Do you desire most to be loved or to be effective ?
Who do you desire to be effective for ?
God's approval and pleasure according to His unconditional love, calling and purposes in our lives should be the only demand / desire we serve and have affection for.
- Why where the Old Testament prophets rejected and hated so much?
- Why did those closest to Jesus pay the cost to death?
- Why is the biblical pattern of spiritual leadership about dying to our reputation and popularity ?
- How does this fit in with the mission of God today, and our place, fruitfulness in it?
Things we know are in the bible but may forget in contemporary culture.
1) Truth is always more important than trend.
2) Ultimate matters matter most. True reality is not what we project but what He knows about us. If we die/ we were called to be before His throne today, internet followers, books sold, video hits, anything which comes from reputation would not matter with even a smidgen of relevance.
However, the reality of our love for Christ, the outworking of it, how we have actually lived, built, modelled and encouraged His kingdom in others, lived in obedience, worship, urgency, genuine love for His people and the lived in integrity to be like Christ and prioritised His mission to the lost in faithfulness to Him, would be issues of highest importance. Of course some come to Christ in their final hours which impact this, but for most of us this not our reality. Alongside this is the basis of our motivation in all things, our genuine delight in Him, our true motivation and joy to do what pleases Him in response to who He is, not being motivated by anything else or building on any other foundation.
There appears to be a lot of projection in our culture, trying to direct or channel people into what we want them to think of us (manufacturing / management of our profile real or virtual) This is the age where we write our own bio, our own LinkedIn profile and many others. This is a complex dynamic many of our forefathers never battled with. Networks and reputation seem to matter so much. So prevailing and present in contemporary spiritual leadership culture is the idea that we convince others of our orthodoxy or authenticity, our validity to be doing God's work. I'm honestly not convinced in many contexts people notice anymore when projection is fundamentally human, self centred and self motivated. God notices without fail, Identity in Him (producing sanctification / fruitfulness/ being obedient to Him) and human projection should not be accepted as compatible but there are times we are hard pressed to see others discern this.
3) Whilst contemporary culture connects people fleetingly for a purpose veneer thick , His eternal plan is for authentic lasting relationship at the deepest and most organic level.
His patterns, foundations, communities and applications for relationship are so much deeper. (Gen 2:18, Acts 2:46). It is relatively easy in our world to find a contact or connect with someone who affirms you or thinks you have something to say on some issue. In the good old days people did something before they wrote about it or were affirmed. Today you can build a platform to raise funds and promote yourself (or a subject) before you have done anything. Relationships or ministry profile can really therefore be built on the most shallow of foundations. Doing life biblically, ministry in substance, being proper church, life on life fellowshipping in mission is so much more demanding than a temporary or shallow connection. Shepherding people fruitfully in accordance with Him, is such a very different thing to being a preacher or teacher with a profile or platform. Being effective in His purposes has very little to do with profile and very much to do with humility and obedience.
As I have said before here (and fear might be becoming a bit of a mantra), people quote biblical instruction (what God says in the bible) as if they have ticked and completed all the relevant boxes of proving authenticity. Our culture is far less observant of biblical patterns (what God does, loves and detests) and I fear we apply ourselves far less readily to that.
Observations of biblical patterns.
a) Sent from God, shaped by God and not by the world.
Apostleship post glorification / ascension of The Lord Jesus sees The Spirit giving gifts to the church in a new epoch (Ephesians 4) by His sending and His command of individuals to go. It is not by man's manufacturing. Both epochs / eras/ seasons have intimate spiritual relationship in The Spirit at the core of the dynamic. The way of God has never changed, the season has (Acts 1:7-9). The great command to love as proof of authenticity and the great collaboration to seek His kingdom is key, as is the one of priority relationship with whom all are truly united and empowered (reread 1 John 4). These things (the great command and collaboration in Christ) are as equally important as the great commission He gives us. The manner in which we go is as important as the going. Going alone does not mark authenticity, in fact it could be a human mechanism to adopt a divine notion.
b) To the world for Christ and not for ourselves. To proclaim Him, His Lordship character and salvation, the reality of His resurrection (Acts 1:22, 26)
c) His work is qualitatively different on many dimensions to a human construct. He appoints children to edify the body and equip/ encourage it to do the same by His resurrection power. It is The Spirit who.choses to do this sending and equipping for expansion work of the kingdom ACTS 13:2, 14:4 (Paul and Barnabas as Apostles) continues in dynamic (1 Cor 4:9 Appolos / Sostehenes, Romans 16:7, Andronicus, Junia 1 These 2:6 Silvanus, Timothy 1 Cor 15:5-7) , but this choosing is His work not our work, His designation not ours, defined by His parameters not ours.
New frontiers of ministry, founding churches amongst new people groups, dynamics of gospel reach are by His direction and equipping when authentically His work, direction, and by His power. Proof of human industry does not automatically correlate with proof of divine authenticity and authority. Bringing revelation of God, his revealed truth to bear on decision making within such scenarios is an awesome responsibility. Humility is the prominent characteristic of this dynamic when genuine. (1 Cor 15:8-9) "I am the least".
d) There are clearly false Apostles and presumptuous self appointed spiritual "over leaders". (The Ephesian church Revelation 2:2. ) Just because people attempt gospel work or mission, or a high level missional position of leadership does not mean that it is The Spirits work.
e) The testing of an apostolic function is not in gifting but "sentness". Of course Paul was gifted, so uniquely and exquisitely, and God does not / will not send someone who is ill equipped but ... obvious gifting or human qualification/ qualities do not make apostolic dynamics happen.
There are OT apostolic dynamics of commissioning (Luke 11:49-54) and the divine sending of God by his specifically sent people for specific purpose at a specific historic juncture has been a constant pattern / theme of grace through redemptive history. (John 13:16).
Note in passing these added distinguishing characteristics of all the above.
1) This is about team not individualism. Regardless of the uniqueness of the calling, era, geography, missional challenge, individualism, self promotion and self declaring of position is not how God works. Accountability, obedience and humility are always present and affirm authenticity in the Christ sent dynamic.
2) A teacher sent by The Spirit is more than one "able to teach" or with a teaching record . He is sent to speak how that revealed truth to all works in such a context at this time for kingdom / missional advance. Antioch's teaching men show this. Evangelists likewise are a sent gift (Acts 21:8) Philip), and without wishing to be controversial Prophets are the most clearly defined ( Romans 12:6, 1 cor 12:10, 28, Eph 4:11). Some gifts for the local church seem to be marked for local use, others for advance and missional use.
3) Although a leader gifted to the church can use His spiritual gifts anywhere, something unique is stressed in apostolic dynamics to use what God has gifted for a place and sent time of fresh gospel advance.
4) Apostolic dynamics / gifting are still relational (Acts 13:1-2 Antioch) with others who do not have apostolic purpose. Those who are sent and those who remain are one in His purposes. True NT team shows diversity and humility in leading others into truth, they all seek to fit in with His divinely commissioming purposes for His glory, not clamber for elevation or superiority.
5) The normal pattern for one used in apostolic "sending" is one of consistent suffering, hardship, rejection, relational burden and often martyrdom. Endurance is a key sign of authenticity (Col 1:11). To keep going under persistent, prolonged pressure tests the reality of our calling whatever and wherever it is (Romans 5:3-5, 2 Tim 4:5). His might and His glory keep those going who are called to such a life of self denial and task of obedient influence. This is what we seek to model faithfulness in, regardless of whether our task is local or global, one or multiple geographies, deep fellowships with a small group or larger, missional leadership of one culture or many cultures. This is the nature of maturity we seek to see in others as they grow in dependance on Him and affection for Him not us, and we show our weakness - point to His strength, as we seek to make disciples of Christ and not followers for ourselves.
Lord, by your grace make us faithful disciples in every dimension, influencing the next generation of disciples to follow you alone in all things, for your purposes alone, in your timing and your power.
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