Church Planting Discussion

Self-constituted judges win but little respect; if they were more fit to censure they would be less inclined to do so. Many a trifling difference within a church has been fanned into a great flame by ministers outside who had no idea of the mischief they were causing: they gave verdicts upon ex parte statements, and so egged on opposing persons who felt safe when they could say that the neighboring ministers quite agreed with them. My counsel is that we join the “Know-nothings,” and never say a word upon a matter till we have heard both sides; and, moreover, that we do our best to avoid hearing either one side or the other if the matter does not concern us. Is not this a sufficient explanation of my declaration that I have one blind eye and one deaf ear, and that they are the best eye and ear I have.

In the case of false reports against yourself, for the most part use the deaf ear. Unfortunately liars are not yet extinct, and, like Richard Baxter and John Bunyan, you may be accused of crimes which your soul abhors. Be not staggered thereby, for this trial has befallen the very best of men, and even your Lord did not escape the envenomed tongue of falsehood. In almost all cases it is the wisest course to let such things die a natural death.

A great lie, if unnoticed, is like a big fish out of water, it dashes and plunges and beaks itself to death in a short time. To answer it is to supply it with its element, and help it to a longer life. Falsehoods usually carry their own refutation somewhere about them, and sting themselves to death.

Some lies especially have a peculiar smell, which betrays their rottenness to every honest nose. If you are disturbed by them the object of their invention is partly answered, but your silent endurance disappoints; malice and gives you a partial victory, which God in his care of you will soon turn into a complete deliverance. Your blameless life will be your best defense, and those who have seen it will not allow you to be condemned so readily as your slanderers expect.

Only abstain from fighting your own battles, and in nine cases out of ten your accuser’s will gain nothing by their malevolence but chagrin for themselves and contempt from others. To prosecute the slanderer is very seldom wise.

I remember a beloved servant of Christ who in his youth was very sensitive, and, being falsely accused, proceeded against the person at law. An apology was offered, it withdrew every iota of the charge, and was most ample, but the good man insisted upon its being printed in the newspapers, and the result convinced him of his own unwisdom. Multitudes, who would otherwise have never heard of the libel, asked what it meant, and made comments thereon, generally concluding with the sage remark that he must have done something imprudent to provoke such an accusation, he was heard to say that so long as he lived he would never resort to such a method again, for he felt that the public apology had done him more harm that the slander itself.

Standing as we do in a position which makes us choice targets for the devil and his allies, our best course is to defend our innocence by our silence and leave our reputation with God. Yet there are exceptions to this general rule. When distinct, definite, public charges are made against a man he is bound to answer them, and answer them in the clearest and most open manner. To decline all investigation is in such a case practically to plead guilty, and whatever may be the mode of putting it, the general public ordinarily regard a refusal to reply as a proof of guilt. Under mere worry and annoyance it is by far the best to be altogether passive, but when the matter assumes more serious proportions, and our accuser defies us to a defense, we are bound to meet his charges with honest statements of fact.

Where I have known that there existed a measure of disaffection to myself, I have not recognized it, unless it has been forced upon me, but have, on the contrary, acted towards the opposing person with all the more courtesy and friendliness, and I have never heard any more of the matter. If I had treated the good man as an opponent, he would have done his best to take the part assigned him, and carry it out to his own credit; but I felt that he was a Christian man, and had a right to dislike me if he thought fit, and that if he did so I ought not to think unkindly of him; and therefore. I treated him as one who was a friend to my Lord, if not to me, gave him some work to do which implied confidence in him, made him feel at home, and by degrees won him to be an attached friend as well as a fellow-worker. The best of people are sometimes out at elbows and say unkind things; we should be glad if our friends could quite forget what we said when we were, peevish and irritable, and it will be Christlike to act towards others in this matter as we would wish them to do towards us. Never make a brother remember that he once uttered a hard speech in reference to yourself. If you see him in a happier mood, do not mention the former painful occasion: if he be a man of right spirit he will in future be unwilling to vex a pastor who has treated him so generously, and if he be a mere boor it is a pity to hold any argument with him, and therefore the past had better go by default.

More from the Blind Eye and Deaf Ear

You must be able to bear criticism, or you are not fit to be at the head of a congregation; and you must let the critic go without reckoning him among your deadly foes, or you will prove yourself a mere weakling. It is wisest always to show double kindness where you have been severely handled by one who thought it his duty to do so, for he is probably an honest man and worth winning.

More from Charles Spurgeon’s message on the Blind Eye and the Deaf Ear 

I spoke with a man of God today that was suffering what all of us have suffered–some people in the church are talking about us in ways that they shouldn’t.  People are taking advantage of the preacher.  It has happened to all of us and this preacher knew it well.  As we talked I said well since they are talking about you and taking advantage of you maybe you should have a blind eye and deaf ear.  I thought it would be good to share some of this message.  Charles Spurgeon wrote the following:

Avoid with your whole soul that spirit of suspicion which sours some men’s lives, and to all things from which you might harshly draw an unkind inference turn a blind eye and a deaf ear. Suspicion makes a man a torment to himself and a spy towards others. Once begin to suspect, and causes for distrust will multiply around you, and your very suspiciousness will create the major part of them. Many a friend has been transformed into an enemy by being suspected. Do not, therefore, look about you with the eyes of mistrust, nor listen as an eves-dropper with the quick ear of fear. To go about the congregation ferreting out disaffection, like a gamekeeper after rabbits, is a mean employment, and is generally rewarded most sorrowfully. Lord Bacon wisely advises “the provident Stay of inquiry of that which we would be loath to find.” When nothing is to be discovered which will help us to love others we had better cease from the inquiry, for we may drag to light that which may be the commencement of years of contention. I am not, of course, referring to cases requiring discipline which must be thoroughly investigated and boldly dealt with, but! Have upon my mind mere personal matters where the main sufferer is yourself; here it is always best not to know, nor to wish to know, what is being said about you, either by friends or foes. Those who praise us are probably as much mistaken as those who abuse us, and the one may be regarded as a set off to the other, if indeed it be worth while taking any account at all of man’s judgment. If we have the approbation of our God, certified by a placid conscience, we can afford to be indifferent to the opinions of our fellow men, whether they commend or condemn. If we cannot reach this point we are babes and not men.

The following quote is taken from a lecture given by Charles Spurgeon to his students. I think that it is wonderful. I am not very good at applying it but I am trying to learn.

A part of my meaning is expressed in plain language by Solomon, in the book of Ecclesiastes (7:21): “Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken lest; thou hear thy servant curse thee.” The margin says, “Give not thy heart to all words that are spoken;’— .do not take them to heart or let them weigh with you, do not notice them, or act as if you heard them. You cannot stop people’s tongues, and therefore the best thing is to stop your own ears and never mind what is spoken. There is a world of idle chitchat abroad, and he who takes note of it will have enough to do. He will find that even those who live with him are not always singing his praises, and that when he has displeased, his most faithful servants they have, in the heat of the moment, spoken fierce words which it would be better for him not to have heard. Who has not, under temporary irritation, said that of another, which he has afterwards regretted? It is the part of the generous to treat passionate words as if they had never been uttered. When a man is in an angry mood it is wise to walk away from him, and leave off strife before it be meddled with; and if we are compelled to hear hasty language, we must endeavor to obliterate it front the memory, and say with David, “But I, as a deaf man, heard not. I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.” Tacitus describes a wise man as saying to one that railed at him, “You are lord of your tongue, but I am also master of my ears” — you may say what you please, but I will only hear what I choose. We cannot shut our ears as we do our eyes, for we have no ear lids, and yet, as we read of him that “stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood,” it is, no doubt, possible to seal the portal of the ear so that nothing contraband shall enter. We would say of the general gossip of the village, and of the unadvised words of angry friends…. do not hear them, or if you must hear them, do not lay them to heart, for you also have talked idly and angrily in your day, and would even now be in an awkward position if you were called to account for every word that you have spoken, even about your dearest friend. Thus Solomon argued as he closed the passage which we have quoted, — ” For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.”

I invite you to check out a new blog and get subscribed to it.  The blog is Ministry Tools and is a publication of Philip Bassham.  Philip does more work at Vision Baptist Church than you could ever imagine.  He takes care of so many of the ministry tools that we have.He is experienced in the use of every tool that he talks about.  I know that you will get a blessing if you read the blog and it will really be a blessing if you can subscribe and get it regularly. 

Actually the secret to doing God’s work is learning what part is mine and what part is His.  I am to do certain things and He does other things.  Many times I have stressed over the product or the result when that is God’s part.  He wants me to do my part and He will do His part.

My part is the process. I do what I am supposed to do and then He gives the results that He is ready to give, when He is ready to give them.  I am to sow, water, fertilize, cultivate, irrigate, etc. but it is God that gives the increase.

 I want to share several things with you that I believe are a blessing to me and to the ministry at Vision that you might want to use. 

The first is what we call the Vision Friendly rules.  It is just how we should act when God does send someone to visit with us.

 Let me know what you think.  I would really appreciate your comments.  I would love to see more comments, questions, discussions that there are posts.  That would encourage me to do more of this and it would stimulate me to think of and write more of what I ought to write. 

Vision Friendly Rules

1. The three minute rule. We are not to speak to someone we know in the first three minutes after the service. We must seek out first attenders or guests and greet them.

2. Never ask if they are a visitor or if it is there first time. Just ask how long they have been at Vision. That way you do not offend the visitor or first attender.

3. Be sure to help the first attender find the bathroom, classrooms etc so that they can feel at home

4. Be sure they know where the nursery is

5. Learn their name

6. Introduce the guest to the pastoral staff and other friends

7. Be seated with the guest if it seems to be agreeable to them

8. Give them a tour of the church

9. Be sure to get all the information you can without being intrusive or nosy

10. Be sure that he gets a visit, card or call from you and the church during the week

11. Pray for the first attender during the service and until God saves him

12. Ask if he has questions, doubts, etc

13. Shake hands warmly and look him in the eye

14. Be sure that their children know where to go for Sunday School or children’s church etc

15. Be aware if he shows interest in being saved during the service

16. Take the first attender to the welcome center and then to meet the pastor in the guest reception

17. Make personal notes of their names and anything you spoke about so you can call them by name the next time they attend.

The Peru Bible College has started classes again for the year.  Don’t forget that while we are going into Spring here that they are starting into Fall there. As our students prepare for Summer Break theirs are returning from Summer.  Weird if you have never lived on the other side of the equator. Julio Soncco has put a few pictures up of the Peru Bible College as they return to classes.  It is beautiful to see the young men and women in chapel, moving to classes and realize that young preachers are being trained.Have you ever thought of how important it is to train preachers.  If you are really going to plant churches the most important human ingredient will be a preacher.  We must train them.  They will then start churches, preach the gospel, and make an eternal difference for the cause of God around the world.Click here to see the pictures.Chris Gardner, Jeremy Hall, and David Gardner are available right now to come to your church and present the Bible College and what God is doing there.  We are in desperate need of raising the funds to continue this very vital ministry.  Would you pray about helping to train men and women who will go all around the world preaching the gospel. You can feel free to call Vision Baptist Church at 770-456-5881 to speak to someone directly and get more information also. 

 The conference will be May 5-7 at Vision Baptist Church.  We just confirmed that Pastor Wayne Cofield from Whitfield Baptist Church will be speaking on the first night along with Deputation Director Tony Howeth. Tony will be the moderator for the meeting!  He serves as the Deputation Director for Macedonia World Baptist Missions. Be sure and let us know if you are coming.  You can register at this page