Response:

I am sorry for your situation. I do not believe a person with that type of attitude or behavior should be allowed to continue in a leadership position. However, because the church voted him in (I assume), the church will probably need to remove him unless he resigns.

I believe church discipline will probably be the only way to resolve this issue. The pastor needs to go to the man in accordance with Matt 18:15 and Gal 6:1. If the man does not repent, then the pastor should follow the teaching of Matt 18:16, and take one or two trusted men with him who can hear everything that is said, and render their opinion both to the offender and, if necessary, to the pastor (we pastors are wrong on occasion).

If the man still refuses to repent, then the situation must be taken to the congregation as a whole in a public forum, in accordance with Matt 18:17. The church will get to hear both sides, and they can render a verdict. If they agree with the pastor, then the offender has one last chance to repent, or he must be excommunicated, with the resulting breaking of all church and social ties. This would not be an easy thing to do, but God did establish a means by which to handle these problems, and it is found in Matt 18.

From experience, I might suggest that, if the offender is in violation of the church constitution, that be brought out at the public meeting (if it gets that far). Unfortunately, some church members are more concerned about the constitution than they are about the Bible. They don't care if the pastor's Biblical authority is rejected, but they really get mad if the constitution is violated. Bring it all out, and use the Scriptures, but don't be afraid to show how his behavior violates the constitution.

By Dr Mark Montgomery Ambassador Baptist Church 1926 Babcock Blvd Pittsburgh, PA 15209 (412)477-3210