A video response to an anonymous commenter to the Church Politics (http://fatherhurley.com/2010/05/church-politics) article posted over the weekend. Be encouraged! Don’t allow the foolish actions of others deter you from doing God’s work and becoming all that you can be in the Kingdom of God. Amen. Amen. Amen.
All Hail to the Christ Within!
One of the greatest challenges facing the growth of the Kingdom of God on earth is church politics. This article is an attempt to get a handle on church politics and learn its proper usage.
Church Politics Defined
Church politics are generally seen as negative but really it is neutral. Politics is “the art or science of government or governing, especially the governing of a political entity, such as a nation, and the administration and control of its internal and external affairs.” (politics, 2009) Using this definition of politics we see that even the church, especially an association or organization of churches, must be governed. There are bills to be paid, decisions to be made, positions to fill, committees to form, ideas to be fashioned and executed, and the Word of God to be preached by people trained to do so.
Good Church Politics
Good church politics to me is when all parties involved can sit down and have an open and honest debate about whatever issues are on the table. So in a ministers’ meeting, for instance, all the ministers will give their views on the agenda, give a fair hearing to each other’s views, modify ideas where necessary, vote on the issues, and leave the meeting feeling good about what has been accomplished. The same would go for a Sunday School teacher’s meetings, deacon’s board meeting, trustee board meeting, etc. And when it comes to position appointments, the body making the decision should consider all qualified candidates, pray and meditate about it, talk it over, and put a good person in place. The person won’t be perfect, because no one is, but they should at bare minimum love God, love the church, and be willing to work at being effective.
Bad Church Politics
Bad church politics is just the opposite of this ideal. All sorts of negatives thoughts or spirits enter in when it’s time to make decisions. “Bad church politics comes about when church leadership departs from either the leadership of the Holy Spirit or from the guidance of the Bible… Sadly, some church leaders have got to the point where they must rely on techniques of manipulation and domination in order to maintain their positions of influence and authority. Such leaders are insecure and are easily threatened by those whom they cannot control.” (Fackerell, 2007) This spirit of manipulation and domination creeps into leadership in all areas of life. How does this happen? It happens when people begin to define themselves by the titles they hold. Once this unnatural process is completed then of course they will do any and everything to hold on to their position.
My Church Politics Philosophy
One of our Assistant Prince’s shook my hand after a session in our past convention and said, “Hey how you doing George. I mean Reverend. Well is it alright if I call you George?” My reply, “Reverend is not on my birth certificate.” After which we both laughed. Yes I want to be respected but not because of “Reverend”. The scripture says, “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” (Proverbs 22:1 NIV) So if “George Hubert Latimer-Knight” stands for something good then it doesn’t really matter what title is in front of my name or what title or degree initials are behind my name. Your name gives your titles powers – your titles will cause you to lose power if misused.
For me, disagreeing with someone is not disrespectful, especially when it is done out of love.
One should never completely disrespect leadership but a healthy disagreement can be helpful. I’ve been told this is not the case, but it is so. In the business world, whether I was a peon or in management, I have always been encouraged to speak my mind. I always thought first and tried to say my piece in the kindest, nicest, and most effective and helpful way possible. But that same approach in the church world brings on comments like, “you don’t respect your leaders” or “you have said things that have put you in a very bad position” or “I hear people talk about you”. It seems almost a thing of the past to obey Isaiah 1:18, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
Why Not Avoid All This Church Foolishness Altogether?
Well it’s natural to consider just avoiding the church world altogether. Though this is tempting to the flesh, it doesn’t solve anything. If we withdraw from the church, then guess what, the same mess that led us to leave will still be going on. As one of our past mothers used to say, “You’ll be at home mad and missing your blessings. While the people you’re mad at will be at church doing the same things they’ve always done.”
The power manifested when true saints of God gather is too rich and powerful to miss because a few people don’t know how to act. Glory to God! Jesus declared, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20) So according to the scripture, if I can find just one other person to link up with then I will receive a touch from God. Furthermore Hebrews 10:25 teaches, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Don’t give us on the vision (of God) because of a few silly pigeons (low minded people).
How to Fight Bad Church Politics
Here are 10 steps I have used to fight bad church politics:
1. Learn to control your temper. – It takes time to do this. The urge to go off every time someone says something foolish is real. Fight it! Learn to respond and don’t react.
2. Don’t respond to gossip. – Most times when people say, “well I’m just telling you about what people are saying about you”, they are one of the main ones talking about you or against you.
3. Live a moral life. – I remained a virgin until I got married. And I got married at 27!!! That was very difficult but because of that many attacks that folks wish they could wage against me cannot be waged. If you have been sleeping around then stop! If you have been committing adultery then stop! Bringing in a parade of different sexual partners weekly then stop! Time living a moral life defuses foolishness.
4. Be open and honest about past mistakes. – How can people gossip about what you did when you preached on it and say what you learned from it? My wife taught me this. People can’t hurt your feelings calling you names behind your back when you’re called that name and said how you’re working on it. Another example…One pastor said, “If one of you young ladies gets pregnant just stand up and tell the church. If you try to hide it you’re going to cause more gossip than if you had just said it yourself in the first place.” The principle applies to almost anything that you’re done.
5. Participate in various church functions, meetings, and events. – In doing so you will learn how to operate and conduct yourself.
6. Prefer a ministry over a title. – By that I mean you don’t need a title to operate in God’s kingdom. Title dependency breeds bad church politics. Examples…you don’t need a title to pass out church literature, volunteer to run a church entertainment or function, serve on a committee or two, pray for the sick, give a financial donation to a college student in your church or community, send encouraging cards to those who feel down (card ministry), write brothers and sisters who are incarcerated (prison ministry), or spread cheer and the word of God on the Internet (internet ministry).
7. Allow the spirit to promote you. –Most of the church positions I have or have held were given to me with no questions asked, i.e. “George you’re going to do this”, or I volunteered.
8. Be flexible. – Flexibility is a necessary tool in the toolbox of all masters.
9. Don’t let your title or position define you. – Some people, upon being moved from a position, are never quite the same. Commit yourself to God’s work and be willing to serve in whatever capacity you can at the time.
10. Let your works (track record) speak for you. – When I do have to respond to my critics it gives me great pleasure to simply offer a brief list of my work in the church. This normally quiets them down quite a bit.
I have the honor to be your obedient servant,
Rev. George H. Latimer-Knight
Written May 15, 2010 at age 28
Bibliography
Fackerell, M. (2007, 05 10). Church Politics. Retrieved 05 15, 2010, from Christian-Faith.com: http://www.christian-faith.com/forjesus/church-politics
politics. (2009). Dictionary.com. Retrieved 05 15, 2010, from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/politics
Yesterday evening during my prayer/meditation session, a lofty vision for the Universal Hagar’s Spiritual Church came to mind. We are not where we should be as a body, membership wise that is, but we are growing. In the vision, I saw many saints coming in the temple doors. I heard, “There will be one million saints.” Amen.
Again, this is very lofty, but possible. Let’s use an example of a church that starts out with a strong pastor and three dedicated saints. If each member was mandated with bringing in one convert per year, and each year new members followed the mandate, the three member church will grow exponentially. After one year there will be six members. After two year there will be 12 members. After year ten there will be 3072 members!
Of course retention and commitment are always an issue, but I think you get my point. Furthermore, we have the benefit of having pastors spread across the nation. And if memberships, across the nation, grew like this, more pastors will emerge, go on the field, and repeat the successful model.
One Million Saints. It will be so, maybe even within my lifetime. GLORY! What a wonderful thought.
The world Father Hurley and his contemporaries lived in was very different than ours, although we are still struggling with its legacy. The United States of America was partially founded, unfortunately, on racism and slavery. The Civil War, along with pressure from the Radical Republicans (the abolitionist party), forced President Abraham Lincoln’s hand to draft the Emancipation Proclamation, which took effect on January 1, 1863. (Wormser: (a)) Though the war had to continue before the slaves began to be released, it marked the beginning of the end of the physical slavery; mental slavery, however, continues to this day. In 1875 the Civil Rights Act was passed to ensure “full and equal enjoyment”. (Wormser: (b)) In 1883 it was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. (Wormser: (c)) Congress did not pass another Civil Rights bill until 1957. (Wormser: (c))These events, plus the continued racism, caused the former slaves to live in a horrible world of lynching, burning, and general unfairness. Imagine walking out your door and seeing your best friend dead, hanging in a tree, or maybe your cousin, or even your mother or father – this was a reality for African-Americans. Imagine having to bow your head low whenever a certain kind of person walked by – this was how Blacks had to respond to Whites. Imagine being told everyday that you are an animal, worthless, less than human, and not worthy to live – this was the reality of the former slaves.
Marcus Garvey, DuPont Bell, Noble Drew Ali, Wallace D. Fard, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, Father Divine, Sweet Daddy Grace, Father Elias Dempsey Smith, and many other Black leaders emerged in the late 19th and early 20th century to respond to this worldview. They also took issue with the American Christian world’s apparent inability to reach out to the Black race and uplift them. It is no secret that some racist White ministers used their pulpits to preach discrimination and oppression.
A great deal of academic work has been done on all of the leaders just mentioned, however one of their most powerful, intelligent, and spiritual contemporaries is still largely unknown and ignored by scholars. This leader is Father George William Hurley….
Father Hurley was raised in the Protestant tradition. His mother, Tina Hurley, began raising him as a Methodist, but after a few years they became Baptist. At the age of seven he began to preach in the churches and challenge the ministers and was ordained at the age of 11. In 1897, at the age of 13, the Spirit of God revealed to him his great Commission. After high school he went to Tuskegee Institute and Phelps Bible Hall Training School to receive ministerial training. Dr. E. J. Penny was Phelps’ dean and Father Hurley’s ministerial instructor.
By the time he reached his early 20s, Reverend Hurley… was known, especially among southern Baptists, as a dynamic preacher and orator with a seeming special relationship with God. It was not just his ability to ‘woo’ the crowd that made him popular; it was his ability to expound on the teachings of Christ in such a way that even the more uneducated members, which were many times the majority, were able to comprehend the lessons of the Gospel.
In around 1918 or 1919 Reverend Hurley met Father Elias D. Smith, founder of the Triumph the Church and Kingdom of God in Christ, which was founded on January 20, 1904, popularly known as the Triumph Church (Triumph Church website). He was spiritually moved by Father Smith and his teachings and consequently joined. After several years, he reached the level of Elder and the presiding Prince of Michigan, but became dissatisfied with the teachings of the Triumph Church. He disagreed with the way they taught the Bible and how some of the ministers purposely lacked clarity in their explanations of the Gospel to the congregation, among other things. [This possibly could be due to the fact that the Triumph Church began moving away from its original teachings after Father Smith passed away in January 1920 while on a trip to Addis Ababa Abyssinia.] After this he briefly joined the International Spiritual Church, but again he was not completely content. So on September 23, 1923 he founded the Universal Hagar’s Spiritual Association (later changing ‘Association’ to ‘Church’).
References
Triumph Church website. “History of Triumph Church”, 19 Feb. 2004 <http://www.triumphchurch-jax2.org/history.html>.
Wormser, Richard.(a) “The Emancipation Proclamation (1863)”, 19 Feb. 2004 <http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/stories_events_emancipate.html>.
Wormser, Richard.(b) “Civil Rights Act (1875)”, 19 Feb. 2004 <http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/ stories_events_civil.html>.
Wormser, Richard.(c) “Civil Rights Act of 1875 Declared Unconstitutional”, 19 Feb. 2004 <http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/stories_events_uncivil.html>.
Chris (www.youtube.com/InfamousChris1) asked the question, “What words define your world?”
Related Posts:
Can Money Buy Happiness? (Response to InfamousChris1)
Father George W. Hurley Memorial 2007. A prophet does more than predict the future. A prophet is one with God, and loves all of God’s creation. Father Hurley, founder of the Universal Hagar’s Spiritual Church, was/is a true loving Prophet. Amen.
This is the first web video from FatherHurley.com. Many more videos, on a variety of issues, will soon follow. Also included is a brief tribute to Princess Ida Lee Childs, Spiritual Leader and Past Wisemen Board Predient, of the Universal Hagar’s Spiritual Church.
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FatherHurley.com – First Blog Post
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