June 12, 2008
Is and Are
In the midst California wild fires a firefighter was interviewed by a TV reporter. He was asked how they determine if it’s a Red Flag Day. He said, “Low humidity, high heat and strong wind.” The fire department wouldn’t sound a warning for just one of these conditions, but collectively there is cause for alarm. I’ve had folks ask, ‘So Gail, what is the problem at XYZ church?’ It’s impossible for me to answer because its not, what is the problem, but rather what are the problems. It would be great to be able to point to something specific and say, ‘It’s the high heat’. However, I’ve found in the church that only one issue doesn’t warrant raising a red flag.
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Gail;
-----I think there is one issue in a church that warrants raising a red flag, even in a church otherwise complete with all obedience to the Word, fruit of the Spirit, and good deeds bursting forth as a harvest. Any sort of arrogance or selfish ambition on the part of church leaders is a very serious issue. I remember listening with utter disappointment, to the Monday night game between the Denver Broncos and the Chicago Bears in 1976. It was the final game of their season, and a win would have put them in the playoffs. John Ralston, Denver’s head coach, knew talent well and had built a strong team around a defense that would earn the nickname “Orange Crush” the following year. Why Denver should have lost to a “Chicago” (the Bears were not so good that year) would have been confounding to most Denver fans had they not known John Ralston’s inability to make effective use of the great talent of his team. Fortunately, the team owner also understood the weakness in leadership, fired Ralston, and hired Red Miller.
Miller was a great cheerleader and used talent well. His team crushed opponents’ offenses right into the Super Bowl, where his field leader, Craig Morton, forgot which team he was on and served up seven interceptions to the Cowboys. This entire year long event, from the disappointing loss by the Ralston team to the disappointing loss by the Miller team etched into my mind the importance of leadership. Miller’s inability to recruit talent and the subsequent decline of the Broncos reinforced it.
-----God gave the church leaders to influence its focus. The Word of God spells out the focus of the new life, which is that of the church. The reason the leaders are there is because many of the body have not developed the understanding, the wisdom, the careful obedience to and knowledge of the Word for walking a focused life themselves. They need the examples, the encouragement, the counsel and teaching of those who have. Arrogance and self-ambition in a leader result in his payment of ineffective heed to the truths in the Word. They are like ear muffs upon ears to hear. But if the very ones from whom this direction is to come are in any way disregarding of the Word of God, then how is it that the same disregard will not eventually begin to reverberate through the beliefs and behavior of the church?
-----If a church is flush with good health otherwise, I would tend to think it would be quick to discipline its wayward leaders. And I would think it would be even quicker to raise a red flag calling for discipline at the first sure sighting of such arrogance and selfish ambition.
Love,
Steve Corey
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