@ Iron Sharpens Iron: Day 2

Plenary Session 2: Cultivating a Culture of Care
Alex Strauch

The 2nd Plenary session moves from the Biblical Theology of caring, to practical suggestions for showing people you care in your local church. For specific focus, Alex pointed out 3 groups that traditionally need special care; the sick, the elderly & shut in, and the poor. Each group has unique needs, but desperately needs to be shown love by the body of Christ
The Sick:
There were 2 things that the sick need primarily, that are so obvious we often ignore them. Prayer and Contact. We often apologize for "only" being able to pray, when in fact, interceding for our brothers and sisters in Christ is probably the best think we can possibly do. With contact, the physical and emotional bonds that we form with other believers can play a huge role in demonstrating God's love to them, that we cannot afford to ignore it.
The Elderly & Shut in:
Strauch pointed to James, who refers to widows as afflicted. The need for human contact is increased with this group, because they are often unable to fellowship with other believers. Suggestions included sending or delivering things which connect these individuals with the body as a whole: Bulletins, audio copies of messages, handouts, etc. Also, offering time in the form of calls, letters, and transportation can be appreciated. On the other side, having pictures when we request prayer can remind believers who are able to attend the fellowship that some are not so lucky, and help to keep the absent in mind.
Poor & Needy:
This is an often overlooked minority in suburban churches, but is ever present, and an important group to minister to. Lakeside has a number of the things Alex suggested, such as an opportunity for needy individuals to get free furniture, cars and clothes. (Frank Todaro recently started this ministry) We also have a food bank (Ken Shmuckle). Alex suggested an ESL course, which would be great, if we could staff it. He also pointed out that good old hospitalicty goes a long way to helping those in need: invite them over for dinner.
New People:
The last group Strauch specifically mentioned was new people. They are often recovering from recent wounds by Gods people or newly saved, meaning that they provide more opportunities for service than most other groups. Simple friendliness and hospitality is a huge step in moving them into effective ministry in the assembly.

Best quote of the session: "Good strong coffee can be an aid to the Holy Spirit"


Elective Seminar Session 1: Shepherds who Discipline in Love
Mac Sauerlender

Although I am not in leadership, I found this session extremely helpful. More than just discussing the problems for leadership, Mac made it clear that this is a problem for the whole body. He provided three primary reasons for discipline: Protection of the Body, Correction of the individual and ultimatly, Redemption of the individual. He raised some eyebrows with the following points for discussion:

1. Forgiveness without repentance is unkind and often cowardly.
2. Forgiveness should only be given as a result of genuine repentance.

It's important to note that we're talking about church bodies, not individuals. A church body cannot allow an individual who has been disciplined for sin to come back or remain in fellowship without repentance.

Mac also pointed to the importance of the leadership of a church to know and care about their flock as a prerequisite for discipline. This is important for a number of reasons. First, it is preventative. If the elders are in prayer for their congregation, and proactive dealing with small problems as they appear, it will in all likelihood reduce or eliminate the number of big issues. This is only accomplished if the leadership is approachable. Second, loving leadership is important because when problems do occur, they must be dealt with in a loving way. Gentleness, Timing, and Tone are all hugely important when the discipline is taking place. They can assist in minimizing the hurt feelings, and a reminiscent of the way that Christ interacted with those who needed help. Important to remember here is that the Body of Christ consists entirely of sinners saved by grace.
Another important piece of the puzzle is having a plan. Matthew 18 provides a blueprint that works the vast majority of the time. In every situation, it is important to keep the sin between as few people as possible. That being said, everyone who is witness to the sin should be witness to the repentance, so public sins, (and sins by the leadership) are dealt with corporately.
Finally, it is important to institute accountability. Leadership should not be reprimanding individuals without the knowledge and consent of at least one other elder. This provides them with prayer support, in addition to ensuring they are working in conjunction with the board, and not as a single person.