;)
Leaders: Repent and Restore
Posted by Chris Johnson in Baptist Life, Bible & Theology, Church & Missions
Two things go before a man of God that has set his face as a slave for the Lord. He must place the truth of God’s Word on display before the church and find restoration (Matthew 18) as a great privilege of God’s love for His people.
How can any church be expected to build unity when the aspiration of qualified leadership is intentionally eschewed and restoration is not well understood, preached or taught? Christ’s health and design for His church relates directly to the obedience of a man of God delivering on Christ’s commands. It is arrogant to skate against the commands of the Lord in order to receive the applause of men, whom in many cases these days succomb to the wishes of a deacon board.
James 4:15-17 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” (16) But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. (17) Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.
It is an arrogant man that will not lead in restoration of Christ’s church.
The Apostle Peter insists that men of God are to exercise oversight, eagerly volunteering to be examples in the midst of the church. In our day and age of the church, the American SBC culture has coddled a system that precariously protects the failures of a pastor and allows these men, like a pre-fish Jonah, to show up at different venues and regions of the country to play havoc on yet another unsuspecting assembly. Peter had a different expression of leadership as he penned his first letter.
1 Peter 5:1-3 Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, (2) shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; (3) nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.
If there is to be a gospel resurgence within the convention of Southern Baptist’s, it will not come on the back of a well crafted resolution, it will come from the genuine repentance of each and every leader aligned with the convention surrendered to a bold, courageous, and obedient life to follow the command of Christ to restore His church. Fancy resolutions, advertising candy, and catchy e-slogans will not change the church. It will take an intentional effort of each and every leader to follow the command of Christ, so that Christ is honored as Head of a Hell opposing assembly of adopted children.
The Prophet Jonah is one of our best case in point leaders that stepped right when he should have stepped left pursuing Nineveh. How many leaders in the churches today step to the side, or in the other direction when it comes to restoration. Just like Jonah was pursuing,… many leaders pant for other water, looking for a better way…a more practical way not to have to deal with the people that God has called His man to minister among. May we all finally appeal to God as Jonah…
Jonah 2:4-9 “So I said, ‘I have been expelled from Your sight. Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.’ (5) “Water encompassed me to the point of death. The great deep engulfed me, Weeds were wrapped around my head. (6) “I descended to the roots of the mountains. The earth with its bars was around me forever, But You have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God. (7) “While I was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, And my prayer came to You, Into Your holy temple. (8) “Those who regard vain idols Forsake their faithfulness, (9) But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the LORD.”
What will it take for the Lord to get our attention and vomit us up on the shores of redemption and restoration? It is time that a leader choosing to align as an SBC encourager,…learn to love in sincerity and truth. An omission or lack luster attempt at restoration reveals a lack of love for the bride and her sustainer.
John 14:13-18 “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (14) “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. (15) “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. (16) “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; (17) that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. (18) “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
Instead of a false sense of dependence upon annual resolutions, may our motive be that God teach us to simply obey His command to love Him, repent, restore and lead His church as He has called us as slaves to do. May a great many men aspire to be a slave and lead the flock of God as Christ commands!
Blessings,
Chris
;)
;)
;)
;){kind=logo}
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
As much as I agree with what is written, few people will heed a call to repentance and fewer still will do so sincerely. The SBC needs some way for its member congregations, bodies and institutions to hold each other accountable. We need to be able to hold each other accountable that has actual consequences and effects. Local church autonomy seems to be used more as a shield for which people and groups hide behind instead of the freedom to do ministry as the Spirit leads. If we want repentance and restoration we need a program that enforces biblical models of church discipline.
Brother Chris,
Well written post. It truly was inspiring as it was that forceful hopfulness that I so desire more of us preachers to us in the pulpit ministry. I specifically enjoyed it becasue it stresses Church health. I have said for a long time that I believe we must focus more on church health, making it our mission even over growth. Once congregations become healthy, the hungry and thirsty will come to the fountain. And a great call for repentance. Delivered to the right audience: leaders. It reminded me Malachi.
I am not so sure as many leaders as you seem to think purposely hurt the church with the practices you outline. Perhaps I am wrong, that just has not been my experiece. However, no doubt there are a good number that you capture well. And I personally was helped by the emphatic call to live and lead under the power and authority of the King.
Zach
Brother Blake,
One distinctive that has been designed by Christ for His church is that all those called by His name should actually understand their role in the assembly. You have brought forward a word that many Baptist’s have poured meaning into incorrectly, and the main reason for the misunderstanding is poor discipleship. In other words, if we really don’t understanding the church and who she is we will miss the meaning of autonomy…..so it is incumbent upon leaders to change that ignorance into something understood correctly. Autonomy is a good doctrine, not so that you and I can have separate “church family” locations and philosophies,….but conversely, it is an excellent way to think of church growth and edification in the churches. Meaning… that if one churches leaders are content to sin and fail to appoint leadership, this does not mean that another church two blocks away must fall into that same trap. Autonomy is about following the precepts of Christ, not moving, like Jonah, in the wrong direction. Simply put, autonomy is basically a fancy word that should form its substance from obedience, not retreat or territorial marking.
Thank you for raising this misunderstood concept.
Blessings,
Chris
As a layperson in the local SBC church, I have been exposed to more CEO Pastors over the past 10 years than I care to admit. I invision a sea of Van Gogh people who have no mouth filling the pews of these churches. They sit there gazing at mere men who have created this great gulf between the masses and the pulpit. It will remain that way if pastors do not have the heart mentioned in the post above. Additionally, some would rather use discipleship material with either a comic book look or watered down material that fits anyone and changes are not allowed. People remain ignorant and biblically stupid in today’s church, at least, where I’m from. The only interpreter of scripture is the preacher. The paradyme created makes men think they have to go to the Pastor with every problem, concern or idea. Any deviation from that creates a false conviction that we may be going against the preacher and God will punish us. If you are a pastor, please move toward the example mentioned above and bring your people to Christ with a deeper knowledge of Him.
It is a breath of fresh air to hear the truth. Thank you for your post Chris. I am in a small town north of Houston, Texas. About 90% of the SBC churchs within 20 miles have been the same size for some 20 years (less than 50 people). The larger SBC chruches are very political with the CEO Pastors. We are presently insearch of a church and have our eye on one that is over 35 miles one way in another town. Unfortunately, our local ministry will be limited for our family. On the other hand, I’m optimistic in knowing that we will have new opportunities and we will be able to be creative in everything we do to minister anywhere that we are called or directed.
I want to urge pastors to view their placement in the body and purpose to close the gap between the pulpit and pew in the knowledge and relationship of Jesus Christ. We want to know and relate with the same Jesus you have. We also want to have a relationship with you, as well.
For those of you who feel my words have edges, I completely understand. You see, I would be considered a redneck from the area I am located. What you are seeing is God’s grace at work within a heart that use to produce jagged sharp edges and misspellgd words. I am having a wonderful time reading and commenting on the topics here.
Thanks
Brother Zach,
You are absolutely right… the health and maturing of each local church is the only hope for the Southern Baptist Convention. In other words, the convention is not strong because of its cooperation and breadth of member churches, …that would be a false assumption. It is strong because of the health of every “single” church through the “edification” of it members in Christ. The SBC has bought into the world’s systems and philosophies of growth…when cooperation is actually a much simpler matter. The power of Christ is vested in the church by Him alone….so its leaders must be resolved to restore and disciple each member, so the power is lived out in the midst of the congregation locally. It is only at that point locally that the SBC become strong enough to move into the world.
The leaders of the SBC must remember that there are over 40,000 congregations of 70 people each within the convention. Those 70 people represent the strength of the SBC, only by their commitment to each other individually and the commission of Christ to go will maturity and cooperation be realized. Those 70 members typically have only 1, maybe 2 leaders, which leads to approximately 60,000 leaders in the churches. God has designed the church to mature well beyond that moratorium currently maintained for leadership in the local churches. Instead of 60-80,000 leaders in these churches,… there should be 200-240,000 leaders preaching, teaching and edifying these congregations. Oh, that the men of God would recognize the commands of Christ for His church.
Thank you Zach for encouraging the men in your church to thirst for Christ and lead His people.
Blessings,
Chris
Brother Bruce,
I was away most of the day yesterday,…but I wanted to take some time to dialogue with your post. You have brought forward some very important issues that need to be addressed….so many, its hard to know where to end.
You are right that CEO Pastors in the SBC exist….and they exist in two types of branches. One branch is the “lone ranger” Pastor CEO that is convinced he has a vision for the church and is ready to put his deacons to work to fulfill his vision. That is a pretty typical and traditional setup in an average SBC church. The second is the “corporate” Pastor CEO that is about hiring the right staff (ministers, under the approval of the church of course) for the work of specific ministry areas that have been defined within the church body. This is the more popular model in today’s contemporary churches….the Achilles’ heel thought is typically budget restraints and personalities. Both of these leader models do not exist in scripture. Not one time. In fact, I always challenge young men or Pastors that have bought into these models to show me at least one,…just one example of this model. It can’t be found, but many men are determined to follow those traditions,…traditions that actually show up later in church history, but not in the biblical foundation for the church.
The most unfortunate thing though,…is that the two models I mentioned above are intimated and taught as the models to pursue in some of the seminaries. For instance, I was at the Baptist Distinctives Conference in Ft. Worth last year….and the first model I outlined above was what was taught. I challenged the teacher after the session was complete, and he did not have an answer from scripture, only from post cannon history. This is very unfortunate, because several hundred young men, eager to preach and teach the Word of God, were present and learning a pragmatic approach, not a biblical approach. I really don’t blame the young men aspiring to lead the church at the conference,…but I do blame the poor teaching and leading that was being modeled.
Bruce, the SBC needs more men like you identifying the bogus models, and gently and patiently correcting them where you are able. Patience and persistence to a biblical model is hard work, but it does birth great joy through obedience to God’s Word.
Hang in there redneck….(I’m a native Texan btw),
Blessings,
Chris
Chris:
Are you saying a pastor can’t delegate work to anyone else because if he does then he is a “Corporate CEO” type pastor? I personally don’t think any single person, not even Superman, could personally do all the various ministries, music, youth, administration, preaching, visitation, etc. that are performed by various staff members.
I seem to recall that in the Bible that Paul trained various people, such as Timothy to do ministry. I guess in modern day parlance Paul could be called a “CEO” since he recruited and trained others to take over selected subsets of the work.
Roger
Brother Roger,
I am glad that you asked this question… “Are you saying a pastor can’t delegate work to anyone else because if he does then he is a “Corporate CEO” type pastor?”
What I am trying to say is quite the opposite. Pastors/Overseers are about the business of ministry….that is why it is normal for the average church (around 70 members in the SBC) to have many to edify the church. Generally, most people say, “we can’t “afford” but one, and we are having a hard time paying him so that he can feed his family”. But scripture has never made money a qualification for men aspiring to lead the church. So either scripture is right, or the people that can’t afford to hire another pastor are right.
The Pastor’s are commanded to train and delegate so that the members in the church may be served as required by those qualified to serve, such as the hungry, sick, widows, etc….. What actually is “ministry” compared to what is done today could be something interesting to discuss.
What is seen more readily in scripture are Pastors/Overseers working shoulder to shoulder in the assembly, in prayer and teaching. It is tempting though and common in the SBC to develop a hierarchical arrangement forming the CEOism. It must be an intention of all the Pastors/Overseers to not go to that model….even as the church is in its infancy.
Blessings,
Chris
Brother Roger,
To follow on to that last thought….. when a church is just forming at the local level, it must be intentional in the mind of that single leader working hard at preaching and teaching in its infancy to grow the leadership wide. That is what Paul is saying to Timothy and Titus. The hierarchical tendency is what is troublesome in the churches today. The hierarchical / CEO type systems are indicative of what occurred and began to form from 200AD forward. We should learn from history and use wisdom in order to “not” return to that type of system.
So restoration is the key. Leaders need discipline and restoration so that they do not wonder down paths that can stifle the growth and maturity of the fellowship.
Blessings,
Chris