# How to Get Rid of Church Committees in a SBC Church



## Post Tenebras Lux (Apr 15, 2013)

Some of you are experienced pastors, for this reason I was wondering what would you guys recommend to a young pastor of a SBC church. The issue deals with a church who brought in a young brother as the pastor of the church. This is his first church (he is a Reformed Baptist brother). He has no other Elders in the Church, and the church has an unbiblical polity.

He realized that his new Church has hundreds of different church committees that do not have as an end goal the Glory of God through the proclamation of the gospel to the lost, nor the equipping of the saints. Thus these committees are fulfilling nothing but social purposes. 

As you guys can tell this local church is a mess. What would you guys recommend to this brother on how to reform the Church? What steps can he take? Any book recommendation on Reformed Baptist Church Order?


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## Pergamum (Apr 16, 2013)

Probably getting to know the church for awhile might be a good first step.


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## Bill The Baptist (Apr 16, 2013)

I would recommend he read this article by Andrew Davis of FBC Durham, NC. Excellent insights. Journal : The Reform of First Baptist Church of Durham | 9Marks


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## Marrow Man (Apr 16, 2013)

Bill The Baptist said:


> I would recommend he read this article by Andrew Davis of FBC Durham, NC. Excellent insights. Journal : The Reform of First Baptist Church of Durham | 9Marks



Bingo. I would completely agree. Listening to the interview about this situation would be good as well: Revitalizing a Church | 9Marks

Pastor Davis talks a good big early on about the difficulties in dealing with committees and how he handled that over time.

My personal favorite part of the audio: when Dever tells about the call that came to the church where a former member said she was praying for his death because he "killed the choir."


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## reaganmarsh (Apr 16, 2013)

Committees die hard in Baptist life. 

The resources above are excellent. 

Patience, patience, patience...coupled with lots of teaching. Our church is still very committee-driven. 

But I'm working on that elephant one bite at a time.


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## Edward (Apr 16, 2013)

Post Tenebras Lux said:


> What would you guys recommend to this brother



I'd recommend that he not unpack. He's probably not going to be there long.


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## Post Tenebras Lux (Apr 18, 2013)

Bill The Baptist said:


> I would recommend he read this article by Andrew Davis of FBC Durham, NC. Excellent insights. Journal : The Reform of First Baptist Church of Durham | 9Marks



Thank you Bill. Great and helpful article. I remember reading Andy Davis in "Dear timothy" by Tom Ascol.


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## KMK (Apr 18, 2013)

Pergamum said:


> Probably getting to know the church for awhile might be a good first step.


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## Post Tenebras Lux (Apr 18, 2013)

Marrow Man said:


> Bill The Baptist said:
> 
> 
> > I would recommend he read this article by Andrew Davis of FBC Durham, NC. Excellent insights. Journal : The Reform of First Baptist Church of Durham | 9Marks
> ...



Great interview. I thought of Paul saying be strong in the power of His might. A good point in the interview was that Andy Davis said he was not brave nor strong he was resting in the power of God. Great affirmation.

A woman saying during a prayer time "God helps us to know that we are a modern people and we don't need to do everything it says in the Bible anymore".

Very useful interview brother, right in the context of SBC churches. Thank you!


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## Post Tenebras Lux (Apr 18, 2013)

KMK said:


> Pergamum said:
> 
> 
> > Probably getting to know the church for awhile might be a good first step.



Amen brother.


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## Marrow Man (Apr 18, 2013)

Post Tenebras Lux said:


> A woman saying during a prayer time "God helps us to know that we are a modern people and we don't need to do everything it says in the Bible anymore".



Yes, I had forgotten about that! There are probably a lot of those in our modern churches -- it's just that most don't show up for prayer times.


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## Romans922 (Apr 18, 2013)

On top of learning about the congregation, you must preach the Word and teach them what a Biblical church looks like, and also condemn their pride.


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## Edward (Apr 18, 2013)

Romans922 said:


> On top of learning about the congregation, you must preach the Word and teach them what a Biblical church looks like, and also condemn their pride.



A pastor would do well to condemn his own pride, as well.


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## reaganmarsh (Apr 22, 2013)

Yes indeed. Pastors preach and lead under the authority of the Word, and there is absolutely a place in expository preaching for application of the text to yourself ("Even as I proclaim this to you, my own conscience is pricked as to my failings here. I need to hear this truth and be humbled by it as well. Praise the God of grace who instructs all of his people in his ways!"). 

That being said, the pulpit is not a confessional. But it is appropriate to communicate & demonstrate to your hearers that you proclaim truth to which you are also accountable, & which you also need. That models humility to those in the congregation who may not be willing to interact with you on a more personal basis. And such humility will be of paramount importance in this brother's situation. 



Edward said:


> Romans922 said:
> 
> 
> > On top of learning about the congregation, you must preach the Word and teach them what a Biblical church looks like, and also condemn their pride.
> ...


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## Curt (Apr 22, 2013)

When we were rewriting the constitution at my last congregation - and eliminating committees- a woman asked, at one of our informational meetings, if we can't be on committees, why bother coming to church." She was the matriarch of the "family" that had held sway for decades before my arrival. They were all gone long before I retired.


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## Edward (Apr 22, 2013)

reaganmarsh said:


> Yes indeed. Pastors preach and lead under the authority of the Word, and there is absolutely a place in expository preaching for application of the text to yourself ("Even as I proclaim this to you, my own conscience is pricked as to my failings here. I need to hear this truth and be humbled by it as well. Praise the God of grace who instructs all of his people in his ways!").
> 
> That being said, the pulpit is not a confessional. But it is appropriate to communicate & demonstrate to your hearers that you proclaim truth to which you are also accountable, & which you also need. That models humility to those in the congregation who may not be willing to interact with you on a more personal basis. And such humility will be of paramount importance in this brother's situation.



Well put, and better than my rendition.


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## reaganmarsh (Apr 23, 2013)

Edward,

Thanks for your kind words, brother.


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## reaganmarsh (Apr 23, 2013)

Curt, 

Out of curiously, to whom did you assign the work of the "social" committees? How did y'all delegate that? I ask as one whose congregation at present (and for years before my recent arrival) has a Hostess Committee, Hospitality Committee, Decorating Committee, and Flowers Committee. I don't say this as belittling our people. But perhaps it would prove "practically" instructive to the question posited by the OP if you'd mind weighing in here. 



Curt said:


> When we were rewriting the constitution at my last congregation - and eliminating committees


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