“You want me to do what?” I asked my pastor.
“You need to remove John from teaching the young married class,” he replied.
I faced an arduous task less than six months into ministry.
My pastor wanted me to replace seventy-five years old John. John was beloved and viewed as a grandfather like figure for a dozen young married couples.
John was also a door-to-door Bible salesman. I traveled the highways with him as he sold his Bibles and shared the gospel.
“But why?”
“You know Russell?”
Russell and his family recently joined the church.
He was a gifted teacher and professor of theology.
“Yes.”
“He needs a place to teach, to use his gifts. He’s young – mid 30s – and will better relate to the young married crowd.”
“I beg to differ with you. The class loves John. He and his wife mentor them and from what I’ve seen and heard, they’re like wise grandparents to the class.”
“I didn’t ask your opinion. You were told to remove John. I’ve already told Russell he will teach the beginning of next month. Do your job. Don’t blame me for this change. Make it happen. Follow your orders.”
Gulp.
I took John and his wife out to dinner.
Fear and sorry overwhelmed me as I told them their services were no longer needed.
John and his wife were heartbroken.
John told me he was under my spiritual authority and would step aside. He also told me he would teach one last Sunday and tell the class goodbye. A surprise came as they informed me they would leave the church and join a sister church. A few of the couples in the class followed him to the new church. There, he taught a young adult class.
John also told me he assumed I was just following the pastor’s orders. He said he knew it wasn’t personal. After thanking me for using my day off to travel with him in the north Georgia mountains while he peddled his Bibles, he added, the book of Philemon has some principles that apply to our current situation.
He said I was his brother in Christ and despite my breaking his heart by ripping his ministry away from him; he considered me a friend.
Here’s my summation of the five principles he shared with me.
“I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers”
Philemon verse 4 KJV
John told me he would continue praying for me. He said I was his brother in Christ and considered me and my wife his friend.
“You answered God’s call, left a promising career as a US Army officer, retrained, and now are at this church. I’m thankful for your obedience to God. From what I can see, you are a good man. I believe you believe you are doing what is best for the church. I disagree.” As he shook my hand and excused himself, he said he would pray for you.
In the verse, we see that –
Do you pray for your friends?
Are you more concerned about what you can get from your friends than what you can do for them?
Are you thankful for your Christian friends?
“I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:”
Philemon verse 4 KJV
Nothing I could do or say could change the situation. After the change, the class exploded with new members. New members replaced the few couples that left. Many young adult couples joined in the weeks ahead.
I also showed concern about John and his wife. They missed old friends, but God used them in their new church.
Understanding of the situation was difficult.
“You are loyal beyond your own good. It has to be your military training,” he said.
In the verse, we see that –
Do you seek the welfare others?
“Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, mine own bowels:”
Philemon verse 12
My pastor called the neighboring church. He told their pastor what an outstanding Bible teacher John was.
On the pastor’s recommendation, John taught a young adult class in his new church. It helped this church of almost all senior adults to start again reaching young marrieds.
My pastor didn’t toss John out the door. He interceded on John’s behalf.
Were we fair to John? The Lord will judge us concerning our handling the change.
In the verse, we see that –
Do you deal fairly with others?
“If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;”
Philemon verse 18
Even though I apologized to John for changing the leadership, I still felt awful.
Several members of the class gave me a STRONG piece of their mind. They viewed my explanation as nothing more than an excuse to get rid of a kind old man.
In the verse, we see that –
Do you bear other’s burdens?
“Having confidence in thy obedience, I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.”
Philemon verse 21
When the class started growing and persons responded to the strong Biblical teaching of Russell, some of its members told me they realized the class needed the shakeup. I was even told they knew I loved and cared about them and those without Christ in the community.
In the verse, we see that –
Do you encourage and believe in your friends?
I may never understand the impact my actions had on others when I made this change. All I know is many young men and women came to know Christ and became active in church. Satan wouldn’t have wanted that, so maybe we did well.
Heavenly Father, sometimes hard decisions and choices need to be made to advance your kingdom. Help us to always seek your will and your mind when faced with these challenges.
