A Pastoral Strategy for Resolving Big Problems

by Bill Ireland

As Paul’s first letter to the church at Corinth makes clear, the church was snagged in a thicket of thorny issues: sexual immorality, cultural engagement, lawsuits between members, hospitality during the Lord’s Supper, and spiritual gifts. Any one of these problems would be challenging, but Paul had to tackle all of them at once! The range of problems facing the church was extensive and required that Paul utilize a variety of approaches. At times he was blunt and straightforward, and his exasperation leaps off the page. At other times his measured tone matched his methodical deliberation. He was even careful to let his readers know when he was offering an opinion rather than a word from the Lord. Each problem was unique, and Paul could not issue a “one size fits all” solution.

Perhaps the most thorough example of Paul’s pastoral skill is on display as he sought to address the problems caused by the church’s obsession with spiritual gifts, especially the gift of ecstatic speech. Paul’s lengthy discussion of this issue suggests that it was the primary problem facing the church. The issues underlying the practice of spiritual gifts were also the same ones at the heart of many of the church’s other problems. Before offering explicit instruction on the practice of spiritual gifts, Paul addressed the problem by means of a careful pastoral strategy.

First, although the gift of ecstatic speech generated most of the problems for the church, Paul refused to invalidate the gift or its practice. Instead, he affirmed the gift as one among many. Notice how he proceeded. He gently reminded the church that gifts are not achievements and stressed that there are more gifts besides ecstatic speech. He also went to great lengths to underscore the truth that whatever gifts were present in the congregation, they were to be exercised for the common good. Both of these moves added up to something very significant. By means of these affirmations, Paul was attempting to create an atmosphere where all gifts and all members could flourish, instead of calling out the troublemakers and blaming them for the church’s difficulties. Paul sought both to affirm and broaden the church’s understanding of the exercise of gifts.

Here’s the lesson. Wise and effective pastors recognize one of the most important tasks in leading a congregation is not getting rid of problem people (they are always with us!) but continually working to create an environment of mutual respect and understanding.

Secondly, Paul illustrated the truth he wanted to convey by means of a common analogy. He called attention to the human body with all its many parts and how each is indispensable to healthy functioning. Ears can’t dismiss eyes. A person’s head may attract all the attention, but that doesn’t mean feet are unimportant. By means of this analogy, Paul drew a picture of how a healthy body functions: each individual part contributes to the health of the whole. Paul used this analogy to reassert the church’s identity: “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it,” (v. 27). The “you” is plural—all of you! With this strong affirmation, Paul worked the problem by putting the church’s primary identity front and center. You are the body of Christ, and all of you are indispensable! Good move! Resolution of conflict is rarely achieved by means of argument. Instead, we’re able to bridge our differences when we focus on who we are together, on our larger identity as the body of Christ.

Finally, as Paul sought to show the church “a more excellent way,” in chapter 13, he didn’t play the blame game. As this chapter opens, Paul spoke in the first person; he used “I” language. His point was simple: I can have all the spiritual gifts in the world but if I don’t have love, none of it amounts to anything. By putting himself front and center in this regard, Paul kept the temperature low. It would have been easy for him to say in the most cutting manner possible, “Listen, you can have all the spiritual gifts in the world but if you don’t love, you are nothing!” To vent his frustration this way might have been satisfying, but it wouldn’t have helped. Most likely, his hearers would have become defensive and tuned him out. By speaking of “I” and not “you,” Paul created a safer space. Likewise, we can begin to defuse the volatile tension in our churches by employing a lighter touch and appealing to our experience. Deflection is sometimes the better part of wisdom.

All of these strategies underscore the importance of having a wide array of approaches to problems in our toolboxes. Yes, sometimes we must meet challenge head on and call it as we see it. Sometimes we serve our congregations well by letting them see what makes us angry and exasperated. But quite often we do well to take the indirect approach Paul modeled here as he dealt with a thorny, many-sided issue in a cantankerous congregation.