Patriotism. /n/ love for or devotion to one’s
country. (Webster)
I love the patriotic holidays. Honestly, I stand a little taller and my chest swells a little more when saluting the flag or during the playing of the National Anthem. I enjoy speaking of the greatness and even (if you will) the exceptionality of the United States.
I am moved when reentering the United States from travels abroad to hear welcome home from a Customs Agent. I become reflective and appreciative on remembrances like Veterans Day and Memorial Day because I recognize that the freedoms I enjoy today as a United States citizen have been declared, pursued, defended, and secured by other patriots through the ages.
I don’t have the same reaction when standing at attention
for the anthem of Mexico, Canada, France or the like. I stand respectfully…and
I understand why citizens of those nations stand taller during those moments
than I do, exhibiting the same response to their nation’s flag that I feel.
Honestly, I cannot imagine it any other way.
In my patriotism, I find common ground with other patriots:
Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, atheists and agnostics, Republicans, Democrats,
Independents, and even with budding socialists. After all, patriotism is simply
devotion to one’s country. I am not naïve. I know that not everyone shares my
specific ideals when the flag is displayed. Not everyone agrees with my views
on political policy. For every patriot though there is a sense of union even with
those who align in opposition on numerous subjects…a union around a single
shared and transcending tenet: we are lovingly devoted to our country.
For me, one of the greatest elements of the American experience is that there is no uniformity. I have a set of beliefs that I believe are right, a perspective that I believe is correct, and feelings that cry out with conviction without rival; however, I am glad that there are others who see it differently.
Some would say today, in our politically charged culture that the America I am loyal to and the one supported by people of differing political, racial, or social status are simply different “Americas.” I would disagree. It is the same America with a plethora of differing voices, differing desires and dreams, differing backgrounds and experiences, differing views of God, and differing perspectives on the rightful role of government; Each one, divinely endowed by the Creator with certain inalienable rights including the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I love that at the family table of the American experience, there are many seats, many perspectives, and many more opinions on a multiplicity of issues. I love that in view of (not in spite of) these distinctions, there is a singular anchor point that strengthens us in the assembled diversity…an anchor point of love and devotion to one’s country. That is what it means to be a patriot.
I challenge you on this fifth day of July…in light of our common patriotism, to live out your conviction of belief in a sea of diversity exhibiting the grace and patience of a holy God toward those also created in His image and seek unity…pressing in to the ideal that unity and uniformity are not synonymous but that unity acknowledges (and even appreciates) differences while clinging to a shared sense of patriotism—love for or devotion to one’s country.
A friend asked me recently what advice I would give to a man who was beginning his first year as a pastor. My initial answer felt a bit “lame” but I have since had an opportunity to process and refine my thoughts. In doing so, I find four things that a leader should intentionally embrace during the first year, and particularly if that leader is a pastor.
LISTEN. I know this sounds a bit cliche’; however, there is wisdom to have “having two ears and one mouth” so listen twice as much as you talk. What’s always true is that organizations appear different during the interview stage than they do once you’re on the inside. The leader’s perspective is also different. Take time to listen to all of the voices. Hear the words but listen for perspectives as well. Every opinion has a back story. Try to unpack the “why” behind the “what,” without signing on to anyone’s agenda. Bear in mind that some perceive your attention in listening without disagreement as ENDORSEMENT. Don’t endorse. Simply seek first to understand.
LEARN. One of the television shows I enjoy is “NCIS: New Orleans.” One of the signature phrases of the lead character is “go learn things.” He commissions his team of investigators to this task as they take on a new case. You have to take what you hear from the people and start to process it. Put it into buckets. Investigate. Verify. Validate. Seek oppositional views. Seek to understand motives as well as actions. This will help identify the institutional memory. A wise man once said, “Don’t tear down a fence until you learn why it was built to begin with. There may be a bull just beyond your view.”
LOVE. This one sounds “sappy” but it really isn’t from a biblical perspective. Take what you’ve heard and learned and deal with it with the people. Most everyone believes they are “right” in their perspective. Their conclusion is not always accurate but their opinion certainly seems that way to them. No one is entitled to a private version of the truth. Love requires you to challenge assumptions and conclusions at times. Be gracious in doing it, but love demands that you challenge wrong thinking. By the way, this is almost never popular…but now as the leader, you don’t have the luxury of seeking popularity. You are responsible for a higher calling and correction is one of the difficulties in that responsibility.
LEAD. Ultimately, you were not sent or commissioned to take opinion polls and then implement popular desires. You were sent to equip the people and lead them to engage. Equip and lead. Nothing truly happens in any organization without movement. Leaders affect movement; otherwise, you are a commentator and not a leader. You must help people move. Finally, and particularly for pastoral leadership these 10 bullets have proven true in my experience. At times, they have served as an anchor for my soul. At other times, they served to prod me on when sitting comfortably seemed more attractive.
“You cannot lead those you do not influence.” Dr. Johnny Hunt. There is a reason that great generals lead from the front edge of battle. Their courage, bravery, and passion is contagious. It inspires people to follow.
Remember who you serve and WHOSE you are. Some people will think of you as theirs. You must remember that you are His. You serve the people by listening, learning, loving, and leading but they are not your authority. Your authority is derived from the One who called you. Many “pastors” have been fired and continued to serve as a pastor of the church. They are chaplains and event coordinators, orators and entertainers. The pastor’s authority has long since been revoked by the One who owns him.
Criticism goes with the calling. Many will refuse to follow while simultaneously charge you with not leading. They will make their errant opinions known broadly. Take it in stride.
“Don’t read your own press clippings.” Dr. Michael Cloer. You are not as good as some claim you are. You are also not as bad as some claim you are.
Work hard. Your family will be OK if you work hard. Some evenings away are actually a good example to your children. Make the most of the moments you have. Engage the entire family in the calling.
Have a pastor/coach. You need a truth speaker who has already earned battle scars. He must love you enough to wound you and to encourage as the circumstances dictate. This is not a peer, an evangelist, or a friend you lead in ministry. It must be a pastor that you think of as pastor. Every pastor needs someone who understands without having to explain.
Gather friends in ministry for a safe place to offload the weight of Office. Think of this as peer support or peer accountability. There is a rising tide of peer coaching/support groups today for pastors.
It is not as easy as it looked before you took the chair. It sometimes takes weeks but often months before the weightiness of the Office sets in. The difficulty is not a sign you are doing it wrong…it is just validation that it looked easier from the outside looking in.
Lighten up. Fun is important. You’re not perfect and shouldn’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does (smile). Try to laugh–a lot. It is hard to be angry with a guy who is laughing.
Soak in every minute. I’ve done some difficult things in my life. Pastoring has proven to be the most grueling and also the most rewarding. Watching the lights turn on and seeing people grow to understand and love Jesus absolutely lights my fire! Most leaders never experience the kind of joy that pastors do. You are involved in an eternal enterprise as a select servant of the Sovereign King!
So…new pastor (and a few old pastors who benefit from the reminder)…fulfill the calling you have been entrusted with.
If this article has been a blessing to you, or if you’d add to it, let me hear from you. Press on!
News flash: I was not known for my athleticism in my younger years. That said, my dad lettered in everything so he also enrolled me in sports. I played little league baseball (for the Royals by the way) …perhaps because they were required to play every player at least for an inning each game…even the guy they put in right field.
I remember a single phrase from my time playing coach’s pitch baseball: Keep your eye on the ball. This admonition, repeated often by the coach, was a reminder to ignore the catcher trying to distract me, the chants from the opposing team dugout, and the well-meaning tips from “almost” major league ball playing dads in the stands.
What my coach knew was that the key to a base hit was staying intently focused on the ball and simply swinging the bat to meet it. That’s it! Super simple and incredibly difficult at the same time. That piece of coaching advice was true not only of baseball but in other areas of life, including the life of the church. Every church (and every individual believer consequently) is subject to distractions and drifts toward complexity in life. Our calendars fill up and our activity schedules grow. Every good idea has a champion and every champion wants their idea to succeed. However, every leader knows that when a church becomes too complex, it sometimes loses sight of “the ball.”
Jesus identified “the ball” when He directed His disciples to “make disciples.” (Matthew 28:18-20). While many churches are good at many things, we still must ask, “Is their eye on the ball?” At Englewood (the church I serve), we say that our mission (the ball) is to “glorify God, by leading all people into a growing, reproducing relationship with Jesus Christ.” To do that, each one of us must embrace the Lord’s commission as if we alone are responsible for carrying it out. It is good when our team gets a “base hit,” but our responsibility when we step to the plate is to keep OUR EYE on THE BALL and swing the bat to meet it.
I believe that many adoring Christians with proper motives
seek to please Jesus with so many things; however, sometimes we do them to the
exclusion of the main thing…we fail to keep our eye on the ball.
As you walk your neighborhood, shop at the market, converse
with neighbors, go on vacation, carry out your duties at work and peruse social
media—let me ask you to keep your eye on the ball. How are you making
disciples?
Recently, I was in a gospel conversation with a woman in my city. She was cordial and I extended an invitation to an upcoming event at our church…and then proceeded to ask her about her religious background. She confidently shared with me that she was a committed Jehovah’s Witness. I went on to ask her if this was a faith she was introduced to as a child or if she had embraced it later in life. Her response should be convicting and illuminating for all who lead worship in the local church.
She said that she was raised in the Baptist church. As a
child she attended regularly and was frequent even into her adult years, but something was missing. She described her
church experience as one of emotionalism. “We would sing a lot…and there was
always a lot of shouting,” she explained. But I had questions. In her
evaluation, the church of her childhood failed to equip her with answers for
life.
At a point in her journey, she began to wrestle with purpose
and meaning. Then came the questions around death. She asked her grandmother, a
fixture in the church, about these things who simply told her that dying was
our purpose and then we go to be with Jesus. That’s it. The answers failed to
satisfy and the question marks in her mind made her a willing listener for
anyone with a coherent explanation. Then she was introduced to the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
These nice evangelists gave her answers that made sense, were logical, seemed
plausible and even made her feel better. The woman began to study her new found
religion and became versed in its tenets and fairly adept (if I may say so) in
telling her story in a winsome way.
As I probed further, I found that she has had numerous
encounters with Christians, mainly Baptists, whom she always talked with but
with little more success at discovering answers to life’s questions. I went on
to present the gospel but this woman was not remotely interested. Of course, I
left a wide door for future conversations, but left the encounter frustrated.
Here’s why:
Christians have the market cornered on life’s purpose, on
answers about things like death, suffering, and the afterlife. In fact, no
non-Christian source can speak holistically and authoritatively about these
things. Here is a woman who was in a church from childhood and was not properly
equipped to think rightly about them. Instead, her church, and specifically the
pastor as lead worshipper,
substituted clichés and emotional appeals, dancing and shouting… for the pure
Word of God. Now some may push back on this and tell me that only the Holy
Spirit gives understanding. Forgive my direct response: That is a cop out. Yes, the Holy Spirit DOES give understanding;
however, the pastor is required to set the table, make the food palatable, and
insure there is a balanced diet for consumption. Some may argue that the human
instrument (the preacher) is insignificant, to which I would ask, “Why then
must an overseer (pastor) be able to teach?” (1 Timothy 3:2).
As pastors, we have incredible influence among our flock.
They trust us to feed them. If we serve up a steady diet of cotton candy,
they’ll know no different. If we teach on some cerebral level that fails to
connect with the heart, they will simply not care. But if we do our job…then we
will be able to stand and give an account for our ministries. So, what must we
do? I would suggest five things. I’ll only mention them for sake of time, but
may expand in a follow-up article.
Make the
Word a priority. Study it diligently and present it clearly.
Measure
often. If you think you’re doing a faithful work but your people cannot
articulate and apply basic doctrines, you’re not fulfilling the task.
Teach
doctrine. As a professor once said to a group of preachers, “Preaching
doctrine is not a sin. Being dull and boring is a sin. Teach doctrine but don’t
be boring.”
Demonstrate
dependence on the Scriptures. If you’re citing the latest book on the best
seller’s list or never stray far from Calvin’s Institutes, you’re doing it
wrong. If John Calvin himself discovered you were citing him more than the
apostles, the prophets or the Lord Himself, he’d flog you.
Own it.
A shepherd knows well the condition of his flock. They are a reflection of your
leadership, your investment, and your teaching. If they get bored unless
there’s dancing parades or purple flags waving, then you’ve taught them to love
the wrong things. If this persists across generational lines, you’ve made the
devil’s job easy.
Now I am a pastor. I am not mad at anyone. I love pastors
and respect the calling. I know of the many draws on a pastor’s calendar and
the multiplied agendas seeking “just a quick minute” on Sunday morning during
the service. You must guard that time, minimize the distractions and expose the
people to the self-revelation of God through His Word.
I wonder, had the pastors in the case of the woman I spoke
with done differently…had they equipped the people with the Word…would she have
defected to a false religion and become an evangelist for the Jehovah’s
Witnesses? May that not be true of us and may we be able to say before the
throne of God, “I am innocent of the blood of all men for I did not shrink back
from declaring to you the whole counsel of Scripture.”
When was the last time you were in a meeting and wondered, “Why am I even here?” Over the years I spent in the military, in corporate America and now in the work of the church, I cannot begin to count the times I have asked that question.
In reflecting on the leadership aspect of church revitalization, there is a necessary aspect of shifting culture. Organizational culture is critical and can be the wind that fills the sails or the wind that batters the ship. One of the aspects of culture includes the process of communication and specifically, the meetings.
Confession time:
I am not a huge fan of meetings…at least meetings in the way most people think
of them. Years ago, I was part of a church that met monthly to simply talk
calendaring. This was a multi-hour gathering of every leader of every ministry
to simply review the calendar, schedule new events, and adjust activities for
the month. The purpose was essential but I noticed that the contribution of
everyone around the table varied. Some folks were very active…particularly the
leader and the staff. Others were not. They attended, sat dutifully, and left
with a new piece of paper identifying what others were going to do. These
meetings were intended to generate unity and excitement but left people feeling
divided and despondent. Why? Because someone just gave a couple of hours of
their lives to an activity that had no perceived value for them.
Some years ago, I heard a leader say that those who dislike
meetings need to be part of an organization with more meetings. Not just more
meetings but meetings of different types, with different people at different
times. For instance, Patrick Lencioni suggested in his book, Death by Meeting (Jossey-Bass, 2004)
that meetings should involve (1) the right people who are stakeholders in the
discussion and (2) a defined purpose that requires the parties to discuss.
Sometimes, leaders desire a plenary meeting because they are most comfortable
seeing the people in the organization. Other leaders like to control their own
calendar and it is simply more convenient for them to have a two-hour block set
aside to do everything, even if the meeting is mostly ineffective for the
participants.
What do we do?
Fundamentally, if the leader desires to create a strong
organizational culture that includes meetings that are exciting and
fulfilling…the leader must change. The leader must shift his or her thinking to
reflect a more servant-oriented approach. In other words, convenience for the
leader or preferences of the leader must take a back seat to the productivity
of the people around the table. If having productive team members is important
to you as a leader, here are four questions to answer to make meetings more
effective.
Is my desire to give direction or to discuss insights? If you are giving directives and the approach is straightforward…send an email instead. What you can implement by proclamation can often be communicated in writing. If the desired actions are unclear, invite recipients to follow-up in a short meeting.
If collaboration is the leader’s desire, whose input is valuable; in other words, who are the stakeholders in the discussion? Some meetings have a strategic objective. Some need coordination. Some are for the purpose of a 360 degree evaluation of a completed project. Pull in those people who are the best to offer insight into the matters and hash it out.
Prepare, prepare, prepare. As the leader, you should spend a minute of preparation for every minute of meeting time. Know what needs to be discussed. Make sure the players are around the table. Make sure they are prepared to discuss what is on the agenda. Servant-leaders honor the time of others by preparing well.
Promote drama. I know this sounds counter-intuitive. After all, who wants drama at a meeting? Those who have done the hard work of building trust, communicating value for the team members and genuinely believes that there is wisdom in the counsel of man (Proverbs 11:14, 15:22, 24:6). If those around the table do not participate in the discussion, ask yourself, “Do they need to be here? Are they engaged? Why are they not weighing in?”
Finally, limit the agenda for greater effectiveness. Don’t schedule a meeting to discuss upper level strategy, get activity reports, address calendar items, and discuss human resource policies. Instead, have a stand-up meeting 3 times a week to give 2-minute reports on activity. Schedule to meet with the HR manager to hammer out policy matters. Bring in senior staff to formulate or evaluate strategy. Let department heads work with their teams to drill down on specifics. If it is necessary for the leader to see everyone in that department, set aside 10 minutes for a drop by “check-up and encouragement” visit. The department head can unofficially schedule the leader in for this and everyone wins!
Some may push back and suggest that they did not work for decades to climb the organizational food chain only to run around the organization accommodating others. However, if that kind of service is the culture you want to promote throughout your organization, what better way to emphasize it than to model it? I would suggest that while the approach of more and better meetings may be time consuming and a little awkward at first, over a short time they will pay off with greater productivity, more collaboration, and improved morale. In other words, this is a step toward that organizational culture you’ve dreamed of but always seemed to elude your grasp.
Group of office workers in a boardroom presentation
How does your organization
currently do meetings?
Is your approach effectively
delivering on the desired outcome?
What would you change immediately
if it were your purview?
What will you implement
immediately to make your meetings more engaging?
I find, like you, that many professing Christ-followers often opine on matters beyond their immediate sphere of life. An actor in a distant state does something, and a Christian who disagrees may offer an opinion condemning the action. A government official in another state acts contrary to God’s revealed Word and a Christian offers a word of rebuke. [Full disclosure, I just offered an opinion on the actions of Governor Cuomo of New York on his horrific and destructive advocacy of expanded pro-abortion legislation. In my opinion, I suggested that if his church, the Roman Catholic Church, truly desired to demonstrate love toward the Governor and simultaneously clarify their position, they should seek his repentance through the process of church discipline.] Now, I am not part of the Governor’s church nor do I live in the state that he represents. My opinion, however informed or otherwise, is simply that. It is an opinion. I do not believe it is in any way unbiblical to share this opinion, since the Governor trumpets his faith, is a public figure, and is acting in a manner clearly at odds with Holy Scripture and the authority of the Catholic church.
What if, however, the Governor had been a member of a church that I attended…or led? Should his actions come under scrutiny by the congregation and should the church seek to assert any authoritative role in the conduct of the church member? My answer is…Yes. While that may shock or even provoke opposition from some, please allow me to briefly state my reasons.
To be a member of a church is to affirm agreement with the doctrinal positions of that church. The only (so called) church I know of that doesn’t require adherence to a doctrinal covenant is the Unitarian Universalist church, which is utterly inclusive. They are quite dogmatic about refusing to elevate one doctrine over another. [But this is, in itself, also a doctrinal assertion…and if you joined such an organization and sought to change it, you would likely have to separate from fellowship.]
For a Christian, there are no walls of separation between your faith, your personal life, and your professional life. One cannot separate faith from all other areas of life without becoming unfaithful. For instance, I once had the opportunity to open a gambling business and was promised an obscene amount of money to do so. The business was at odds with the faith position of my church (which I shared). To have aligned with the business would have placed me necessarily at odds with my church and my faith. In my free-choice, I chose to affirm my faith and forego the lucrative income.
The church has an obligation to act biblically and faithfully toward its membership. When a person joins a faith community, a covenant relationship is affirmed. There is a mutual obligation. The faith community MUST love its membership and be faithful to its covenant obligation in rescuing members who stray into sin…in both word and deed. If I believe or act contrary to closely-held doctrinal views, the only loving act the church can exercise is to seek my repentance and reconciliation (Matthew 18:15-20; Galatians 6:1-2, et.al.).
Not all doctrines are primary or essential to fellowship; therefore, there must be room for honest biblical disagreement within a church community. At the church I serve, we hold some doctrines as essential. In these matters, there must be unreserved agreement as a condition of the community. If a person, for instance, wished to join our church without agreeing that Jesus is the unique Son of God and that Salvation is only available through Jesus by grace through faith, and that this is true in every place and among every people at all times, their formal connection to the church would necessarily be refused, since this is a closely held and essential doctrine. At the same time, there may be disagreement on some biblical teachings (what we might refer to as secondary or tertiary doctrines), and membership NOT be refused. These doctrines may be recognized as being sufficiently mysterious, requiring more liberty within the fellowship.
Finally, if a member acts in a manner contrary to his faith assertion (actual or implied due to association with his church) all loving efforts should be employed to reconcile the dissonance and restore the member to a position of harmony with the doctrinal position of the church. To ignore the incompatibility is to demonstrate an unbiblical and unloving rejection of the member. Stated differently, to allow the disagreement to persist is to demonstrate that either the member or the church does not believe the doctrine to be essential to the faith.
I would suggest that it is time for communities of faith to act like communities. Church members deserve accountable communities that provide guidance and oversight, consistent with agreed upon doctrines, in their member’s lives. Churches deserve to have members that desire to live a consistent witness of the community’s doctrine and mission. This is the Lord’s desire and design for the church.
Much discussion occurs today on the “relevance” of the church. I think that the relevance of a like-minded and like-missioned community is self-evident. Therefore, every activity: personal, professional, or otherwise is connected to the community and should seek to further the community’s (church’s) mission and witness to its neighbors and the nations.
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