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Dealing with Church Factions That Rise Up

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Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.
He said:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,

    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn,

    for they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek,

    for they will inherit the earth.

It’s hard to be meek when factions rise up within a church.  We get wrapped up in factions.


FACTIONS - When there is a pile-up of disgruntled people who build up a case that becomes a driving fantasy.  Driven by the “What If?”


Factions live their lives on something that has not happened.  It takes great skill to deal with factions, this is why we have Therapists!  Sometimes we can’t get resolution, just accept it.

  • Give up the right to be treated right.


Anger is secondary to a Hurt.  Body is so hyped that it FEELS helpless, resentment, fear and anxiety.  This is Paranoia.

When there is trauma, the body becomes hypersensitive – Your body wants OUT of this!  You move from prudence to paranoia.


People will try to FOG you: Fear, Obligation, and Guilt.  You can’t drive forward when your windshield is fogged up!  If I can get you to feel one of these three feelings,  I can control and manipulate you.


Ex: Small children and parents

Students and substitute teachers

Elderly parents and adult children

Politicians and the public


To avoid being manipulated, practice DeFogging – Clarity is kindness.  “Now it’s clear.  Now I’m free.”

Clarity assigns responsibility so you can forgive.

If you can’t forgive, you’re stuck.

The goal is clarity – Learn to accept real expectations.  Live with it.  Sometimes you get validation, sometimes not.


Every feeling has a THOUGHT attached to it: “My right to be treated right is violated.”

This leads to Hostility and Harshness - the Law of the Jungle.

MEEKNESS is the opposite of Harshness.

Gentle and kind is not natural.  But it allows God’s supernatural work into your soul.


Philippians 2

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in very nature[a] God,

    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

7 rather, he made himself nothing

    by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,

    being made in human likeness.

8 And being found in appearance as a man,

    he humbled himself

    by becoming obedient to death—

        even death on a cross!

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

    and gave him the name that is above every name,

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,

    to the glory of God the Father.


Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”[c] Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.



Jesus became MEEK rather than HOSTILE.

You have to give up your right to be treated right.

Rights are things you can’t control because you can’t control the other person.

REPLACE your right to be treated right with God’s Promises!

This leads to God’s power in your life – resurrection of good things out of factions.


Don’t fight for your natural rights and watch God bless through His supernatural economy.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

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One Way Missionaries

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“The spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions. The nearer we get to Him, the more intensely missionary we become.” — Henry Martyn, missionary to India and Persia.

There was an era of missionary zeal around the turn of the 19th century that bred a group who became known as One-Way Missionaries. When they departed for the mission field, they packed all of their belongings into a coffin and bought one-way tickets because they knew they’d never return home.

A.W. Milne was one of those missionaries. He felt called to a tribe of headhunters in the New Hebrides. All the other missionaries to this tribe had been martyred, but Milne didn’t shrink back into safe Christianity.

Milne did not fear for his life because he had already died to himself.

His coffin was packed.

He served in the New Hebrides for more than fifty years. The tribe buried him and wrote the following words on his tombstone:

“When he came there was no light. When he left there was no darkness.”

What an incredible inscription of someone’s life.

Imagine what the church would look like today if every single follower of Christ exhausted their lives to reach more people far from God.

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How to Navigate a Break-Up or Betrayal

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Back when we launched Life Church in 2013, I gave a message that summer on navigating a break-up or betrayal. I recently stumbled upon my message notes from that Sunday and thought I’d share them here, for what it’s worth!

- Paul and Barnabus part ways in Acts 15:35-38.  If break-up and betrayal could happen to the Gospel All-Stars, it can and will happen to you and me!

 

- Followers of Jesus are not promised rainbows, skittles, and unicorns.  You WILL have troubles and heartaches!

 

- You can't please everyone but you can keep reconciliation as your goal.

 

Step One in a Betrayal or Break-Up: Your REACTION determines your REACH.

 

- Jesus gives very practical instructions in Matthew 18:15-17 on how to deal with people who have hurt you: go to the person quickly, privately, and humbly!

 

- Verse 17 does NOT advocate shunning.  Who Would Jesus Shun?

 

- "But they deserve to be shunned."  Really?  Even if everything you say about this person is true, are you treating them the way Jesus would treat them? If someone is acting like a pagan or tax collector, how would Jesus approach them...?

 

- Jesus always walked TOWARD people, not AWAY!

 

- If someone is taking shots at your children, I'm sorry, but that is demonic.  You are never more like Satan than when you accuse and you are never more like Jesus than when you advocate and forgive!

 

- Ephesians 4:26-27 tells us to deal with our issues TODAY.  Don't allow "little" beefs to get bottled up over time or you will explode like a volcano.

 

Step Two in a Betrayal or Break-Up: Nobody wins when you trash talk.

 

- Have a beef?  Don't blab it on Facebook... go to the person and get it resolved!

 

- If you are a man or woman of God, you do NOT have permission to accuse or slander.

 

- If you are a son or daughter of the Most High, honor and integrity are your shield.  Even if you are accused and innocent, it is not necessary to defend yourself in the public square (I am speaking from EXPERIENCE here!!).

 

- Ephesians 6:12 tells us that if they have flesh and blood, they are NOT our enemy!  The Enemy is the enemy!!

 

Step Three in a Betrayal or Break-Up:

Moving on doesn't mean you've stopped caring; it means you can't change it.

 - Always keep the Welcome Mat out for reconciliation but never for condemnation.

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You've Gotta FAIL If You Want To SUCCEED

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Did you know that the average small business owner fails 2.7 times before finally reaching success? That means they have to publicly fall flat on their faces and lose everything over two times before they learn all the secrets necessary for full-time success! The term “Overnight Success” is an oxymoron.

I believe the same is true in ministry: you’ve gotta FAIL if you want to SUCCEED!

In failure:

  • You learn how not to treat the people you lead

  • Discoveries are made in scheduling and planning for major events

  • Emotional IQ is enhanced and increased

  • Persistence is stirred up for later reliance

  • WHO you can trust and count on during tough times is revealed

  • Humility is accepted as the pathway to greatness.

Every crisis is an opportunity.

Dream Again.  Dream Bigger.  Dream Better.

The Dream is the Distance: Everything looks different from a distance.

Even though you see empty seats, there is an opportunity for growth.

Genesis 41 tells us the following:

  • The dark room is where he develops the negatives.

  • The more God uses you, the more He humbles you.

  • Purpose Over Position -- Believe this and you will never get offended!

  • No Mess, No Ministry

  • No Drama, No Dream

God did not say this would be easy; He said He would be with you.

If you are currently experiencing or feeling failure, GREAT! It’s a necessary prerequisite to achieving greater ground for Kingdom expansion! Keep your chin up, your head low, and your posture as a servant-leader. In Christ, the best is yet to come!

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2 QUESTIONS TO ASK IF YOUR CHURCH FEELS STUCK

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Churches get stuck all the time.
Too often we can find ourselves doing ministry out of memory.

For what it's worth, here are 2 Important Questions for Fearless Leaders to ask...

1) HAVE WE LOST OUR LOVE FOR LOST PEOPLE?

400 years ago Protestants fled England and came to the New World to set up churches... for themselves.  If your church is insider-focused, it's because of our Pilgrim heritage!

Ignite your passion for what ignites God's heart -- Remind your church that EVERY person matters!

If your church is reaching the lost, you WILL be a target from RELIGIOUS people!
Religious people were ALWAYS walking away and rejecting Jesus throughout His ministry.  If you are not receiving the same rejection as Jesus, then you may not be preaching the same gospel that Jesus preached!

Ask yourself: Am I a fisher of men or a keeper of an aquarium?

2) AM I LEADING WITH A RISING LEVEL OF HOPE?

Nothing great ever happens THROUGH YOU until it happens TO YOU!

Look at every great hero in the Scriptures:

  • Moses spent 40 years in the wilderness before ascending into leadership

  • David was living in a cave down by the river for a decade

  • Peter beat himself up after rejecting Jesus three times

God LOVES using BROKEN people to minister to BROKEN people!

The key is to not wallow in your brokenness.  Minister from the OVERFLOW of what the Lord is doing in your life and in your heart!  You cannot lead people to a place that you are not already at.

The most important thing I do as a leader: Making sure that I stay encouraged!
Ask yourself: 'What things CHARGE MY BATTERIES?'
If your internal batteries aren't charged up, you will fall into weariness.

DISCOURAGEMENT precedes DESTRUCTION:
The Enemy RUINS your FUTURE by first RUINING your DAY so that you will run toward destructive habits and choices!

Perfect is Overrated

You tinker and tinker and tinker until... what?  Until its perfect?

Sometimes you just gotta pull the trigger and do it.

Don't wait until its perfect (because it never will be).

Give it your best shot, throw it out there, and see what happens.

 

If you get feedback that it stinks, fix it.  If its celebrated, hooray!

But it will never be perfect.  

Perfect is overrated.

As Tina Fey says, "Perfect is boring on live tv."

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