Politics and the Church - Pt. 2

This is the second part of a series on the politics of church.  Specifically, on the similarities (and necessary differences) between the American political system and the 21st century church.  It sounds boring, but it's not...I promise.  If you missed part one, I'd encourage you to read it before continuing...

Yesterday I suggested that elders in the church should act more like Supreme Court Justices than Senators.  Yet, as I watch the goings on in Washington D.C. this week, I'm beginning to wonder.

Justices on the U.S. Supreme Court are supposed to be separated from politics.  They're supposed to be accountable to no one but the law.  They're supposed to be upholders of the Constitution, rather than of their own ideologies or preferences.  But, as you may have noticed, there are few things in American politics that are more political than a Presidential appointment to the highest court in the land.

This week, in the midst of confirmation hearings for soon-to-be Justice Elena Kagan, two 5-4 decisions were handed out by the current Supreme Court on very controversial issues.  The five "right-leaning" members on one side.  The four "left-leaning" members on the other.  And this happens a lot.  Justices appointed by Republican presidents in one camp.  Justices appointed by Democratic presidents in another.

Obviously, individuals are going to have varying interpretations of the law from time to time.  I understand that.  But consistent 5-4 votes, split along idealogical lines, can't be coincidence.  It's obvious that upholding the Constitution often comes second to personal belief systems or political concerns.  Which leads me to my second point in this series...

2.  Elders, truly acting as a spiritual "Supreme Court" within the church, must be able to separate themselves from church politics, be accountable to no one but Christ, and be upholders of the Bible, rather than of their own ideologies or preferences.

Any thought or inclination that elders are supposed to push through plans or programs or policies is, yet again, putting the power in the wrong place.  Church is not a democracy, and elders are not called to "do the will of the people" (or the pastor).  As knowledgeable, wise, and God-fearing, they are called to pray for direction and then carry out that direction under the guidelines of the Bible.

There will be pressure from many sides to fire that guy or start this program.  To play that song or show this video.  There may even be members of the church staff who try to twist arms and break legs in order to get their way.  But, regardless of who is applying pressure, and regardless of how much money they give to the church, we have to remember that it's not about them, it's about Him.  It's not about politics, it's about prayer.  It's not about status, it's about submission.  It's not about style or size or sermon-topics, it's about staying true to God's plan for the church...regardless of who doesn't like it.

Next time:  True spiritual leadership doesn't involve counting votes.

Politics and the Church - Pt. 1

Today I begin a brief series on the church.  Specifically, on how the American church seems to have adopted our country's political system of government, rather than a biblical one.

As you probably know, I've never been one to shy away from difficult topics, and I fully realize that these posts may step on a few toes.  It is not my intention to condemn any specific church or denomination, but rather begin a dialog on how we might all be able to do things more effectively and, ultimately, more biblically.

Patterning our churches after America's political structure is, I think, dangerous.  Especially since our system of government was developed in the late 1700's, while the Bible was written thousands of years prior.  It kind of seems backward to me.

However, since so many churches seem to be set up in this "democratic" way, perhaps it will be helpful to continue with the political analogies.

1.  Elders should be more like Supreme Court justices than Senators.

Contrary to popular belief, the American political system is not actually a democracy...it's a representative republic.  'We the people' elect representatives (Congress) to do our bidding in Washington D.C.  To fight for our wishes.  It's a "from the bottom up" type of system that puts us in control.  Whether it be taxes, security or education, if we don't like the direction things are going, the first Tuesday in November is never far away.  Changes can be made.  And they often are.

Supreme Court justices, however, operate very differently.  Each of the nine judges is nominated (for life) by the President, not elected.  They are (ideally) put in power because of their experience, wisdom, knowledge and character - not to do the bidding of the people, but to interpret the Constitution.  To provide guidance and direction based on the law.  To ensure that the country's leaders are governing and legislating within the parameters set forth by our forefathers.

  

With those two definitions in mind, what is the role of an elder in your church?  Do they do the people's bidding, rather than provide guidance and direction based on the Bible?  Are they voted into power, rather than placed there because of their experience, wisdom and character (1 Timothy 3:2)?  Are they the congregation's mouthpiece when the drums are too loud, rather than "overseers" or "leaders" of the church's overall direction?

In a representative republic, the body controls the head.  And frankly, in our churches, it seems that we rather enjoy that style of government.  We relish that kind of power.  We like the knowledge that if we disagree with our leadership about worship style, sermon topics or the number of spaces in the parking lot, we have recourse.  We can vote them out, or at least complain loudly enough to them with the hopes that they'll whip the pastor or worship leader into shape for us.

Unfortunately, that's not how it is...or at least how the Bible says it should be.  Christianity is not a representative republic.  It's a monarchy (dictatorship maybe?), with Christ at the head.  Elders are not vote counters.  They're leaders and shepherds, with the Bible as their guide.

Acts 20:28 (ESV), speaking to elders (or "overseers"), reminds us that they are not given a position of authority within the church by the church, but instead, by the Holy Spirit:  "Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God..."

If "we the people" vote elders into "office", that makes them accountable to us...just like Senators are accountable to the American people.  But if elders are called by God, they'll be accountable to Him and Him alone as they provide leadership and direction for the church.

Right?

Next time:  What Makes a Good Supreme Court Justice/Elder?

What I'm Not...

As much time as we spend in this life trying to figure out what (and who) we are...I think it's equally important to invest in learning what (and who) we aren't.  Knowing and understanding the qualities and tendencies that you don't have can be critical in making all sorts of decisions, like where to go to college, which career to pursue and even what person to marry.

For example, if you're not a studier, you might want to steer clear of MIT or Harvard.  If you're someone who just doesn't handle stress very well, you probably don't want to apply for a job at a nuclear power plant.  If you're not adventurous, you probably shouldn't walk down the aisle with anyone who has "Knievel" in his or her name.

You'll need to make your own list of course, but I figured it might be helpful to write down ten things that I am not.  (This was harder than I thought.  Not to come up with, but to admit...)

1.  I am not a maintainer.
2.  I am not content with "the way things have always been."
3.  I am not a fan of history.  (Since history repeats itself, I'll see it the next time around.)
4.  I am not sentimental.
5.  I am not into details.
6.  I am not careful with money.
7.  I am not a follower.
8.  I am not disciplined.
9.  I am not cut out for a desk job.
10. I am not patient.

So, what aren't you?

Too Much of a Good Thing

Life requires water.  In fact, most experts agree that humans can't survive for longer than a week or so without it.  The plants in my yard would agree.  71% of the Earth's surface is covered in water.  The average person's body is made up of about 60% water.  Water quenches thirst and soothes sore muscles.  It cleanses and it purifies.

The ironic thing is that (as essential as water is) it can do so much damage.  Too much water on the ground leads to flooding.  Too much water in your lungs leads to drowning.  A tiny leak can cause thousands of dollars in damage due to mold or rot.  A periodic drip can even cause the steadiest of souls to lose their cool.

As critical as water is to our everyday lives, in the wrong doses or in the wrong places, it can be absolutely devastating.  And I'm finding that there are plenty of aspects of my life that are much the same way.  There are parts of me that are good...great even...and yet have the potential to be devastating.

Confidence can easily become arrogance.  Drive can easily become recklessness.  Independence can easily become escapism.  Curiosity can easily become addiction.  Passion can easily become anger.  For me, these God-given qualities are critical to be sure.  But, I'm also learning that, if used in the wrong doses or in the wrong places, they can be devastating.

What qualities do you have that can be taken to an extreme?

Divorce Doesn't Change You

When I went through my divorce six years ago, one of my prayers was that (in time) I would have the opportunity to help others whose marriages were on the brink...or who had already been through a split.  To be honest, I haven't done a whole lot of that.  Almost none actually.  I don't really have a good excuse either.

But, the other day, I was challenged with a simple thought that might be helpful, whether you're marriage is falling apart or is already broken.

If you're currently thinking about divorce, you need to understand: divorce doesn't change you.  It hurts, of course.  It alters the course of your life, naturally.  But divorce doesn't change the things about you that contributed to the problems you're now having.  If you consistently struggle with jealousy or anger or deception or a lack of courage, it's likely not caused by the person you're married to.  It's your issue.  Thus, it's not going to magically change if you walk out.  That kind of stuff goes with you...right into your next relationship.  It's going to take work on your part to fix those things, whether or not you stay married.

If you think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, there are one of two possibilities:

1.  It isn't
2.  Your neighbor worked his or her tail off to make it that way

Now, if you've already been through a divorce, I'll offer the same advice: divorce doesn't change you.  The pain, guilt, embarrassment and even remorse that you feel do not change the fact that you're a child of God.  That He loves you no matter where you've been or what you've done.  Going through a divorce doesn't preclude you from living out your calling in life, nor does it include you in some sort of "Christian castaway bin".

Nearly every hero of the Bible made incredibly poor choices during their lifetime.  Abraham slept with a woman who wasn't his wife.  Moses committed murder.  David slept with a woman who wasn't his wife and then committed murder.  Each of them, despite their less than stellar resumes, was instrumental in God's plan.

No matter what side of the fence you're standing on, one truth remains:  divorce doesn't change you...God does.

Ignoring People is the Key to Success

If you want to know the secret to growing your church, business or online following, it's this: start ignoring people. Don't go after the people in your community who aren't coming to your Sunday services.  Don't market to people who haven't yet bought your product.  Don't change your blog or website to attract those who haven't been there before.  Ignore them.

Is that counter-intuitive?  Yes.   Is it harsh?  Maybe.  But it works...and here's why:  When organizations spend too much time trying to attract new members (or trying to appease those who don't like what's currently being offered), they inevitably end up doing two things:

1.  Abandoning their original fan base

2.  Attracting the wrong "new people"

Our morning show fan page on Facebook is the perfect example.  On several occasions we have run contests in order to increase membership.  Each time the giveaways have been successful, but they haven't been productive.  We've seen a noticeable bump in our numbers, but it's always been a temporary increase.  First of all, the contest isn't attractive to our existing members because they're already in the group.  Secondly, most new people come for the "prize", and then either leave or wait around (silently) for their next chance to win something.  We've attracted takers, not participants.  We've used our time, energy and resources to artificially inflate our numbers, when we could have been using them to create excitement amongst the 6,000 fans we already have.

It's amazing though...every time we post content (blogs, pictures, links, etc.) that our true fans are excited about, our numbers automatically grow anyway.  And they grow with fans, not fakes.

If you're leading any type of organization or group, it's not your job to bring in new members.  It's your job to turn your current members into passionate members, and then let them do the rest.  People who are excited about a product or service or movement will tell others about it.  They'll share their passion with friends and family and co-workers and neighbors.  Your numbers will grow, and they'll grow with people who truly want to be a part of what you're doing.

Excite the people you have.  Ignore the rest.  They'll come anyway.

Push or Pull?

When dealing with people, whether it be a spouse, child, employee or customer, each of us has one of two options:

1.  We can pull them close
2.  We can push them away

I think most of us would say that we do more pulling than pushing.  We do more uniting than dividing.  More team-building than wedge-driving.  But, in reality, I'm not so sure that's true.

Ultimately, the difference lies in where we're putting the pressure.

Pushing involves putting pressure on the other person.  It's attempting to make our point without considering their situation.  It's trying to appeal to someone in a way that we feel is convincing, rather than in a way that actually motivates them.  Pulling, however, puts the pressure on us.  It requires an understanding of what makes the other person tick.  It requires knowing their love language.  It requires seeing the world through their point of view, rather than our own.

For example:  a couch-potato husband gets an earful every day after work from a nagging wife about fixing the garbage disposal.  She thinks that her prodding is pulling him closer and closer to getting the job done, when (in reality) it's pushing him further and further into the sofa.  Or a nit-picky boss thinks he's pulling his team closer and closer to excellence, when (in reality) he's pushing his employees closer and closer to apathy (or quitting).

This same principle applies as you and I work to share our faith with those around us.  In an effort to pull our friends, neighbors and co-workers into a relationship with Jesus, we, more often than not, push them away.  We speak our language, not theirs.  We give them facts, when they want a friend.  We talk to their head, rather than their heart.

If we're hoping to convince somebody else of our point of view, it's critical that we first see theirs.  You may have noticed that most people, when pushed long enough, start running the other way.