Fact: Some congregations chew up pastors and spit them out every 2-3 years. I don’t have a Barna Study or Pew Research Poll to verify that assertion. But I don’t think verification is necessary. We’ve all seen the tragedy of “Monster Churches.”

What leads me to believe it is the church’s fault? Before I get to that, let me admit that it isn’t always the churches fault. I know many men who are just not effective pastors –no matter their congregational context. (That’s a topic for a future blog post entitled “Monster Pastors”).

Having said that, there are plenty of cases where the church undoubtedly has a problem. That is particularly evident in cases where:

  • The problem occurs over and over for a long period of time with a multitude of pastors. In these cases, the only common denominator is the congregation.
  • Pastors leave the church to find warm welcome and fruitful, long-term ministry in another congregation. When this happens, the change in church makes all the difference. The pastor remains the same.
  • The congregation denies that any problem exists at all. Pride is a powerful deceiver.

Once again, I admit that a church may have experienced all three of these factors and still not be the source of the problems. But that would be the exception, not the rule.

For the rest of us (the ones honest with ourselves), we recognize that these factors point to a Monster Church. If such a congregation does not change course, they will eventually experience more problems such as power struggles, authority issues, financial disagreements, loss of members, a tainted reputation, a diminished effectiveness, lack of conversations, decline of maturity, and eventual dismay. Their course will eventually lead to destruction for the congregation and all within its path.

Eventually, all monster churches become either tiny assemblies with big reputations (for all the wrong things) and/or abandoned buildings full of questions about “what went wrong.” That is, unless they change.

So, how do you stop a monster from destroying itself and everyone in its path? Here are a few ideas:

  • Seek Christ, the foundation, leader, husband, and purchaser of the church. All issues of power struggles and authority disputes must end at the cross. If Jesus is not Lord of your church, you must repent as a congregation.
  • Pray for repentance. Giving intellectual ascent to Christ’s rule over your church is not enough. The congregation must be whole-heartedly submitted to Him. This does not happen without serious heart change. Therefore, you must pray for repentance. Prayers may start with just one person or a small group. God loves to answer the prayers of the few on behalf of the many.
  • Beg for revival. I’m not talking about a set of meetings. Revival is an awakening of the church in light of the glory of Christ! Much like a doctor uses the defibrillator pads to awaken a dying patient, the Great Physician awakens His Body through revival.
  • Be willing to exhort and rebuke (2 Tim. 4:2). This is not a call for vigilante church discipline. In fact, don’t exhort and rebuke without first seeking Christ, praying for repentance, and begging for revival. If you can’t speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15) with a heart for Christ’s glory in the church, you will only make things worse. However, keep in mind, that most Monster Churches are created because people neglected to have hard conversations with church members who seek to create division (I Cor. 11:18) and strife within the church for self-serving reasons (1 Cor. 3:3).
  • Be willing to ask for help. There are many ministries willing to help churches identify problems and work through solutions. Sometimes, an objective point of view helps a congregation see things more clearly. One word of wisdom, however: If you think your church needs outside help, the request needs to come from the pastor or current leadership. “Going over the head” of a pastor or leader can cause more harm than intended. Don’t be guilty of helping “create a monster!”

If you are a pastor or leader of a local church in need of assistance, feel free to contact DiscipleGuide. I am blessed to serve alongside wonderful folks at DiscipleGuide who have a heart for helping churches make disciples. You may contact us at [email protected].