1996 Preacher's Study Notes **
“Now David came to Nob to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech was afraid when he met David, and said to him, 'Why art you alone and no one is with you?' 2 So David said unto Ahimelech the priest, 'The king has ordered me on some business, and has said to me, 'Do not let anyone know anything about the business on which I send you, or what I have commanded you. And I have directed my young men to such and such a place'. .. 8 And David said to Ahimelech, 'Is there not here on hand spear or a sword? For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste “ (1 Samuel 21:1-2, 8 NKJV).
Now, just as then, the King has a business. It is the most important business in the world, and should be treated with the utmost concern and care. Its progress and success depend, in part, upon those of us charged with its keeping
Note that in verse 8 David said that the "king's business requires . . ." That was true then, and is true now. Good, successful businesses do not run themselves. They extract time, energy, and dedication from the people who run them. Only when they die do they no longer require anything.
What Does the Lord's Business Require? I. The Lord's Business Requires Great Men.
Just as in ages past when great men like Abraham, Noah, Moses, David, Paul, and Peter led the work of God, so today God needs great men to carry on the work of the church. The church is in desperate need of men of knowledge, faith, purity, wisdom and optimism. A church will be no greater than its leaders. It will never rise any higher, nor travel any farther than its leadership can carry it.
II. The Lord's Business Requires Planning.
"Not slothful in business but fervent in spirit" (Romans 12:11).
The word "business" translates a Greek word meaning diligence. In the execution of this great spiritual enterprise, diligence should be manifested in every aspect of our planning and work. In Acts 6:1-2, we see the value of planning. When a problem arose, the apostles charged the multitude to "look ye out among you . . . whom we may appoint over this business." According to Vine, the word translated "business" in this passage "signifies a necessity, a need and is used in this place concerning duty or business." The problem was addressed, not swept under the rug, and a solution was forthcoming. Why plan?
a. It Is Essential For The Church To Control Its Own Future (avoid trouble, division, etc.—see Acts 20:28-30).
b. Planning Establishes Priorities.
c. Planning Aids In The Implementation Of Goals.
Where are we now? Where do we want to go? How do we get there?
Remember, if we continue to do the same things we are now doing, in the way we are doing them, we will continue to get the same results we are now getting.
III. The Lord's Business Requires Effort.
Proverbs 22:29 reads, "a man diligent in his business shall stand before kings."
Galatians 4:8 reads, "It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing."
Titus 2:13-14 reads, "Who gave himself that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto Himself a peculiar people zealous of good works."
>BR> Why do we not accomplish more, grow faster, pack the building, etc.? Many times it is because we have not put forth sufficient effort. A persistent, patient, continuance in well-doing is necessary for success. The life of the church must become a way of life for every member.
IV. The Lord's Business Requires Cooperation.
Cooperation implies two things:
(a) Everyone Must Work—you cannot have cooperation until you have operation;
(b) There Must Be Coordination Of Effort. Coordinating the efforts of a group involves both planning and execution plus dedication. We must have a plan of attack, a battle plan, if you please—some kind of a plan that addresses all the needs of a congregation, as well as its expectations for growth and development. When everyone works together doing his/her part, the church can grow and make progress. As long as we bite and devour each other, the church will exist in a continual state of turmoil and confusion.
V. The Lord's Business Requires Urgency, "haste."
Ezra 6:12 reads, "I have a decree, let it be done with haste." Every moment we waste in doing the work that needs to be done, we lose time, souls, opportunities, and ground for the truth. May we all realize the urgency of our task and be about it. The fact that the Lord has a business that is to be implemented, necessitates.-some type of procedural approach in dealing with it. But how? In what way may the Lord's business best be handled? What approach, or approaches should be used in an attempt to execute this great work with utmost urgency? Shall we allow the work of the Lord to drift aimlessly? Shall we argue and disagree while the ship on which we float, sinks?, or shall we be up and about "the Father's business?"
Business Meetings in the Bible
Any congregation which functions scripturally, has business with which to deal. Deciding on and carrying out that business must be done within certain divine precepts. "Let all things be done unto edifying" (1 Corinthians 14:26). "Let all things be done decently and in order" (1 Corinthians 14:40).
There is not a specific detailed example of a business meeting, such as is characteristic among most of our churches, given in the New Testament. There are, however, instances of some meetings where the church or its leaders came together to consider spiritual matters.
I. In Acts 6:1-7, we have the account of the Jerusalem brethren coming together to consider the needs of Grecian Jewish widows who were being neglected in the daily ministration of the church. The text says, "And the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said . . ." (v. 2). In this instance, action was taken and the results were immediately apparent according to verse 7.
II. In Acts 15:1-29, we have an account of a meeting where the leading lights of Jerusalem gathered to resolve the difficulties over the issue of circumcising Gentile converts: "And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter" (Acts 15:6). Thayer defines the word "consider" to mean "to see about something, i.e. to ascertain what must be done about it" (p. 173). Although there was much disputing (v. 7) and earlier "no small dissension and questioning" (v. 2), order was maintained and in verse 25, “... being assembled in with one accord” --or [Strong's 3661] “having become of one mind.,” a consensus [does not “one mind” mean unanimous agreement?, pdc] was reached on the issues involved. Immediate and decisive action was taken to stop any "uncertain sounds" which were emanating from Jerusalem on these particular matters.
These two examples are clearly models for us today when we meet to deal with problems facing the church. Note that in both situations decisive action was the thing which brought about the desired results. These brethren did not meet just to talk, they met in order to act. Unfortunately, today many business meetings are nothing more than "talk sessions" where nothing is accomplished.
This reminds me of what John Kenneth Galbraith said about the meetings held by President Herbert Hoover after the horrible stock market panic of 1929. “Yet to suppose that President Hoover was engaged only in organizing further reassurance is to do him a serious injustice. He was also conducting one of the oldest, most important and, unhappily, one of the least understood rites in American life. This is the rite of the meeting which is called not to do business, but to do no business. It is a rite which is still practiced in our time . . . Finally there is the meeting which is called not because there is business to be done, but because it is necessary to create the impression that business is being done. Such meetings are more than a substitute for action. They are widely regarded as action” (The Great Crash: 1929, pp. 138-139).
Sad to say, the "no-business" meetings of Herbert Hoover and his colleagues did not lead to decisive action which might have avoided the collapse of the economy and the onset of the great depression of the 1930s. All too often this describes what happens at the business meetings conducted by many churches today. A regular meeting is scheduled whether there is business to be discussed or not. Brethren then proceed to manufacture something to talk about, which often leads to disagreements, arguments, and all kinds of disruption. Finally the meeting is adjourned with nothing accomplished.
III. In Acts 20:17-38, we have an account of a meeting between Paul and the Ephesian elders in which various aspects of their duties as shepherds were discussed. One might refer to this as an "elders meeting" or a "business meeting of the elders" to discuss spiritual matters. Regardless of the terminology used, the purpose is clear, and becomes a precedent for elders today to meet and discuss various aspects of their task as it relates to work of the church.
Is There a Better Way?
One might answer by saying, "That depends." Certainly any attempt to transact the business of the church that ends in frustration, argumentation, or stalemate has failed. There surely is a better way than that. On the other hand, to suggest that all business meetings are wrong, meaningless, or of no value, is equally wrong. Since the business of the church must be attended to, we must be sure that whatever format is used expedites rather than hinders its progress.
Conducting Church Business
Good communication is absolutely necessary if the leadership of a church is to function effectively. More problems are created when people do not know what is going on than we realize. I continually hear, "no one knows what is going on here," "we don't even know how much money we take in," "we don't know how much is in the treasury," "we always learn after the fact what this church is doing." Leaders who operate under a veil of secrecy are inviting disaster. An eldership that makes determinations without sharing these decisions with the church will soon find the trust they previously had, eroding.
Communication has been defined as merely "fostering understanding." In Acts 15, the meeting concluded by (1) the writing of a letter to the Gentile brethren in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia (vv. 20-23), (2) the choosing of two men (vv. 22-25), (3) the letter was sent and read in Antioch (vv. 30-31), and (4) Judas and Silas confirmed the contents of the letter by mouth (vv. 22, 27, 32). Good communication was necessary to ensure the success of the meeting and the decisions reached.
A Leader Who Communicates Will:
1. Motivate and inspire people to take action;
2. Build cooperation and trust;
3. Maintain focus on the issues;
4. Resolve conflict;
5. Provide accurate information;
6. Prevent communication breakdowns.
When decisions are reached in a business meeting, those decisions should be relayed to the whole church so that everyone can become involved in carrying out the agreed upon goals.
II. Resolution of Conflicts.
Conflict usually arises when someone's power or pursuit of a goal is threatened, or when an individual believes someone else is interfering with the pursuit of his belief or goal. If, as a church, we expect to accomplish anything, we do not have the luxury of ignoring conflict. One thing we know, when standoffs start, communication usually stops. The key to resolving conflict is to get people talking. How can we get people talking again, defuse a hostile situation, and swing people to another side of an issue?
Steps To Conflict Resolution Include:
1. Collect information—don't wait for information, pursue it.
2. Clarify the issues—defuse hostility by listening to all sides.
3. Move to neutral territory—go to where neither adversary has the advantage.
4. Identify common ground—seek areas of agreement.
5.Form an action plan—clearly communicate the plan to all.
In the Acts 15 meeting, there was much disputing (v. 7). However, order was maintained and all conflicts resolved. "It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord" (v. 25).
III. Gaining Consensus/Unanimity* [See note at end of lesson].
The object of every meeting in which decisions are made, goals are set, and work is discussed, should be consensus. The way decisions are reached can strongly influence the quality of the decision, the speed with which it is made and the willingness of the group's members to support it. Some approaches used to reach decisions include the following.
Decision By A Single Individual. This often occurs in a situation where one person feels the right to "run the church." This individual makes all the decisions without consulting anyone. Often, when his power or right of leadership is questioned, trouble erupts. Such a procedure overlooks many important points, e.g., the ability of others to contribute to the decision making process, the involvement of everyone in the work of the church, etc. In some situations, it may be that everyone refuses to "get involved," leaving the entire load on the shoulders of one man. Such a situation is regrettable. (Diotrephes is an example of one man rule, 3 John 9.)
Decision By Minority. In this case, two or three people make the decisions for the group in which they are a small minority. Such a procedure seldom leads to high-quality decisions. In reality, such a procedure also often leads to a lack of support on the part of those who were not a part of the decision. Minority rule is a poor substitute for effective decision making.
Decision By Majority. As a result of democratic ideology, a majority vote is probably the most popular group decision mechanism. A number of problems emerge with this approach in church business meetings. There is always the danger of opposing forces "stacking the deck," bringing in sufficient numbers to get their way. In addition, those who lose and are out-voted may become embittered. In some situations, people vote who have no business participating in the process (young Christians, immature members, recent convents, etc.). Finally, winners are often convinced that they are always right about everything. The "majority" becomes the norm for establishing all actions as well as the "right" and "wrong" of spiritual matters. Since the church is not a democracy, it seems foolish to try to conduct its business by "majority rule." Some may complain: "If the majority does not rule, then the minority will." That is why neither approach is valid in determining matters of right and wrong. Even in matters of judgment and indifference, both approaches are seriously flawed.
Decision By Consensus/Unanimity* [See Note at End of Lesson]. Consensus means full participation by all group members until all members have become committed to a decision. Consensus can be obtained only when members freely express their opinions and keep working together to reach a decision that meets with the approval of the group as a whole. Consensus building is designed to identify common areas of beliefs and knowledge among group members. In a consensus session, the goal is to seek the highest level of agreement without dividing the participants into factions. Voting and compromising are avoided in order that the decision may be based on facts and full-discussion. In Acts 15, consensus was reached. When James placed the suggestion before the group that a letter be sent to the Gentiles explaining that God did not require them to "be circumcised and keep the law" (v. 24), there was unanimous agreement.
Helpful Ideas for Conducting Business Meetings
1. Know When And Why To Have A Meeting.
2. Always Have An Agenda.
3. Get Input For The Agenda Ahead Of The Meeting.
4. Set Meeting Priorities.
5. Determine Time Allocations For Each Topic.
6. Set A Time Limit.
7. Plan The Meeting Ahead. Have Everything You Need (handouts, Equipment, Etc.).
8. Choose An Appropriate Place.
9. Start On Time—End On Time.
10. Summarize Often, Make Sure Everyone Understands What Has Been Decided.
11. Keep Good Minutes.
12. Close On A Positive Note.
P. 0. Box 10811, Springfield, MO 65808
* Note: I believe brother Wade is in error here, because “consensus” is defined in the dictionary as “a general agreement,” which could be achieved by a three quarter majority vote. The word “unanimous” would fit his definition, and is used in Acts 15:25, with the phrase “being assembled with one accord” [Strong's 3661] which means “having one mind,” “unanimous,” or “all in agreement.” This is in the context of an assembly of the church to arrive at a decision on a matter, and is in conformity with the many texts on unity of the body.
Dennis Crawford, BibleTruthsToU@gmail.com, 253-396-0290:
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