Sometimes a business has lost so many customers, has such a poor reputation for service, or has been so uncompetitive, that a new owner has no alternative but to fire the managers, hire new staff and put out a sign, "Under New Management".

Churches can be the same.  Sometimes there is no choice but to dismiss the leadership team and to start again.

Discovering the problem

Often the first sign that something is terribly wrong comes when one opens last year's church directory and realizes that many (or most) of the faces have gone.

Just like a business not being able to retain or hang onto its customers, a high turnover of members is a sure sign that a church has problems which need to be identified and dealt with. 

There are lots of reasons why people come and go, and many are outside the influence of the church itself.  However, some of the most obvious reasons do lie within the church.

Disconnection

It is natural that people who are not engaged and actively involved tend to wander off as they do not feel a sense of ownership or belonging.  It is also true that disengaged members are much more vulnerable to influences from outside the church, especially to the invitations of other groups.  They are looking for something but their needs are not being met where they have been.

Friction Between Leaders

One of the most disconcerting things for someone not actively involved in the church programme is to see bickering between individuals who are part of the leadership team.  Visitors may never return.  Even mature members feel discouraged, particularly when it seems nothing is being done to address the problem.

The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 133:1, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" 

Disunity is a powerful disincentive for closer involvement.  Friction, irritation, frustration, disagreement... these are all sure ways to kill off the enthusiasm of others.

Secrecy and Lack of Transparency

People get involved to be involved.  Most of us want to feel a part of what is happening, even if it is in just a small way.  We do not want to be "treated like mushrooms", or treated as if we do not matter, or told that something is "none of [our] business".

Coming into a group that always seems to be hiding something from its members, can be quite disturbing, even soul-destroying.  This is how many of the cults work.  Only the inner circle truly understand how everything works.

In Acts 2, we find a church in which everyone was involved; in which there was fellowship and sharing.  We also find a church that was growing and flourishing as people embraced a common faith and were able to participate freely.

If we are to be the church of Christ in our local community, it must be just that:  the church of Jesus, not the church of a man or a committee.

Whenever men get carried away with their own importance, and forget that the church belongs to Christ Himself, it loses its significance and its value to the world and to those attending.  Whenever men begin to think that everything revolves around themselves, they let others down badly, and the work begins to suffer.

It is the Father's business that we care for each other.  It is the Father's business that we are all involved.  It is the Father's business that we are not just lifeless blocks to be shuffled around at someone's whim.

The apostle Peter reminds us, "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ", 1 Peter 2:5.  We are "lively" or "living" stones, part of a spiritual house, part of a holy priesthood, able to offer up sacrifices acceptable to God Himself.  We are not just objects to be moved or manipulated at the pleasure of unrighteous leaders.

1 Corinthians 12:14-26 speaks about the importance of every member to the functioning of the church.  Every member has value, no matter who they are or where they have come from.  Every member should be as welcome as others to serve in whatever capacity they are suited to.

If there is a culture of secrecy and a lack of transparency in the way things are done, it is almost certainly a sign that there are "control" issues within the leadership of the church.

Look for the following:

•	An expectation that everyone must conform to the will of the leaders simply because they are "the leaders";
•	Resultant presumptuous behaviour on the part of the leaders who just assume everyone will accept their way of thinking or doing things;
•	Active discouragement of members thinking for themselves or putting forward ideas;
•	Micro-managing of others by one or more of the "leaders" ("a finger in every pie", or the need to give instructions and to oversee every project of the church);
•	Indifference to the hurting or feelings of others on the part of the leaders;
•	Passive aggressive behaviour, especially on the part of key people within the leadership team;
•	Bullying or manipulation of individuals (forced compliance with the ideas of the leaders);
•	Power and decision-making vested in a gaggle of supporters or family members; and
•	Service also vested in only a small number of individuals within the church, probably people who the leaders feel they can control.

All of these are the symptoms of an unhealthy church and point to a need for cleansing, for reform, for rehabilitation, and for a decisive change in the way the church is being directed or led.  

Failure to Use Talent From Within the Church

One sure sign that something is terribly wrong is when talented individuals are left off the church roster or not involved in the programme of the church.  If there is a pattern of people being dropped from the church roster or from positions of responsibility within the church, there is almost certainly a problem that will not go away until the reason for it is explored and confronted.

This might well be another "control" issue, but it could also suggest a lack of trust, a fear of competition, a desire for pre-eminence on the part of one or more of the leaders, or ambiguity about doctrinal matters.

Three times the apostle John refers to Christians as priests of God and of Christ (Revelation 1:6, 5:10, 20:6).  For church leaders to deny others a place serving before God is not only against the teachings of God's Word but it is destructive to the growth and maturity of God's people.

Wise leaders make sure that everyone's talents are being used for the glory of God and the nurturing and strengthening of His church.

Reliance on Outside Help

A church that always seems dependent on outside help is obviously not growing its own people.  This is especially so when the teachers or workers that come in have conflicting values or different doctrines to those accepted by the church.

This results in the church "wandering around" spiritually, unable to assert its own values or beliefs, because its leaders are always setting a double standard.

Those who are mature in the congregation will become increasingly dissatisfied, the weaker Christians will be confused, and the church as a whole will be caught up in mediocrity rather than striving for spiritual excellence.

Failure to Train, Mentor and Develop the Next Generation

Perhaps one of the most serious problems of all for a church is the inability or failure on the part of its leaders to train, mentor and develop the younger members of the church as the next generation of believers.

This could be indicative of

• Poor time management skills on the part of the present leaders;
• Poor communication skills generally, or even
• A simple inability to teach others.

It could also indicate that the wrong people are in leadership.

In 2 Timothy 2:1-2, Paul wrote to Timothy, "Therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit the same to faithful men who will be able to teach others also."

Teaching is one of the core responsibilities within a healthy church.  Leaders who cannot (or do not) teach others to teach leave the congregation weak and vulnerable.

New Management

It is important that when problems are identified, action is also taken to find solutions.  God's church cannot prosper when issues are swept under the proverbial carpet or when church leadership conspires to prevent healthy changes taking place.

Leaving problems festering within the congregation is not "loyalty to God's ordained leadership".  It is neglecting the needs of the saints.

There is an obligation placed on each one of us to do our part to resolve issues in the church, but resolution may in fact only come when a leadership team is completely removed and replaced with godly men who are committed to serving humbly and righteously.

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© Bevan Collingwood 2016