Their gun

[Russell Kanning]

have the guys meet you on a Sunday morning to inform you that you need to have meetings

[John]

On Sunday night, the board of directors will likely - again - be telling me that I "really should" meet with the thugs.
I've repeatedly been told how hard I'm making things for them. :/ I'm tiring of it.
Other than admitting that I remained open-minded, was being prayerful, and being quietly meditative about the issue -my position has not changed - from day one - - - before the board even existed.

Thankfully, one of them knows that the thugs don't really even have any business hassling me. He happens to be the one who studies all that legal garbage more than the others. Probably more than all of the others combined.

I think that at least one on the board is tiring of me.

Maybe I should suggest that others become prayerful and quietly meditative about the issue.

[Russell Kanning]

why do they stay with the Peaceful Assembly Church if the guy who runs it is doing things they disagree with. why not move onto another project?

[MaineShark]

why do they stay with the Peaceful Assembly Church if the guy who runs it is doing things they disagree with. why not move onto another project?

I would assume that they believe John is letting "the perfect be the enemy of the good" - I expect they believe in the message, and wish he'd bend a little in order to ensure that the message actually gets out.

I would assume that John might answer that not bending is the message, or something similar.

I can see both sides of that.  I don't want to see John compromise his principles, because standing firm against their nonsense is a beacon for others.  On the other hand, 99% is better than 0%, so I also want John to make reasonable compromises to keep going.  Unfortunately, those two positions are incompatible, which makes it a stressful situation.

In the end, it's not my decision to make, but since I can see the benefits and drawbacks of each side, I can say that I will support John in either choice, because either path allows him to advance the cause of peace (if he goes along with what they ask, he can keep preaching there, and if he stands firm and they take it from him, he can point to his choice as an example to others).  I think there are ways that a good person could turn either choice to good, so I prefer to look at it as choosing between two alternate ways of doing good.  In the end, I'm sure John will make the choice which he believes will bring the most good to the world.

[blackie]

why do they stay with the Peaceful Assembly Church if the guy who runs it is doing things they disagree with. why not move onto another project?

Doesn't the board of directors run the peaceful assembly church now?

I am confused

[Russell Kanning]

the difference between going to court, working with lawyers and such and ...... not ...... is bigger than the difference between 99 and 100

[blackie]

the difference between going to court, working with lawyers and such and ...... not ...... is bigger than the difference between 99 and 100

I think you are missing the point. It doesn't matter if it is 99% or 50%.

It boils down to "something is better than nothing".

But I am not sure what is in it for John, besides not getting kicked out of the PAC by BOD.

[K neth]

the difference between going to court, working with lawyers and such and ...... not ...... is bigger than the difference between 99 and 100

I think you are missing the point. It doesn't matter if it is 99% or 50%.

I think you are missing the point.  One either lives right, or he doesn't.

But I am not sure what is in it for John, besides not getting kicked out of the PAC by BOD.

The reward for living right is immeasurable and worth any difficulty.

[blackie]

I think you are missing the point.  One either lives right, or he doesn't.

The reward for living right is immeasurable and worth any difficulty.

This isn't the time or thread to talk about veganism.

[John]

why do they stay with the Peaceful Assembly Church if the guy who runs it is doing things they disagree with. why not move onto another project?

Doesn't the board of directors run the peaceful assembly church now?

I am confused

I gave the property away almost two years ago.

The BOD does all the government and lawyer junky stuff. They help organize and run social events. They have not been heavily involved in the spiritual mission, etc., etc.

For going on five years now, I am the full-time volunteer (solo) pastor, and I am also the full-time volunteer sexton, and I'm the entire full-time volunteer crew, etc., etc.
fyi: Not only am I unpaid in each and every one of these capacities, I'm actually spending down everything I have to keep at it.

I'm probably (as usual) leaving a bunch of stuff out, but you get the idea?

[John]

But I am not sure what is in it for John, besides not getting kicked out of the PAC by BOD.

It would be very interesting to get "kicked out" since the understanding when I gave it all away was that I get to remain in the pastor and sexton positions, and that I get to live here in the parsonage, during my life; and that if the BOD ever became intolerably unhappy with my performance here that they could simply withdraw any support until I go away, or that if they were really wanting/needing me to leave, they could simply pay me to leave. Pretty simple and easy stuff.
However, if I did ever get "kicked out" they'd be kicking out probably the least-resistant practicing-pacifist they would even imagine. I'd welcome the new opportunity to go even further "out on the rim" and take up another new calling from God. <3

<3 As far as "what's in it for John" well, mostly just doing what God invited me to do. I'd call it Love. <3
On the other hand: this work also comes with occasional character-building criticism form others, occasional amazingly interesting insults, being (I'm told) "held to a higher standard because of being pastor" and a tiny bit of other "petty little sniping from the side-lines, etc.
BACK TO THE TOTALY POSITIVE: Some very nice friendships, great lessons, sharing, growing, etc., etc., etc., etc.
But right up top: I'VE BEE SAYING FOR SEVERAL YEARS that the biggest blessing to come with this work is that I really need to try to stay focused on trying to always "practice what I preach." It definitely isn't always easy, and I'm definitely not always successful, but I AM ENORMOUSLY THANKFUL TO GOD FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY, AND THESE BLESSINGS.

Peace

[John]

This is probably much to negative (for me) to leave up for very long, but it is up for dump day right now.

[Russell Kanning]

I think you are missing the point. It doesn't matter if it is 99% or 50%.

It boils down to "something is better than nothing".

What do you think is the mission of the Peaceful Assembly Church?