Please pray for Mother Cochram

[Rev. M. Rodimer]

Friends -

I come to you today with a truly bizarre case.

An old woman down the street from my church was once a member in good standing. In fact, she was a member of our Board.

Then, she began acting strangely.

She said that our ways, following the Word of God, were blasphemous and intolerant.

She claimed that we were violating the Law of God by following it.

She said we should welcome all sorts of sinners into our congregation, and even provide "wedding" services for sodomites and the divorced!

In short, she was Obamified. She became a Liebral.

As you might expect, we removed her from the Board and the membership rolls.

She returned in disguise, trying to get back in our good graces by lying to us. She did this a few times.

The third or fourth time she came back, giving a different name and wearing a disguise, she secretly took video of our services. I had given a particularly moving sermon on the eternal torment that awaits polyculturists, moving several members to rip out and replant their vegetable gardens.

She turned around and tried to start her own cult, where rather than teaching the Lord's Word, she tried to preach her own distorted views, and tell people how awful North Salem Baptist was! Happily, she never gained a following for her hippie love cult.

Following the collapse of her cult, she returned again. This time, she claims to be repentant. To be honest, I'm not buying it.

Please pray that this warped woman find the Truth of Jesus in the Scriptures, and stops trying to persecute our church, a beacon of light in the otherwise dark state of Indiana!

I'm open to any suggestions Landoverians might have about handling Mother Cochram.

[Mr. Seth Cochran]

Re: Please pray for Mother Cochram

She seems to have a bad reputation, possibly even crazy. Truly, Jesus is the only person who knows the heart of a person. There's no telling if she truly is repentant or not. I keep this verse in mind when handling the spiritually volatile.

"Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?" Matthew 7:16

In other words, if she's producing good fruit, leave her be, and see if it continues. But the first time she steps out of line, reject her and everything to do with her. Remember this verse.

"Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." Matthew 7:19

[Ezekiel Bathfire]

Re: Please pray for Mother Cochram

Compassion, mercy, forgiveness… you have, Rev Rodimer, tried them all. Now try:

Psalms:139:19: Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
Psalms:139:20: For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
Psalms:139:21: Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
Psalms:139:22: I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

And what should we do with our enemies?

Luke:19:27 has the answer.

[Capt. Aaron Portway]

Re: Please pray for Mother Cochram

Rev. Rodimer,

You seem to be in a difficult situation. I will pray on your problem and seek the Lord's guidance. But I have another situation for you. At Landover AirJesus, we are having some personel problems. I don't want to use names, but those involved in the situation know who they are.

Say you had a wise and helpful friend who worked for you as well. Because he was wise and helpful, you promoted him at your place of business. At first, the promotion worked out fine, but after a while he started to try to tell other employees how to do their jobs, caused discontent in the break room, and even questioned your business practices. Would you simply demote him back to his original postion, perhaps giving him a ceremonial title to make him feel better, or would your fire him outright?

[Rev. M. Rodimer]

Re: Please pray for Mother Cochram

Say you had a wise and helpful friend who worked for you as well. Because he was wise and helpful, you promoted him at your place of business. At first, the promotion worked out fine, but after a while he started to try to tell other employees how to do their jobs, caused discontent in the break room, and even questioned your business practices. Would you simply demote him back to his original postion, perhaps giving him a ceremonial title to make him feel better, or would your fire him outright?

Captain, I ran into just such a situation with a youth pastor last year! He had good knowledge, and was able to express God's Truth beautifully. But his interpersonal skills were, shall we say, lacking.

I was tempted to, as you suggest, fire him outright. But then I realized that I'd never given him a performance evaluation, and that he was blissfully unaware of nearly all the negative feedback I was receiving about him. In fact, nearly all the feedback HE had personally received was actually POSITIVE!

From what I gathered from the congregation, most folks were afraid to hurt his feelings or didn't want to be confrontational, so almost nobody addressed issues with him directly -- you know, when it's easy to nip things in the bud. Instead, they complained to me and smiled in his general direction when he walked by.

My decision was to lay out the feedback I'd received (with the complainants' names removed, of course), and ask him how he thought we should address the situation. Once he got over the shock of being told he might be fired and got past being defensive, he realized that things weren't really as rosy as he'd thought. He was able to see where he had done some things wrong, and was able to straighten up and -- if you'll pardon the pun, Captain -- "fly right".

He also had to deal with some personal issues which were causing him great stress at that time, which I helped him with . . . that reduced his own stress level, reducing the likelihood that he would take out his own frustrations on convenient nearby targets. He's since mellowed out substantially, and even settled into a loving relationship with a delightful girlfriend! (I think she's pretty darned good for him, and a Godlier gal I've not met -- outside of the Ladies of Landover, of course.)

Learning to manage people takes time, Captain, and plenty of practice. I'm no expert yet, by any means! But I will say that laying things out clearly and without judgment for him, and also encouraging members of the congregation to tell him directly and immediately if he had upset them, helped him to understand and work with them far better.

Had I either demoted or dismissed him, I would have lost someone who has become a valuable member of my witnessing team! I would also have thrown away the chance to help him change his life for the better, for the sake of saving myself a little trouble. Would that have been the Christian thing to do, Captain? For that matter, would it have been the best business approach to take?

[Capt. Aaron Portway]

Re: Please pray for Mother Cochram

Thanks for the that well written and insightful response. The individual in question is an incredibly valuable employee who has in reality been with Landover AirJesus longer than I have. Truth be told, I don't think I could imagine Landover AirJesus without him.

It is interesting that you experienced a similar situation in your own church. I hope we all here at Landover Baptist can learn from the trails you've been through in dealing so wisely with that troubled but ultimately Saved young man.

[Pastor Ezekiel]

Re: Please pray for Mother Cochram

I'm open to any suggestions Landoverians might have about handling Mother Cochram.

Reverend, are you certain on the spelling of that name? It seems vaguely familiar to me....

When we have such cases here in Freehold, it's no problen getting such a person committed to the Landover Baptist Hospital's dementia ward. In fact we have several such cases currently.

[Capt. Aaron Portway]

Re: Please pray for Mother Cochram

The vicissitudes of faith in the lives of the nearly Saved® are truly difficult to understand. Brother Seth has already gotten himself tossed back into Quarantine and as such I had to break the friendship he recently so eagerly requested.

Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.

They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.

The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:
Psalm 12:1-3

Brother Rodimer,
I have read the story your youth pastor again. You say you kept him on, but will you ever promote him? Do you think he deserves to be given more responsibilities? Or do you think that his problems in the past indicate that he should stay in the position you have settled on him. Did he do enough in your eyes to completely redeem himself?

[Rev. M. Rodimer]

Re: Please pray for Mother Cochram

Brother Rodimer,
I have read the story your youth pastor again. You say you kept him on, but will you ever promote him? Do you think he deserves to be given more responsibilities? Or do you think that his problems in the past indicate that he should stay in the position you have settled on him. Did he do enough in your eyes to completely redeem himself?

Captain A, as I said, he's become a valuable member of my team, and has resolved the difficulties of which I spoke. I would not have kept him if he had not made that effort.

[Rev. M. Rodimer]

Re: Please pray for Mother Cochram

Captain A, I'm curious what became of your employee. You seemed so concerned about his future with AirJesus! Were you able to work things out?

[Capt. Aaron Portway]

Re: Please pray for Mother Cochram

Well, I was demoted due to the "issues" I had after the election. I am no longer in charge of flight operations. I did get my "wings" back after my the doctors and I settled on a regimen of intense therapy, even more intense prayer, and a low dosage of anti-psychotic medication.

The employee I spoke about had a bit of fun at my expense due to my problems. When I get my old position back (Lord willing, Praise Him!) I will deal with the employee in question. As long as he behaves and continues to do his work, he should be fine.

[JennyD]

Re: Please pray for Mother Cochram

Captain, I ran into just such a situation with a youth pastor last year! He had good knowledge, and was able to express God's Truth beautifully. But his interpersonal skills were, shall we say, lacking.

I was tempted to, as you suggest, fire him outright. But then I realized that I'd never given him a performance evaluation, and that he was blissfully unaware of nearly all the negative feedback I was receiving about him. In fact, nearly all the feedback HE had personally received was actually POSITIVE!

From what I gathered from the congregation, most folks were afraid to hurt his feelings or didn't want to be confrontational, so almost nobody addressed issues with him directly -- you know, when it's easy to nip things in the bud. Instead, they complained to me and smiled in his general direction when he walked by.

My decision was to lay out the feedback I'd received (with the complainants' names removed, of course), and ask him how he thought we should address the situation. Once he got over the shock of being told he might be fired and got past being defensive, he realized that things weren't really as rosy as he'd thought. He was able to see where he had done some things wrong, and was able to straighten up and -- if you'll pardon the pun, Captain -- "fly right".

He also had to deal with some personal issues which were causing him great stress at that time, which I helped him with . . . that reduced his own stress level, reducing the likelihood that he would take out his own frustrations on convenient nearby targets. He's since mellowed out substantially, and even settled into a loving relationship with a delightful girlfriend! (I think she's pretty darned good for him, and a Godlier gal I've not met -- outside of the Ladies of Landover, of course.)

Learning to manage people takes time, Captain, and plenty of practice. I'm no expert yet, by any means! But I will say that laying things out clearly and without judgment for him, and also encouraging members of the congregation to tell him directly and immediately if he had upset them, helped him to understand and work with them far better.

Had I either demoted or dismissed him, I would have lost someone who has become a valuable member of my witnessing team! I would also have thrown away the chance to help him change his life for the better, for the sake of saving myself a little trouble. Would that have been the Christian thing to do, Captain? For that matter, would it have been the best business approach to take?

RevRod, I have to ask, did this fellow ever apologize for his behavior, or offer an explanation, or did he just pretend nothing had happened?

[Rev. M. Rodimer]

Re: Please pray for Mother Cochram

RevRod, I have to ask, did this fellow ever apologize for his behavior, or offer an explanation, or did he just pretend nothing had happened?

Yes and no, Sister Jenny.

Did he say he wanted to continue at the church, and that he was willing to take corrective measures and accept guidance? Yes. Did he agree that he had sometimes behaved inappropriately? Yes. Did he follow through on his commitment, and continue to work toward better relations with the congregation? Indeed he did, or he'd not still be here.

Did he grovel and beg for his job back? No. To be honest, I'm not sure how much I'd respect someone who would grovel and beg for a part-time minimum-wage position with no benefits. He could do better financially as a greeter at Wal-Mart (with only occasional risk of trampling as the down side), so he obviously is very committed to working for the church.

So, yes and no.