Churches are famous for their complaining.  And not just in church circles.  In speaking with an atheist friend, they stated that church people complain more than any other they know.  And what’s more, they don’t just complain the most but they fight the dirtiest.  A person working at a local business told me once, “I would much rather argue with anyone in my office than with anyone at church.  Church people always fight dirty!”

Paul knows this well and faces it in today’s text.  The people are upset that he is breaking the law, so the church leaders suggest that he prove his righteousness by following a Jewish purification rite.  Paul agrees and does, which should appease the angry church people, right?  Wrong.  During his purification at the temple, he is grabbed and beaten for his “heresy” of bringing the gentiles into a saving faith in Jesus.  He is saved only by the Romans who just want to keep the peace and put down a riot.

How do we deal with complaints in the church?  Especially when there are so many?  Especially when appeasement is impossible?  How did Jesus suggest we deal with complaints?  First, they speak with the person about whom they are complaining.  To speak with anyone else about the issue is gossip, one of God’s most hated sins.  If the person refuses to even talk about it, then they verify with another person.  There must be 2 people agreeing with the complaint for it to even be taken seriously by the greater body.  This may be the genesis of the tendency to claim that “a group of us believe…” when the truth is that it is simply one person’s opinion.  If both are ignored, then the church leadership is brought in, and finally it goes to the church at large.

The Jews of Paul’s day did not follow this method commanded by Jesus in Matt. 18.  Neither do church people today.  And that is one of the reasons we have such a bad reputation in the community, not known as people of love and grace but as people of criticism and judgement.

“I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me…”

Paul uses a lot of sporting metaphors, and this one in particular, the image of running a race, is very common to his understanding of ministry.  It takes endurance, training, strength, and experience to run it well.

When you consider your own “race of ministry”, what kind of race do you picture?  Ministry can be very different for different people and in different contexts – what is your particular race?

Marathon – the long haul race, marathon ministry is usually a lifetime of struggle.  There are patches that are dull, and the runner is seldom idolized for her long-term commitment to either the ministry or a church.  There are times when he is tempted to give up his ministry because the work is just too hard.  The pace is slow but constant, there are no breaks, and for most of one’s career, the ending is nowhere in sight.  This is the race of the career pastor who takes long pastorates and intends to retire a servant of the church (the reality is that only 10% of pastors retire as pastors!)

Sprint – sprint ministry is a short burst of powerful ministry which begins and ends quickly.  The work is intense and fast paced, and the minister usually runs out of energy, passion, vision, or drive quickly.  Frustration at an opportunity lost (because in the sprint, every opportunity matters deeply), a partner not keeping pace, or another faster sprinter are par for this course.  This is the race of the church planter who intends to plant a church and then move on and do it again.

There are also Obstacle Course ministries, Relay ministries, and Hurdle ministries.  Whatever your particular race looks like, take Paul’s advice and run it to the end, come what may.  Give up your thoughts of fame or comfort or ease and take the hard, boring, thirsty parts of the race as proof that you are following in the footsteps of the great Racers of history.