Persecution
Week 2 of our series titled “7″ is coming up this Sunday. It covers the letter that was written to the church in the city of Smyrna. It is the shortest of the 7 letters, but quite possibly the most powerful! I’m looking forward to sharing some insights from the text this Sunday.
One of the unique things about the church in Smyrna is that we actually have some historical accounts of their suffering. Specifically, we have the written account of their pastor’s martyrdom. Their pastor was a man named “Polycarp.” When he was about to be burned alive, he was given one last chance to denounce Christ. This was his reply:
“You threaten with a fire that burns only briefly and after just a little while is extinguished, for you are ignorant of the fire of the coming judgment and eternal punishment, which is reserved for the ungodly. But, why do you delay? Come, do what you wish.”
Wow! I can’t wait to embrace him in heaven someday!
We often think of persecution as something that happened in the 1st century. Its true that Christians were brutalized by the Roman government in the first few centuries following Christ’s return to heaven. But most of us fail to realize that more Christians were martyred in the 20th century than the previous 19 centuries combined. Today there are Christians around the world that suffer in a variety of ways simply because they worship Jesus. Their oppression would instantly stop if only they would denounce their faith in Christ.
As you wrestle with your own battles today, take some time to reflect on those who are in a cold prison cell today, away from their family, because they love Jesus. Take some time to pray for those whose homes will be destroyed today because they refuse to worship Hindu deities. Take some time to pray for Christians that will worship in secret this coming Sunday, at the risk of everything.
Here are a few links that talk about today’s persecuted church:
http://www.idop.org/
http://www.persecution.com/
http://www.opendoorsusa.org/
Change Reaction(s)
I’m reading “Diffusion of Innovations” for a Christian Leadership class this term. In the book, Everett Rogers presents some really in-depth research on the process of bringing change to an organization. A lot of it I’ve found to be rather dry and academic, but his conclusions are amazing. Anyone who has ever tried to introduce change in an organization has found that people react very differently to the whole idea of change. I always assumed that the key to accomplishing change was to do a great job of describing the rationale for said change. I’ve expended huge amounts of energy trying to make the case for new ministries, and new ways of doing old ministries. I would present statistics. I would quote the experts. I would prove my case. But would usually only get a few people to like my idea, and a few more who tolerated it. The rest were either ambivalent or totally against it. This is when leaders find a wall to bang their head against. But Rogers presents a new way of looking at change.
He suggests that every organization has 4 groups of people that will each react differently to change.
Innovators – the change agent. These are the folks who are creative and are the initiators of change.
Early Adopters – these are the folks who are open to change, and easily see the need to change. They get excited when the innovator presents an idea.
Late Adopters – these are people who would prefer to be left alone. They are fine with other people changing around them, just as long as they are not asked to change. However, it if becomes absolutely necessary, they will come along with the early adopters in time.
Laggards – these are people who like the status quo and will not be open to any rational argument to the contrary. No amount of statistics or “proof” will change them. It’s possible to bring them along with a change, but it is extremely difficult, and time consuming.
This changes the whole process of change for me. Think about how this should impact our process for leading change. Rather, than force feeding our organization with rational arguments, we should realize that 50% of the people in our organization are naturally wired to resist change, regardless of its merit, only 16.% are generally going to get immediately get excited about your awesome idea.
So what does this mean for a pastor or Christian leader? Here’s a few of my take aways. I’d love to here your thoughts and experiences as well.
1. Just because you are right, doesn’t mean you can expect to force your will upon the people. God has designed us to function in community; recognizing all of our personalities as being part of the mix.
2. Organizational change can not be instant. The nature of people demands that we take a long view toward institutional change.
3. It’s about people. Ideas are great. Rational thinking is important. But the key to change comes down to a leader engaging people where they are, and bringing them along at a pace that they can handle. That’s what Jesus did with the 12.
What else stands out to you?
“Minister” means “servant”
I ran across a portion of John Wesley’s ordination covenant in a commentary this morning. I thought I would share it with you.
The presiding official would state:
“Thus taking of His yoke upon us means that we are heartily content that He appoint us our place and work, and that He alone be our reward. Christ has many services to be done: some are easy, others are difficult; some bring honour, others bring reproach; some are suitable to our natural inclinations and temporal interests, others are contrary to both. In some we may please Christ and please ourselves, in others we cannot please Christ except by denying ourselves. Yet the power to do all these things is assuredly given us in Christ, who strengtheneth us.”
The minister would respond:
“I am no longer my own, but Thine. Put me to what Thou wilt, rank me with whom Thou wilt; put me to doing, put me to suffering; let me be employed for Thee or laid aside for Thee, exalted for Thee, or brought low for Thee; let me be full; let me be empty; let me have all things; let me have nothing; I freely and heartily yield all things to Thy pleasure and disposal.”
Reading this challenges me to remember that a minister of the gospel is and always will be a “servant” of the gospel.
Gospel of Mark – Desolate Places
I love Mark’s writing style. I use to find it distracting compared to the other gospels, but I’ve grown to love his no non-sense, “in your face” presentation of the life of our Lord. It is the shortest gospel, but it is compact and powerful. Chapter 1 hits the ground running, and sets the tone for the whole book. The last verse stung me this morning.
“But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.” Mk. 1:45
Mark describes great masses of people from all walks of life, leaving their places of comfort and familiarity to go to places of desolation. Though they were different in many ways, they all had one common goal – Jesus. From the beginning, those that beheld Christ were willing to leave all to follow him. They saw the infinite value of knowing Christ, and it moved them to go to him.
Think of how counter-cultural that is! Our society values the opposite. We move from desolation to comfort. Everything in society is designed to move us upward and onward to a more comfortable lifestyle. Just watch any TV commercial and you’ll see this value. It is the way of our world.
But the power of the gospel leads us to go against the grain. When the unfiltered, raw gospel is at work in a community, humanity is drawn to Jesus – not a church, dogma, or methodology. Christ is seen as more valuable than even personal comfort.
Father, please unleash the gospel in the Florence First Church of God, in northern Kentucky, in the USA, in our world! May we begin a mass migration away from our places of comfort and toward the risen Christ! May we see the infinite worth of knowing Christ, and be willing to go through the wilderness to abide with Him! Help us find that the comfort we have clung to so long was only a counterfeit version of the true peace found as we journey with Christ!
Leading Congregational Change – Excerpts
Today, I’m writing a summary and response to a book titled “Leading Congregational Change.” Here are some of the words that are now highlighted yellow in my copy. This is a great book!
“Working harder at what we’ve been doing is simply not the answer.” pg. 3
“A church cannot be on mission with God without an energizing corporate worship experience that helps the body encounter God’s holiness.” pg. 20
“A planning process may focus on controlling our future rather than aligning our lives with God’s activity. When worship is at the heart of planning, we are more likely to focus on aligning all of our lives-individually an dcorporately- with the ongoing activity of God among us.” pg. 20
“Congregational leaders must recognize the tension between unity and diversity and affirm both as essential in God’s plan.” pg. 24
“Community is experienced as sinful, broken, and highly diverse people joyfully pursue this mission in ways that reflect the character and spirit of Jesus.” pg. 26
“If the leaders of the congregation are not spending significant, consistent time seeking God’s direction – through prayer, Bible study, meditation, solitude, and fasting – it will be impossible for meaningful and lasting transformation to occur.” pg. 31
“Ultimately, momentum for ongoing transformation is a function of two factors: the organization’s ability to continually assess current reality, and it sability to create internal alignment around the vision.” pg. 88
“Change is driven when a significant gap exists between a vision of the future that people sincerely desire to achieve and a clear sense that they are not achieving that vision.” pg. 100
“Creative tension is exercised when change leaders paint two pictures clearly. The first picture is of god’s vision for the congregation. The second is an accurate depiction of current reality.” pg. 107
“Teams are hard work. They are inefficient and require us to function interdependently. They can be full of conflict. And for those who are accustomed to hierarchical leadership, teams mean less control.” pg. 130
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