In the last entry I confessed to a critical spirit and the need to focus on Jesus to live out the solution. This is not an individual response – this is an individual in the context of the community. That community is likewise solely focussed on looking to Jesus Christ as the Solution.
This is coming from a long way for me, but I was reminded of it in a recent conversation I had with a friend. He asked a question about the church and looking for the changes that are necessary and where can those changes derive. The obvious answer to some would be the church leader(s). I respect church leadership and have no problem with the concept of leadership in itself. Where I think the problem comes in is when we fall for ‘Give Us A King’ mentality.
Before I explain that, let me say that I am among those who believe the clergy/laity split in church is a very damaging thing for true development of all believers. In as much as some would agree with that, the problem is that we may pay lip service to it, but in practice there is still a two-tier system where our ‘leaders’ are somehow above and beyond regular believers. Thus certain responsibilities are in their hands while the majority do little or nothing without direction from the leaders. That’s why figures come out saying 80 percent of the work is done by 20 percent of the church.
This brings me back to the ‘Give Us A King’ mentality. Worth reading 1 Samuel 12 for the context of how the mentality operates. The basic summary is this – Israel, despite being rescued multiple times by God their king, have a look at the Joneses and think it is only right to keep up with them. (OK strictly speaking, it’s the Ammonites rather than the Joneses, but when was the last time you criticised someone for keeping up with the Ammonites? No offence to Jones people.)
In the modern expression, God’s people have a desire to make sure they have a king. A leadership structure that resembles other leadership structures where the source of direction is found in the elder, pastor, senior pastor, executive senior pastor, bishop, archbishop or any source higher than that. What that does for the regular ‘believer’ is state that as Brother Orwell put it, some of us believers are more equal than others. So I rely on that leadership structure to know true spirituality. In doing so all of the truth of life in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit is made a mockery. So rather than rely on god and seek to be built by mutuality among the saints, we end up with spectator spirituality. Everything is led from the front of the podium, from the next song, to God’s Word which will be spoken by the same dude for roughly 40 weeks in the year.
Therefore we come to a scenario where people blame the leaders for lack of church growth. People likewise acclaim individuals who are the central figures for church growth. Lost in the mix is the Solution. When we acknowledge Jesus as the only Head, then we have to look no further than him for our source. He works through the brothers and sisters in the ways they have been gifted, but it is a mutual deal. No specialist spectator sport is Christian faith. Everyone is involved to be the solution we need to see.
That for me means living, loving, serving, praying and fasting in the community of faith desperately relying on His grace to learn from all and see Him in all and thus be the solution I long to see. That means submitting to others as I submit to Christ and being in no position to blame anyone for my lack of growthand development in Christ.
That is not to be critical of others, as I know as well as anyone, that we are at different places and stages of life. All it does mean at this crucial juncture of my life, is that I’m committed now more than ever to believing in being and encouraging others to believe that Jesus remains the only Solution for us all.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
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