Out Our Way: Does it matter who the boss sends?

When Charley and I worked the boss’ herd on the Tiger Ridge, I don’t recall he was ever too concerned about which of us did what — just as long as we got the job done. Sometimes, Charley rode flank and I pushed — now and then I would go after the strays and Charley stayed back with the herd. I don’t think the boss was ever concerned about it — and I know the cows were not. Too bad some folks aren’t as smart as cattle.

One of the biggest and most successful churches in the early years of Christianity was the congregation in Corinth. The Corinthians where eager, enthusiastic, and generous with both their time and talents. Unfortunately, they could also be extremely vain, foolish and childish. The Apostle Paul got the church started and cared for them as they grew in size. But God had need of Paul in other places as well. But before Paul moved on, God sent the Corinthians a gifted preacher and pastor by the name of Apollos. But, almost immediately, the congregation began to split apart as one faction refused to accept Apollos, claiming only Paul was their true pastor, while another declared Apollos superior to Paul in every way.  

In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul chastised the church for being so immature in the faith as to forget, as he put it, “I planted and Apollos watered but God made it grow.” He reminded the church that the focus was supposed to be Christ, not the preacher, and the goal was to serve God, not control the church. Imagine if the cattle divided against each other based on which herder they preferred. Imagine if they were so busy snorting and charging one another that they forgot all about the good pasture and flowing waters in the south pasture when the north pasture had gone dry for the season. Worse, imagine if Charley and I were fool enough and vain enough to encourage such nonsense! I suspect the boss would get rid of us both right smart.

Fortunately, I have never seen a herd of cattle act in such a ridiculous manner, but sadly, I have seen far too many congregations which have. I recall being asked to interview with a church in Colorado years ago, and although I was the “unanimous” choice of the committee elected to nominate the new pastor, when the congregation voted me in, the chair of the nominations committee immediately resigned and quit the church. When I confronted her and asked her why she abandoned the church after choosing me as the new pastor, she said it was because I was not the former pastor, whom she really liked.

In over 40-plus years of ministry across the country, I have seen such foolishness in a variety of congregations and denominations where folks have forgotten who they are and more importantly Whose they are — and allowed such divisions in the Body of Christ. Sometimes, it is only a few folks who reject the new pastor because he or she isn’t the former one, but too often the divisions are far deeper and worse, crippling and even killing the ministry of Christ. What, we may ask ourselves, causes such immaturity in the faith? 

Paul declares it is the refusal of the people to grow up — preferring the diet of spiritual milk they first enjoyed when they came to Christ, and rejecting the solid food of spiritual depth and maturity. We see this is the way personality-driven churches pop up and grow like weeds — but then just as suddenly collapse when the pop preacher leaves or dies. We never outgrow our “need for milk” — but we cannot grow and mature without introducing solid food into our diet. The Corinthian church grew in size but not in maturity as their pettiness and divisions showed.   

Every calf needs its mother’s milk in the beginning, but it will weaken and die if it never learns to graze. Every Christian needs the basics of the faith when he or she first seeks to follow Christ, but they will also weaken and fade away unless they expand their spiritual diet and grow up. Those who engage in power struggles and divisions in the church are still babies in the faith for they still do not understand the Gospel nor the task of the church to share it with the world. Indeed, they interfere with God’s work and with the welfare of God’s people.   

The devil plants “loco weed” in the pastures of the church — and some not only eat of it, but seem to prefer it. When some group within the church seeks to promote division, you know where they have been grazing. Who is Paul? Who is Apollos? Who is Charley? Who is Brother John? Who cares? It is the Boss that matters and whom He sends is His affair. Those who worry about such nonsense need to grow up.

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Brother John Bruington and Doc continue to seek to do the Lord’s work and hope somehow they can encourage you along the trail. Blessings be upon you all!