Dealing with Church Members as Deacons and Leaders

1. Treat all with love and respect Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.

2. Work at keeping the peace in humility and great patience Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

3. No getting angry and smart talking others, instead kindly, lovingly, forgiving each other Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

4. Let church people mistreat you rather than seek to win I Corinthians 6:7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?

5. Practical application of these truths

6. Don’t express disappointment and displeasure with others unless absolutely necessary, just take it to the Lord in prayer

7. Do not try to tell everyone what to do

8. Quietly lead your ministry

9. Be careful not to tell everyone else how to lead their ministry

10. Pick your battles

11. Be careful not to be overly possessive and bossy over even the areas of your ministry

12. We can always listen to others

13. We can learn more

14. Don’t be the old lady that kept playing the piano into her 90s

15. Try not to be negative, complaining, whining, disagreeable, etc

16. Be part of the solution. Try to help instead of find fault

17. Don’t undermine others

18. Let’s not be territorial

19. Let’s forgive, forbear, love, and honor others so the work of the Lord will go forward

20. How will we treat those that fall Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

21. The person has been caught in sin, overtaken

22. Fault, sin

23. Those of us who are spiritual, living in obedience

24. Have the goal of restoration, get them back into position

25. Always humbly knowing we could fall and will treat the person like we would want to be treated

26. Differences of opinion on secondary issues Romans 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.

27. We receive them, welcome them

28. Not to doubtful disputations, we are not here to argue

29. Some eat certain things and others feel differently Romans 14:2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. 3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

30. Some feel differently about different days Romans 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks: and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

31. We don’t judge each other Colossians 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross; 15 and having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. 16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

32. We are to support the weak I Thessalonians 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

33. Acts 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

34. Romans 15:1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

35. We don’t want to just chase people off because they have a lot to learn

36. We don’t get angry because they do not work as hard as we do

37. We withdraw from those who walk disorderly II Thessalonians 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.

38. II Thessalonians 3:14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.

39. I Corinthians 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

40. Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

41. Romans 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.