August 15, 2008
Bandwagon
Richard Lederer, Ph.D. is an expert in the origin of words. In a recent Toastmaster article he defined ‘bandwagons’, “… [they are] high wagons large enough to hold a band of musicians. Early bandwagons were horse-drawn through the streets in order to publicize an upcoming event. Political candidates would ride a bandwagon through a town, and those who wished to show their support would ‘hop [or climb] on the bandwagon.” My previous church developed their own set of rules for riding their bandwagon. A few years ago when Bill (my husband) submitted his name as an elder candidate, he was rejected. Even though he’d served positions of both a deacon and an elder for many years, this time he was told he’d not be put on the ballot as a candidate…unless he was first willing to ‘get on board’ with the current leadership’s programs. Some wagons just aren’t worth hopping on.
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4 comments:
Gail;
-----XYZ Church’s bandwagon was very important to the leaders of that church. It was not a wagon hauling gay-is-OK, let’s-have-a-woman-preacher, or Jesus-was-a-nice-idea-and-eternal-life-is-just-the-memory-of-you into the church. XYZ Church still preached Jesus. It still reads from the Bible. It still tells people they have to know Jesus for salvation. It still has Sunday morning services; it still sings praise before hearing a sermon. It receives offerings. It takes communion. So what is the problem? Why is the wagon not worth hopping onto?
-----Bill’s nomination by the members and rejection by the elder’s sheds light on the problem. Bill had been an elder before. I know Bill. Bill had not changed, I mean, he had not gone gay-is-OK, or anything like that. But he had changed, at least as far as I could tell. He had grown in the Lord a lot. You would think if the Holy Spirit liked him as an elder before, He would love him as one now. Wouldn’t you? But Bill was not rejected for some lack of spirituality. The Bill I have known has always had plenty good of that! Like you said, Gail, Bill was rejected because he could not get onboard the leadership’s programs.
-----Now, some organization of communal service among many people gathered to serve and be served is necessary. And, it necessarily becomes programs. Since leadership does what its name implies - it leads, then it is going to be interested in a unified effort toward what it has determined to be important. It would seem then that the leadership has its right to a bandwagon. In fact, God has given it a bandwagon. But the leaders have developed their own set of rules for it! Yet, the Bible already laid down all the rules! The leaders need a bandwagon ran by the rules of the Word. But if it runs by man’s rules, it turns into a gut wagon. And a lot of people’s guts were wrenched by the rules of the leadership! For God’s first bandwagon rule is that if you are in Christ you are on it. The leaders have no say in which child is on and which is not. The leadership has no more say in what are the needs of the people in Christ than they have in what are their gifts. That is the Holy Spirit’s place! Therefore, on the bandwagon, according to the Word’s rules, all gifts and needs are important, and all children are present. The rules of the XYZ Church leaders acknowledged only certain type gifts and needs - and children, too, it seemed. All the rest were invalidated by accusations of spoiled natures. The children who did not fit their bandwagon were chided and invited to leave. Therefore, the leaders’ bandwagon, called by the Lord to serve the needs of His people as assembled became a platform of partisanship to serve the needs of the leaders’ people chosen.
-----No wonder Bill would not climb aboard. His dignity and integrity were too great to step into the pit onto the bandwagon of favoritism. God has called church leaders to lead the church into godliness. Godliness is kindness. Kindness says, “Oh! You miss Sweet Hour of Prayer? Everybody, can we sing Sweet Hour of Prayer for our precious sister?” Godliness is honor. Honor says, “You don’t like what we are doing here? Maybe you have not understood how we mean to serve everyone. Or maybe we have not yet understood how you need to be served. We need to spend some time together, getting to know each other.” Godliness is gentleness. Gentleness says, “I appreciate hearing your complaint about what we are doing. Although we are not to complain, I recognize some pain has brought out your expressions. Do others feel this way also? Maybe there is something we can do to serve better.” Godliness is compassion, “Brethren, I have learned some are heart broken about the missing communion table. Out of respect for their feelings we really need to return it to its place for at least some of the services.” Godliness is charity, “This is not my service; this is not my program; these are ours, and what is important to you will be a part of them.” Godliness is forbearance, patience, humility. And yes, it reveres. These, and many others, are affirmations of love - God’s rules for the bandwagon. These are to where God wants the bandwagon drawn.
-----It was badly wrong of the leadership of the XYZ Church to reject Bill for not getting on board according to their rules, which were affirmations of their ideas. If their programs were God’s programs leading deeper into godliness, any God honoring Christian could have climbed upon them without problems of conscience. But their programs were their own ideas. Their insistence upon them was a leading deeper into the pits of selfish ambition and vein conceit, a showing of more interest in what the programs were than in who the programs served. And that, precious brothers and sisters, is the problem.
Love,
Steve Corey
I am curious as to eldership. I attend NOP church. The eldership search is going on. What to look for in an elder? Is it a vote by the congregation that one should pick elders? Is it scriptual? Are women to be elders? Leadership is difficult and thus the charge of eldership is very important! New to the faith and just wanting to hear from others.
thanks..
Anonymous,
Welcome. I love hearing from people who are new to the faith. They always bring a fresh set of eyes and ears!
For New Testament Elder qualifications check out 1 Timothy and Titus.
NOP church is a new one on me and I’m not sure my internet search helped me out much. What does the acronym NOP stand for?
As churches were being formed in the New Testament, Paul ‘appointed’ elders. Unfortunately Paul is not with us today, but we do have the Scripture to guide us in ‘selecting’ those who will serve as elders. It should be noted that many in leadership positions today do appoint (handpick) elders, but in doing so, the congregation’s discernment and the Holy Spirit are often left out of the equation.
Voting is not really Scriptural, however it serves its purpose in selecting qualified men from among ourselves.
We are in the process of organizing a new church, so we too will be dealing with finding elders (and possible deacons). Even though some of the men in our fellowship have served in the position of elder in other churches, it will be up to this new body of believers to discern and select (vote on) those who will best serve as shepherds in this new congregation.
Scripture does not allow women to be elders, even though many people and denominations bend the Word to fit their desires.
I agree, leadership is difficult and the changes of eldership are very important. However, both are made easier when filtered through Scripture.
Blessings on your elder search.
Gail
Anonymous;
-----Gail answered your questions very well. Thank you for demonstrating the care and sobriety important to selecting elders. Regarding what to look for in an elder, may I add I Peter 5:2-3, I Corinthians 13:5, and Galatians 5:22-24. In as much as these are among the more important affairs of the church, and in that the affairs of the church are entrusted to the elders’ oversight (I Tim 5:17 NIV), it just makes sense those who would be elders should have these affairs well in place in their own lives. Can you imagine a group of elders insisting on their own way, domineering over the congregation regarding what was or was not meaningful in church culture? I assure you, Gail and I do not have to imagine, we simply remember. It was not a pretty sight.
Love,
Steve Corey
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