On our return flight from Florida we met them again at the Ft. Lauderdale Airport. More visiting. Exchanging phone numbers. A friendship developed. They invited us to their beautiful cabin in the mountains. On the second day JoAnn asked if she could speak with me on the porch. Nadine and Robert visited on the other end of the porch.

JoAnn shared her problem - the guilt of sin. We talked for an hour, looking at her Bible, examining both the Law and the sweet Gospel. We prayed together, and the joy of forgiveness, salvation, and a place in the Father's House filled her heart. How did it all start? Just a simple comment to Robert, "I sure like your hat!"

A few weeks later I visited a back specialist. After a half hour of examination and prescriptions, we were finished. I said, "And doctor, how are things going with you?" A moment's silence. His head bowed down, and he said, "Not very good." "Why don't you tell me about it." He did. And once again I was privileged to tell another person the most wonderful news in the world - a loving Savior who went to Calvary's cross for him.

Notice the initial words that set things in motion: "I sure like your hat." "And doctor, how are things going with you?" Jesus was a master at asking people questions and then sharing the Gospel. You and I can do the same. Let's watch for opportunities to be friendly with people with the hopeful goal of talking about Jesus.

In 70% of the churches I consult, there are terrorists who are long-term members. These are not like the terrorists you see in the news on television, or read about in the newspapers. They are (usually) not physically dangerous. However, they do harm the body of Christ, often unintentionally.

My definition of terrorism is "people who fight unfair." Many churches have a group of 10-12 people who say "no" to much of what the leaders propose. They work behind the scenes, undermining behind the back. They stir up trouble.

They are political. They love congregational meetings. They want a vote. They are sometimes eager to obtain a position on a decision-making board.

Often, the group numbers 10-12. They are usually led by one or two. The one or two highly influence 4-7 and a fringe group of around 7-12. They make a lot of noise. They cause pain to leaders. They feel, and often sound like 25-40. They disrupt the congregtion's progress. They derail many of the leaders' plans, hopes, and dreams. They are privately described by the pastor as "a thorn in the flesh."

Are they a problem? Not really! They are a symptom. The problem, their problem, is control. They want, need and long for control.

Focus on these issues:

1. You are not the only church with terrorists. Don't take it personally.
2. These people have trouble with change. The world is changing and they have drawn a line in the sand. Their battle cry: "In this changing world, you are not going to change my church!"
3. Diagnose their life outside church. Their need for control may come from other circumstances.
4. They aren't necessarily bad people. Their behavior doesn't always reflect that they are unbelievers.
5. However, they may not have salvation. You may need to share the Gospel of grace with them.
6. Bad behavior in the church is a cause for church discipline. Speak the truth in the spirit of love.
7. These are people who don't just disagree, but are disagreeable. Scripture says "we do not battle against flesh and blood only, but with the principalities and powers."
8. You may need an outside specialist, who is not emotionally involved, to help overcome this group. Do not let them hold your church hostage!
9. Dealing with this group often comes just before a breakthrough to church health and growth.
10. The closer you get to breakthrough, the more difficult this groups seems to be.

God loves these people, but sometimes, for the sake of the bride of Christ, the church, you have to practice "tough love." It is a difficult call. On the other side of the tough love lies a liberated ministry.

Dr. Kent Hunter is nationally known as the Church Doctor. You can contact him at (800) 626-8515, or visit his Web site at www.churchdoctor.org.

Jesus said, "Go and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19). He was talking to ALL of us, not just a select few. Paul said, "How are they to hear without a preacher? And how can men preach unless they are sent" (Romans 10:14-15). He teaches that ALL of us are to be "Goers" or "Senders," fully focused on letting the world know about Jesus.

The Sending Place exists to help you make that happen in your life and in the life of your congregation! We recruit willing servants from all over the country to be obedient "goers," and we train them for five months, two Saturdays per month, before they are sent overseas in teams to serve the needs of the host ministries in such places as Brazil, Guatemala, India, Kenya, Poland, Russia, South Africa, the Ukraine, etc. The actual short-term mission trips last around 2-3 weeks at a time.

Training sessions begin in early January for teams going out in the summer, and training starts in mid August for teams going out in the winter. You can train wherever you live, using our videos and training manual. Or if you live near Elk Grove, CA, you can train in person with The Sending Place. If your congregation has its own missionary or ministry where you want to send a team, we can also help you with all those details.

The Sending Place wants to partner with you as individuals and as congregations to personally get involved in world missions, as the Lord has called you to do. We want you to find your own place in The Great Commission. Phone us toll free (877) 3SENDING or call 916-685-2331, or email us at thesendingplace@hotmail.com for more information, or check out our website at www.TheSendingPlace.com.

We are training and sending short-term mission teams in the winter of 2007 to:

• Florianopolis, Brazil January 4- 19. Most of the team will work with chemically dependent men at a rehabilitation center, while some of the team will do VBS with poor children of the city.
• Visakhapatnam, India January 11- 25 where pastors can teach in the seminary of 200 seminarians, and laypeople can teach in the school for 700 children. Medical personnel can also work at the hospital site.
• Chennai, India February 8-22 (Tentative), where a musical team will be singing and preaching the Gospel to about 15,000 children in the local school there!
• Antalva, Turkey February 22 - March 8 where a team will tutor English to hotel workers and work with a local church in an area where there are very few Christians.

Training for all these teams begins August 19, 2006. Send registration forms or tax-deductible donations to: P.O. Box 730, Elk Grove, CA 95659.

Pastor Darrel Deuel is the Executive Director of The Sending Place. You can reach him at 916-685- 2331 or by visiting the website at www.TheSendingPlace.com

But a great more can be done beside sending the card. There can be follow-up a week or two after the mailing. The pastor or a church officer can phone the missing families. A visit would be more effective. It makes an enormous difference when people really believe that their church (pastor and people) truly love them and care for them.

Sometimes a sponsor or sponsoring couple (alive in Jesus and caring) might be preferred for the important follow-up. A group of sponsors can be assembled for this task. They should receive special training for this from the pastor.

In some cases non-attending members need more than just a return for a few Sundays. In these cases their faith needs significant renewal through an adult class like I Have Good News For You. Why not make plans now for a special outreach to these people?

We are encouraged by St. Paul: "Keep watch overseers and all the flock which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God" (Ephesians 20:28).

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