“Under The Influence”

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

We have no men in our small congregation qualified to be elders.  Yet, one of the men appears to have taken on that role to the point of reprimanding other men and women for choosing to not attend every Bible class offered.  It's causing problems because some are feeling pressured into coming to the classes rather than being there because they want to be (I am one of them).  I don't like attending any class because I feel like I have to.  But to avoid causing this man (who has a lot of influence on other members) to think I'm getting weak, I'm now going to all of the classes and church-related events with a really bad attitude.  I've had to stop being in charge of the bulletin each week – which I loved doing and grew so much from the experience – for lack of time.  What should I do?

Sincerely,
Got A Beef

Dear Got A Beef,

If this man is not an elder, he only has as much authority as the congregation of believers allows him to have.  In other words, if you listen to him, he has power, but if you don’t, he doesn’t.  As you said, your purpose in attending all the classes is out of fear of what this man and others think.  1 Cor 4:3-4 says that we need to learn to not care so much what others think of us – it is the Lord who judges, not man.

It was Jesus’ enemies who feared what others thought of them (Lk 20:19), but our Lord spoke without fear of others’ judgment (Matt 22:16).  Php 2:12 tells us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling – that is the fear of God, not man.  You need to decide what is the right thing to do, and then let people’s opinions fall where they may.

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