Relevance or Wisdom

The add council has an add that ask the questions, a choice between this or that, this or that. You are choosing between a 200 year old tree or clean water…etc. There can be no right answer; you loose either way.

I would like to propose a question somewhat like those, but it does have a right answer. Truth is truth or it is all false; there is no in between. Given a choice, would you choose your church members to be culturally relevant or people full of wisdom? You see, you can not have both. I have found after being in the same church many, many years that once the body embraces relevance then those with wisdom leave or are asked to leave. Relevance is not based in truth but in culture. Wisdom leaves because it can not tolerate foolishness. Somewhere along the road we as a church visible have lost the understanding of not being conformed to this world. Today’s relevance does not embrace Be ye Holy for I am Holy any more.

Given a choice, which would you choose?

Allen

Here is a posting from the WSJ. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704111704575355311122648100.html#printMode

Bodies, Budgets, and Buildings

As I listen to the Southern Baptist Convention, one thing I notice is that the pedigree of all leaders presented consists of how many people their church has in attendance (from # to #). Next is how large their budget is, and somewhere is the building program they have or are a part of. Baptisms are thrown in there at the end, but I surmise that those are mostly children or denominational changes. As I read in ACTS, I only hear if SOULS added to the church.

It’s all about appearances not Holiness, Truth, Growth.
Allen

"At the end of the day........"

One must consider the "Beginning of the day......." before he/she can declare the end of the day.
Psalms 26 states that "I have walked in mine integrity" If I start that way then the End of the day will be satisfying.

Let's start right so we can end right
Allen

Swimming Pools, Beaches and Churches

Ephesians 4:11 states that God” gave to the church Apostles, Prophets, Evangelist, Pastors and Teachers.” Also are deacons and Elders. You have heard or possibility taught that there are not Apostles after the original 13, also prophets are suspect as well. I contend all these exist today and should be recognized as such. Most SBC teach that the Pastor is 3 in 1, i.e. Pastor, Bishop, Elder. I also contend that all these positions serve specific functions and you can not lump them under one or two leaders.

What does this have to do with swimming pools and beaches and churches?

Consider a membership pool for a moment….
You have an enclosure for the pool, a lifeguard, a maintaince staff, swimmers, etc.
The job of the lifeguard is to keep and eye on the swimmers and watch for dangers and maintain order. (Pastor)
The job of the maintaince staff is to make sure trash is up, things run orderly etc. (Deacons)
The job of Lifeguard instructors is to train the lifeguards to do the best job that they can (Apostles)
One job around the pool or beach is to beware of dangers lurking around. Sharks, Broken pipes, blind spots, currents, etc. Warning the lifeguard and swimmers is very important. (Prophets)
Every pool / beach needs someone to extol the virtues of their place. Someone must convince others to come to the Life and Life abundantly [water] at their place (Evangelist)
There are those that will be good swimmers that can go to the deep and will help those that can not swim a well get better and make good decision about how far they can go (Elders)
There are those that can give lessons on being a better swimmer (Teachers)
Some pools / beaches will double up some of these jobs, but all are specific and unique.


You see, our churches have Pastors that should be watching the members for dangers. What happens when he gets distracted by other things? The members are in danger.
All Pastors should be taught by Apostles to keep them up to date.
Deacons aught to be about making sure the members have a safe environment out of the water.
Prophets should be diligent to warn of dangers in the water and around the church.
Evangelist should invite others to come to Jesus and be with the church.
Elders should train those less mature to become more mature. Help them along.
Teachers should give good lessons of instruction.

Let us give everyone a chance to do what God has put in the church to be used by the church.

LEADER OR DICTATOR

How would you define a leader or leadership? How would you compare a leader to a dictator?
Both a leader and a dictator could be said to have the same skill sets, however the greatest difference in the two is proximity. Great leaders are closer to the subjects than good leaders.
How can One lead from afar? Do they not then Dictate their wishes? I can lead you out of the forest better beside you than I can 300' ahead.

Do you wonder why members in mega-churches do not do a very good job of being involved? I contend that the Pastors have quit leading and began dictating. There seems to be the unapproachablility of Pastors today. This disconnect is what defines Leader from Dictator.

Psalm 23 declares that HE will lead me beside the still waters. It does not say HE will tell me how to walk beside the still waters!

As churches get larger and larger, we have fewer and fewer leading and more and more telling.
As Pastors you need to get back to being closer to those you "felt called" to lead.

Allen

Falling UP or Falling DOWN

So many times I think I am progressing just to find that it is not so. I have viewed progress as an upward path; that relevance is upward. Man am I wrong! I got blasted by my wife when she said that for the first 10 years things were great, then the last 7 have been down hill. What happened? I thought that I was progressing to a higher plane, that I have advanced in knowledge, technology, job status, Christian growth, husbandry, etc…

1 Peter 3:7:
7Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
Now this is strong stuff.

Revelation 2
1Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
2I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
3And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
4Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
5Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
The progress that I thought I made upward was really downward. You do not Fall up!
Do we not realize that relevance is not upward, that we should do those things we did before that were on the higher plane. We have fallen from higher to lower even in our quest for Vision and progress.
We should use the KISS method. Keep It Simple Stupid.

TO + TO does not equal FOR

In reading Ephesians 6: I noticed the phrase that Jesus gave Himself FOR the church. Now that is profound against giving TO the church. It is a mindset (attitude) to differentate between these two views.





You see, when you are TO something you are essentailly adding to the .....


When you do FOR then it is a selfless act, giving up for the betterment of ......

When you do things for someone or something then the act will selfless; when you are asked to do TO something it tends to be prideful.

Are you a Pastor to the _________? or are you a Pastor for ____________?

The attitude one has will determine it's success.

Let's be For and not To.

Allen