There are good ways to be critical and bad ways to be critical. Critical condition in the hospital is bad, as is a critical spirit within the church. But, being critical to the ministry of your church is a good thing.
Those who voice their criticism the loudest are often not trying to destroy the church, instead their goal is to protect the church. They see it as their responsibility to protect the church from the things, programs, or people of which they are critical.
[bctt tweet=”Be critical TO the ministry of your church, not critical OF the ministry of your church.”]
What about you? Are you the kind of person who is critical to the ministry of your church? Are you busy about the Lord’s business within your local congregation? Do you regularly receive calls from leadership to assist in the ministry of the church? Have you made yourself available to the members of the church for ministry and care? The church needs people who are critical to its growth and ministry. The church needs committed people who push forward with the Great Commission and with the goals and vision of their church.
But, you may be the kind of person who is not critical to the ministry of your church, you may be the kind of person who is critical of the ministry of your church. This person is often characterized by arrogance and laziness. This person knows how the ministry should be done better but is not often seen in the work of the ministry. Rather than often fielding calls from leadership about serving in the church, this person is making calls and whispering in corners about the leadership of the church. This person seems to always find something wrong with everything. Maybe the music is too loud or the pastor is too personable or not personable enough or the children are just too rambunctious.
Remember, just because you have an opinion about how the church should look or be run does not mean that you are right and it certainly does not mean that you have the right to be critical about your church. Strive to be critical to the ministry of your church. Encourage and build up the believers in your local congregation and submit to the leadership (Hebrews 13:17). You may be amazed that when you stop trying to “fix” the church and start obeying God’s commands to expand his kingdom, the church may experience greater health than you could have ever hoped for.
