FIRST GO MAKE THINGS RIGHT! (3 OF 4)
by Steve Wagers
Scripture: MATTHEW 5:23-24
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First Go Make Things Right! (3 of 4)
Let's Put First Things First
Pastor Steve N. Wagers
Matthew 5:23-24
1. I read recently of a church in Wichita, Kansas, who has asked a court to stop four of its members from disrupting its services. The church claimed that the four had ran through the sanctuary shouting and moaning while the service was in progress. In a written affidavit, the church claimed that the four members had shut the pastor's Bible while he was preaching, took away his microphone, hit him over the head, and pinned down the pianist's arms.
2. Things progressed to the point that the sheriff's department, and even state police had to be called in several times, and the congregation had dwindled from 600 members to 50, because of all of the trouble. Further investigation revealed that the trouble stemmed from a battle over control of the church.
3. Sad to say, the longer that I am in the ministry such occurrences are no longer a surprise to me. In fact, I have witnessed things in the house of God that you would not even see in a barroom brawl. And many times it is due to a few who want control, and power over the church.
4. Many church members are like two porcupines in Northern Canada who had huddled together trying to get warm. However, their quills pricked each other, so they moved apart. Before long, they were shivering from the cold, so they moved close again. Soon both were jabbing each other with their quills again, so they moved apart. This went on, and on, and on. It was the same story with the same ending. They needed each other, but they kept needling each other. Simply put, they couldn't stand to be around each other.
5. The same is true of many church members today. They need each other, but for some reason, they can't stand to be around each other. One believer becomes mad at another believer. One group becomes infuriated with another group; and, while they need each other, they can't stand to be aroun ...
Let's Put First Things First
Pastor Steve N. Wagers
Matthew 5:23-24
1. I read recently of a church in Wichita, Kansas, who has asked a court to stop four of its members from disrupting its services. The church claimed that the four had ran through the sanctuary shouting and moaning while the service was in progress. In a written affidavit, the church claimed that the four members had shut the pastor's Bible while he was preaching, took away his microphone, hit him over the head, and pinned down the pianist's arms.
2. Things progressed to the point that the sheriff's department, and even state police had to be called in several times, and the congregation had dwindled from 600 members to 50, because of all of the trouble. Further investigation revealed that the trouble stemmed from a battle over control of the church.
3. Sad to say, the longer that I am in the ministry such occurrences are no longer a surprise to me. In fact, I have witnessed things in the house of God that you would not even see in a barroom brawl. And many times it is due to a few who want control, and power over the church.
4. Many church members are like two porcupines in Northern Canada who had huddled together trying to get warm. However, their quills pricked each other, so they moved apart. Before long, they were shivering from the cold, so they moved close again. Soon both were jabbing each other with their quills again, so they moved apart. This went on, and on, and on. It was the same story with the same ending. They needed each other, but they kept needling each other. Simply put, they couldn't stand to be around each other.
5. The same is true of many church members today. They need each other, but for some reason, they can't stand to be around each other. One believer becomes mad at another believer. One group becomes infuriated with another group; and, while they need each other, they can't stand to be aroun ...
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