Consensus

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I’ve been thinking about the process of decision making that this council has adopted. What it means. What it doesn’t mean. Why it is important. It’s potential weaknesses. I’m in the process of producing a document that explains it’s biblical foundations, describes in detail the process that is used, and how to minimize its weaknesses and how conflict can be a good thing.
I’m not ready to distribute that document: I’m praying about how to teach that, and encourage us to continue with that practice. I think discernment must take place before decisions can be made. Sometimes that slows things down, but I would rather take time to discern, rather than rush to make a wrong decision that needs to be revisited.
I’m speaking from my experience as a Quaker. My parents were going through a horrible divorce, and spending the weekends with my grandmother was my escape from that. She went to a Quaker church, and that’s where I was first introduced to corporate discernment, or the consensus method of decision making. There were many times on Sunday where there was no sermon: silence, until God compelled someone to speak. Their group decision making wasn’t too different: prayer, careful discussion, listening, and deciding.
I want to give 2 examples of consesnsus: 1) The Quaker Church was considering a building campaign (not trying to sway our discussion, just telling a story) and most on the leadership team were in favor, but more than a few said, “I don’t support, but I’m not going to block this.” That was enough to delay the vote, and they decided to continue in prayer and discernment. One of the members who supported capital improvement noticed a vacant store, and wondered if the church should relocate there. They did, and grew.
Another example, a UMC example: It’s another capital campaign: The parsonage was falling apart and the majority wanted to build a new house: One member continued to block the decision, but soon his motives were revealed: He confronted the pastor in the parking lot after the meeting and said, “You will get a new parsonage over my dead body.” Want to guess what happened to that man in a matter of weeks?
I am drawn to , which gives us an excellent example of corporate discernment. Exciting things are happening in the church: the Gospel is spreading, but where there’s a church, there’s a potential for conflict:
1 Corinthians 15;
1 Corinthians 15:1–2 NIV
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:1–5 NIV
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.
Acts 15:1–5 NIV
Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them. Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”
What is the problem being faced by the church?
Why is this such a big deal?
How do we distinguish between essential and non-essential conflicts?
Acts 15:1–5 NIV
Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them. Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”
Acts 15:6-
Acts 15:6–12 NIV
The apostles and elders met to consider this question. After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.
What is the focus of Peter, Paul and Barnabas’ speeches?
How can Christ be the center of our process of discerning and deciding?
Acts 15:13–20 NIV
When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. Simon has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles. The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written: “ ‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’— things known from long ago. “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.
Acts 15:13-
What does the church finally decide?
What determines their decision?
What will determine ours?
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