SUNDAY, JULY 5. "Got word tonight that Tommy is phoning selected church members inviting to a meeting Thursday night at (a deacon's) home. The chairman of deacons heard of it and asked (another deacon who is also a lawyer) to find Tommy and stop this in its tracks. Said for me not to worry, that they will handle.

MONDAY, JULY 6. Chairman called. He's found out that Tommy was calling people together only to pray for him, that the Lord would open up a ministry. Later, Tommy called me and said the same. "But because so many think I'm trying to stir up a movement against you, I've called them all and canceled the meeting." He told the deacons to remove him from the board.

"He ended by pointing out that our personalities conflict.  I haven't seen a conflict of personalities. The man is strange, that's all. But not unlikeable."

The rest of the story. Tommy and his wife soon joined another church. The next time I saw the pastor of that church, I called him off to the side to warn him. He smiled, "Joe, they used to belong to my church. We know them well."

After a year or two, they moved to another state. That's the last I heard of them. I hope things worked out for them.

Pastors, you're going to have these in your church. Do not be blindsided.

Church leaders, you should stand with your pastor when he resists the difficult one who demands a position in the church. That person can rally supporters and family members and make life difficult for the minister unless the mature leaders support the pastor.

Often, this unbalanced person is a longtime friend of yours.  You will be forced to decide whether the welfare of the church—and the effectiveness of its ministries—are worth your risking that friendship.

Only people of courage should be called leaders of the church. God bless you.

(Readers may wonder about my telling such a story which involved a real person in one of my churches. First, it was many years ago. Then, I changed his name.  Next, most of those in the story are no longer living. None are still in that church. Finally, I'm 74 years old; how long do I have to wait before writing this? (smiley-face here)

Someone may ask why it needs to be written in the first place? Answer: Almost everything in this website is to help pastors and other church leaders. That's why.)

Dr. Joe McKeever writes from the vantage point of more than 60 years as a disciple of Jesus, more than 50 years preaching His gospel and more than 40 years of cartooning for every imaginable Christian publication.

For the original article, visit joemckeever.com.

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