There are a lot of lessons that we as preachers need to learn. We need to learn many things about ethics, preaching and spirituality. This is the first in a series of blogs that I will do on these issues. I am not presenting the need-to-be-learned lessons as a teacher, but as one who sees the needs to learn these lessons myself. I know great men that appear to me to have learned these lessons, and they inspire me. I will be using certain men more than once to illustrate these lessons. In each subsequent lesson I will refer to this person as the POI (Person of Inspiration).
POI: Bishop M. R. Couch.
Bishop Couch has many positive traits, and I will highlight more of them throughout this blog series. Out of all the men that I know, Bishop Couch was the best example I could think of for the current ministry lesson. This lesson is how to handle one's self around people who don't like you. The incredible, and almost unbelievable, truth is that not everyone appreciates or likes Bishop Couch. This is hard for me to imagine, but it is true. There are people who are uncomfortable with him and his kind of ministry. Therefore, I have had the opportunity to watched him in various situations of varying degrees of hostility and he has always displayed the most incredible grace and poise.
He is always self-possessed, positive and friendly, even to those who dislike him. He does not seek to avoid his "haters," neither is he confrontational. He does not seek to make the conflict a matter of public attention, yet he does not avoid addressing problems with the persons involved if he must. He involves no one in the situation that is not directly connected to it. He is the master of private rebuke and public love. I can testify to this one from personal experience. And I am thankful for each and every time.
He does not let people rattle him and get him off his game. He knows who and what he is. He is a great example to preachers on how to handle themselves in various social, preacher contexts. Especially in contexts where there are others present that do not like you or have done you wrong.
In this way I want to grow up and be just like Bishop Couch.
Lesson Summary: Called and confident persons/preachers must learn to be comfortable around those who are uncomfortable with them.
