One of the challenges of being a young leader in the church can be the lack of respect people tend to express to you as a leader. I say express, because I think they respect you, but volunteers are always willing to share their “helpful criticisms.” The funny thing about the comments, is they’re often not followed up by “encouraging compliments” and therefore tend to be more draining than constructive.
The best thing to keep us going, young, old, and in between is the fact that God is always happy with what we do for Him. Again, Jesus tells us time and time again of the challenges that ministry is going to bring. People aren’t going to be receptive to what we’re saying. In fact, I would nearly make a challenge for us to say this: if we aren’t making people uncomfortable, then maybe we’re not actually challenging anyone or fighting for the kingdom.
I recently read this great quote: “A person who speaks to this hour's need will always be skirting the edge of heresy, but only the person who risks those heresies can gain the truth.” –Helmut Thielicke.
This is the very thing that rewarded Jesus with death; He was constantly pushing that envelope, challenging traditional understandings of theology, doctrine, always insisting on an equality and inclusion Gospel that was driven by grace. That same challenge prevails now more than ever in our history.
CRC tradition is especially motivated by Calvinist theology, a theology that was birthed from that very fine line of what was (at the time) viewed as “heresy”. And now, more and more theological thought continues to reflect the very things Reformed thought has been talking about for over 400 hundred years.
It is my belief that the church finds itself at a very interesting and pivotal moment in history. Moral questions have taken the most fascinating turn because secular culture is pointing the Church back to her own Gospel message: grace; forgiveness; inclusion; and most of all a love for God and each other.
I can’t provide you with answers to challenging topics of homosexuality, abortion, racism, or environmental responsibility. But I can point you to the truth that God loves every person that desires to call Him Father. And that love, exemplified on the Cross, is what all leaders, young or old, must tap into. That type of leadership is respectful. And that type of respect puts a smile on the face of the God whom we serve. Tap into that style of leadership, and I question if it matters what people think of your leadership styles. Will you dance with me on the edge of this wilderness?
Comments
Shane, I appreciate the attitude in your writing. However, some of what you have said, troubles me (so you might consider your words a success in "fighting for the kingdom"...). What troubles me is not "skirting the edges of heresy...". But what you said about "secular culture pointing Church back to her own Gospel message: grace; forgiveness; inclusion; and most of all a love for God and each other" does trouble me. The secular culture is not pointing towards grace and forgiveness, but rather towards tolerance and acceptance. The secular culture does not point towards a love for God, but rather towards a love for self-actualization and materialism and gaia. We also must be careful about how we assume a discussion about "inclusion". Jesus was very inclusive, yes, but he also told many parables about separating wheat from weeds, bad fish from good fish, sheep from goats. The statement to the rich man about selling all he had and then following Jesus... why did not Jesus just accept the rich man exactly the way he was? Why did the prodigal son have to come back to his father? Why did the woman accused of adultery have to stop sinning? Why did Jesus select twelve disciples (all male)? I think the term "inclusion" does not address Jesus message because it is an oversimplification of what Jesus taught. Using it as a simple mantra or substitute doctrine misses Jesus mission, and avoids truth. In today's context it is particularly inappropriate it would seem.
John,
I too appreciate your comments on this topic. I think it's great to have multiple approaches deal with a conversation.
I will challenge you on a few things. I believe I'm challenging the church more for it's complacency than for it's theology. Instead of settin the bar for inclusivity and involvement, we find ourselves behind secular culture, who is setting the bar. I don't entirely disagree with your argument of inclusion, but I feel we've wanted our doctrines to speak for themselves instead of living them out. Where does this point us? To action. I believe in living out my faith, and that includes children of poverty, alcoholics, homosexuals, and drug users being part of my journey (something not currently part of our doctrine: especially homosexuality). So the challenge of inclusion means more than keys behind a screen. And that's a grey topic when lived out.
Shane, I apologize for missing your meaning in "keys behind a screen" analogy. I'm with you on reducing complacency. But maybe complacency means different things to different people sometimes too. " Living out your journey" sounds like worldly self-actualization to me. It could be similar to living for Jesus, but at first glance doesn't sound like it; it sounds like a way of disguising it. Living out your faith on the other hand as you mention, does mean real living for Jesus. Of course, children of alcoholics, and alcoholics themselves, people in poverty, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, thieves, murderers, drug addicts are in the end sinners (like us) in need of a saviour . And a saviour changes lives. Faith without works is dead, both for us, and for those we are attempting to help(James 2). Those who love Jesus know that friendship with the world is hatred towards God (James 4:4) "No one who lives in him keeps on sinning" ( I John3:6 and other verses in I John). I would argue that this is not grey, but a mix of black and white; in other words the black remains clearly black and the white remains clearly white, but they are intermingled in a struggle with each other. In normal worldly terms, the struggling white would become destroyed by the black, and everything would be a dull dark foggy grey. But Christ changes that around so that the white light eliminates the darkness and removes it, so that everything becomes white by the power of HIs spirit. Complacency is satisfied with a dull grey; sometimes complacency is satisfied by zebra stripes of black and white. Christ is not satisfied with that.
So inclusion is the wrong word. It leaves the wrong impression. We witness to everyone. But we recognize the battle against principalities and powers of darkness and spiritual forces of evil. We do not include the evil. And we cannot "include" those who promote evil or condone it. However, God's grace is magnificent and marvelous, and we should not forget that either. Forgiveness should never be far away from our response. No one is beyond God's grace, should God choose to call (perhaps through us) and they receive.
I agree it means action, and the action includes food, help, "being there", and conversation and witness and adoption.
Hi Shane: Thanks for the perspective, it is much needed. I refer you to an excellent article by Mark Buchanan, pastor of New Life Community Church in Duncan, British Columbia found in the Summer 2012 Leadership Journal. The article is titled "When Clean and Unclean Touch." He comments on John 1:16,17 "From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." Buchanan finds here a "revolutionary reversal." It was in grace that Jesus embraced sinners, and that embrace often led to their embracing the truth which He declared. He touches lepers (Mtt 8:3) and He feasts with tax collecters and "sinners"(Mtt 9:9-13). Buchanan sees Jesus reversing truth first and then grace into grace first and then truth. The ultmate example of this approach is found in Romans 5:8: "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Very interesting! I like your analogy of dancing because it responds to Psalm 149:3: "Let them praise His name with dancing." If the dance is the tango then we are to be graciously "en-tango-ed" with others in the wilderness!
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