Christ Wesleyan Church
Sunday Morning Services - 9:00 & 10:45am
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CWC Milton:The Auditorium (Entrance #6)
363 Stamm Rd, Milton, PA 17847, USA
Sunday 8:00 AM
Sunday 10:45 AM
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Straighten Out the Doctrine– Titus: Chapter 1
A. Titus, a young pastor…
1. Titus was a Gentile companion of Paul in his church planting missionary journeys. Titus was a close, trusted partner with Paul.
2. Written around AD 63 and most likely in Corinth.
3. The church at Crete was probably started by visiting Jews at Pentecost.
4. Crete was an island notorious for its untruthfulness and immorality. (‘To act the Cretan” meant “To play the liar.”)
B. Straighten out doctrine…
1. Our beliefs must be biblical.
2. Our beliefs must be supported by all of Scripture.
3. Our beliefs must be shown by our lifestyles.
4. Our beliefs must be seen by how we are governed.
C. We believe that leaders need to live a holy life and must be…
1. Of good character and integrity.
2. Faithful to their families.
3. Disciplined personally.
4. Hospitable to others.
5. Believers of their message.
D. We believe there are destructive patterns to avoid…
1. Guard your conversations; avoiding useless talk and deception of others.
2. Guard your listening as well as your conversations. Both are destructive.
3. Protect your heart and mind.
4. Do not be afraid to confront and protect the body of Christ as there are spiritual lives of whole families that are being destroyed!
5 Dangers of the Church Cartel - Thom Rainer
He was shocked.
The pastor was leading change in the church. The church was growing and vibrant. But a couple of weak staff members didn’t like the direction and expected accountability. They teamed with the known church bully and went before the personnel committee. They presented their perspectives.
The pastor never was asked his perspective. He could have fought the weak personnel committee and likely won. But he didn’t want to tear apart a church he loved.
He resigned.
For the sake of the church he loved, he resigned.
He was yet another victim of the church cartel.
A church cartel is an alliance of bullies, bully-followers, carnal Christians, and even non-Christians in the church. Its ultimate goal is to get its way. It feeds off of selfish power.
We don’t like to talk about church cartels. After all, it’s not the Christian thing to do. But they exist in too many churches. And if they are not exposed, they will continue to wreak havoc.
Here are five of the very dangerous realities of the church cartel:
When a cartel is allowed power, the church is already unhealthy. The cartel is, by its definition, self-centered and power-driven. A church is already very sick if members remain silent and do not confront this evil directly.
A church cartel leaves carnages of wounded and dying people. If you have any doubts about this danger, please see my post on “Autopsy of a Deceased Pastor.” See the comments. See the pain and questions and defeat the cartel leaves behind.
Church cartels drive away healthy leaders. Some of these leaders are driven away by the cartel. Others leave on their own accord because they want to be in a joyous and healthy church. Their departure exacerbates the problems in these churches.
Church cartels cause church leaders to work from a posture of fear. Instead of moving forward in faith, church leaders often spend more time worrying about how their decisions will impact the cartel. These leaders know the cartel will come after them if they go contrary to the carnal group’s wishes.
We are told in Scripture to manifest the fruit of the Spirit; the church cartel causes the church to do just the opposite. Galatians 5:22-23 is clear about the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Church cartels bring hate, discord, anxiety, impatience, evil, fear, brutality, and chaos. Churches that have cartels usually know they are present. They know who the bully is. They know who the bully followers are. They see them. They hear them. And they often fear them.
Courageous leaders must confront and stop church cartels. If no one is willing, the church is already on a path toward decline and death.
Written by Thom Rainer
He was shocked.
The pastor was leading change in the church. The church was growing and vibrant. But a couple of weak staff members didn’t like the direction and expected accountability. They teamed with the known church bully and went before the personnel committee. They presented their perspectives.
The pastor never was asked his perspective. He could have fought the weak personnel committee and likely won. But he didn’t want to tear apart a church he loved.
He resigned.
For the sake of the church he loved, he resigned.
He was yet another victim of the church cartel.
A church cartel is an alliance of bullies, bully-followers, carnal Christians, and even non-Christians in the church. Its ultimate goal is to get its way. It feeds off of selfish power.
We don’t like to talk about church cartels. After all, it’s not the Christian thing to do. But they exist in too many churches. And if they are not exposed, they will continue to wreak havoc.
Here are five of the very dangerous realities of the church cartel:
When a cartel is allowed power, the church is already unhealthy. The cartel is, by its definition, self-centered and power-driven. A church is already very sick if members remain silent and do not confront this evil directly.
A church cartel leaves carnages of wounded and dying people. If you have any doubts about this danger, please see my post on “Autopsy of a Deceased Pastor.” See the comments. See the pain and questions and defeat the cartel leaves behind.
Church cartels drive away healthy leaders. Some of these leaders are driven away by the cartel. Others leave on their own accord because they want to be in a joyous and healthy church. Their departure exacerbates the problems in these churches.
Church cartels cause church leaders to work from a posture of fear. Instead of moving forward in faith, church leaders often spend more time worrying about how their decisions will impact the cartel. These leaders know the cartel will come after them if they go contrary to the carnal group’s wishes.
We are told in Scripture to manifest the fruit of the Spirit; the church cartel causes the church to do just the opposite. Galatians 5:22-23 is clear about the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Church cartels bring hate, discord, anxiety, impatience, evil, fear, brutality, and chaos. Churches that have cartels usually know they are present. They know who the bully is. They know who the bully followers are. They see them. They hear them. And they often fear them.
Courageous leaders must confront and stop church cartels. If no one is willing, the church is already on a path toward decline and death.
Written by Thom Rainer
Coming next week:
January 15 - Straighten Out Groups –Titus Chapter 2
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all me." - Titus 2:11
January 22 - Straighten Out Lives -Chapter 3
"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy." - Titus 3:4-5a
January 29 - Straighten Out Your View -Philemon
"Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me." - Philemon 1:11
January 15 - Straighten Out Groups –Titus Chapter 2
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all me." - Titus 2:11
January 22 - Straighten Out Lives -Chapter 3
"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy." - Titus 3:4-5a
January 29 - Straighten Out Your View -Philemon
"Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me." - Philemon 1:11
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