November 16, 2006
Airing the Dirty Laundry
Living in a small community I read law enforcement reports in the newspaper and I’m always sorry when I see the name of someone I know on the list. However, if it’s the name of a close friend or family member I’m likely to be embarrassed that their ‘dirty laundry’ is hanging out there for the whole world to see. I think there’s a similar situation within the church. We desperately want to protect the ‘reputation’ of our particular church. It’s easy to talk about another denomination’s problems, but for heaven’s sake don’t let the neighbor or the community hear about problems in my church. I think Jesus wants transparency in our lives and in the life of the church. “For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” Mark 4:22-23 NIV
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Gail;
----Paul told Timothy and Titus to choose men of high character who are mature in the Lord for elders. Peter told these men to be examples to the others, which implies a higher spiritual aptitude of their own. James told the believers that not many of them should presume to be teachers, because those who teach will be judged by a higher standard. It is clear that those who lead the church should not merely be the most apt of those who are the church, but they should actually be men defined by the Word of God.
----I have never been on the inside of the clerical ring of fellowship. But from history books as well as from personal observation I have seen the fruit it has grown. I see them prate and prance and hold their Bibles close to their breasts as they are sure of the great works and services they do for the Lord. But I have not heard them come before the altar beating their chests and crying out, "Lord forgive me a sinner." (Except for the ones caught deer-eyed in the public headlights.) They appear more like the one standing and giving thanks that he is not like the sinner.
----Humility, self-examination, and realization of the vastness of our own inadequacies do not cease at the time of our new birth. Neither do they cease at the time of ordination into the inspirational roles among His people. In fact, the realization of Whose people the church is and how contageous the attitudes of clergy among the babes of the believers can be should give leaders much reservation about measuring the greatness of their own works and services, and about a hightened need to recognize their own selfishness and failures.
----It seems that the Lord has written in His Word a consistent call to humility and to the recognition of our own frailty. It would seem that if this call were truly being answered by church leaders the exposure of church inadequacies and failures would be welcomed rather than feared and impuned. If such were the case the church would be an organization of consistant change by growth. Yet, from the errors of a clergy impressed by its own works, and from a laity unwilling to stand up and express the truth about failures, the church stagnates into the still fine service the Holy Spirit is able to extract from it. Isn't He amazing!
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