May/June 2004

Time to Grow Up!

I must admit that I sometimes fantasize about what it would be like to be a kid again. I mean, the next time I don’t get my way about something, you could just expect me to slump to the floor in tears. If you try to help me up, I’ll just go completely limp. If I eat dinner at any of your houses and you serve something I don’t care for, I’ll make gagging noises and fall out of my chair onto the floor.
At my next staff meeting, if someone says something that’s a little out of line, I’m just going to smack them one, and if someone raises an eyebrow at me, I’ll just say, “He started it.” If I’m a little hungry, I’ll just announce it every ten to fifteen seconds until somebody gives in and hands me a cookie.
But after an hour or so of that kind of behavior, the deacons will meet and vote, the men in the white coats will be called and the people who call me pastor will be speculating on who will be their next pastor.
During the 35 years I have been a part of a local church, I’ve watched some stunning demonstrations of spiritual immaturity.
•  I’ve seen people fuss over who’s sitting in whose pew.
•  I’ve seen people quit the choir because they didn’t get to sing a special part.
•  I’ve watched people leave the church because they didn’t get a visit while they were in the hospital.
•  I’ve received notes that bordered on profanity from someone who didn’t like a particular administrative decision.
•  I’ve watched people pick a Sunday school teacher to pieces based on everything from what she wore to how she talked.
•  I’ve heard tirades in halls because someone didn’t like something about the nursery.
•  I’ve been threatened, cursed, mocked and irritated by people who couldn’t grasp the concept that “no” sometimes really does mean “no.”
•  On more than one occasion, I’ve seen individuals stage a “sit-in” in an attempt to get their way.
•  I’ve had to mediate arguments, break up fist fights and had to warn a man whose name I still don’t know to stop shouting at me or I was going to call for the police.
•  I’ve watched people leave churches over everything from Sunday school curriculum, to a special music number, to the frequency of communion scheduled, to the location of their parking spot.
•  I’ve shaken my head in amazement at the
potential we all have for child-like activity when we simply don’t get our way about something.
Paul wrote that there was a time when he spoke like a child, thought like a child, acted like a child—then he put away childish things. Sadly, some of us have been quite content occupying space in the Lord’s kingdom without ever maturing, and it’s high time we put away some of our childishness. We wouldn’t or shouldn’t tolerate grown adults acting like little children, and we ought not tolerate people who have been a part of God’s family for years acting like they’ve never trusted Christ. Growing up requires discipline, development, training and accountability.
Tough love is an important part of any parent’s toolbox. Sometimes we say “no,” sometimes we say “wait” and sometimes we pop someone on the behind and say, “listen to me when I tell you something.” I’m not suggesting that you purchase a paddle for your pastor, but maybe it is time for us to stop and take measure of how much we’ve grown in our walk with the Lord.

© 2003 Evangelical Press News
Dan Burrell is the Senior Pastor of Northside Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Return to Plain Truth Ministries Home Page