September 7, 2024
FUNSTON, GA – Do you want to transform your church business meeting into something refreshing and with deep spiritual meaning? Funston Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Ron Shiver has seen a beautiful metamorphosis take place with church business meetings often characterized by tension and division transformed into spiritual gatherings designed to enhance the health of the church.
Churches should be a place of refuge, peace and love, but have often been known for their conflicts and quarrels. Years ago, Baptist Pastor Jess Moody wrote a book entitled “A Drink at Joel’s Place”. Joel’s Place was a bar and Moody suggests that some people can find more compassion and understanding and less conflict at the local pub than at the church.
The theme song of the 1980s televisions program “Cheers” (a Boston bar) seems to bear that out: “Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came. You want to go where you can see our troubles are all the same …..”.
Dr. W. A. Criswell, the legendary pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas, TX, told the story of the church he pastored while a seminary student in Louisville, KY. The church had a business meeting to discuss the proposition of building a fence around the church cemetery. One member described by Dr. Criswell as born in the objective mood, negative case rose to protest the motion and cried, “I am again’ it!”
The moderator wanted to know why he was opposed to building a fence around the cemetery. He responded by saying, “Well, do you know anyone on the outside who wants to get in the cemetery; and do you know anyone in the cemetery who can get out.”
Business meetings can often have their own set of challenges. It has been asserted that any time you have three Baptists together you can have as many of four or five different opinions. Most pastors have approached church conferences or business meetings with fear and trepidation.
Funston Baptist Church has had their share of business meetings characterized by vigorous debates and divergent opinions. However, about ten years ago the tenor and tone of those meetings changed when they transformed the church conferences into solemn assemblies. In the Bible, solemn assemblies were special, sacred meetings held for a variety of holy purposes.
Deacon Len Thompson commented, “For years monthly deacons’ meetings were like ‘boards of directors’ meetings focused primarily on finances and facilities. On occasion, the correction or reprimand of ‘hired personne’ was the primary topic of discussion. The monthly business meetings were just that – business. Our Solemn Assemblies are completely different from our old business meetings. These monthly meetings are worship services where we praise God and sincerely seek His will in all areas affecting the life of the church.”
Funston Pastor Ron Shiver explained, “The root of our problem was that many of the people in our congregation failed to understand what it meant to be a spiritually healthy church member. One member stated, “We are gaining, but not retaining members.”
The decision was made to set a standard for new church members. However, the church lay leaders realized that it was not equitable to set a standard of spirituality for new members and not expect the same from those who had been members for years.
A long-range planning committee was appointed, and they expressed their desire to set the same benchmark of commitment and discipleship for all members. New standards were established for the church’s deacons. The new specifications were incorporated into the church Constitution and By Laws, presented to the church, and adopted in one of the solemn assemblies.
For the past decade the solemn assemblies have been held on the last Sunday evening of the month. During the solemn assembly there are songs of confession and prayers of confession. Those present recite the old church covenant that states: “We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit to walk together in Christian love; to strive for the advancement of the Church in knowledge, holiness and comfort . . . to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting and excessive anger . . . to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember one another in prayer . . . to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation.”
Th solemn assemble also involves various scripture reading, ministry reports and prayer for the Ryan Davis family serving as international missionaries and Dennis and Sandy Boatright, who are planting a church in Elkton, Virginia.
The church’s moderator, Stacy Beacham, who is also a deacon, added, “By incorporating the church conference into a worship service/solemn assembly, I believe the attention of the members toward the business of the church has become more intentional. By this, I mean the business is not an afterthought. Before we changed the business meeting into a solemn assembly, the conference was held after the evening worship service.
“I am sure there were members who were not able to worship effectively because they were preoccupied with the business meeting to follow. Now our church business is worship. While there may be issues the members feel strongly about, by making it a worship experience is creates a more peaceful atmosphere for the service.
“Instead of calling for a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ vote, we say, ‘With the information you have, if you feel it is God’s will that we __________, please say ‘I’. I believe this takes out some of the personal feelings about an issue and causes us to seek God’s guidance even in the smallest of items.”
Pastor Shiver commented, “The new approach to our business meetings has made a huge difference in the life and spirit of our church. The attitude of the church is different, and the fellowship is sweeter
