Don’t Blame the Messenger Because You don’t Like the Message

7/9/2018

Pastor Pauline and her Church Treasurer approached me at the morning break during the North Carolina conference. I could easily discern their anger and their concern. Pastor looked at me with steely eyes and began her diatribe. “You are trying to scare us. Had I known you were going to use fear tactics I would not have registered for this class.” My response was simple. I told her to go to Galatians 4:16 during the break and read the words of the Apostle Paul. For those of you who have no clue as to what is written in Galatians 4:16, Paul simply stated, “Have I become your enemy because I tell you the truth?

If you knew the bridge was washed out and a good friend was scheduled to encounter the washed out bridge would you use whatever means necessary to get them to postpone their trip or at the least, take another route?

A TV commercial several years ago used the theme, “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk.” But, has anyone tried to stop an intoxicated friend from driving? Often it will destroy the relationship.

When you have someone telling you the truth at the price of the friendship, those are the very people to whom you should connect. Most people want those in their circle who will tell them what they want to hear—not what they need to hear. However, if the Bible is real, and I believe it is, then we should value the words of Solomon:

An open rebuke is better than hidden love! 6 Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy. (Pro. 27:5-6 NLT)

First Things First

We don’t write the laws and regulations for the Internal Revenue Service—we only teach what the government has instituted. Sometimes Pastors and conference attendees think we make up laws for the sole purpose of instilling fear into the hearts and minds of those in attendance.

It is the same as siccing your dog on the mailman because you don’t like the cutoff notice the mailman delivers. The mailman didn’t write the letter, nor will he be the one to enforce it—all he did was make the recipient aware of actions which another was about to pursue.

Most people attending our conferences do so to receive instructions as to IRS laws and updates. Only a small minority attends in hopes of hearing their books and records are compliant.

Fear Is Part of Life

People may go to their doctor because they cannot get rid of indigestion. As they sit in the doctor’s office they see a poster on the door of the examining room that indigestion may be a serious sign of an impending heart attack.

You may have a nagging cough due to allergies and the season of the year. Yet, you go to your doctor’s office and a poster alarms you with the words, “A nagging cough may be a sign of cancer.”
In either scenario people will yield to the fear generated by the posters and press the doctor to order more tests.

Did the hospital and doctor’s office place those posters to induce fear or to warn patients of something that, if left untreated, may result in death?

Fear, Truth, or Both

Do we intentionally design our conferences to incite fear? NO! However, most are afraid simply because the truth they hear paints a picture of danger because of the actions of their Church in maintaining books and records.

Webster’s defines fear as: “an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger. b (1) : an instance of this emotion. (2) : a state marked by this emotion.”

What we teach is the truth, but it instills fear because the lack of obedience to the laws of the land causes anticipation or an awareness of impending danger for the Pastor and Church. When dealing with this issue we should consider the sun. The sun shines the same on butter and on clay, but it is the composition of that upon which it shines that determines the outcome of each. The sun will melt the butter while hardening the clay.

Why You Should Seek our Services NOW!

Clients who attend our conferences have a great time and are excited to learn of the new legal updates, but are also at ease knowing that Chitwood & Chitwood has ensured that the client is always legally compliant with IRS laws and regulations.

The truth only hurts when it is not what one wants to hear. When someone tells us the truth, it may even destroy a relationship—we desired affirmers of our actions rather than someone to respond like the Prophet Nathan did to King David, when Nathan looked David in the eye and declared, “You are the man!” (2 Sam. 12:7).

At our Church Management Conferences across the nation, we seek to do one thing—to tell you the truth. How that truth affects you is up to you. Would you rather have someone tell you what you want to hear, even if telling you what you wanted to hear ended in your destruction, or would you rather have someone that loves and cares enough for you and your ministry to tell you what you need to hear?

Every Pastor, Pastor’s Spouse, and Church Leader should attend the next Church Management Conference. It is not what you know that will hurt you—it is what you don’t know (Hos. 4:6). To register for a conference please call 800-344-0076.

By Dr. Michael Chitwood

What You Will Learn at our Conferences

Our Church Management Conferences will arm you with the information you must have to shield your Church or Ministry from IRS intrusiveness; teach you how to get your Taxes to the lowest possible rate; and daily operate your Church or Ministry within IRS acceptable guidelines.

Our Conferences have been taught across the Nation for over 48 years. Because of the Penalties, Fines, and even Imprisonment that the IRS imposed on many Churches and Pastors, Dr. Chitwood felt led by the Holy Spirit to become a buffer between Churches, Ministers, and the IRS.