Extreme Church Makeover - The Prayer Action Plan

Excerpt From Extreme Church Makeover, (c) 2005 by Neil Anderson and Charles Mylander.
Published by Regal Books, www.regalbooks.com. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Chapter 11 - The Prayer Action Plan
(Step 6 in the Setting Your Church Free Event)
The conclusion of the Setting Your Church Free event is summarized in the Prayer Action Plan. Hopefully, the group has now heard from God through His conviction and guidance as discerned by the leadership. The leadership is now in a better position to focus their prayers and make plans for action. From the patterns that have emerged, they should know what they need to confess and renounce. However, turning away from that which is sinful and unfruitful is not enough. In keeping with the spirit of repentance, the leadership also must announce their decisions, claim their resources in Christ and affirm the promises of God. The final step is to overcome strategically that which is wrong and advance that which is right.

In 1 and 2 Chronicles and the book of Psalms, the emphasis is upon God’s splendor rather than the splendor of nations, royalty or creation. The Lord is robed with splendor and majesty, and He calls us to worship Him in Spirit and in truth.

Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary. Ascribe to the Lord, O families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth (Ps. 96:6-9, emphasis added).

God is calling the “families of nations” and “all the earth” to ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name. This is not for the nation of Israel alone, but for God’s people everywhere. God intended for Israel to serve as a magnet to draw others to Himself, and Christ commissioned the Church to take His message to all the nations.

Display of Splendor

It is God’s intent to display His splendor among all the nations by means of His people. To glorify God means to manifest His presence, and this can only happen in churches and in children of God who are living in a righteous relationship with Him. Perhaps this is why the seven churches of Revelation are pictured as lampstands. They hold the true light that gives light to everyone (see John 1:4,9). They radiate the splendor of God’s glory. “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6). Liberated churches fulfill God’s eternal purposes of revealing His glory and displaying His splendor.

Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor (Isa. 55:5, emphasis added).

Then will all your people be righteous and they will possess the land forever. They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendor (Isa. 60:21, emphasis added).

And provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor (Isa. 61:3, emphasis added).
Some of this prophecy will be fulfilled when Christ comes again and gathers His people to Himself, but are we not called to glorify God in our bodies and in His Body, the Church? Where is the church that God has endowed with splendor? Where are the people who glorify God in their bodies? Could it not be your church? Could it not be your people? Don’t you want the presence of the Lord to be glorified in you and your church?

Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). Does the goal of displaying God’s splendor in your church and your community seem too high too reach in this adulterous generation in which we live? What is our witness if God isn’t glorified, if there is no change taking place for the better in our people, if church is little more than a social gathering of like-minded people? If there is no vision of God being glorified in your church, the people will perish.

Listen to the Lord of Splendor

The Lord Jesus gave some sharp commands to His churches in Revelation about their weaknesses, memories, corporate sins and evil attacks. Let’s review His commands before we consider our response:
• Ephesus Remember, repent
• Smyrna Be faithful
• Pergamum Repent
• Thyatira Hold on
• Sardis Wake up; strengthen what remains, remember, obey, repent
• Philadelphia Hold on
• Laodicea Be earnest, repent

The Prayer Action Plan is our response to these commands. It makes four declarations: “We renounce . . . ”; “We announce . . . ”; “We affirm . . . ”; and “We will . . . ” These declarations constitute our response to what our leaders have discerned from God’s guidance, as follows:
• We renounce is our response to Christ’s command, “Repent.”
• We announce is our response to Christ’s command, “Remember.”
• We affirm is our response to Christ’s command, “Hold on.”
• We will is our response to Christ’s command, “Obey.”

It is important that all the church leaders know what they are doing in the Prayer Action Plan. Let’s examine these four commands and our responses.

Repent and Renounce

Again and again, Jesus commands His churches to repent. No playing politics. No delays. No excuses. It is time to change and it is time to change now. Jesus wants decisive action. He shouts, “Stop! Don’t do that anymore! Change your attitude! Change your lifestyle!” He wants His churches to make a clean break with their personal and corporate sins.

What you have discerned does not require six committees bogged down for a year resulting in a two-inch-thick environmental impact report on your church. Jesus is talking about sin, which is offensive to Him and damaging to His people. He wants His churches to abandon their sinful ways right now.

We respond by renouncing that which displeases God. We plead guilty and openly admit that we are and have been wrong—but we do more. We repudiate, reject, disown and disavow any and all sin. We don’t rationalize or defend ourselves. We change our thinking and change our ways.

“We Renouce . . . “

“I renounce you, Satan, and all your works and all your ways” is one of the oldest declarations of the Church. It is in the Book of Common Prayer as part of the baptismal ritual, and many liturgical churches still use it. Just choosing to believe the truth is not enough if we are still holding on to past practices and beliefs. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:1-2:

Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God (NASB).

What do churches renounce in the Setting Your Church Free process? The following is a representative list taken from various churches, again using their own wording:
• We renounce complacency and contentment.
• We renounce a critical and judgmental spirit.
• We renounce our passivity in spiritual disciplines.
• We renounce gossip and pettiness.
• We renounce moral failure.
• We renounce factions in the church that separate us from the love and unity of Christ.
• We renounce lukewarmness and weariness in doing the Lord’s work.
• We renounce our distrust of God’s chosen and faithful leaders.
• We renounce our sinful pride that keeps us from confessing our sins and receiving salvation and healing.
• We renounce our poor stewardship of time, talent and treasures.
• We renounce our selfish pride that says “We’re good enough.”
• We renounce our self-focus that produces apathy to the lost.

Although church leaders most often renounce corporate sins, many do not stop there. Some renounce Satan’s attacks, painful memories and weaknesses. The following are more examples:
• We renounce attacks of the devil in stimulating doubts and disagreements.
• We renounce ungodly values that the world imposes on our families.
• We renounce the spirit of darkness and heaviness that seeks to destroy our church.
• We renounce the spirit of fear that paralyzes open sharing, involvement, service and evangelism.
• We renounce attacks on leadership.
• We renounce any footholds gained by the evil one through past hurts and traumas.
• We renounce the spirit of criticism that divides rather than unites.
• We renounce Satan’s use of discouragement as a tool against us.
• We renounce a spirit of division and defeat.
• We renounce the “destroyer” spirit and all his attacks on our church and community.

Keeping the “repent and renounce” declaration in mind, let’s turn to the second response to Christ’s commands. He commands us to remember, and we respond by announcing the riches we have in Christ.

Remember and Announce

It is our fallen human nature to be absorbed in our problems instead of being conscious of Christ’s presence and power. We tend to be problem-centered instead of solution-centered. We must keep in mind who we are in Christ, what He has done on our behalf, and the spiritual power and authority we have to do His will. This is more than a mental exercise; it is a spiritual discipline. It is affirming every day our God-given riches in Christ. John Stott wrote:

So, in practice we should constantly be reminding ourselves who we are. We need to learn to talk to ourselves, and ask ourselves questions: “Don’t you know? Don’t you know the meaning of your conversion and baptism? Don’t you know that you have been united to Christ in His death and resurrection? Don’t you know that you have been enslaved to God and have committed yourself to His obedience? Don’t you know these things? Don’t you know who you are?” We must go on pressing ourselves with such questions, until we reply to ourselves: “Yes, I do know who I am, a new person in Christ, and by the grace of God I shall live accordingly.”1

We respond to Christ’s call to remember by announcing our resources in Christ, declaring them together. In so doing, we focus on our riches in Christ rather than on our poverty without Him. We recall our position in Christ rather than the pain from our past. We claim our resources in Christ, rather than relying on our own strength and resources. We proclaim the positive biblical opposite of what we renounced. To illustrate, let’s look at part of our former list, along with the positive biblical opposites. Again, these are actual declarations from real churches.
• We renounce complacency and contentment.
• We announce that in Christ we have vision, boldness, freedom and confidence.
• We renounce a critical and judgmental spirit.
• We announce that in Christ we have love and acceptance for one another.
• We renounce our passivity in spiritual disciplines.
• We announce that in Christ we have spiritual hunger for intimacy with God.
• We renounce gossip and pettiness.
• We announce that in Christ we have the Holy Spirit who brings unity.
• We renounce moral failure.
• We announce that in Christ we have moral fidelity.
• We renounce factions in the church that separate us from the love and unity of Christ.
• We announce that we are one in Christ Jesus.

With the renounce and announce pattern in mind, we are now ready to consider the third declaration. Jesus commands us to hold on, and we respond by saying, “We affirm.” What we announce focuses on our resources in Christ; what we affirm focuses on God’s promises. In the affirmations, we look for biblical and motivational truths that encourage us to use the riches we have in Christ.

Hold on and Affirm

Affirming the living truth of the gospel helps us to appropriate the promises of God. We hold on so we can hold up. When life is tough, we hold on to what Christ has given us so that we can hold up under the crushing burden of hard times. When life is easy, we must resist turning loose of our riches for the glitter of a cheap substitute. Whatever happens, hold on and keep standing firm in your faith!

Another closely related command from Christ is “Be earnest” (Rev. 3:19) or “Be zealous” (NASB). Motivated Christians are passionate as well as disciplined. They are obedient, steadfast in their faith, enthusiastic about Jesus, glowing with the Holy Spirit and sincere in worship. Hold on to what you know to be true and affirm what motivates you to use your God-given resources for Christ.

Let’s consider some of our declarations with the affirmation statement added:
• We renounce complacency and contentment.
• We announce that in Christ we have vision, boldness, freedom and confidence.
• We affirm that we are children of God and have all His resources (see John 1:12; Rom. 8:16-17; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 3:26-29).
• We renounce a critical and judgmental spirit.
• We announce that in Christ we have love and acceptance for one another.
• We affirm that Christ brings unity and peace among us (see 1 Cor. 12:12-13; Eph. 4:3; Phil. 2:1-2).
• We renounce our passivity in spiritual disciplines.
• We announce that in Christ we have spiritual hunger for intimacy with God.
• We affirm that we were created for fellowship with God (see 1 John 1:3,7).
• We renounce gossip and pettiness.
• We announce that in Christ we have the Holy Spirit who brings unity.
• We affirm that Christ can teach us to bridle our tongues and show us how to resolve problems (see Matt. 18:15-17; Eph. 4:29; Jas. 1:26)

The announce and affirm declarations can be easily intertwined. We have found it helpful to keep the “we affirm” statements centered on the promises of Scripture. Here are a couple of examples:
• We renounce acting independently of God.
• We announce that in Christ we have God and all His resources.
• We affirm that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (see Phil. 4:13).
• We renounce our lack of commitment to and practice of spiritual disciplines.
• We announce that in Christ we have continual opportunity to commune with God.
• We affirm that Christ is knocking at our heart’s door, longing for intimacy with us (see Rev. 3:20).

The Will to Obey

With the first three declarations in mind—renounce, announce, affirm—we are ready for the fourth. Jesus does not give us orders and commands without expecting us to obey them.

A pastor asked his junior and senior high school youth to be aware of his vocabulary while he was preaching. He was asking for honest feedback because he did not want to use words that were out of date or that did not communicate his meaning. After listening for some time, the youth reported that “obey” was not a word in their regular vocabulary. Living under the grace of God doesn’t negate our need to obey.

The Prayer Action Plan calls for prayer plus action. In response to Christ’s call to obey, we respond that we will do what He desires. Notice that each of the declarations are connected. When you are completing the “we will” stage, start by looking back at what was renounced in the first declaration. In light of that renunciation, what does Jesus want us to do to obey Him?

What action can we take to counter the corporate sins or spiritual attacks that we have renounced?
Consider our examples once more with the fourth action step added:
• We renounce complacency and contentment.
• We announce that in Christ we have vision, boldness, freedom and confidence.
• We affirm that we are children of God and have all His resources.
• We will step out in faith from our comfort zone.
• We renounce a critical and judgmental spirit.
• We announce that in Christ we have love and acceptance for one another.
• We affirm that Christ brings unity and peace among us.
• We will accept our differences as strengths.
• We renounce our passivity in spiritual disciplines.
• We announce that in Christ we have spiritual hunger for intimacy with God.
• We affirm that we were created for fellowship with God.
• We will teach, preach and regularly practice the spiritual disciplines.
• We renounce gossip and pettiness.
• We announce that in Christ we have the Holy Spirit who brings unity.
• We affirm that Christ can bridle our tongues and show us how to resolve problems.
• We will speak the truth in love.

Step 6 of the Setting Your Church Free Procedure

The Prayer Action Plan (step 6) synthesizes the information gathered in the earlier steps and condenses them in a one-page format. The facilitator should place four large sheets of paper side by side on the wall. All of the previous sheets should be visible as well. On the first sheet, the facilitator should write “We renounce . . . ” On the next three sheets he or she should jot down in order “We announce . . . ”, “We affirm . . . ”, and “We will. . . ” The group is now ready to combine everything discerned so far in short, summary declarations.

The facilitator will next briefly review what the group is summarizing.
1. We will want to renounce the evil (attacks, corporate sins, conflicts, weaknesses). For example, “We renounce division among us.”
2. We will announce the positive biblical opposite of what we renounced, worded in terms of our resources in Christ. For example, “We announce that in Christ we have the unity of the Spirit.”
3. We will affirm in emotional language a scriptural promise or truth that encourages and motivates us in regard to the same item. For example, “We affirm that in the depths of our hearts we are all one in Christ Jesus” (see Gal. 3:26-28).
4. We will commit to an action step that we will take. For example, “We will talk to the right person in the right spirit when conflicts arise.”

The first item on the list should be worked out following the order of “We renounce,” “We announce,” “We affirm” and “We will.” The group can then go on to the next item, and so on.

The goal is to make the shortest list possible without leaving out any major weaknesses, sins and spiritual attacks that were discerned by the leadership. This list, along with the greatest strengths of the church, becomes the Prayer Action Plan. (See appendix B for an example.) The process should begin with group prayer, followed by quiet contemplation in which each individual asks for the Holy Spirit’s guidance, discernment, sense of unity and the right words for the Prayer Action Plan. Fatigue may be a factor by now, so the group should call upon God for divine energy and wisdom to make sense out of all the lists on the sheets.

Making Sense of It

By this time in the Setting Your Church Free day (or evening by now), the task of making a clear summary will seem challenging. Be encouraged. In our experience, every group has come up with an intelligible Prayer Action Plan. The facilitator and some key leaders may take the initiative in suggesting wording, yet it is important to seek mutual agreement for how to word the items.

This part of the process is extremely valuable to the participants, capturing on paper the sense of discovery as the group interacts with one another. Creating an environment for honest communication is a valuable experience for church leadership. Many are relieved that these issues are now out on the table. What is helpful is that the group neither argues nor problem solves, but simply comes to consensus. For one participant, this feature of the seminar was the most helpful:
My best memory from the hours the elders and pastors spent together was all the communication that finally took place. The people need an opportunity to communicate instead of gossip to share their feelings. It was difficult to talk about some issues, but they needed to be brought up! I believe a lot of people felt good about finally being able to share their feelings. I’ve always known how important communication is, but I really didn’t realize how important it is to set an environment for people to be able to talk. It is important to help people feel free to open up. I will try to be aware of this now!

The typical group will discard some suggestions and modify many others. What they state will fit the theology, concerns and style of their own church, because they, not the facilitator, will be discerning the declarations. Each list is unique, stated in a way that only the specific church and group of leaders can describe. Group participation enhances a sense of ownership and unity.

When the process lags, the facilitator may ask, “Is there any other major theme that we have not addressed?” or “What else do you see?” or “Do we have it?” It is not necessary to cover every item on the sheets from previous steps, but rather the major patterns that have emerged. There are usually five to eight items for each of the four declarations.

Binding and Loosing

When the declarations are finished, the group should stand and position themselves so that they can read the four sheets. They should then hold hands and pray the Prayer Action Plan aloud. This prayer is essential. All the authority of heaven stands behind church leaders who fully agree and unite in prayer about a matter that they discern in the presence of God.

When they declare it together, they are exercising the power of binding and loosing:
I [Jesus] will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven (Matt. 16:19, NASB).
Binding and loosing is not manipulating God or making up our minds about something whereby God must respond to us. The New International Version and most other modern translations of the Bible often have a footnote indicating an “alternative reading” of this passage that agrees with the New American Standard translation quoted above. Look carefully at the wording again: “Whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven” (emphasis added). The task of church leaders is to discern what has already been bound or loosed in heaven and then announce it on Earth. In the Prayer Action Plan, we bind by renouncing and loose by announcing. We never ask the Lord to capitulate to our will; we gladly surrender to His will.
The above verse in Matthew follows Peter’s declaration that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (see Matt. 16:16). In response, Jesus promises, “I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matt. 16:18).
R. E. Nixon writes, “The gates suggest the picture of a fortress or prison which lock in the dead and lock out their rescuers. This would imply that the church is on the offensive, and its Master will plunder the domain of Satan.”2 Note the spiritual warfare reference in this passage and in Matthew 12:29. In the Prayer Action Plan, we renounce the efforts of the “gates of Hades” to hold people captive and hinder the building of Christ’s Church. We then announce our resources in Christ by which our Lord builds His Church.

Church Discipline

The same teaching is found in Matthew 18, but the context gives instructions for church discipline. The need for church discipline may surface during the Setting Your Church Free process. We are on safe biblical grounds using our God-given authority in Christ to bind and loose (renounce and announce) what we discern as Christ’s will for our local churches.

Authorized by Christ

Let’s consider what the Church is authorized by Christ to do.
The Church has prayer authority. What we have discerned together about each issue in our Prayer Action Plan we can pray and announce with spiritual authority based on what Jesus said about two or more gathering in His name (see Matt. 18:18-20). The two or three do not decide amongst themselves what they believe or want. They collectively discern God’s will.
The Church has teaching authority. We have the God-given right and responsibility to teach and preach what we scripturally discern as Christ’s will for our church.
The Church has disciplinary authority. If we find that members, and especially leaders, of our church are living in defiance of clear scriptural teachings and we agree about our discernment of Christ’s direction for what we must do, He gives us the authority to take appropriate action within our church.
Church discipline is always a painful and touchy subject. Yet we dare not ignore what the Bible teaches. We are not to judge one another’s character, especially when we have not taken into account the plank in our own eyes (see Matt. 7:1-5). However, the Church must discipline those who are living in sin for their sake (see Matt. 18:15-17; 1 Cor. 5:3-13; 6:1-6; 1 Tim. 5:19-20). Discipline is not punishment for wrong done, nor is it retroactive. Discipline must be based on observed behavior by one or more witnesses, with the intention of helping the people live righteous lives in the future:
For they [fathers] disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He [God] disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness (Heb. 12:10-11, NASB).
If you ignore church discipline, you may suffer public scandal. Non-Christians use church sins as an excuse for rejecting Christ, and the media loves to exploit church scandals. Christian leaders falling prey to sexual abuse or financial fraud fuels the media fire. In addition, immature Christians often follow the example of fallen leaders in disobeying the Lord Jesus.

A Biblical View

For years, Neil taught biblical principles of church discipline in his seminary classes. As a denominational official, I have experienced my share of personal pain, not to mention the pain I have witnessed of others involved in disciplinary processes. Church leaders will feel the tension between protecting the church from scandal and confronting sin. The Catholic Church recently tried to do the former, but failed in the end. Secret sin on Earth is open scandal in heaven. Jesus said there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed. When Paul states that “those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning” (1 Tim. 5:20, NASB), he was not being vindictive but was confronting sin in such a way so that people can have a way of resolving issues. When sin is tolerated or covered up, people can’t process the problem, and it becomes divisive in their homes and churches. The person confronted can repent, and others can forgive and learn from the experience.

Discipline is the proof of Christian love (see Heb. 12:5-11) and is essential for the health of the church. To pray passively, asking God to do what He has commanded church leadership and parents to do, is to fail in our responsibility as church leaders and as parents. The purpose of discipline is to carry out the ministry of reconciliation and to restore a Christian brother or sister caught in a sin (see Gal. 6:1). The goal is not to expose the sin, but to win back the offender and to enhance the purity of the church.

It is essential to base discipline upon prior instruction and observed behavior. If there is no standard, there is no sin. If reputable witnesses observe sinful behavior, there is no judgment taking place. The person is “caught in a sin” (see Gal. 6:1). Discipline is related to behavior, whereas judgment is related to character. When all attempts at reconciliation have failed, Scripture teaches a breaking off of fellowship, and the nature of the sin is to be told to the church (see Matt. 18:15-20; 1 Tim. 5:19-20).

Who decides when breaking this fellowship is required? Does knowledge on the part of the elders or church board constitute telling the church? A word to the wise: Always honor the procedures of your church’s polity in disciplinary matters. In a lawsuit-oriented society, following due process saves much grief. However, no church polity or lack of it can nullify the commands given to church leaders in Scripture. (In addition to the passages already cited, see 1 Thess. 5:14; 2 Thess. 3:14-15; Titus 3:9-11.)

Risking Lawsuits

Civil courts usually don’t hear cases involving internal church disputes, but they may if slander, libel, invasion of privacy or economic disaster are involved. Church discipline toward members living in defiance of Scripture raises some important questions: What is the basis of a lawsuit against a church in a discipline case? How can a church protect itself and still obey the commands of Jesus? What precautions can a church take to stay out of legal trouble? What are the limits of the law that everyone, including church leaders, must abide by?

The Bible tells us, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders” (Col. 4:5; also see 1 Thess. 4:12; 1 Tim. 3:7; 1 Pet. 3:16-17). People who win lawsuits against churches usually base their case on the violation of one or more sensitive legal issues, and we recommend that you confer with a Christian attorney for legal counsel. However, every church leader should be aware of the following three pitfalls:
1. Slander, libel or defamation of character is illegal. Slanderous statements are those that are untrue or that may be true but are intended to damage a person’s reputation. For the matter to be considered slander, it must be published to a third party. It is not slander or libel for the pastor, elders or the official board to confront a church member about sexual immorality or any overt sin. It is slander if they publish it to others in a way that damages the person’s reputation.
2. Invasion of privacy is illegal. This provision is difficult for churches because legitimate privacy rights are sometimes used as a cover for private sin. However, churches cannot legally take a private relationship and make it public in a harmful way. Church discipline by the pastor, elders or church board is not invasion of privacy if these standards are previously published and known by the offender. Any public censure or excommunication proceedings must use fairly general terms. All statements, written and oral, need to be prepared carefully and fall in line with Scripture and official church polity.
3. Inflicting a detrimental effect on a person’s economic status is illegal. One church took disciplinary action against a member who worked as an insurance salesman. Most of his customers were also members of the same church. The church leaders advised the people not to aid him in any way. Many of the church members dropped the insurance policies that they purchased from him, and his business declined dramatically. The man sued. The caution here is for churches not to go beyond the biblical limits of discipline. Dropping a person from membership and fellowship is legal; inflicting economic harm on that person is not.

For more information on the ministry of reconciliation, see our book Blessed Are the Peacemakers (Regal Books, 2002). This book lists the steps that can be taken to help believers be reconciled with God and each other.

Some Precautions

The following points describe what churches can do to protect themselves from a lawsuit:
1. A church can publish its standards of conduct and church discipline and communicate them to all members. The membership class is the ideal place to explain Scripture relating to church discipline. In a positive way, the leaders can explain why those in the church care so much about each other that they resolve conflict early and privately. Public discipline is a last resort that will be imposed only under the conditions stated in the church’s standards of conduct and church discipline. Disciplinary matters in the Church should never be settled in public courts (see 1 Cor. 6:1-11). Independent Christian mediation organizations often are helpful in resolving disputes between church members.
2. A church can communicate what steps of disciplinary action it may take and in what kinds of cases it will take that action (see 1 Cor. 5:1-5; 6:9-11; 2 Thess. 3:14-15; 1 Tim. 1:20; 2 Tim. 2:17-18; Rev. 2:14-16). All church staff members should be notified in writing in advance of their hiring that immediate dismissal is the consequence of sexual immorality, financial fraud or any scandalous sin. After making the basic knowledge known, it is better to act than to talk. In other words, do not make threats. The church must follow its stated polity and procedures explicitly and use due diligence. Counseling and restoration procedures should be part of the process so that the offender does not repeat the same sins in the next church.
3. A church needs to limit the number of people who are part of the process and give only general information to others. This is both gentle and wise (see Gal. 6:1; Eph. 5:15-16). Any communication with the offenders should explain the biblical basis for the actions taken and avoid anything that might be construed as slander. In most cases, it is wise to keep everything, including church minutes, out of print or in general terms. Written documents provide the kind of evidence attorneys will use in court.

Praying in Unity

Let’s return now to the Prayer Action Plan that the participants have just prayed through. In prayer, they bind what has been bound in heaven and loose what has been loosed in heaven. They have discerned Christ’s will for their church and responded in prayer.

A sense of accomplishment and joy is felt by the group as they join together in declaring their Prayer Action Plan to God. The sense of unity is what participants remember the most. One pastor wrote, “My best memory from the Setting Your Church Free seminar was the sense of unity with which everyone responded. Although each person had unique insights and comments, when it came to the big issues, there was unity and agreement, and a sense of working together.”

The Prayer Action Plan becomes a tangible way to submit to God and resist the devil on behalf of the whole church. “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (Jas. 4:7). One pastor commented, “I didn’t realize this was like a letter from Jesus. That would have added a lot of power to it!” It is helpful to think of your Prayer Action Plan as a letter from Jesus, or at the very least, think of it as your discernment of what Jesus would write in a letter to your church.
The process is eye-opening for many of the leaders. Most arrive for the event having only hazy ideas about their own corporate sins and attacks from the evil one. Now they are in unity about the actual spiritual health of their church and have a plan that calls for prayer plus action. One person wrote, “Since completing the Setting Your Church Free seminar, we have a concrete understanding of our strengths and weaknesses, areas where God is blessing and areas where the enemy has strongholds. We now have the ability to pray and work specifically to be completely free.”

Recall that each of the seven letters of Revelation contains the exhortation “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:7,11,17,29; 3:6,13,22). Hearing with the intention of obeying is the proper idea of this passage. Little children often procrastinate or stall when their parents ask them to do something, to which the parent often responds, “Did you hear me?” The children have heard with their physical ears, but what the parent is really asking is “Are you going to obey me now?” Your heavenly Father is saying, “Did you hear Me? Are you willing to obey?” A strategy for putting the message of this book into action is the subject of our last chapter.

Notes
1. John Stott, Romans: God’s Good News for the World (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994), p. 187.
2. R. E. Nixon, “Matthew,” The New Bible Commentary: Revised (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1970), p. 837.
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