TOUGH AND TENDER

Picture in your mind, an NFL linebacker with rippling muscles and hands of viselike grip, who on Sunday afternoon can bring down a quarterback on a blitz—and on Sunday night can rock his newborn to sleep and caress his wife with those same hands. That is illustrative of the balance between tough and tender needed in a pastor leading a church to confront sin among the membership.

There has been a lack of toughness to tackle this issue in many churches. It is in part a reason for the anemic faith and compromised testimony of a significant number of members.  Yet, there are pastors who are leading their church to confront spiritual malignancy in the body of Christ.  Obviously texts such as Matthew 18:15-20, 1 Corinthians 5-6, and 2 Corinthians 2:5-11 are prominent in guiding the church in this matter. But, do not forget Galatians 6:1. It reminds us that we must deal with the erring not only with toughness, but tenderness. 

Think of a doctor setting a broken bone to heal. Someone was running, they stumbled and fell, fracturing their arm. They are in pain. Sin can do that to any of us. That is why Paul warns the church to be gentle in dealing with such brokenness. We all can be tripped up by temptation. Pastors are not immune. The competent doctor does not just grab the arm and roughly yank it here and there, for such would bring further hurt and not healing. Skillfully, he sets the bone. He does not ignore the problem, but he does not exacerbate it either.

Discern the cause and cure for correcting the stumbling soul. Apply the proper measure of church discipline with the right mix of toughness and tenderness. The church elders must teach and model this for the church members to follow. It is part of preaching the whole counsel of God.