Jump directly to the Content

Stewardship of Power

In a church, the stewardship of power is more important than the stewardship of money.
—Arthur DeKruyter

After a year and a half in my present ministry, I suddenly was plunged into a crisis: four board members were leading a movement to oust me. These were the turbulent days of the McCarthy era, and the four trustees were convinced we should identify with a politically ultra-conservative group. I insisted that the church was not a political organization.

They questioned my priorities. They told me I was "unfit to pastor the congregation."

"If you ask for my resignation and can explain your reasons to the congregation, I will do so," I replied. But they weren't willing to present their reasons publicly. So they appointed an investigating committee which eventually, of course, would find reason to get rid of me.

So I, along with two trustees who understood the situation, went to every family in the congregation that week. We told each one what was going on. Those four board members felt the ...

Tags:
Posted:
March
Support Our Work

Subscribe to CT for less than $4.25/month

Homepage Subscription Panel

Read These Next

From the Magazine
Should the Bible Sound Like the Language in the Streets?
Should the Bible Sound Like the Language in the Streets?
Controversy over Bibles in Jamaica, the Philippines, and Germany reveal the divide between the sacred and the relatable.
Editor's Pick
What Christians Miss When They Dismiss Imagination
What Christians Miss When They Dismiss Imagination
Understanding God and our world needs more than bare reason and experience.
close