Today we want to continue our search for answers to questions like “How could a local church bring sorrow to God’s Spirit?” and “How could a local church stifle Him in His work of Christlike transformation?”
So, why might God’s Spirit be hindered in starting or continuing the Christlike transformation of a local church? Why might this transformation process come to a premature halt?
When my church lacks Christlike leadership... (b)
In the last meditation, we realised that God’s Spirit requires Christlike leaders to lead our churches into Christlike transformation. We recognised that if our churches lack Christlike leadership, true Christlike transformation of our churches might never really take place.
To his co-worker Titus, the apostle Paul explains what Christlike leadership is and what it is not. Because of the way God’s Spirit seeks to change the heart of a church leader, his personality and his conduct should more and more reflect Christ’s personality and conduct:
“An elder must be well thought of for his good life.
He must be faithful to his wife, and his children must be believers who are not wild or rebellious.
An elder must live a blameless [Christlike] life because he is God's minister.
He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker, violent, or greedy for money.
He must enjoy having guests in his home and must love all that is good.
He must live wisely and be fair.
He must live a devout and disciplined life.
He must have a strong and steadfast belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with right teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong.” (Titus 1:6-9)
To his co-worker Timothy Paul writes about God’s requirement for elders and deacons in the church to live a Christlike life:
“It is a true saying that if someone wants to be an elder, he desires an honorable responsibility.
For an elder must be a man whose life cannot be spoken against [i.e., a Christlike life].
He must be faithful to his wife.
He must exhibit self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation.
He must enjoy having guests in his home and must be able to teach.
He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent.
He must be gentle, peace loving, and not one who loves money.
He must manage his own family well, with children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God's church?
An elder must not be a new Christian, because he might be proud of being chosen so soon, and the Devil will use that pride to make him fall.
Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not fall into the Devil's trap and be disgraced.
In the same way, deacons must be people who are respected and have integrity (i.e., live a Christ-like life).
They must not be heavy drinkers and must not be greedy for money.
They must be committed to the revealed truths of the Christian faith and must live with a clear conscience.
Before they are appointed as deacons, they should be given other responsibilities in the church as a test of their character and ability.
If they do well, then they may serve as deacons.....
A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well.
Those who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 3:1-13)
The apostle Paul closes his words on the divine requirements for church leaders with the weighty annotation:
“I am writing these things to you now, even though I hope to be with you soon, so that if I can't come for a while, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and support of the truth.” (1 Timothy 3:14-15)
In the book of Acts we find an early example of a search for Church leaders who were required to live Christlike lives. The apostles instructed the church in Jerusalem to find such men and to give them the task to care for those in need:
“As the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. Those who spoke Greek complained against those who spoke Hebrew, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.
So the Twelve [apostles] called a meeting of all the believers. "We apostles should spend our time preaching and teaching the Word of God, not administering a food program," they said.
"Now look around among yourselves, brothers, and select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom (i.e., live Christlike lives).
We will put them in charge of this business ... This idea pleased the whole group...” (Acts 6:1-3 and 5a)
One of the seven men was Stephen, “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5). Three verses later he is called: “a man full of God's grace and power...” (Acts 6:8).
As we saw before, the local church family is the ‘Temple of God’s Spirit’ and needs leaders who are directed by God’s Spirit. They should be a living example of a Christlike lifestyle and be able to lead the church into the process towards Christ-likeness.
The apostle John mentions a case of a church leader who is anything but an example of Christ-likeness to the local church.
In his third letter John addresses a cardinal leadership temptation, ‘the enticement of power’. A church leader who surrenders to that seduction actually takes the place of God’s Spirit in the church. John writes:
“... Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, does not acknowledge our authority.
When I come, I will report some of the things he is doing and the wicked things he is saying about us.
He not only refuses to welcome the traveling teachers, he also tells others not to help them. And when they do help, he puts them out of the church.” (3 John 1:9-10)
Jesus Himself shows the difference between a leader who doesn’t live under the authority of God’s Spirit and the Christlike leader who is guided by God’s Spirit.
On the evening before Jesus gave his life as an atoning sacrifice for our sins, He told his disciples to adopt His leadership style:
"In this world the kings and great men order their people around, and yet they are called 'friends of the people.'
But among you, those who are the greatest should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant.
Normally the master sits at the table and is served by his servants. But not here! For I am your servant.” (Luke 22:25-27)
By reading God’s Word [the Bible], we come to the conclusion that a Christlike leader has a ‘servant's heart’ and is controlled and directed by God’s Spirit as he leads Christ’s church.
That leads us to the following questions:
-- Does your church have Christlike leaders/elders with ‘servant hearts’ who are controlled and directed by God’s Spirit as they lead your church in the process of Christ-likeness?
-- If you are a Church leader/elder, are you a Christlike leader with the heart of a servant?
(to be continued)
The Bible verses are all quoted from the New Living Translation.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
50. DO NOT BRING SORROW TO GOD’S SPIRIT --- DO NOT STIFLE GOD’S SPIRIT ( b )
In meditation 47 we saw that God - Father, Son and Spirit - prepares Christ’s universal church for the glorious end-time, wedding celebration of the Lamb. We also noticed that God does that preparation on a minute scale: one local church at a time within its own geographical and cultural setting!
We understood that not only the universal Body of Christ, but also every true local community of Jesus’ followers is birthed by God’s Spirit.
Furthermore, we realised that God’s Spirit Himself directs the ongoing transformation process into Christ-likeness, so that Christ’s entire Body, spanning all ages, will be prepared for that glorious celebration of the Lamb’s wedding.
Today we will start dealing with issues like “How could a local church bring sorrow to God’s Spirit?” and “How could a local church even stifle Him in His work of Christlike transformation?”
Here are some questions to ponder:
-- What are some of the reasons why God’s Spirit might be hindered in starting or continuing the Christlike transformation of a local church?
-- What are some of the causes why this transformation process might come to a premature halt?
But before giving further thought to these questions, we need firstly to remind ourselves of two pivotal aspects of church life as far as God’s Word [the Bible] is concerned:
a. God’s Spirit is meant to rule every local church:
You might remember that the apostle Paul reminded the church in Corinth: “Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple [residence] of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?”
(1 Corinthians 3:16)
b. Every local church is meant to grow together into Christ-likeness:
Paul taught the church in Ephesus (modern Turkey): “Their responsibility [pastors and teachers, etc.] is to equip God's people to do his [God’s] work and build up the church, the body of Christ, until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ. ... We will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ...”
(Ephesians 4:12.13.15)
So, why might God’s Spirit be hindered in starting or continuing this Christlike transformation of a local church? Why might this transformation process come to a premature halt?
When Christlike community transformation never really starts...
For the same reasons that personal Christlike transformation might not really start, community transformation might not come into being as well.
It is possible that my local church firmly teaches the importance of personal conversion and rebirth, based on faith in Christ’s sacrifice and the indwelling of God’s Spirit. The teaching of our church might faithfully focus on ‘Christ alone’, ‘grace alone’ and ‘faith alone’ and even have a distinct ‘doctrine of the Holy Spirit’. Yet, without a clear biblical vision on the work of God’s Spirit in our church family, the process of Christlike community transformation might never really start.
The apostle Paul states that it is normal for individual reborn children of God, as well as for local churches, to be directed by God’s Holy Spirit. He declares to the Christians in Rome: “All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” (Romans 8:14).
A little earlier in Romans he wrote: “... those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.”
(Romans 8:5)
The early church did not lack teaching on the Holy Spirit’s guidance of church life. As we have seen, the apostolic teaching was unambiguous on the fact that God’s Spirit not only resided in every individual follower of Jesus, but also lived and operated in the local Christian community.
This leads us to ask some cardinal questions:
-- What does my church know about ‘communal guidance’ by God’s Spirit?
-- Has my church received a vision and strategy from God’s Spirit to know how He wants to transform our church family into the likeness of Christ?
I think again of Paul’s passionate sorrowing which I mentioned in meditation 47: “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you...” (Galatians 4:19)
As our culture emphasises individualism and independence, we tend to understand that in texts like Galatians 4:19, Paul addresses only individual Christians. Yet, the biblical understanding of such texts comprises individual believers as well as the entire church family.
The Bible teaches clearly that the Holy Spirit wants to start the process of Christlike transformation of our local church right from the start of its birth!
When my church lacks Christlike leadership... (a)
No church is able to function well without good leadership. Yet, for the Holy Spirit to start the process of Christlike transformation in our church, it needs Christlike leaders who are called and trained by Him.
Reminding them of the Spirit’s calling to leadership, the apostle said to the elders of the church in Miletus (modern Turkey): "Be sure that you feed and shepherd God's flock-- his church, purchased with his blood-- over whom the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders.” (Acts 20:28)
Paul taught the Christians in Ephesus that Christlike leaders are Jesus’ own gift to the church: “He [Christ] is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.” (Ephesians 4:11)
The apostle carries on by saying that among other things it is their God-given task to lead the church into Christ-likeness: “Their responsibility is ... to ... build up the church, the body of Christ, until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:12-13)
It is therefore obvious that God’s Spirit requires Christlike leaders to lead our churches into Christlike transformation.
If our churches lack Christlike leadership, true Christlike transformation of our churches might never really take place.
Of course, that does not mean that God does not bless our churches. Neither does it mean that our church leaders could not be a blessing to our churches, nor that our churches could not be a blessing to their local communities and the wider world.
Yet, for aiming at “being mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ” there is more needed than good leadership.....
Finally some crucial questions to conclude this meditation:
-- Is ‘Christ-likeness’ a criterion for choosing leaders/elders in your church?
-- Did the leadership of your church receive a vision and strategy from God’s Spirit for transforming your church family into the likeness of Christ?
-- If you are a leader/elder in your church, do others assess you as a Christlike leader/elder?
In future meditations we will investigate how to ‘measure’ Christlike leadership according to biblical criteria.
(to be continued)
The Bible verse Galatians 4:19 is a quote of the New International Version. The other texts are all quoted from the New Living Translation.
We understood that not only the universal Body of Christ, but also every true local community of Jesus’ followers is birthed by God’s Spirit.
Furthermore, we realised that God’s Spirit Himself directs the ongoing transformation process into Christ-likeness, so that Christ’s entire Body, spanning all ages, will be prepared for that glorious celebration of the Lamb’s wedding.
Today we will start dealing with issues like “How could a local church bring sorrow to God’s Spirit?” and “How could a local church even stifle Him in His work of Christlike transformation?”
Here are some questions to ponder:
-- What are some of the reasons why God’s Spirit might be hindered in starting or continuing the Christlike transformation of a local church?
-- What are some of the causes why this transformation process might come to a premature halt?
But before giving further thought to these questions, we need firstly to remind ourselves of two pivotal aspects of church life as far as God’s Word [the Bible] is concerned:
a. God’s Spirit is meant to rule every local church:
You might remember that the apostle Paul reminded the church in Corinth: “Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple [residence] of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?”
(1 Corinthians 3:16)
b. Every local church is meant to grow together into Christ-likeness:
Paul taught the church in Ephesus (modern Turkey): “Their responsibility [pastors and teachers, etc.] is to equip God's people to do his [God’s] work and build up the church, the body of Christ, until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ. ... We will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ...”
(Ephesians 4:12.13.15)
So, why might God’s Spirit be hindered in starting or continuing this Christlike transformation of a local church? Why might this transformation process come to a premature halt?
When Christlike community transformation never really starts...
For the same reasons that personal Christlike transformation might not really start, community transformation might not come into being as well.
It is possible that my local church firmly teaches the importance of personal conversion and rebirth, based on faith in Christ’s sacrifice and the indwelling of God’s Spirit. The teaching of our church might faithfully focus on ‘Christ alone’, ‘grace alone’ and ‘faith alone’ and even have a distinct ‘doctrine of the Holy Spirit’. Yet, without a clear biblical vision on the work of God’s Spirit in our church family, the process of Christlike community transformation might never really start.
The apostle Paul states that it is normal for individual reborn children of God, as well as for local churches, to be directed by God’s Holy Spirit. He declares to the Christians in Rome: “All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” (Romans 8:14).
A little earlier in Romans he wrote: “... those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.”
(Romans 8:5)
The early church did not lack teaching on the Holy Spirit’s guidance of church life. As we have seen, the apostolic teaching was unambiguous on the fact that God’s Spirit not only resided in every individual follower of Jesus, but also lived and operated in the local Christian community.
This leads us to ask some cardinal questions:
-- What does my church know about ‘communal guidance’ by God’s Spirit?
-- Has my church received a vision and strategy from God’s Spirit to know how He wants to transform our church family into the likeness of Christ?
I think again of Paul’s passionate sorrowing which I mentioned in meditation 47: “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you...” (Galatians 4:19)
As our culture emphasises individualism and independence, we tend to understand that in texts like Galatians 4:19, Paul addresses only individual Christians. Yet, the biblical understanding of such texts comprises individual believers as well as the entire church family.
The Bible teaches clearly that the Holy Spirit wants to start the process of Christlike transformation of our local church right from the start of its birth!
When my church lacks Christlike leadership... (a)
No church is able to function well without good leadership. Yet, for the Holy Spirit to start the process of Christlike transformation in our church, it needs Christlike leaders who are called and trained by Him.
Reminding them of the Spirit’s calling to leadership, the apostle said to the elders of the church in Miletus (modern Turkey): "Be sure that you feed and shepherd God's flock-- his church, purchased with his blood-- over whom the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders.” (Acts 20:28)
Paul taught the Christians in Ephesus that Christlike leaders are Jesus’ own gift to the church: “He [Christ] is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.” (Ephesians 4:11)
The apostle carries on by saying that among other things it is their God-given task to lead the church into Christ-likeness: “Their responsibility is ... to ... build up the church, the body of Christ, until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:12-13)
It is therefore obvious that God’s Spirit requires Christlike leaders to lead our churches into Christlike transformation.
If our churches lack Christlike leadership, true Christlike transformation of our churches might never really take place.
Of course, that does not mean that God does not bless our churches. Neither does it mean that our church leaders could not be a blessing to our churches, nor that our churches could not be a blessing to their local communities and the wider world.
Yet, for aiming at “being mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ” there is more needed than good leadership.....
Finally some crucial questions to conclude this meditation:
-- Is ‘Christ-likeness’ a criterion for choosing leaders/elders in your church?
-- Did the leadership of your church receive a vision and strategy from God’s Spirit for transforming your church family into the likeness of Christ?
-- If you are a leader/elder in your church, do others assess you as a Christlike leader/elder?
In future meditations we will investigate how to ‘measure’ Christlike leadership according to biblical criteria.
(to be continued)
The Bible verse Galatians 4:19 is a quote of the New International Version. The other texts are all quoted from the New Living Translation.
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