In part one of this article I advocated for the “rare bird”, that combination of strong pastoral leadership and authority, which is foundational for congregational health and vitality. I ended part one recognizing there are common objections to pastoral authority, especially in the context of a Baptist congregation. Here are some examples: Is it biblical to give so much authority to the pastor? Doesn’t this reduce the authority of the congregation? Doesn’t authority lead to abuse, and therefore needs to be held in check?

I’ll take the last question first, and work backwards from there. No doubt we can all present stories of clergy abuse of authority. As we’ve raised the value of pastoral leadership in our Region we’ve had to caution a certain few pastors, “We are not encouraging pastoral dictatorships. You need to dial it back some.” Yet, such abuse, whether real or imagined, is no reason to desist from advocating for pastoral leadership. Establishing clear lines of accountability help to hold the line against such abuse. Honestly, abuse of authority is more rare than the opposite problem: a passive, hands-off abdication of leadership by pastors working within entrenched systems. Authority doesn’t automatically translate into abuse.

Since we are Baptists, what about the congregation’s authority? Is it reduced, even dissipated, when the pastor is given authority? Indeed, as Baptists we affirm that the local congregation will chart its own course, not from directives handed down from some hierarchy, but from it’s own unique sense of the Spirit’s direction. However, the locus of authority being lodged in the congregation doesn’t cancel out the need for leadership within the faith community. In fact, a good leader will clarify and give voice to the inchoate mission, originating from Christ Jesus and present within the congregation. Congregations assign authority to the minister, along with their elected officers, to lead. At the same time the congregation may rescind the pastor’s authority if his or her leadership is proven ineffective. All to say, that when a pastor exercises authority he isn’t negating the congregation’s authority. There shouldn’t be a limit to who may exercise authority. That is, it doesn’t have to be an either/or deal. Both congregational and pastoral authority can and should operate in a collaborative manner in a healthy church. Wisdom dictates that the congregation entrust the pastor with practical daily authority, otherwise the day-by-day expediency of church operations will grind to a halt.

We see this collaborative exercise of authority at work in the Scriptures. An excellent example is found in Acts 6. Here, the Apostles respond to complaints that the Greek widows were missing out on “the meals on wheels” widows ministry of the early church. They asked the church to consider “whom we may put in charge of this task” (NASB v.3c). This plan of action “found approval with the whole congregation, and they chose Stephan (and, six others)” (NASB v.4).

Note that the Apostles respond to the concern by initiating an action plan. The congregation agreed and then selected seven who would administer the feeding ministry. These seven were then encharged with the task. That is, they were given authority to expedite the ministry as they saw fit. This seems to be a reasonable pattern for how leadership and congregation work together and share authority. The exercise of authority by leadership is expected, and it’s neither the exclusive province of the pastor or the congregation.

Whenever, we talk about exercising authority, I believe it is important that we temper our assumptions regarding authority with Jesus’ instructions and counter balancing example. Jesus asserted that, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matt 28:18)  I take this to mean that any exercise of authority in the church is derivative. Ultimately it comes from Christ, who is the head of the church. The appropriate use of authority is subsumed under the authority of Jesus and should reflect how He used it. The employment of authority should also be in service to Jesus’ mission of redeeming the world.

Furthermore, Jesus turned authority and leadership upside down by saying that his disciples will not be like the “Gentiles who lord it over them.” Instead, the greatest among the disciples will be like one who serves. (Luke 22:25-26) Pastoral leadership exercised well serves first the mission of Jesus and others, not one’s self.

We may also note that the Apostle Paul eschews the abuse of authority. The often misinterpreted Ephesians 2:12 commands certain women in Ephesus to stop exercising “abusive authority”. The Greek word is authentein, and only appears here in the N.T.  It is linked in Greek literature to murder. In another text, 2 Corinthians 13:10, Paul expresses his hope that the Corinthians will heed his instructions so that he may avoid employing his authority harshly. In the same passage he clarifies that it is the Lord who gave this authority. It is to be used for building up the Corinthians, not tearing them down. This appropriate use of authority mirrors the numerous times that Paul urges a lifestyle of gentleness and humility among leaders (Phil 4:5, etc.)

Yet, in other passages it is clear that Paul expects leaders to exercise authority, whether they are surrogate apostles such as Timothy and Titus, or, whether they are elders in the church. To Timothy, Paul urges, “Command and teach these things. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young.” (1 Timothy 4:11,12) These admonitions call for the employment of self-confidence in combination with a certain level of assertiveness. Paul also urges Timothy to overcome his tendency to be timid. Instead he is to be a man of power, love, self-discipline and strength (2 Timothy 1:7, 2:1). Similarly, Titus is to “straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town” as he works with the church on Crete.

Paul asserts that elders, among whom the pastor would be the directional elder, are expected to “direct the affairs of the church well” (1 Timothy 5:17).  In fact, he says those who primarily teach and preach should receive “double honor” from the congregation. Some commentaries believe that Paul is saying, “Compensate these at twice the going rate.” Now, that would be a high form of pastoral appreciation! Pastors and teachers are gifts to the church who are tasked with equipping the church for works of service (Ephesians 4:11-12). The author of Hebrews admonishes believers to honor the authority of their leaders by obeying and submitting to them (Hebrews 13:17). The text goes on to say that this should be done willingly with joy so that the task of the leader doesn’t turn into a grievous burden. These examples, and more, demonstrate that it is appropriate for leaders to exercise authority, and to do so for the church’s edification, not their own.

I will close this with my favorite example of N.T. authoritative leadership. In Romans 16:1-2 Paul introduces Phoebe to the Roman believers. She is no ordinary woman. First, she is a “deacon”, perhaps a “minister”, of the church in Cenchrea. Most translations undersell her office with the tepid translation, “servant.” I dare say, that if she were a he, the translations would be stronger. Paul reveals that “she has been a great help to many people, including me.” Most likely, her help has been as a financial patronness for Paul and others. The Greek word here is quite specific in that it ordinarily references wealthy benefactors. Some commentators theorize that Phoebe is the leader of the band bringing Paul’s letter to the Romans. Perhaps this is why Paul takes such pains to introduce her.

The telling thing for me is Paul’s somewhat understated instructions, “I ask you…to give her any help that she may need from you.” (v. 2) That is, if she makes a request, honor it. Taken as a whole, Paul’s introduction of Phoebe to the Roman believers is intended to underscore her authority as the leader of this important apostolic expedition. In effect Paul says, “Receive Phoebe in the Lord. Respect her. She has helped so many including me. Now, she needs your help. She comes to you with a mission. Attend to her requests and do your best to fulfill them.” Note what Paul doesn’t say, “I commend to you, Phoebe. Now, form several committees, debate her requests and do your best to put her off.” Instead, the thrust of Paul’s admonition is quite the opposite. Phoebe has come with specific purposes in mind as a leader of an important mission. She is in charge, so Paul urges responsive to her leadership on behalf of the Christians in Rome.

Phoebe. What a great picture of a rare Christ-like minister, a leader with authority. The Kingdom needs pastors who lead with authority, the authority grounded in Christ’s mission and servant-heart. We need churches that honor and respect pastoral leaders. We need congregations and pastors working together, and in harmony, pressing ahead into mission for the advance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. When this happens, the church will flourish. This is a rare bird worth pursuing!

I’m not a birder. I know little about the pursuit. But, I do enjoy catching glimpses of colorful songbirds. I think I picked this up from my grandfather who birded as a casual hobby. I remember off hand comments he would make about a certain cardinal, maybe it was a Baltimore oriole, showing up around his house because the weather had turned warm. I do know that part of the excitement of birding is spotting rare species.

There is a rare bird in the ministry. It’s the pastor who ably combines leadership AND authority, executes ministry well, without a heavy hand, and with loads of grace and love that emanate from Jesus Christ. This article is about the importance of creating this rare bird. (Yes, it is created!)

First, let me start by stating a conviction I hold in regard to pastoral authority. It’s based on personal experience, observation and Scripture. Here’s my conviction: When the pastor of a local church is given both the responsibility and the authority to lead, and leads skillfully, there is a better than average chance the church will flourish.

I can state the conviction in another way: A key to a vibrant congregation is a pastor who is competent in exercising visionary leadership with gentle authority. Certainly, skilled leadership is not the only factor that makes for a healthy church. But it’s the primary common denominator in a growing church regardless of its size, culture or ministry context. The inverse of my conviction is also true: The absence of effective leadership results in a struggling congregation.

All too many American Baptist Churches fail to comprehend the strategic importance of this conviction. Many will give lip service to it. They will say they value the pastor as a leader. But, when it comes down to it, it’s often a hollow affirmation. Even if the pastor has the drive and the skill-set to lead, the church’s structure, culture and certain dominant individuals may work to counter a pastor’s leadership.

Consider how structure blocks a pastor’s leadership efforts. Many traditional church structures have redundant layers of management. The typical form of this is the multi-committee governance system common among ABC churches. In this system, initiatives and decisions must first pass through a gauntlet of committee approvals. In government we call this red tape. In church we call it “getting permission.” For the pastor who dares to lead, having to shepherd every decision through such a maze is ultimately defeating.

Another structural obstacle to pastoral leadership is the failure of the congregation to assign authority to the pastor. It’s a common assumption and expectation that the pastor should lead. That is, he or she is given the responsibility to get things done, but the authority to actually make decisions and take initiatives is withheld. The pastor must gain approval from a group or individual before taking action. This is like sending a boxer into the ring with his main weapon, his right hand, tied behind his back. Or, imagine how ludicrous it would be for the manager of a local Walgreens to have to call up a local oversight committee for permission each time she hires a new employee.

Responding to the fact that some structures stymie pastoral leadership, a significant number of churches in the ABC of the Northwest have changed their governance system. The more effective systems wed leadership responsibility with authority, giving both to the pastor. The most common form of such a structure is a single-board system. In our Region we encourage churches to use a modified version of John Carver’s accountable governance system. With this system the board governs through policies and budgetary guidelines established in collaboration with the pastor. Once these parameters are set the pastor is given freedom to play the entire field, as long as he or she stays within the boundaries. Certainly, it is advisable for the pastor to seek the wisdom of the board’s counsel in making major decisions, but it’s not required.

But, even if the structure is fixed, a more powerful obstacle to pastoral authority may be the church’s culture. If the culture is change-resistant, tradition-bound and self-serving then it will be impossible for the pastor to lead. In too many dying ABC churches the culture has calcified into traditions that perpetuate a form of ministry that was designed for 1961. Changes that would help the congregation engage our post-modern world are robustly resisted. Expectations, ingrained through years of tradition, insist that the pastor attend primarily to the needs of the members as their personal chaplain. Such tradition bound cultures turn pastoral leaders into paid hirelings, curators of religious museums. (The alternative is the pastor as cultural exegete, mission architect, visionary prophet and chief equipper of the body for ministry.)

Yet another undermining factor to pastoral leadership is the church controller or boss. This is the person who, over time, has become the dominant church patriarch, or matriarch. I was once told by such an individual, “You know, pastors come and go in churches, but our family will always be here.” The not-so-subtle threat in that declaration sent chills up my spine. Often these folks start out with good intentions. That is, they want to protect the church from harm. They may have held the church together during a period of conflict. Or, they were the major financial contributor during lean years. Having taken on the role of church protector they devolve over time into the church dictator. Such people have a difficult time allowing the pastor to lead, because they assume that role for themselves. They will undermine the pastor through underground resistance, or they may overtly block the pastor through power plays. Controllers pull the rug out from underneath pastoral leadership and authority.

What should be done so that the pastor is affirmed in leadership with authority? The answer to this question goes far beyond the scope of this article. However, one important step is for the congregation as a whole to elevate its value of pastoral leadership. That is, the role of pastor-leader must be esteemed and protected. Furthermore, shifting the church culture so that the congregation behaves as a learning, adaptive community that readily adopts new approaches to ministry is another critical step. Not only can the church learn to address these three obstacles that inhibit pastoral authority, it can reorganize itself in such a way that the pastor is given permission to lead with authority while being held accountable to reasonable boundary principles.

But…but…I can hear the push back, even at this distance! I’m quite aware of the objections. I encounter them all too often in churches. Here’s a sampling: But, is it Baptistic? Where does that leave the congregation’s authority? And, what about the pastor who abuses authority, doesn’t this open the floodgates to misuse of authority? What does the Bible say about pastoral authority? Well, the answers to these questions will be the subject of the second half of this article. Look for it next week!

Discussion Questions (for use with the leadership board and/or church staff):

1. Does your church wed responsibility and authority together so that the pastor can actually lead? Or, does it separate the two, or withhold one? Assess your church’s expectations and support for pastoral leadership.

2. What boundaries are in place that the pastor, or any other leader, must not transgress in the exercise of leadership in your congregation? Are they clear? Are they reasonable? Does the congregation understand them?

3. Which is more likely to block pastoral leadership in your church? Structure, culture or personalities? Discuss how these roadblocks might be reduced or eliminated in your congregation’s setting.

The Rare Bird – Part Two

Recently, I read an article (see below) that made reference to “vital behaviors” which were defined as “high-leverage actions that, if routinely enacted, will lead to the results you want.” This got me to thinking about Christian “vital behaviors.”

While I would not necessarily want to offer a check list, it does seem to me that we might thoughtfully offer categories or descriptions of Christ-like “vital behaviors” … those behaviors essential to sustaining life in Christ as well as needed for leadership in congregations.

Perhaps it goes without saying, but I believe one of the most vital of vital behaviors is prayer. A few weeks ago our pastors and leaders were called to account regarding our prayer life by Jim Purves as he spoke to our Leadership Tune-Up Conference. (See www.abcnw.org for more). His words brought me back again to the fact that prayer is not just the saying of words or thinking thoughts toward or in the presence of God. The vital behavior of prayer is the desire to commune with the Living God. And then prayer needs to become a description of who we are, not just something we do. It is “standing before God with the mind in the heart” (The Art of Prayer).

Prayer is communication, and necessary to communication is listening. Listening is an act of will. Listening includes an examination of what is “heard” – comparing it with Scripture but also allowing the Spirit to sift our motives. Listening requires time. To be sure, this kind of prayer is much easier described than practiced.

May we be obedient to the Lord’s call on us to “pray with out ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:16-18).

Teaching Session referenced:  The Rev. Dr. Jim Purves, Session 2 of the Leadership Tune-Up Conference at Ross Point Camp (Post Falls, ID), September 27, 2010

Article referenced: How to Find Vital Behaviors by David Maxfield

http://www.vitalsmarts.com/userfiles/File/newsletter/Newsletter%20011310QA.htm

How important is it for pastors to engage in a clergy peer group (aka, covenant group, learning group, or pastors cluster)? According to two recent studies it’s extremely important. The difference between pastors engaged in a group and those not involved shows up in their churches. In our Region we call them Leadership Learning Communities (LLCs). Here’s a summary of what was discovered:

Those who participate in a covenant group are more likely to create a culture of involvement within their congregations. What’s that mean? It means pastors were more likely to involve their people in leadership and ministry. There was more participation by laypeople in each of these areas: 1) New member’s classes 2) Communion 3) Worship leadership 4) Church ministries and 5) Rotation through leadership roles.

Pastors involved in a covenant group have churches with an organized presence and involvement of youth. This included the greater likelihood of a youth minister on staff. Additionally there were higher incidences of the following: 1) A youth program including conferences and camps 2) Congregational events planned and led by youth 3) Youth serving on congregational committees and boards.

There was more intentional involvement in the community including a vision of the congregation as a community change agent. Pastors engaged in a group led their churches with a strong emphasis on community service. There was an expectation within the church that the pastor would be out in the community representing the congregation.

Furthermore, pastors who were involved in a group enjoyed more congregational support for continuing education. Their churches committed more dollars to finance the ongoing retooling of the pastor. There were congregational expectations and requirements for the pastor to do continuing education.

These factors alone are enough to build a solid case for life-long engagement in a clergy learning group. But, there’s even more reason for pastors to be a part of a LLC. The study also investigated whether there was any correlation between congregational growth and peer group involvement. The resounding answer was “yes.” Participation in a group correlated with congregational growth.

There were two caveats, however. First, longevity in group involvement was a factor. The longer the pastoral leader participated in a group the more likely it was that his or her congregation would experience growth. The most productive years seemed to be in the fourth year of participation and beyond.

Second caveat, the peer group had to have structure, usually marked by a trained facilitator and an established curriculum.

The researchers discovered a strong relationship between congregational health as marked by growth and peer group involvement. Much stronger than they anticipated. This factor was as important as other, more obvious predictors of church growth. For the record, the other predictors of church growth, according to their research, included a youthful congregation, broad hands-on participation in ministry by the laity, little or no congregational conflict, spiritual vibrancy and clear mission.

The researchers noted a consistent thread in their findings: Pastors involved in structured peer groups tend to be missional leaders and are personally involved in their communities. Growth is one predictable result.

Based on their study the researchers also identified the following factors that make for effective peer groups:

• A high level of contact between group members (including meetings but especially emails/phone calls)
• A leader/facilitator who inspires confidence
• A group that provides accountability and practical help with some attention to intellectual challenge & spiritual refueling
• A group that is cohesive, “like a family”
• A group whose practices focus on ministry improvement through exploring innovative ideas & resources as well as sharing/getting feedback about personal and ministry problems.

They summarized these characteristics with this comment: “peer groups that renew their members’ ministries provide a stimulating mix of the practical, the intellectual, and the spiritual along with a certain amount of ‘holding each others feet to the fire’ in terms of accountability.”

The results of this study impressed upon me that ABCNW is on the right track in providing Leadership Learning Communities for our pastors. LLCs are a great resource and they are working for us. I encourage every pastor to be an active participant in one. The next step for us in this journey with leadership clusters is the extension of their benefits to lay leaders. Concepts for doing this are being considered. So, stay tuned.

Thanks to Joe Kutter with ABC Ministers Council for directing me to this information. If you are interested in digging deeper into these findings go to Austin Presbyterian Seminary College of Pastoral Leaders.

2010 © Dr. Charles Revis, ABC Northwest
[This article is from Dr. Revis’ blog, www.missionnorthwest.blogspot.com]

The following reflections on worship come from Chad Marvin, Pastor of Worship and Arts at The Summit Church in Boise, ID. These are thoughtful words for all who struggle with the shifts in music style, a necessary move to reach various cultures and generations for Christ:

“One of the questions that surfaces from time to time is why we provide the type of music we do during corporate worship. Some would prefer to hear all things contemporary, while others would prefer all things traditional.

For many people traditional music provides them with rich experiences with Jesus. These songs make up a good portion of their heart language. They are reminded of who God is and what He’s done and what He’s doing now. They can draw us in and contribute to wonderful moments in His presence. Many of these songs do not have generational boundaries. They have the power to reach any age. Occasionally, I’ll have someone, even in their teens, ask if we could do a hymn like “How Great Thou Art” or “Amazing Grace” or an older chorus like “Great Is the Lord.” I think that’s cool!

However, I’ve also come to understand that what speaks to one culture may not speak to another. I’d like to believe that this isn’t true. I’l like to believe that whatever I’ve experienced: whatever has moved me, whether it be a particular type of music or something else, whatever has drawn me closer to Jesus; would be the same thing that will draw everyone else from every walk of life to Him. If that were true, being in the service of my Creator King would be so much easier. But, that isn’t the case.

Different cultures are moved by different forms of communication and each culture has its own heart language. This has been the struggle with worship music even as hymnody was coming into play centuries ago. Isaac Watts (author of “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” and 750 more hymns) was told that he shouldn’t be writing lyrics that weren’t taken directly from the Psalms. Critics admonished he should only be writing “inspirational hymns.” For some, Watts’ “uninspired hymns” didn’t make the cut and he was beaten up for his music on several occasions. If you’re not familiar with the music of Isaac Watts, take some time and look up his name on the internet. You may be surprised at what you learn.

Like many churches, the Summit Church is made up of several different cultures; people from different walks of life. When it comes to music here, some people are drawn into a rich experience with Jesus through older choruses; some by listening to a piano solo during communion and others through the sweet voice of an oboe playing the opening lines of “Come Thou Fount.” So we have the 8:30 AM service which is blended with all of the above.

Still others are drawn in by the steady beat of the band and the lyrics of the song “Bring the Rain” by Mercy or “Here I Am” by Downhere. Many would prefer a more driving worship experience with the music of Hillsong. So we have a contemporary service at 11:00 AM.

It’s not perfect by any stretch. We don’t always manage to speak to everyone with their heart language. I don’t expect we ever will. I can’t imagine we could do better than Isaac Watts though (I don’t expect we’ll ever come close), and I do believe that God works through the music and corporate worship every week in powerful ways. I’m so looking forward to worshiping with you this fall and throughout the coming year.”

2010 © Dr. Charles Revis, ABC Northwest
[This article is from Dr. Revis’ blog, www.missionnorthwest.blogspot.com]

Recently Pastor Dave Roberts, in his church’s newsletter, provided some excellent thoughts regarding the challenge of Christians engaging culture. He acknowledges that all of us live in the culture and each of us are effected by it. He presses on to ask an important question, “Since every culture is ‘fallen’ what do we do about it. What should be our stance towards the culture?” Here are some of his thoughts:

“Some take an adversarial position, saying that culture is the enemy of Christ and the church. Their perspective is that Christ will come and make it right. In the meantime the Christian’s job is to rescue as many people as possible by pulling them out of the culture. Christians are to live separated and apart from the culture.

Some embrace the culture. These Christians say that it’s best to go with the flow. If we are to gain a hearing for Christ, we can’t appear to be too odd or different for fear that the culture will just dismiss us as a crazy sect or quacks. Therefore, we need to re-order our values so we can get close to others and sound enough like them they will listen.

Some say we engage the culture for the purpose of Kingdom transformation. This is where I see myself and the church needing to be. We need to be in the culture but to keep our eye on Christ. We have to be in the culture for the right reasons…For me, this means paying attention to what’s going on ‘out there.’ We need to be able to ‘speak the language,’ but speak in a way that’s filled with God’s justice and compassion.

The culture is constantly pushing and enticing us to use the language and speech patterns of the world. Yet, when we find our identity in the Lord, we, our speech, and actions are transformed. Where we are (in the culture) is not the source of our identity. We can be in a mess, but not have our identity be a mess.

The forces at work within a culture (not just our American culture) have always and will always be at work calling us to this idol or that idol rather than to the living God. God calls us to be transformed, to change from the values of the culture to the values of the Kingdom of God. We can then take that transforming power into the culture.”

[Rev. Dave Roberts is co-pastor with Rev. Manuel Luguin at First Baptist/Communidad Cristiana of Yakima, WA, a multi-ethinic congregation within the ABC of the Northwest.]

2010 © Dr. Charles Revis, ABC Northwest
[This article is from Dr. Revis’ blog, www.missionnorthwest.blogspot.com]

N. T. Wright’s book, Surprised by Hope, is full of biblical insight on the resurrection and the ascension in light of God’s plans for our future. Throughout the book he makes the point that the hope of resurrection is not an escape plan into a future realm called heaven. Rather, it is the first fruit of a great transformation which will eventually result in a new earth and a new heaven. Through the atoning death of Christ and His resurrection power the entire world will eventually be completely overhauled. Until that day we are called to join God in expanding the reign of Christ in this world while anticipating that His reign will be fully consummated in the world to come. In other words, resurrection, is not only a basis for our present and future hope, it is a call to engage in mission. Here’s a short quote to whet your appetite for more:

“[The resurrection and ascension] are designed not to take us away from this earth but rather to make us agents of the transformation of this earth…

Faced with his beautiful and powerful creation in rebellion, God longed to set it right, to rescue it from continuing corruption and impending chaos and to bring it back into order and fruitfulness. God longed, in other words, to reestablish his wise sovereignty over the whole creation, which would mean a great act of healing and rescue.

He did not want to rescue humans from creation any more than he wanted to rescue Israel from the Gentiles. He wanted to rescue Israel in order that Israel might be a light to the Gentiles, and he wanted thereby to rescue humans in order that humans might be his rescuing stewards over creation…

Atonement, redemption, and salvation are what happen on the way because engaging in this work demands that people themselves be rescued from the powers that enslave the world in order that they can in turn be rescuers. To put it another way, if you want to help inaugurate God’s kingdom, you must follow in the way of the cross, and if you want to benefit from Jesus’s saving death, you must become part of his Kingdom project.

Heaven’s rule, God’s rule, is thus to be put into practice in the world, resulting in salvation in both the present and the future, a salvation that is both for humans and, through saved human, for the wider world. This is the solid basis for the mission of the church.”

But you are the chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you–from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted. ~ 1 Peter 2:9-10 Message

2010 © Dr. Charles Revis, ABC Northwest
[This article is from Dr. Revis’ blog, www.missionnorthwest.blogspot.com]

During the last six years, or more, I’ve urged pastors and leaders to move their churches in an externally focused direction. Our pastors have read books that describe what this looks like. These have included: The Externally Focused Church by Rusaw, Breaking the Missional Code by Stetzer & Putman, and The Present Future by McNeill…just to name a few. We’ve had some of these same leaders speak at our leadership training events. Many churches have started new ministries composed of loving acts of service to their immediate community. A simple desire to do good for others is the motivation, with the hope that in some small way God will receive credit for the blessings that invariably come through such ministry.

It is also hoped that through such self-less ministry that some will recognize that Jesus followers really are people who love others, radically. And, perhaps, this will jump-start spiritual conversations. Rick Rusaw explains it like this, “We decided long ago that we aren’t going to serve to get noticed. We serve for two reasons: to meet basic needs and to create positive relationships.” In other words, good deeds create good will so that people may be open to hearing the good news. All of this is in line with our current, and historic, theme as American Baptists, “Serving as the hands and feet of Christ.”

I rejoice that many of our churches are riding the wave of externally focused ministries. The instances of churches engaged in community-based ministries have multiplied in recent years.

As our churches continue to transition from inward focus to outward focus it’s important that we not jettison sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ, with WORDS. Good deeds alone are insufficient to lead a person into a saving knowledge of Jesus. People must hear the truth in order to believe. And, it is the believing, in a faith and trusting sense, that saves. (Romans 1:16 & 10:17)

So, I’m advocating here for doing the hard work of evangelism, that is, talking to people about Jesus, in addition to engaging in outward focused ministries. I was reminded of this as I was reading some words penned by Dick Ottoson, the highly esteemed Minister of Seniors at FBC Anacortes (WA). He expressed his desire to see his golfing buddies come to know Jesus, and admitted, quite honestly, how hard it is at times to have them consider the person of Jesus.

Dick writes: “But I find one essential ingredient [in my discussions about Jesus with my golfing friends]. These affirm and deepen my own certainty of faith in Jesus Christ my Lord. And I believe that it has the potential to profoundly affect my friends’ conclusions about the Son of God….For my friends, there are several things I need to do to influence them toward Christ. First, I need to love them, to be there as a trusted friend. Secondly, I feel called to pray for them regularly, for all the parts of their lives, including knowing Christ. I also want to gently ask probing questions about eternal issues. And as I can, I wish to encourage and assist them in looking at the New Testament accounts of the One called Jesus. In many cases, these friends have chosen to walk away from sterile or rigid forms of traditional Christianity. I don’t blame them for rejecting a caricature and distortion of Jesus Christ. But how I long to help them find the real thing. Or should I say, the real person?”

Personal evangelism. I know it’s challenging. I know it makes us uncomfortable. I know we can feel guilty about our lack of doing it. And, we can feel very inadequate as we attempt it. But, we have a Savior who promised that with God nothing is impossible. And, that includes talking to others about Jesus. I believe that externally focused ministries will place many opportunities before us for engaging in such conversations. So, let’s open our mouths, and talk! About, Jesus, that is!

2010 © Dr. Charles Revis, ABC Northwest
[This article is from Dr. Revis’ blog, www.missionnorthwest.blogspot.com]