Dealing With Church Problems, No. 1 Introduction: 1.

Refer to the recent sermon series on the general theme Church Growth. Certainly, it should be the aim of every Christian and every local church of Christ to be both individually and collectively involved in those scriptural endeavors which help to bring about both the spiritual and numerical growth of the church. 2. However, in order for local churches to enjoy stability and to enjoy the spiritual and numerical growth which ought to characterize a congregation of Gods people, they must deal with problems which periodically arise. 3. This sermon is entitled Dealing with Church Problems. Its purpose is to discuss church problems and how to deal with them. a. It was suggested by one of our elders, and in my judgment it deals with an issue which ought to be of interest and concern to every local church and to every child of God whose intent is to live right and to further the cause of the Lord. Discussion: I. Affirmation: Good Churches Can Expect Problems! A. We have no internal Problems! 1. Sometimes this statement is proudly made by a member of a particular local church with reference to the local church of which he /or she is a member. 2. However, this does not mean that that church has Gods approval! a. No doubt the members of the church at Laodicea felt that way about that congregation. Note Revelation 3:17. (1) For the record, nothing was said in that short letter by way of censoring that congregation for being unscripturally organized, engaging in unscriptural worship, or condoning any form of immorality. However, though they did not recognize it, the church at Laodicea had a very serious problem (Lukewarmness!) and they were a problem! b. No doubt the members of the church at Sardis felt that way about that congregation, Revelation 3:1. But the Lord said you are dead! c. For that matter, the members of the church at Ephesus probably felt that way about the church at Ephesus, Revelation 2:1-3. (1) But they had left their first love, and God threatened to remove the candlestick or lampstand, Revelation 2:5. (2) Note: Sometimes the claim we have no internal problems, or the claim we have no problems reflects the perception of certain members and it is possible for reality to belie perception! B. The Church at Jerusalem had problems! 1. A couple lied about their contribution, Acts 5:1-11, and God struck them dead! 2. There was murmuring over inequities in benevolence, Acts 6:1-7. 3. A doctrinal problem over the matter of circumcision, Acts 11:1-4. 4. There were outside problems brought to bear against that church. a. The Jewish Council tried to stop the preaching of the gospel! Acts 4:18; 5:18. b. Stephen was stoned to death, Acts 7:58,59. c. Persecution against the church, Acts 8:1,4; 12:1,2.

5. Note: The problems the church at Jerusalem faced were a direct result of their growth and diligent work. Had they been lukewarm and lethargic, they would not have experienced all these problems! a. Had the apostles and others not been diligent in preaching the Gospel, the Jewish Council would probably have left them alone, concluding that they posed no threat! b. Had they not grown so much they would not have had so many saints in need, so the murmuring pertaining to some being neglected in the daily ministration, Acts 6:1, could have been avoided. C. The Church at Corinth had an abundance of Problems! 1. Contentions existed, I Corinthians 1:10-13. 2. Carnality among the members existed, I Corinthians 3:1-3. 3. Gross Immorality existed, I Corinthians 5:1,2. 4. Some were going to law against each other, I Corinthians 6:1. 5. They had questions pertaining to marriage, I Corinthians 7:1,2,26. 6. They were incorrectly observing the Lords supper, I Corinthians 11:17-22. 7. Some were off on the resurrection of Jesus Christ! I Corinthians 15:12. 8. Note: Many of these problems would not have existed had Paul and others ignored the great commission and had not gone to Corinth to preach! a. Note Acts 18:1,4,6-8. b. Consider the background of many of the church in Corinth. I Corinthians 6:9-11. (1) When a congregation has an influx of people with such sordid backgrounds, you can be sure there will be problems! But such people can not be ignored if a church carries out the Great Commission! Mark 16:15. II. Affirmation: If a Church Really does its work according to Gods will, it can expect Problems! A. If it Does what it is divinely designed to do preach the gospel, I Timothy 3:15, it will incur the wrath of many. B. If it fights the good fight of faith, I Timothy 6:12, it will receive opposition from those whose spiritual ox is gored. 1. Consider the response of those who represented organized religion in the case of Stephen! Acts 7:51-54,58. 2. In the early days of The Restoration Movement, many people became indignant against New Testament Christians. 3. One reason today why so many churches receive no opposition from those caught up in sin and error is due to the fact that they have long since given up the fight! C. If it deals with Disorderly Members, there is always the possibility of having problems. 1. 2 Thessalonians 3:6. 2. Consider the work at Haldeman Ave when we moved there in 1965 the church had had about a 95 year history, and to my knowledge there was no record whatever of anyone ever having been withdrawn from! The members there were, for the most part, good people, but this evidently was an issue that previous preachers had largely neglected.

3. Consider a church in Tennessee recently withdrew from a couple living in sin, and now a state of turmoil exists. a. This problem could have been avoided had they ignored 2 Thessalonians 3:6, but the members would have had a greater problem with God! III. It Can be a Good thing when a church faces problems if those problems are caused by trying to Serve the Lord in keeping with the Scriptures. Problems of this nature can: A. Provide an Added Incentive to Study! 1. Consider Acts 17:11; I John 4:1. 2. Consider the Controversy over Institutionalism and its effect on me. I formerly went along with and believed in the right of churches to build and maintain human institutions through which to do their work, as well as the Sponsoring church arrangement. a. I was forced to study the issue, and a changed conviction based on that study caused me to take a very unpopular stand. 3. Years prior to that was the controversy over Premillennialism. a. Initially, many brethren were confused, but they were forced to study and became much better Bible students as a result. B. It Serves as an Antidote to Complacency. 1. It is easy to develop the attitude of the Laodiceans, Revelation 3:17. 2. Gods people can become self-satisfied, self-sufficient, complacent, and in-active, especially in times of peace. 3. But in times of controversy honest Christians are often forced to take a stand and become stronger as a result. C. Problems Provides Trials of Faith. 1. And these trials can be beneficial, James 1:2,3. D. Problems often Reveals our true Character. 1. Note I Corinthians 11:19. 2. The true character of brethren is often evidenced when they encounter troubling situations which call for patience, humility, and forbearance. a. A sailor has no trouble aboard the ship when the waters are smooth, the weather is good, and when they are facing no enemy fire. b. But things can change quickly especially if the ship runs into an unexpected hurricane, or is fired upon by an enemy ship. Some sailors have stood their ground; others have jumped ship, and demonstrated a cowardly trait. c. When we experience problems especially if they are problems brought about by reason of our trying to serve God according to His will our true colors will be revealed. Cf It made an elder out of Clyde Summers and a preacher out of Don Moyer. Conclusion: 1. The purpose of this lesson has been to help us realize that church problems are not always inherently bad, and that they can, if dealt with properly, produce positive benefits. 2. However, there are many problems caused not because the church is standing for what is right, but because members sometimes conduct themselves in a manner contrary to the will of God. In a succeeding lesson we want to consider this aspect

of the subject, and consider Bible passages which instruct us in how to deal with such. 3. In conclusion, we state that the biggest problem anyone faces is not caused by the misconduct of others, either in or out of the church, but the problem of sin in his/or her own life. Isaiah 59:1,2; Romans 6:23. a. To be forgiven and to go to heaven, one simply must deal with the sin problem in his own life!
--Bobby Witherington, August 10, 2008