“A horrible and shocking thing has happened in this land— the prophets give false prophecies, and the priests rule with an iron hand. Worse yet, my people like it that way! But what will you do when the end comes?”
Jeremiah 5:30-31 NLT
http://bible.com/116/jer.5.30-31.nlt
Jeremiah says the priests rule with iron fists and the people like it.
Let me first give a disclaimer: This is one verse and a more careful study is called for before developing a theology. And I have a personal bias for what I am about to say, so I am not impartial. Nonetheless, I want to think about what the verse may imply. And it is my journal, so I get to do what I want.
I think this ruling with an iron fist happens today and a lot of people like it today also. When I was a wee one, I used to think that the church was the only institution and I was unaware of the business world. As I grew I began to see the business world learning from the church. Servant leadership was all the rage. Lead like Jesus was a popular topic. Then I started to see how the church was learning from the business world. Mission statements and leadership training were catching on. I completely endorse this cross-pollination. I think that both institutions are better for it.
Yet I think that we need to reevaluate some aspects of this. I always thought that a best practice in one sphere would be appropriate in the other sphere. So I endorsed complete transfer of best practices. However, I have changed my mind. I now think that appropriate best practice transfer is better. The church and business are not the same; they have many similarities and overlap all over, but they are also distinctly different.
This brings me to one area, guided by Jeremiah’s verse, where I think we got it wrong. It can be very healthy for a company to have strong top-down leadership for a company to be effective, and stay focussed. However, I believe that same strong (iron fist) leadership in the church is counter-productive. Yet people generally like it a lot. Strong top down leadership is comfortable because we are told what to do. We don’t have to think, and all the risk is on the leader and his leadership team to decide the right path. Yet a basic tenet of Christianity is the individuals connectedness to God and individual direction from Him. This is the fundamental difference with a business.
I think that God would prefer a bottom up leadership in the local church where the primary role of leadership is to prepare the people of the church to do ministry. But there are some big challenges to do this. This model does not fit well with the mega-church. People are generally very happy to outsource our christian life to a church staff. Most pastors, as I would, don’t want to be less in control and less the center of the church. As people we generally evaluate a church on the program and the leadership, when the most important commitment is to the people in the body you join.
So where does that leave us? I think the best thing is to be a leader in your sphere of influence. Are you a parent? Lead your family. Don’t just go with the flow. Do you live in a community? Yes. Be a leader there. You don’t have to be in charge to give some leadership. Are you in a ministry in a church? Offer leadership there. Start making decisions. Think. Pray. Evaluate. Discuss. Then trust yourself to make decisions. Do ministry. Show Jesus to others outside of church programs.
Lord. I rant. Sorry if I go overboard. I feel strongly about this and I think we are of one mind. Please help me and the rest of your church to be little leaders. Help us to not be so institution focused. Help me know if I am full of poop. Love Tom
No comments:
Post a Comment