Imagine having this woman in your church: 71 years old, a member since 1959. Struggling with knee and hip replacements, she winters in Florida.
According to the Hillsdale (MI) Daily News, however, that same woman, Karolyn Caskey, was handcuffed and escorted from Allen Baptist Church on Sunday, June 17th.
The paper reports that while in Florida, Caskey had received a letter from the church, informing her that “the congregation no longer wanted her to be a member.”
When she returned home to Michigan, she attended her church on Sunday, just as she had for the past 48 years. This Sunday was different. The Daily News gives few details regarding what exactly went on within the church, only that the woman had allegedly “interrupted services” that Sunday and previously. The police arrived and attempted to escort Caskey willingly from the building. She refused, and the officer was forced to handcuff her for trespassing. She was booked and fingerprinted, and released after paying 10% ($62) of her bail.
Without a few more details, it’s difficult to evaluate the situation; still, there are questions that arise from such a story.
Why was her membership suspended? How much effort was put forth to resolve the situation, in terms of discipleship?
With the information provided, this incident does not seem appropriate. Attempts to clear the membership registries should not generally end in trespassing arrests.
Whatever the motivation or reasoning, it is up to us to learn what we can from the situation.
Evaluating the procedures we’re given in Scripture leaves us with quite the box of tools for approaching wayward members. The story doesn’t tell, but I’m curious to hear how those tools were used.
Almost more interesting would be seeing whether or how the relationship between Karolyn and Allen Baptist is restored.
He expresses concern for churchgoers who attend a church mainly for reasons that could be summed up as “excellency of speech”—not that excellency is somehow wrong or not to be pursued. Excellency of speech, biblically speaking, is not to be primary. Quoting David Powlison, Rick shows Christ’s ministry almost as a coin: one side being public proclamation of the Word, and the other side the private ministry of the Word.
Rick has also provided “Ten Great Questions to Ask” when evaluating the reasoning behind church attendance. Simple and straightforward, the list is a good starting point for discerning priorities.
Ten Great Questions to Ask
Is the preaching cross-centered? Do I know what that means? Let’s not be asking, ‘Do I like this or that style?’
Is the church acting out a relational model of cross-centered living versus a functional model that keeps you busy, but doesn’t build relationally in a person’s life?
As you move from the pulpit to the periphery, do the lives of the church members model cross-centered living?
Is there an intentional plan that is being worked out for disciple-making, and is it producing and reproducing disciple-makers?
Is there intentional, biblical care and accountability taking place in individual lives?
Are the men of the church leading their families? How do you know?
Is the faith of the member families “exportable”? One of the ways to assess this is by talking with the teens of the church. If the parents are being discipled rightly, it should be manifested in most of the parent’s children.
Can you experience biblical fellowship with fellow-members? Biblical fellowship is sharing personally, intimately and practically what God is doing in your life today.
When you first think of it, how would you describe the church you attend? It should, in some way, communicate a gospel-centered, cross-centered community. Remember Paul’s words: “I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.”
Why do you go to this church? The answer should be similar to the answer to #9. It is a Gospel-centered community.
Had a good instance of the benefit of breaking children’s wills betimes. Last night, going between decks (as I do every night) to visit the sick and to examine my people, I asked one of the women to bid her little boy say his prayers. She answered his elder sister would, but she could not make him. Upon this I bid the child kneel down before me, but he would not till I took hold of his two feet and forced him down. I then bid him say the Lord’s prayer (being informed by his mother he could say it if he would), but he obstinately refused, till at last, after I had given him several blows, he said his prayer as well as could be expected and I gave him some figs for a reward.
Whitefield was an incredibly godly man used greatly by the Lord, but here’s my advice: Don’t try this at home (or anywhere else for that matter).
Imagine having this woman in your church: 71 years old, a member since 1959. Struggling with knee and hip replacements, she winters in Florida.
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