercised in public (unlike those with more private and unseen gifts and ministries), they are more likely to be recognized, admired, and praised.
Official status. As many of God’s people respect and honor the “office” of pastor (sometimes regardless of who fills it), you may be inclined to think it is you they respect and honor.
Man-centeredness. When people are blessed under your ministry, they will often attribute it to you rather than to God.
Worldly ideas of leadership. You see yourself as “in charge of all these people,” rather than their servant.
Inexperience. The Church is quite unique in how it places untested and inexperienced young men into positions of the highest responsibility without going through the “humbling school of hard knocks.” Having never been led, they sometimes do not know how to lead.
Misunderstanding of call to the ministry. Paul did not see the pastoral ministry as a prize he had earned. For Paul, it was as much a grace, an unearned gift, as salvation (Eph. 3:8).

The Pastoral Consequences of Pride

If you fall into pride there will be serious consequences in your ministry.

You will start depending on your gifts rather than on God.
You will become impatient with your less gifted brethren in the ministry or eldership.
You will become thoughtlessly insensitive to the traditions and customs of the past.
You will resist personal criticism and mature counsel.
You will become discouraged and discontented because “I deserve better than this crowd!”
You will regard yourself as above the small/dirty jobs in the congregation.
You will stop learning because you know more than everyone else anyway.
You may fall into the “condemnation of the devil” (1 Tim.3:6).

The Personal Cure of Pride

Let these two phrases be the double heartbeat of our ministries.

1. I am a sinner

Remember what I was (think on the sins you’ve been delivered from)
Remember what I could be now (if God had not stopped you)
Remember what I still am (research your own heart )
Remember what I could yet be (if God removed His restraining grace)

2. I am a servant

A servant of God (not independent but dependent on God for commission, authority, blessing)
A servant of God’s people (not their lord or sovereign)
A servant of sinners (do not look down on the unsaved but get down on your knees for them)
A servant of servants (don’t compete with other pastors but serve them)
A servant of the Servant (who said, “I am among you as one who serves,” and, “the servant is not greater than his Master.”)