February 06, 2014
In Need of a Heart Attack
There are three seats open on the City Council
and one unopposed candidate slated for each seat. The newspaper lamented the
lack of interested people running for the seats and their editorial headline
asked, “Where are the leaders?” Interestingly that same question is often
echoed in the church. In both cases it’s not the lack of qualified people, but
rather a lack of qualified people who are willing to serve. Paul writes, “Here
is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he
desires a noble task.” (1 Tim 3:1 NIV) It appears that we don’t have a
leadership problem, we have a heart problem.
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1 comment:
Gail;
-----It seems that references in the Scriptures to doctrines, teachings, instructions, and such are taken to mean stuff like the Trinity, whether to immerse or sprinkle, how often to serve communion, whether the symbols are the actual blood and body of Christ or just represent them, etc., etc., etc. And it seems that charging “certain persons not to teach any different doctrine,” (I Tim 1:3) or to give “instruction in sound doctrine,” (Titus 1:9) or to “take note of those who create dissensions and difficulties, in opposition to the doctrine which you have been taught; avoid them,” (Rom 16:17) has created countless denominations with as many different ways of thinking about and practicing the institutions of the church.
-----I might be all wet, but this seems ridiculous to me. I’ve always gotten a kick out of the way Jesus stood the Pharisees’ “churchy” little practices up to the meanings they should have had. On the one hand were things being done to maintain and bolster the status of a social upper crust. On the other hand would have been things done for the benefit and care and maintenance of every variety of folk. What would be done isn’t much different one way or another. But to whom they are done, the fullness to which they are done, the places, times, manners, vitality, and all the other nuances of a thing separating it’s plastic banana from its real one is the point. I remember a sermon in which the preacher proclaimed that the church was not here to please its members. Really? Jesus said wherever two or more were gathered He was there. Church. Paul said that everyone should strive to please their neighbor (Rom 15:2). But of course, we can’t be thinking this kind of stuff is doctrine, can we?
-----When Paul gave Timothy and Titus instructions (doctrine) about appointing elders he did not inform either one how long their terms should be. That’s because, according to the teachings (doctrines) of those Apostles, being in church was actually a new way of living. It was a new set of values. A new reason for doing things. A new point of reference for relating to others. New commitments. New responsibilities. And new sensibilities as the mind transformed within the worshipping sacrifice of the body. So when one was found to be matured in this doctrine to the point that his insights and wisdom and influences benefited most everyone around, well, he probably should recognize his responsibility of eldership and live with it sacrificially.
-----I think the reason we find elders serving as ridiculously short terms as one year revolves around the fact that church has become an organization instead of a relationship, and it has offices instead of servants and doctrinal beliefs instead of instructed attitudes and behaviors like patience, perseverance, kindness, forgiveness, faithfulness, generosity, honor, goodness, peacefulness, thanksgiving, prayerfulness, etc. Yes, these things are preached, but they are not instructed. Maybe I’m soaking wet, but when Hebrews 13:17 says to obey your leaders I think about these things. For I see these things being the instructors and professors and deans of the school of hard knocks filling the substance of our knowledge of God with the realities of being alive in Him. If the realities of being alive as presented by the Word of God are not these attitudinal and behavioral doctrines which we received and must hold to, then neither would I trust any man being an elder for more than a few years. Nor would I think the Scriptural accuracy of any theological beliefs would help us. Remember the Pharisees?
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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