31. And so?

‘Church’ Meditations No.31: And So?

Acts 11:26 “So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.”

We finish where we started. How can we sum up what we’ve seen? Christians are those impacted by a God-encounter and who have been ‘born again’ and collectively are called ‘the church’ or ‘the body of Christ’. Each member of the body, when filled with the Holy Spirit, is then gifted by God to be a unique member who is guided, directed, inspired, and available to Him to share with and bless others. Individually and as ‘the body’ we are Jesus’ light to the world by our loving goodness and our inspired good works and our rejection of the ways, attitudes, and outlook of the world as we let Jesus be Lord in and through us.

But to finish these studies, perhaps we should emphasize the nature of the people we are becoming. (Please note the wording – are becoming. To use a common phrase, we are ‘works in progress’.)

To see this, observe Jesus ‘at work’: “A man with leprosy came… Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be clean!’ Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy,” (Mt 8:2,3) and “many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples.” (Mt 9:10) It is clear that Jesus was not bothered by either the physical or spiritual state of those who came to him; he was open to all.

This may be one of the most uncomfortable aspects of ‘church’ that we have been considering, if we think of our own spiritual community and how open the world around thinks we are. It is true that if we have blessed the world by our good works, that we have been considering recently, and letting Jesus’ light shine through us, it may open the hearts of the watching world to come to us as they came to Jesus. But having come to us, what do they find? Do they find us being judgmental of their outlook, attitudes, and ways of living? If they do, they will probably flee. Jesus’ acceptance of crooked Zacchaeus (Lk 19) is a salutary lesson.

But the truth is that the hurting world saw that Jesus had what they needed – the ability to change them – and they saw it in what I may call an environment of loving acceptance. Do our neighbors, the onlooking world, see that in us? God’s heart is for His world: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,” (Jn 3:16) and “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us…. while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son.” (Rom 5:8,10) So, can we be part of a living body (not an institution) that reveals this same love that opens the heart of the world around us and glorifies Him? It is possible. Pray and act. 

30. Changing the world (2)

‘Church’ Meditations No.30: Changing the world (2)

Mt 28:19 “go and make disciples of all nations.”

In the previous study we considered the ‘good works’ of the Church that have blessed the world through the years of the era of the Church. However, we cannot finish this series without mention of ‘the Great Commission’, of which the starter verse is part, but we do it now in the context of considering how, as we concluded yesterday, we can individually become world-changers.   

The truth is that we can help physically, or we can offer therapy, but it will not bring the vital change that is needed in the world – salvation through the death of Christ. Good works may be used to open hearts but ‘making disciples’ is the ultimate calling of the Church in respect of the world. God may come in sovereign Revival as has been seen in history, or He may simply leave it to us to obey the Great Commission. Pray for the first, work for the second! 

But perhaps we should ask, how did Jesus go about His Father’s business in his three years of ministry? Well first we see him declaring in the synagogue in Nazareth, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour,” (Lk 4:18,19) and then later describing to John the Baptist’s disciples how he was doing that, “the blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.” (Mt 11:5)

It is clear from the wider text that these can be interpreted both spiritually and physically. Now we may feel defensive and prefer it to be ‘spiritually’ but Jesus did say, “whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing.” (Jn 14:12) Now some may attribute ‘power evangelism’ to apostles only but may I suggest we each need to be open and available to Jesus for him to do through us what he will, and we can start from a very simple starting point. So, for example, we have built a relationship with a friend who is not yet a believer (start with that positive description) and they open up and share a need that may be emotional, spiritual, or even physical. Be gentle in your approach (see 1 Pet 3:15) but nevertheless perhaps ask, “Would it be all right for me to pray for you?” and when they say ‘Yes’ just do it and leave the rest up to Jesus. I wish I had done this more, but I have known the Lord turning up for non-Christians with healing and life-changing activity. Them being healed may or may not be sufficient to encourage them through the door into the kingdom but that’s not down to you. Be prompted, act, and leave the rest to the Lord. 

29. Changing the World (1)

‘Church’ Meditations No.29: Changing the world (1)

Mt 5:13“You are the salt of the earth.”

Now in earlier studies we covered how we may be light to the world (see Mt 5:14) but the other world-changing ingredient Jesus spoke of is salt which not only purifies but also enhances flavor and makes a meal more enjoyable. Now let’s ask very simply, how in the past has Jesus and the church brought good change to the world? How have we ‘flavored’ the world and improved it.

Christian historians have done a good job pointing out how the Church has blessed the world. For further reading, check out Rodney Stark’s ‘The Triumph of Christianity’ and ‘The Victory of Reason’, Tom Holland’s ‘Dominion’, John Dickson’s ‘Bullies and Saints’, and finally Glen Scrivener’s, ‘The Air we Breathe’. It’s an area where many Christians display their ignorance so let’s, by way of a summary, quote from ‘Understanding the Culture’ by Jeff Myers who itemizes how Christians have impacted the world through the era of the Church, speaking of:

“how Christians, acting on their biblical beliefs,

• advanced human rights,
• applied biblical principles of justice and dignity to fight for the abolition of slavery,
• secured the basis of rights for women and children,
• established modern education,
• formed the practice of modern medicine,
• instituted principles of modern charity,
• built the foundations of modern science and shaped the arts.”

Wow!

The historians we cited above reveal how it has been Christians, not out of any sense of guilt or being driven by divine force, who have so often been the driving force for change, mostly in Western societies. In addition to these ‘good works’, ‘famous-name-Christians’ in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, initially on their own but then through organizations they founded, purposefully started worldwide missionary work and many of those organizations still continue their work worldwide. But when we consider the hurts and needs that still exist in our fallen world – we still have poverty or slavery in large numbers, and there are still injustices across the world (often by so-called world religions as people such as Richard Dawkins pointed out) – so that the needs are so great that the only way to respond is to ask the Lord in prayer to guide us where and how we will minister. Feeling purposeless? Pray and ask for that direction.  Often this is by helping an existing organization but in the next study we’ll consider the individual’s world-changing ability.

28. What are Leaders? (3)

‘Church’ Meditations No.28: What are Leaders? (3)

Jas 3:4b “they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.”

We have, in the previous two studies, been considering the expectations within the Bible of leaders. I realise this can be a sensitive subject because the leader is always the butt of whatever criticisms are flying around, but I believe if in the local church we gave more thought to this subject and worked to apply the things we’ve observed so far, it would put local leadership in a far more healthy, and thus stronger, position than is frequently true.

Now I know our starter verse today appears randomly snatched out of Scripture, James’ reference to the power of the tongue, but I want to take that picture and apply it to leadership.  I believe that the leader, by attitude, word, and action can act as a rudder who, although often feeling small and inadequate, can bring about significant change in the direction, style, and nature and activity of the local church.

It can happen when the things we covered in the previous study are in place so that the ‘leader’ has such humble, godly, and servant-hearted influence in the church, that others listen and gladly follow. As the ‘body of Christ’ the church should surely influence the surrounding world in the same way that Jesus impacted and changed the lives of people in the world around him. To be able to do that, I would suggest that that requires the ‘leader’ (or leadership team) –

– to teach the church who they are in Christ,

– to teach them who they are as his gifted ‘body’,

– and convey a vision of what they could be if they live as that, applying the word of God to all aspects of their individual and corporate lives.

Now let’s be honest, this is a challenging and serious mandate for leadership. It is challenging because it means change, encouraging people to mature and develop and therefore change in their faith – and people often don’t like change. But this is where the vision aspect comes in for vision raises faith if it is conveyed in such a way as to feel achievable. ‘Grace’ teaching (“you can”) lifts vision possibilities whereas ‘Law’ teaching (“you must”) feels like it is imposing something on the people.  Grace lifts, Law burdens. It is also a serious challenge because the church is called to be salt and light (Mt 5) in the local community and although individual members may shine brightly, for the church to be doing the same, needs prayer and teaching, example and vision, to create an anticipation of ‘what could be’. As we have commented before, the Church of the twenty-first century has not done well in the West in this respect, but it is never too late to change that. It must start with leaders.   

27. What are Leaders? (2)

‘Church’ Meditations No.27: What are Leaders? (2)

Heb 13:7 “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.”

As we continue to consider various facets of what the church is, again we face the reality of what a true leader in the church is. They are not someone just voted in because they are ‘nice people’ but they are recognized as those who have the calling and anointing of God on their lives and, as we saw yesterday, their lives stand out as godly and humble examples to be followed by the flock.

All the instructions in the New Testament about leaders of the local church speak of maturity that others will want to emulate, to follow similarly. This places a greater responsibility on leaders than is usually understood.

Now in this and the previous study we have pointed out a variety of things that the New Testament expects of a leader (looking after the flock) but there is one overriding thing that we haven’t emphasized enough and that is that a leader LEADS. Now this may sound so obvious but in a church context I don’t believe it is. Perhaps it is something that is difficult if not impossible to quantify and in many ways I am not sure I covered all the bases when I led a church, but let me try and pin down just a few of the things that we should think about here.

First there is the question of individual spirituality and by that I expect a spiritual leader (as distinct from a ‘deacon’ – a servant leader concerned with the physical wellbeing of the church) to be first and foremost a person of the word and of prayer. I am certain that some ‘leaders’ read the Bible purely to get resources for the Sunday preach and where this is so, I suggest they fail on the greatest use of the Bible – to keep them God-aware at all times. Alongside that, prayer should become a real and genuine expression of the relationship they have with the Lord.

Second, I suggest (after a number of years pondering on this and possibly my own shortcomings in this area in the past) that the leader’s relationship with others who exercise leadership roles in the local church is vital, both as an example and as a mentor who is there for all the others, being knowledgeable of them, of what they struggle with, and what goes on in their lives. The reason I say that, is that I believe it is a ‘two-way street’ and fellowship flows when there is openness on both sides, so when there is that openness it enables two-way accountability. If that is absent, it becomes one of the reasons that leaders become vulnerable and open to temptation in various forms – pride, superiority, sensual temptations etc.

Third, and this is part of the previous matter, I would suggest that reality is measured by how much these leaders pray together. Ponder on that and pray for them. 

26. What are Leaders? (1)

‘Church’ Meditations No.26: What are Leaders? (1)

Heb 13:7 “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.”

We need to consider more fully the crucial question, ‘What is a leader’ as we have already made reference to ‘leadership’ We talk so glibly about leaders although the New Testament indicates leading is a gifting (Rom 12:8) from God, i.e. one called and equipped by God. It’s worth reiterating the names given in the New Testament: Pastor (shepherd who cares for and provides for the flock), Overseer (one who watches over the flock to protect it) and Elder (one clearly revealing maturity). ALL of these are about CARING for the flock of God, a monumental task.

Perhaps out of that list we should emphasize some of their tasks: a) to feed the flock (with the word of God), to heal up the wounded sheep (with care and counsel and prayer ministry), to stand against untruths, thus needing to know falsehoods, deceptions etc. and authoritatively counter them with the truth, and to bring wisdom into the care and running of the church and individual lives as the need arises. This list of activities is not for the faint-hearted but only for the God-anointed leader and thus where that anointing and calling is absent, ‘church’ just becomes a club where people turn up, participate and then leave – unchanged!

And that takes us to the heart of the life of ‘church’ as decreed by heaven: God expects people to be changed, redemption and sanctification is all about people changing to move further and further away from the old self-centred, godless life that they experienced before they came to Christ, and nearer and nearer to the picture of godly Christlikeness that the New Testament presents.

Maturity is an expectation: “we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Eph 4:13) and then “speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” (Eph 4:15) Maturity is about growing up, about change, about gradual transformation. It is what the New Testament assumes for every believer. Now back in our starter verse, the writer gives three instructions: “(i) Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. (ii) Consider the outcome of their way of life and (iii) imitate their faith.” This is all about example. The (real & genuine) leader is to live such a life that it speaks to the rest of the flock and sets them an example to follow, an example that should encourage, build up and strengthen each person within the flock as, when they look at their leaders and see the quality of their lives, they realize, ‘it works!’ More in the next study. 

25. Restoring the Light (2)

‘Church’ Meditations No.25: Restoring the Light (2)

Gal 3:28“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, NOR IS THERE MALE AND FEMALE, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Following on from yesterday we need to emphasize something that is largely omitted from discussions of the role of women in leadership and, as we put in the main notes yesterday, this applies as much to men in leadership as to women. The Church is not a club or an organization where people decide to make leadership a career, but it is a body where GOD chooses who He will raise up, so the role of the body is simply to recognize the work of calling that God has clearly and obviously started to do in the individual.

In denominational settings, potential ‘leaders’ share their sense of calling which is then ‘tested’ by senior members of the denomination. In non-denominational settings, the likelihood is that individual members simply serve the church, and the church observes and recognizes a gifting in them that sets them apart. With both approaches the emphasis is placed on the signs within the individual that God has been calling them into leadership roles.

So what are likely signs of this calling? Speaking about ‘overseers’ (local leaders who are to watch over, guard and protect the flock), Paul wrote to Titus, “he must be blameless – (Note the 5 ‘not’s) not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, (Note the 6 positive criteria following) he must be (i) hospitable, (ii) one who loves what is good, (iii) who is self-controlled, (iv) upright, (v) holy and (vi) disciplined. (Furthermore) He must (vii) hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so (in order) that he can (a) encourage others by sound doctrine and (b) refute those who oppose it.” (Titus 1:7-9) When we see these levels of maturity AND a desire to serve the flock in humility, we may start sensing that this person is in line for God’s appointing to a leadership role.

In order to counter the many failures of leadership that have been observed across the Church in recent years, may we suggest that such people must ensure they are accountable to others of spiritual maturity in the Church, and never see themselves as superior, but simply as servants. Accountability means they are open to others, can feel secure with those others, and can therefore share openly with them in order that help, support and encouragement can be received. When we start operating Christian leadership in this way, the reputation of the church will be enlarged. Leaders are those with vision who go ahead by example and encourage others to follow and enter into all the good gifting that God has for individuals in the flock. Love, openness, acceptance, and security are the ways of the kingdom. 

24. Restoring the Light (1)

‘Church’ Meditations No.24: Restoring the Light (1)

Gal 3:28“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, NOR IS THERE MALE AND FEMALE, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

We may be able to suggest physical, emotional, and mental differences between male and female, but as to ‘being a Christian’ there are no differences. If there are differences in gifting, it will be because of what God has decreed for the individual, and a case can be made that the differences in gifting we see in specific individuals in the Bible, take into account the cultural/historical applications we considered yesterday.

Perhaps The crucial factor is personal character and availability to God and then subsequently the anointing of God. Watch for these things.

But how, perhaps, may we summarize what the Bible teaches us about the role of women. Well, the first and most obvious thing was that the buck stopped with men perhaps because they, as we said above, tended to be the stronger and so they took the main leadership roles (and so often got it wrong!). However there are exceptions who really stand out so, for example:

– Tamar (Gen 38) – a woman concerned with the family line

– Hannah (Jud 1) – a woman who prayed

– Deborah (Judg 4) – a prophetic leader

– Rahab (Josh 2) – a foreigner with faith

– Naomi & Ruth (Ruth 1-) – women of faith

– Abigail (1 Sam 25) – a woman of great wisdom

– The Noble Wife (Prov 31:10-) a picture of the wise & industrious wife.

What do these Old Testament women teach us First, they are acknowledged by God for their righteousness. Second, sometimes they stood out when men failed to take a right lead. There are others we could add to this list that the Bible exalts – Sarah, Rebekah etc. In the New Testament, for obvious reasons Elizabeth and Mary stand out, but so also do Mary Magdalene, Mary & Martha. All of these women are highly significant in the eyes of the Lord. There are also other women who appear in the text as those who stand out for their faith.

When Joel prophesied about the day when the Holy Spirit would be poured out, he declared, “Your sons and daughters will prophesy,” (Joel 2:28, Acts 2:17) and we learn about Philip’s four prophetic daughters (Acts 21:8,9). Perhaps we need to remind ourselves that many of these women were first and foremost wives (and some mothers) but that didn’t limit them as being women of influence in the kingdom of God. Conclusion? Where God anoints, who are we to say that this woman should not preach, prophesy, or contribute to the leadership of the church. We should also note that that should also be the criteria for men to stand out! 

23. Failing Light (2)

‘Church’ Meditations No.23: Failing Light (2)

1 Pet 1:15,16 “just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.”

Yesterday we started observing how the modern church has failed in its mandate that Peter brings before us – to be holy – and has thus allowed its reputation to flounder. But this hasn’t only been a failure of moral accountability, but it has also been a slowness to think and understand and realize the good and the bad of social, historical changes, that we have been slow to recognize. Thus there have been needs to rethink such subjects as sexism and racism and hold them in a holy perspective before God, if we may put it like that, to see how God wants us to think differently. How open are we to the truths about these things? In this and the next study, let’s see what this is about. In these next studies, by way of example, we’ll consider sexism.

Sexism is the showing prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, purely on the basis of gender (sex). We have three issues to consider as believers: first how gender differences created ‘power imbalances’, second, how gender power has changed in the last century and, third, how ‘church’ has not handled repositioning of gender in line with Scripture. That latter one then leads us to consider the distinction between historical gender cultural differences and differences of principle.

Now when I used the phrase ‘power imbalances’ I mean the ability (or otherwise) to determine one’s own course in life. Historically men tended to be physically more powerful and ‘went out to work’ and the role of the woman was to bear and raise children. In the fallen, sinful world, this meant that men, rather than seeing the woman as an equal partner in family life, often tended to hold attitudes that actually demeaned the woman. Living with the norms taught in the New Testament, the marriage partnership should be a partnership of equal blessing, but in the fallen world it often isn’t. When Christian partners start living in accord with the New Testament, they will be revealing the light of Jesus (see previous series, ‘Living in the Will of God’, studies 19-21).

‘Gender power’ changed in the twentieth century, first with the arrival of birth control so the woman gained sexual freedom, and then by the social changes brought about by both the First and Second World Wars where women were relied upon in new ways to support the men at war, and thus gained greater standing in society. Perhaps we should observe that the Bible records a period in history before these changes took place and thus we should not be surprised that the ‘equality’ of the role of women was not so obvious. However, it was there and so we should give some more thought to this in the next study. 

22. Failing Light (1)

‘Church’ Meditations No.22: Failing Light (1)

Jn 1:4 “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.”

So we’re coming to the culmination of these recent studies that have been about how we, the Church, may reveal the light of Jesus through our lives, and we focused on good behavior and then the absence of bad behavior and finally of being people of truth and integrity. Now this verse from the early part of John, brings all these things together.

Now here’s a challenge – Jesus’ very life, his truthfulness, honesty, graciousness, compassion, obedience to the Father, all were forms of the light he shed. It was his very life that shone into the darkness around it and transformed it. Here is the big question about the Church: does it transform society?

Tragically modern history shows that we have not transformed our societies in the West, for society’s ailments have increased not decreased. Yes, there are many things better today than say a hundred years ago, but the good is almost being overwhelmed by the bad. So what is the call to the Church and how have we failed it?  We ask these questions not to heap guilt upon ourselves but in order to recognize what has happened and why, and then what can we do to change that?

There are, I believe, various parts to this answer.

The first answer is to do with our perception of the Bible. I know this is a generalization, but I think it is true, but I am convinced that the majority of the modern Church doesn’t really believe the teaching of the Bible and if their response is to deny that, one has to ask, why then do we not follow its teaching and the experience taught in the New Testament, some of the things we’ve already been considering in respect of the work and presence of the Holy Spirit?

But there is more to this answer that has to do with the moral or ethical aspects of the teaching of the New Testament and the life of the modern church. How is it that in certain parts of the Church their moral reputation that was once good, is now marred by multiple cases of child or general sexual abuse? The answer is threefold.  

First, we have so exalted spiritual leadership (often accentuated by strange clothes!!) that such men (and it has been mostly men) have been beyond contradiction so sin has continued without query. Second, there has been no accountability; these men have been above their peers and so no one has felt able to challenge what may be questionable behavior.   Third, the weak spiritual life of the Church has allowed such men to continue in their ‘ministries’ without people noticing their absence of power or their weak or shallow teaching. These are difficult things to face and there are two more areas we have yet to cover in the coming studies.