Church leadership is always challenged to keep the stakes high enough. I think we who serve in leadership become bogged down with such weighty and essential matters we are not finding a faithful route to provide mountain climbing, river forging spiritual experiences for the rest of the flock to experience. I love.....absolutely love what I get to do in the church. Sometimes it is too difficult and often it is just too thrilling, but not everyone among us feels the same from their perspective. More than us is needed.
We work with and for the Living God; that God which would melt us down like defenseless wax if we ever caught a glimpse of Him for a mere three seconds. John Eldredge is one author (like his book, Wild At Heart) which calls for the tamed male to become untamed and wild again in spiritual vigor.
The church has dumbed down to a steady state of manageability. The events fit the schedules, the ministries fit the budgets, and the espoused doctrines fit the biased ears. Where the early church leaders turned the world upside down, I find myself usually about ten years behind the advancing progress of the world. The world seems to offer more excitement and cutting edge advancement than the church.
It is too easy, dear leader, to travel the middle of the road where we are safe from the alligators. Ours is a thrilling and risky call. We are involved in the invisible network of faith from another planet; one unlike anything the mind can conceive even when it's described. The middle of the road is boring. I believe if we could tap into the uncertain and daring, we would find more who appear at the moment disinterested to possess an exceptional heart for aggressive, committed, sacrificial service. Too many are bored....but they keep faithfully attending.
John Hull wrote, Boredom is to the religious consciousness what pain is to the physical body. It is the warning that something is wrong. It is one of the ways in which the crushed energies of the spirit defend themselves against the creeping moribundity of the un-learning personality. The desire for new life is expressed in the realization of boredom. Boredom is a major crisis in contemporary spirituality.
Therefore, we who are enjoying the ride of Holy Spirit activity want to remain wide-eyed for gigantic opportunities for the flock. They have the living God buried within!
3 comments:
I have come to believe that boredom is a major contributor to drunkeness, heresy, sexual immorality, gossip, argumentative attitudes, and many other sins. When Christians get bored, we tend to spice things up by sinning.
We're in a race...and yes, there are alligators snapping on all sides as we run...we don't dare slow down or we lose...and no one likes being chewed up and spit out, but if you're a leader? Leaders can't afford to be diverted from what God has chosen them to do...which is to lead. Lots of hot spots when you're leading...especially when the sheep get their wool up. As you said, the early ones turned the world upside down...that's what we should be doing. Wow! What would happen? Our leaders cannot afford to "wait and see"...they must rev their engines up and take us for the ride of our lives...straight up! Now, THAT's exciting!!!
Terry I appreciated your comments about how Jesus never got sidetracked by the Pharisees to prevent him from doing God's work in forgiving and healing others. I get so bored with the "managing" and "directing." Your call resonates with me and I am ready to get to work. I think mission trips and work days are so fun because we are no longer sitting on our behinds. Thank you again for your encouragement to get moving!
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