positioned to love

bomobob(a fellow etsy seller)

"You and I cannot demonstrate love or joy or peace or patience or kindness sitting all by ourselves on an island. No, we demonstrate it when the people we have committed to loving give us good reasons not to love them, but we do it anyway."

~ Mark Dever, "What Is A Healthy Church"

He goes on to suggest that if your goal is to love all Christians, then commit yourself to a concrete group of Christians (church) with all their failures and weaknesses. Stick with them through thick and thin for 80 years and then evaluate how successful you were at loving all Christians.

Sounds like marriage, but then I think that's how it should be viewed.

it's confirmed, i'm a wishful dreamer!

life is but a dream(by a fellow etsy seller)

Not so long ago, I gained a step-dad in Lawrence at the age of 40, and I'm thrilled my mom has him in her life. I've been enjoying his recent comments. He has a way of challenging my thinking that is thought provoking. I love that because it's a rare gift. It's what I need and pray for.

Here's something interesting he said yesterday in the comments:

"What you are hinting at requires a genuine heart desire filled with love and laying everything else aside. This requires a cost and i'm not sure that there are those who really want to move with God that strongly, because of the work and effort it would take to make a change. The buzz words being mindsets and paradigms."

Ah, the path of least resistance! Though I'll never resign myself to the status quo, I guess this confirms once again that I have and always will be a dreamer. :-)

This girl will continue to believe that Jesus' way will always be cutting edge, radical, and new. Although God is not confined by the 66 books of the Bible, I'll also continue to believe that the principles laid out in the NT for having a healthy community are timeless.

In the end, my heart cry is not for something new (we already have that), but for healthy maturing Christian community where we reflect the nature and the heart of Jesus, in spite of ourselves.

church leadership ~ grass roots style / the original way

border collie pup and lamb
or
a sheep dog puppy and one of the fold
(This photo reminded me of a dream I had recently
where our mutt of a terri-poo turned into a beautiful border collie. I wish!)
Lately I've been very intrigued with discovering the Biblical way to "do" church. Why? I really don't know exactly. Part of me wonders if the typical way it's done is the way that's best.

I always thought a church needs a good strong leader (singular), but what I'm beginning to think is that it needs good strong leaders (plural), who uplift, carry, challenge, and protect each other and the community, with the community reciprocating the same.

In no way am I diminishing the role of the teachers! Perhaps that's why the Bible singles them and other extra hard working elders out as being "worthy of double honour". I'm willing to bet it takes a lot of meditating, studying, and praying to teach the Word to the people, especially if your heart's cry is to teach in tune with God, conveying what He wants to convey.

“Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, [meaning compensate them monetarily], especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.” ~ 1 Timothy 5:17 (NASB)

Through Google Book Search, I found a book called "Discourse on the Official Relations of New Testament Elders”, written by John M. Duncan, a Presbyterian pastor. The book was published in 1826. Originally, it was a discourse delivered to his community as a "service preparatory to the ordination of four elders, who were, there and then, ordained according to the principles therein exhibited." It was expanded and revised for the public at the request of the elders of that church.

His view of church leadership was based on scripture, where the New Testament churches were taken care of by overseers, or elders. I haven't found anywhere where it says local communities were led be one pastor/shepherd. It seems downright irrational and unfair to expect pastors to be all things to all people.

Paul and Barnabas appointed elders [plural] for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. ~ Acts 14:23 (NIV)

Here's what Duncan had to say:

God has not created offices in his house to afford to one man an opportunity to grow more important than another man; but to furnish every one with an occasion of doing all the good he can: and each minister, instead of growing supercilious because of his official distinction, might say with Moses, "would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them."

Now, you know that congregations ask their preachers to do a very great deal. They must preach twice or thrice on the sabbath, and, perhaps, two or three times in the week; they must visit the sick; bury the dead; .....and submit to every intrusion which the public at large shall conclude their supposed influence may warrant. Can human beings accomplish all this? Are flesh and blood equal to the task? Must not the preacher neglect the pulpit in order to answer these various calls?

Under all these views, it appears to me, that, while the preacher is taken from among the elders to expound the scriptures and conduct the public services of the sanctuary, they in their places are called to discharge whatever belongs to parochial visitation.

But here it may be necessary for me to state, that I am not seeking a retreat for myself, nor expressing any intention to decline my usual parochial services.....Yet whatever I may do, or may not do, your elders are called upon, by the Word of God, to exhort, to comfort, to reprove, to warn, to pray, among you, as opportunities may occur, or your situation may demand.

These are not "support roles". Overseer's jobs are to shepherd the flock, just as the preacher/teacher. No one is meant to bear the burden alone. All elders are called to feed, care for, and protect the flock.

Paul, in his exhortation to the elders of Ephesus, addresses, not a single elder, but a number. And he admonishes them as having a spiritual charge entrusted to them in common....Peter, in like manner, addresses, not an elder, but the elders [not only that but refers to himself as a fellow elder]; and he requires them to feed the flock of God, and cheerfully to take the oversight thereof.....Feeding the flock of God calls for much more than mere sanctuary services; and oversight is much more than mere preaching. Terms like these express full provision for the spiritual necessities of the church, that she may be edified, enlarged, sustained, refreshed. They include all that belongs to exhortation, prayer, watchfulness, consolation, warning, reproof, rule, &c. The elders must do all this, each one labouring in his own place, and according to his own ability; or, as the scriptures speak, some elders must preside well, and others must labour in word and doctrine. All are not intended to do the same thing, but a plurality exists to meet various wants.

Duncan, in referring to the elders being ordained in his church, says this about them:

They consider themselves to be invested with spiritual functions, and called to render spiritual services. They may exhort you to duty; they may comfort you by unfolding the merits of our beloved Redeemer, and the precious promises of our covenant God; they may warn you of the fearful consequences of sin; they may pray with and for you; they may sustain a spiritual parentage to your children;—in a thousand ways they may be helpers of your joy, and companions in your sorrows. And all this may be done from the purest, the kindest, and the most magnanimous motives, and with an assiduity which cannot fail to be a blessing.

Wow. Now, this is what he says to the church:

Now then, brethren, your duty is to "know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake." And again, I say, "obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves; for they Watch for your souls, as they that must give account: that they may do it with joy, and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you." It will be yours to receive them affectionately when they call upon you; to send for them when you are sick; to ask counsel of them when you need it; to converse freely with them of things divine; to listen in patience and love to their brotherly admonition; to bear them habitually on your hearts to the mercy-seat; and to afford them every facility in the discharge of their duties. What a glorious spiritual alliance is here! What a mingling of christian hearts! How well adapted the opportunity to a fine display of the social attributes of moral character! What tender sympathies, most happily elicited! These things never can be forgotten.

Sounds like a huge responsibility no matter where you find yourself, but it also sounds healthy and full of promise.

self-evaluation

Healing
Last night our church had a congregational meeting. The purpose was to spend an evening of worship and intercession to discern who we are as a church. After a few worship songs, people began to volunteer praiseworthy and honourable attributes they felt we as a church could claim. To some of us there, and some of us not, it was akin to pouring salt on the wounds. My saving grace was the bravery of one admirable and humble woman (who happens to be my very dear and close friend!). She graciously offered a heartfelt admonition to be more forgiving and less judgmental.

I understand that people are inclined to have perceptions based on their own personal experiences. For those who have not been judged, they will see the church as a shelter. For those who have not experienced partiality, they will feel a sense of comfort. For those who's side has been chosen, they will feel empathy.

My challenge is to stay on task, fix my eyes on Jesus, and to listen to the Father. I need to dig into the Word that "penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" (Heb. 4:12). I need to grow in wisdom, grace, and discernment. I need to be above reproach, walk in humility, to reach out, and to pray for the health of the community and it's people. I need to be brave and committed.

One thing David said was "authenticity with accountability". I like that. It was refreshing to hear those two words put together again after all these years. Those two attributes must be in sync.

Someone suggested that we as a community are unique. By definition, I would have to respectfully disagree. When we reflect Acts 2:42-47, I will be happy to agree that we are wonderfully unique:

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Here's my journal entry written 5 days prior to last night's meeting. These words still ring true for me:

It occurs to me that one might be tempted to think that everyone has been relatively happy with the state of affairs at church, despite escalating signs that all is not well. Thankfully the tide is turning and there is a conviction within the community to re-evaluate*.

I feel it's important to ensure that we cultivate an environment where people's cautions and concerns for the community are not brushed aside or disregarded. To settle for anything less than this is to be guilty of "groupthink", where maintaining the status quo is more important than the genuine needs of the community.

I personally hope that we can strive to come to a place where trust can be restored to the point where we can challenge each other in love and friendship, without fear of abandonment or rejection.

*time will tell just how willing we are to face the truth about ourselves as a community, and if we'll continue to pretend that Paul's words to Titus are not also applicable to us when he said, "At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another." (Titus 3:3)

He continues:

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone. ~ Titus 3:4-8

"The profound solutions to the ills of the community
are born at the feet of Jesus Christ"
~ Father Ignacio Larranaga