"gentlemen.....we Have A Situation Here..."

[Cancelled Membership]

My sister arrived back from a (sort of) vacation bible trip out of state.

According to the information she presented to me, she told me about an

incident (a situation) at an area church, in which apparently two brother's

in the Lord -both members- got into a full-on, knock down, drag out fist

fight right there in the foyer before the morning service! Apparently

there has been alot of bad blood between the two for a very long time.

The Pastor knew about these two and their fued but simply didn't want

to get involved with "..a personal matter.."between two grown men.

 

Both  are fathers and both respected members of the community.

 

My sis has no idea what the bad blood was all about, nor does she want

to. The police were called and instead of taking the two men to jail, they

were both issued tickets for (1) disorderly conduct, (2) disturbing the

peace, (3) intentional disruption of a worship service, and suprizingly

no charges of assault since neither man drew first blood.

 

Needless to say, Sunday services (morning and evening) were cancelled.

 

How would you go about dealing with the aftermath, whether you're a Pastor

or not?

[Standing Firm In Christ]

Both men should be visited by the pastor and a Deacon from the Church (or called in separately to the Pastor's office).

The pastor needs to ascertain what the root of the problem is, what started the feud.  Once it is discovered what started the feud, it may be easier to douse the embers.  Often, family feuds are over minor disagreements, as may be the case with the men in question.

Biblical counseling should be given, addressing wrath, bitterness, and malice.

[Steve Schwenke]

Well, the Pastor's unwillingness to deal with the problem earlier led to this whole situation to begin with.  Now he is going to have to clean up his mess. 

He should try to be a mediator of sorts here, get both sides of the story, then attempt to reconcile them together.

[irishman]

Ha!  The church I now attend had a fist fight at the altar, or so I hear.  That was before I came, and the pastor moved on to "greener pastures".  I didn't ask any questions, but I knew the church had several splits, and preachers.  All this happened before I came and when I heard it, I could hardly believe it.  I don't know who was fighting, and do not want to know, especially, but it was hard to believe that such a thing would happen in the church, let alone on the altar.

[Invicta]

Since when did a christian church have an altar?

[Ukulelemike]

Since when did a christian church have an altar?

Just the front of the church, often called an altar, since its where one can go and pray and 'sacrifice' one's self to the Lord, give your body a living sacrifice. Its purely symbolic, a place to pray, make decisions-I find often when one makes decisions publicly at the altar, before everyone, they tend to be more serious about it.

 

We have never had a fight like this but we used to have a lady at our church who tended to be contentious-being newer in the church I was careful in how I dealt with her, since she had been there so long. One day, however, she got into a verbal with my WIFE, of all people. Before we were married, she accused us numerous times of fornication, even saying we had 'done it in the church'. She told the former pastor of the church, a friend of my former pastor, that she had seen my (at the time) friend, (not even dating then), running around in my house in a 'thin gown'. (Like we would leave the front window open if she WAS!) Oddly, the old pastor knew her as a liar-in fact, had warned me about her when I first became the pastor. He, in turn, called MY pastor, who called me about it and threatened to not ordain me, (I was licensed, not ordained yet), because I had moved a woman in with me.   Of course, I couldn't act against her yet, because it would seem like I was trying to cover up something by putting her out. I went and spoke to my pastor personally, explained things to him, and he believed me and all was well there. Then I went before the church for morning service, explained the situation as it was, rebuked them, and told them, they had voted me in, believing the Lord wanted them to, and if they believed I was wrong, to vote me out, and I left. I'm still here, so it went well enough.

 

Anyways, so this lady starts in with my wife, I don't even remember what it was about. My wife defended herself, but it began to get loud-fortunately no one else was there. So, I stepped in, sent my wife home, and told the other lady to settle down or I would ask her to leave for good. She told me, "You can't do that! This is a public place and I can be here if I want!". I told her, "No, its a private place, and you aren't welcome. If you come back, I'll ask you to leave once and then the police will be called, until you're ready to repent of your attitude and lying." She never came back.

[John81]

I don't understand the cancelling of the Sunday morning and evening services over this. The services should have went on and the pastor should have addressed the matter to the best of his ability at the beginning of each service.

[MountainChristian]

The pastor has to speak about what happened. Its public let the light of day clean up the darkness.

 

A man started telling about being unhappy with his earthly brother in the prayer room and how it had been a long time with them not speaking to each other and boy oh boy the oldest deacon and an old preacher started telling him how wrong they were and to make peace. That was nipped in the bud as soon as he let out what was happening in private.

 

What do you think the Priests said in the next service after Jesus had run out the money changers?

[The Glory Land]

I don't understand the cancelling of the Sunday morning and evening services over this. The services should have went on and the pastor should have addressed the matter to the best of his ability at the beginning of each service.

Agree, why cancel the services? Give them boxing gloves and then make then mow the grass.

[Invicta]

Just the front of the church, often called an altar, since its where one can go and pray and 'sacrifice' one's self to the Lord, give your body a living sacrifice. Its purely symbolic, a place to pray, make decisions-I find often when one makes decisions publicly at the altar, before everyone, they tend to be more serious about it.

 

We have never had a fight like this but we used to have a lady at our church who tended to be contentious-being newer in the church I was careful in how I dealt with her, since she had been there so long. One day, however, she got into a verbal with my WIFE, of all people. Before we were married, she accused us numerous times of fornication, even saying we had 'done it in the church'. She told the former pastor of the church, a friend of my former pastor, that she had seen my (at the time) friend, (not even dating then), running around in my house in a 'thin gown'. (Like we would leave the front window open if she WAS!) Oddly, the old pastor knew her as a liar-in fact, had warned me about her when I first became the pastor. He, in turn, called MY pastor, who called me about it and threatened to not ordain me, (I was licensed, not ordained yet), because I had moved a woman in with me.   Of course, I couldn't act against her yet, because it would seem like I was trying to cover up something by putting her out. I went and spoke to my pastor personally, explained things to him, and he believed me and all was well there. Then I went before the church for morning service, explained the situation as it was, rebuked them, and told them, they had voted me in, believing the Lord wanted them to, and if they believed I was wrong, to vote me out, and I left. I'm still here, so it went well enough.

 

Anyways, so this lady starts in with my wife, I don't even remember what it was about. My wife defended herself, but it began to get loud-fortunately no one else was there. So, I stepped in, sent my wife home, and told the other lady to settle down or I would ask her to leave for good. She told me, "You can't do that! This is a public place and I can be here if I want!". I told her, "No, its a private place, and you aren't welcome. If you come back, I'll ask you to leave once and then the police will be called, until you're ready to repent of your attitude and lying." She never came back.

 

It is Roman Catholic and some Anglican and other ritualistic churches that have altars, because they have the mass.  I have never known a Christian church to have an altar.

[John81]

Agree, why cancel the services? Give them boxing gloves and then make then mow the grass.

I would think mowing the grass with boxing gloves would be problematic, but then again, it would certainly keep them busy for awhile!

[ASongOfDegrees]

It is Roman Catholic and some Anglican and other ritualistic churches that have altars, because they have the mass.  I have never known a Christian church to have an altar.

It's symbolic like the previous poster said. A common expression here in America. There is no literal altar being discussed.

[OLD fashioned preacher]

1.   Song : Is Your All on the Altar   (1900 AD)
2.   Lyrics: Elisha Hoffman 
3.   Inspiration: Rom 12:1-2

 

1. You have longed for sweet peace,
   And for faith to increase,
   And have earnestly, fervently prayed;
   But you cannot have rest,
   Or be perfectly blest,
   Until all on the altar is laid.
   • Refrain:
     Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid?
     Your heart does the Spirit control?
     You can only be blest,
     And have peace and sweet rest,
     As you yield Him your body and soul.
2. Would you walk with the Lord,
   In the light of His word,
   And have peace and contentment alway?
   You must do His sweet will,
   To be free from all ill,
   On the altar your all you must lay.
3. Oh, we never can know
   What the Lord will bestow
   Of the blessings for which we have prayed,
   Till our body and soul
   He doth fully control,
   And our all on the altar is laid.
4. Who can tell all the love
   He will send from above,
   And how happy our hearts will be made;
   Of the fellowship sweet
   We shall share at His feet,
   When our all on the altar is laid.

[MountainChristian]

the tiny step area is called the "alter", what do you call it in your church?

[Salyan]

I understand the terminology, but I'd never heard it used outside of IFB circles. Personally I tend not to use the term 'altar'. However, I will use 'sanctuary' instead of 'auditorium' as pastor calls it! Guess it comes down to familiarity and personal preference as to why people use different terms.