The word “vicious” is not in the Hebrew or Greek Bible as far as I can tell, although surely some translation somewhere calls assorted people or demons or words “vicious.”
Unfortunately the word – VICIOUS – is being used more and more in church circles to describe the actions and attitudes of some of God’s precious children. This is troubling.
Since returning from Sabbatical, I’ve received reports of …
- Bodily threats to pastors.
- Rancorous committee meetings ending with calls to “step outside.”
- Ugly confidential memos casting vulgar aspersions upon church leaders.
About a year ago, I was part of a meeting that became so volatile that a gentleman offered to walk me to my car in case someone tried to assault me. Oh, I left out an adjective. It was a church meeting.
The volatility we see now in politics, including school board meetings and campus protests, has spilled into Church World. It is the opposite of living as followers of Jesus.
There’s no crying in baseball? This is a lie. (Exhibit A: The 2016 World Series when the Cubs won it all. Believe me, some people were weeping)
Okay, gratuitous sports analogy aside, there is crying in Church. There is laughter in Church. There is joy, sorrow, inspiration, ecstasy and doubt in Church. But when there is viciousness in Church, God’s heart is broken. And the world trembles.
My friends, Church is no place for anonymous accusations, verbal explosions, subtle threats, or blackmail. Show me a Church that has untrustworthy elders, narcissistic pastors, or church ladies who will stab you in the back with a pickle fork, and I’ll show you a congregation that doesn’t deserve to call itself The Church of Jesus Christ. And yet, such a congregation might also be the perfect candidate for God to kill off so that resurrection can happen.
Are there vicious people in your congregation? What will it take for us to stand up to their bad behavior? It will take trust that their ways are not the ways of God and that love will win. This is what I believe.
A Church for Starving Artists 
Nodding, and weeping…
LikeLike
Thanks for sharing your experiences. I have been a parish pastor for 21-years and a volunteer police chaplain for the same. Also a former Veteran Austin Texas Police Officer who work the “hood”; Organized Crime Division: Major Crimes Unit, Clandestine Meth Lab Response Team, and over 100 entries on the OCU SWAT team.
As a big city cop I expected violence. I’ve had 7 surguries and lost several friends in the line of duty. As a son of a UCC parish pastor I swore I’d never be a pastor but I’ve been on for 21 years.
In 2022 I was assaulted by a church member while standing at the exit with a clergy collar on following worship. The police were called. The women was convicted and sentenced to anger management, counseling and probation. The church was angry that I prosecuted. I felt it was a matter of being a safe sanctuary. I’ve helped 2 congregations become fully ONA (open and Affirming by 90% plus) however the violence, anger, threats, was something that made me even fear for my family. For many years I have been a responder for those experiencing severe critical incidents. As a cop I escaped 2 ambushes and a contract on my life yet I was not fully prepared that being assaulted as a pastor would bring “back” so much from all the life-or-death critical incidents I experienced. Mostly the apathy towards holding another church member accountable really upset my children and me.
My calling has been to go to congregations with an imbedded history of strong conflict. I know how to not runaway but there are many times I wish I could walk away.
As a cop I always knew someone had my back. In ministry, no one has your back. No one. No one is coming. Members will express support in private but clam up if it even my cost them a friendship. My whole life has been putting my life on the line for others even people I don’t like because standing up for people who are bullied, excluded, is not right and demands we not walk away.
What I would give for just 2 or 3 brave people with conviction and courage to hold the line for a better 🌎 world.
John Kennedy
LikeLike
This is a very sad commentary on the state of the church today but also is very true. In my almost forty years I’ve seen it all. I even had a colleague tell me that a woman in the church. Told him to wait here until she went to her car to get her gun. Thank God I never experienced that happening. But I’ve seen everything else. Things aren’t getting any better either. As church membership shrinks and the income gets smaller. The tension and the conflict continues to rise. Nobody seems to have any answers on how to put out this raging fire. It’s very sad as I’m close to retiring. You say to yourself that I did my time as if you were in the military or in prison. But what grieves my heart even more is what many of these younger ministers will be facing. Churches that are on their last leg. They will be expected to resurrect them. Then if they can’t do it they will be fired. Some will quit the ministry saying between the pay and the abuse it’s not worth it. Facing conflict in a church is not easy. Your lively hood and your family’s survival depends on that income. Most people in the church are apathetic about the conflict to begin with. They’ve been around these people for years. They accept it as a fact of life. Besides they know that one day the pastor will be leaving. They will still have to coexist with these people. So they just sit on the sidelines and watch. As if two heavyweight boxers are battling it out for the world title. Like I said in the beginning. Its a sad commentary on a very real situation. But I don’t see it changing anytime soon. Unless the Lord returns first. God’s speed and be bless!🙏🏽
LikeLike