Sunday 5 December 2010

Jesus, CEO?

  I only know of a few leaders who have discovered that they need to do what the bible says and practise church biblically which means the leaders are not central to the show.  It results in less likelihood that the leaders will 'accidently' have their profile raised, their status enhanced and their notoriety expanded. I can understand the logic - bigger profile = bigger platforms = more people reached.  But, the logic is flawed.

To think that spirituality works the same way as a company or business is profound error. I have a business and the challenges are around visibility, marketing and image.  I want my product to become notorious for its value. If the way we think people can be won relies on the Christian becoming notorious we are simply wrong.  Jesus did not speak of marketing, or visibility or image.  "But we are supposed to be light!"  Yes, but this is what we are before we attempt to gain notoriety.  The very act of having a level of notoriety and telling others to aspire to this creates a debilitation to the Christian in most Churches.  If we ask someone who already is light and salt to aspire to the leaders levels and measurements they miss what they are already, just by being in Christ.  The way the early Church won the known world was because each individual had leaders who didn't ask them to aspire to anything but taught them to be who they are in Christ.  In this way everyone knew they were entirely capable of going into their own contexts and winning people over time for Christ.  Spirit filled and met by the Christian family in ecclesia, they had no-one telling them they needed "XYZ" to become more effective or "ABC" to validate their Christian life.   Preach Christ, and people will be shown why they are light rather than feel they need to arrive at 'pastordom' or something.

In our western context, to look to the leader who is stood at the front is natural. Since being 5 years old this is how leaders have presented themselves.  People who become Christians or experience church see this form of leading and do what they did since the conditioning started at 5 years of age in reception school.  They sit and accept that because the person at the front is...er... at the front, they must know what they are doing and if a few more people are also sat listening to the leader then 'who am I to question this?'  Leadership in other contexts involves a person talking, instructing or proposing but the difference is those listening are able to question, debate, correct, comment, validate and cheer the leaders contribution.  In other words leadership is not always done the same and there are freedoms across the board for everyone in the conversation.  In this way people feel they are in the process, valid, affirmed by their presence and important to the group.  The Bible says that people should 'be persuaded by"  leaders.  This was made into 'submit' by King James in order to have a level of control over the people.  Strange how things have changed little, even that particular text.     Let us not forget also that Britain was a vassle of the Holy Church of Rome and in this time of great development, the 'way to lead' was lifted straight from the way the RC Church leads.  They got their leadership from the ungodly tribes and cultures. So, if your church has people with titles, status or profile, you are practising a Roman Catholic structure.  If you meet in a special building that has chairs lined up to face the front where a series of praying, singing, talking, preaching takes place, this is the RC Church practise. Then there's hierarchy and so on....

So Rome had a developing influence but with a cost.  Business, if modelling Rome, will have the structure to see success.  The church however does not exist for the same reasons as a business.  Business revolves around product or service.  The church has neither unless you invent one.  Evangelism is seen as the product of the church.  While a Christian's heart needs to be broken at the thought of someone spending eternity without God, evangelism is not the primary reason for the church's existence.  The enemy has told Christians that evangelism is the end product of the church and this is a lie. Christians being encouraged and built up is the end result of church.  Evangelism is the consequence of this.  Because most churches believe evangelism to be the product, they fail to prioritise the encouragement and up-building of the brothers and sisters.   The result is Christians going about their lives not having been met by God's extended family.   Unable to be a contrast (light) they have a message without substance.  Someone who has been met, affirmed, loved, cared for, validated, understood etc... will be a contrast and therefore any message will be backed up with an authentic witness.   This can only occur within the context of the church practise Paul and the other apostles taught and with people who are losing their own life not setting up an environment where, 'oh I never realised this would draw attention to me me me!'.

To finish, it would be good if the business-like-church was actually like that.  At least be a business if you're going to say this is how God is leading you (which he isn't).  Leaders, we are told, measure their leadership by who is  following them.  Surely this is not true if the people following are not able or wanting to think for themselves or challenge the system?  True leaders gain following from free thinkers who have their own opinions yet find a leader able to accommodate them unconditionally.  What is difficult about having people who agree with you stand in a room every week?  Incredibly I know some leaders who cant even keep that going!

Also, it is my understanding that business was about creating an economy with a product or service.  Most churches rely on giving to run their comings and goings while the leaders act like they are ingenious business leaders.  Iv'e seen Pastors talk to each other like they created their own wages by ingenuity, hard work and acumen.  In reality all they have done is extracted people's money and forgot to explain that the Tithe was Israel's taxation system meant for Israeli's who live in Israel.   Giving?  Yes.  But if the individual wasn't compelled by OT Law to provide a set amount the leader wouldn't know how much was coming in.  Wow!  Maybe then the leader would have to live by faith.  Imagine that!