Jay Herndon

 Playing Defense--Developing Trust

 "Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him." Mathew 22:15

"Offense wins games, but defense wins championships," the saying goes. The stiffer the competition, the more important it is to play defense. The same could be said of the ministry--the stiffer the opposition, the more important it is to play defense. Jesus knew this, and so when the Pharisees plotted to entangle Him, Jesus came out and played defense! Some of the greatest examples of the wisdom of Jesus occur during these moments.

All ministers need to learn to play defense. The Jews often challenged Jesus on the issue of Orthodoxy (right-belief). However the issue our society usually challenges us on is our Orthopraxy (right practice.) The Apostle Paul was challenged on Orthopraxy too, and he had to learn to play defense.

The Apostle Paul devotes two entire chapters of his second letter to the Corinthians to talk about a benevolence offering for the Jerusalem Church. About half of this discussion is designed to motivate the Corinthian Christians to give generously (offense.) The other half is designed to assure them that the finances will be handled with integrity, Paul wanted to avoid being blamed, to preclude suspicion (defense.)

Paul understood that, no matter how compelling the need, if people do not have confidence in how the money will be handled they will not give—people have to trust before they will give. I think Paul also knew that suspicion about money would eventually result in suspicion about the other aspects of his ministry too. It's hard to follow a spiritual leader who mishandles money. Jesus said, "You were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things." How we handle money can qualify or disqualify us for leadership.

That's the thought behind my next "Passages for Pastors: Common sense advice from scripture for those in ministry." It comes from 2 Corinthians 8: 16-23. And most especially verse 20 "Avoiding this: that anyone should blame us in this lavish gift which is administered by us." Paul knew that he had to play defense.

 Paul did this by:

1)     Appointing people with impeccable reputations for honesty and competency

2)     Allowing the churches to choose additional people to monitor the money

3)     Using accounting procedures that were proper ("honorable") and open to inspection ("in the sight of men.")

And in so doing, Paul avoided accusation and suspicion.

All of us in ministry need to learn these lessons—I am surprised by how many issue a brief and inadequate report about the church finances, and then say, "Trust me." It has the opposite effect! Occasionally I'll even here of ministers who hide financial information and then answer questions by saying, "It's not your business."

Don't misunderstand me, I am not saying that we need to go back to the days when church members adjust the budget or set salaries in the annual business meeting. I am saying that a major component of effective leadership is the ability to develop trust and avoid suspicion with regards to money. And leaders don't develop trust and avoid suspicion by being secretive or sloppy about financial information.

It is inevitable that people will challenge our Orthopraxy in regards to our handling of money, we need to anticipate this and learn to play some defense.

 

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