Rock the Vote

“We do not own the church. We do not govern it. Christ bought it with His blood, and He is absolute head over everything pertaining to the church. No majority can ever be large enough to set aside His will on anything, or to establish any other rule over His people. Every so-called vote by any member or officer of the church must not express our right to decide or to rule. It must express the consent each of us gives to a person or a policy as being what Christ wants for His church. We do not have a right to vote in the church as in a democracy, but we have a duty to God to express our understanding of His will for us and to work for agreement with others concerning His will. A vote may not settle what is the Lord’s will; it may only begin a devoted study and effort to clarify it for all the members. If Christ’s will can be found in the Bible, we should find it, clarify it, and accept it without voting." --Seth Wilson, Dean Emeritus of Ozark Christian College in The Christian Standard, October 22, 1978


I came across the above quote in my sermon preparation this past week and thought it was worth sharing. I know it's somewhat specific to the writers context and may be especially applicable to churches that govern so much by congregational vote or will , as many Christian Churches do, but it seems to me the idea of majority will inside and outside the church often holds the wrong amount of weight. Just a thought.