Thought for the day...

Until I can get up my next post on "the Big C, little c Church" confusion, I offer my response to the "Revolutionaries":

To seekers as well as to its own flock, the Church must now announce, “If you desire a transformed life, you must be transformed within the church.  If you desire to be changed people, you must change the church. If you would find your life, you must lose it within a redeemed and redemptive Community that together lives the manner of abundant and exceptional life that God intended for us.”

from, It Takes a Church to Raise a Christian: How the Community of God Transforms Lives, p. 18.

Comments

[Mike]

Tod:

I don't disagree with what you say, but what is difficult to find are senior pastors with the courage to risk, to be transformed, to change the church, and "lose what they cannot keep to gain what they cannot lose." Too often the "revolutionary" young guns become advocates of the status quo once they have ascended to seats of power and authority. It is as though they begin to believe, like Denethor, that they are not merely stewards but actually lords over those they are meant to shepherd.

I find far more people in the pews willing to change than I do senior pastors who are willing to risk their jobs by confronting the elder/deacon board that has the church by the throat.

[Bumble]

Mike, I used to see things that way too. Until I decided to cross the line to the other side to become a pastor...

[Mike]

Bumble:

I'm not sure I understand your point. Are you saying that my perspective is not valid because - as you assume - I have not been on the other side? Are you saying that your experience is that there is a veritable flood of pastors willing to risk everything but that they are being held back by the people in the pews?

What exactly are you saying? I don't get it.

[Bumble]

Mike,

What I am saying is that I used to be frustrated by the same thing you see think that my pastor didn't lead enough. But then by the time I step to the other side, I realized that if I lead and the flock can't follow, that's not really leading...

[Tom]

actually, until all church mega or those with three people stop following pastors (who get way too much attention and do so deliberately) and follow the one who is suppose to be worshipped the church will find itself wanting. Church is about the one we follow and how we conduct ourselves is a matter of focusing on Christ not the pastor, deacons or whatever power structure there is.