Everyone on the planet is writing books about Leadership! Casually walk through any major bookstore and you will see all kinds of books on the subject. These books promise you can: “Lead Like Jesus”, Lead from the “Second Chair”, Lead with a “Limp”, Lead in a Circle (360 Degrees), become the “Leader You Were Meant to Be” (scary) and of course “Release the Leader In You!”.

While most of us aspire to be leaders (and probably will lead others)  the fact is that the vast majority of our lives will be spent following someone else’s cause, direction or mandate. (Even when we have made it our own).

Ok, Here is the point: Most of us are terrible followers. We bristle when told we must do something that we don’t want to do…..And for the Christian, their faith will mean nothing to a lost and dying world if they cannot follow well. 

A Few Problems with Following:

1. WE ARE AMERICANS!  Nobody tells us what to do! Our whole country was established based on the principle: Don’ t tell me what I can or cannot do!”
2. LITTLE LAWYERS rise up inside of us whenever we are told we have to do something (Parent, boss, cop, organizational leader etc…) We question their authority, their direction and even their lineage!
3. ABUSIVE LEADERS ABOUND! We have all had to submit to the authority of someone who abused their authority either by decree or neglect.
4. WE HAVE REBELLIOUS HEARTS. (Jeremiah 17:9)

CONSIDER:

1. God expects you to follow an unbelieving, unfair, mean….. boss, teacher, cop, parent, president, chairman and “grand poobah”! For it is God who established the authority in your life. (1 Peter 2)
2. Authority in your life represents ORDER and not VALUE. In other words, someone’s authority has nothing to do with their value. (Contratary to Secular Humanism, scripture actually encourage followers of Christ to become less and less in their submission to both Christ and “every authority instituted among men” (John 3:30/1 Peter 2:13)
3. Following a boss well gives you a unique platform to share what is really important, faith in Jesus Christ? You stand out “like a sore thumb”! How can you ever be a “light in a dark world” if your own bosses (and others) question your integrity or work ethic or loyalty?
4. If we are unable to follow the authority that we can see, how can we follow the authority we cannot see? (John 4:20, interp)
5. God uses an unfair authority figure to make us better….. (James 1:3)
6. Scripture says rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft…. in other words not good at all.  (1 Sam 15:23)

While we are all busy learning how to be better leaders…we may want to pay a little more attention to following whomever God has placed in authority over us.

THERE ARE DOZENS OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO “DO” CHURCH! I know what I believe but could argue for and against a lot of things. Elder leadership, deacons, “simple church” model, “attractional” models, “missional” models, Purpose Driven models, mission strategies, big buildings, no buildings, alter calls, LIFE Groups, home groups, worship styles, creativity….etc, etc…and blah, blah, blah! Don’t get me started on the different theological points that we could debate…..

But here is the deal…I also know where my church stands on all of those issues…I stand with my church! Not in violation of my conscience and certainly not in violation of Scripture…. but in support of the leadership, plan and direction my pastor (leadership of the church) has determined we should go. It is freeing to have convictions that differ from my church (insignificant issues) and a conviction to uphold and support the local body that I serve. THE TRUTH IS: You will never serve a church that you are in 100% agreement with every little thing that is done…ever! So enjoy where God has planted you for this season.

ANSWERING THE “BIGGER” QUESTIONS RIGHT:

1. CAN I STILL REACH PEOPLE WITH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST AND REMAIN AT MY CHURCH? If you can answer this question “YES” then the rest fades away nicely. Just focus on that and you may be suprised at how your frustration will vanish.

2. DOES WHAT WE DO AS A CHURCH VIOLATE SCRIPTURE? (not my opinion, convictions or preferences BUT SCRIPTURE). If the answer is “NO” then you might be struggling with simply “wanting what you want”. I know of folks who leave a church based on the “fact” that the church violates Scripture BUT really the church is just violates their PREFERENCES.

3. CAN I SUPPORT MY PASTOR? (Leadership) If “NO” then you may have a legitimate reason to leave OR you may have a real problem with authority. The reasons that 1 Peter 2: 13-17 was written is because we all wrestle with being told what to do… referees, teachers, cops, bosses…all represent authority that most folks “rub against”. The testimony of someone who can come under authority is honoring to God… ¹³ Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, ¹⁴ or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. ¹⁵ For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. ¹⁶ Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. ¹⁷ Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

I have heard the following statements made by staff members (not here) and church members alike over the last several years….

“The folks I serve with are more concerned about attendance than impact.” (Really? How do you know?)

“They are more interested in money coming in than with lives transformed by the Gospel.” (like the money used to pay your salary….keep the lights on and fund your ministry)

• “They are just trying to make a name for themselves.”  (jealousy is an ugly thing)
• “They just want to make a bigger church”  (and that…is…bad…how?)
• “They don’t care about the lost like they should.” (spoken most often by people who have never shared their faith with anyone)
• “They just cater to the folks with money cause they want more from them.” (prejudice against folks with money…and jealous. Usually from people who never give a dime)
• “They don’t teach the Bible.” (translation: …like I want it taught. Or like the last guy did….whom I criticized too)

If you have ever made the above statements or something like them then you may have a problem judging the hearts of the folks you work with. 

REMEMBER: YOU REALLY DON’T KNOW “THEIR” MOTIVES.   

1. TRY THIS:
   LET THAT STUFF GO!  It will kill you. …unless you see something immoral, unethical or illegal going on then assume the best about your pastor and rest of the staff. (yes I know what assuming does…and it is a lie) You will sleep better and last longer.Proverbs 16:2  All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD. (Leave the motive weighing  to God.)
2. EXAMINE YOUR OWN LIFE. Often times the things that frustrate us are also the things that reveal us. Staff just wants to make a name for themselves?  Maybe that is your issue.  They don’t care about the lost? How do you know?   Very seldom does someone who is involved in reaching people for Jesus have the time or inclination to complain about what other people are not doing for the cause of Christ.
3. FOCUS ON YOUR OWN MOTIVES. What is driving your criticism? Is it fear? Is it the need for significance (as you define it?)  Or is it a passion for the things of Jesus?

James 4:3

“When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures”.

SATISFACTION AND CONTENTMENT IN MINISTRY COME FROM WALKING CLOSELY WITH JESUS AND NOT FROM BEING SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE THAT ACT LIKE YOU, DRESS LIKE YOU AND SMELL LIKE YOU! 

IT DEFINITELY DOES NOT COME FROM CREATING A SITUATION WHERE YOU ARE FREE FROM CONFLICT, CRITIQUE AND QUESTIONS!  

I wear thick glasses and read dusty books! Thick glasses because I have 20/400 eyesight and read dusty books cuz I’m a history buff. (All the good history books were written before the turn of the century (20th not 21st) and are dusty). If you were to come over to my house on any given evening you might find me perusing through one of the hundreds of old books we have in boxes, on shelves, under lamps (to make the lamp look bigger) and on the coffee tables. On the surface I would look like quite the intellectual but in reality…well…. not so much.

…… BUT IF I WERE, YOU WOULD FIND ME SHARING MY FAITH LIKE PAUL did in ACTS 17:22-34.

Acts 17:22-34

Paul addresses the men at the Areopagus. (Council or Court, which for a time met on a low hill near the Acropolis.)  As Paul stood there the men could look past Paul to the City of Athens and see the idols that represented the gods that Paul knew were worthless.

Essentially these were a group of philosophers and academics who met to debate this theory or that theory.  This would have been a place where Peter and his confrontation, would have gotten his “repent and be baptized” (see yesterday’s devo) thrown back in his face. But where a man like Paul, whom God put together, was well received. Or at least much better received than Peter.

Great example of this is Ravi Zacharias who travels all over the world speaking in academic institutions like Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford and Texas Tech! (All of the great centers of higher learning 🙂 )  See his website here: http//: www.rzim.org

Intellectual person is typically Inquisitive, Analytical and Logical. If that describes you then you may want to share your faith like Paul did in the above passage……. intellectually.

JUST DO IT, LIKE YOU DO IT!

One of my favorite preachers in America is a man named Mark Driscoll. He is the Lead Pastor at a church called Mars Hill in Seattle. His style is very direct and biblically conservative. He is a great communicator and God has blessed his hard work and leadership. I encourage you to check out their website at

http//: www.marshillchurch.org/     I absolutely love the guy! He is bold, self assured, direct….an absolute genius. His style is vastly different than mine... BUT HIS MESSAGE IS THE SAME!!!

Scripture lays out several models of evangelism that allows the shy, the intellectual, the “behind the scenes”, the inarticulate, the uneducated etc… to share their faith in Jesus with those “far from God”. They may be vastly different than the model you use…. BUT THE MESSAGE IS THE SAME.

This week I’m going to look at four BIBLICAL models of evangelism starting this morning with the one most people recognize. CONFRONTATIONAL STYLE OF EVANGELISM. 

It is modeled in Acts 2:36-41

36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”  37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-for all whom the Lord our God will call.”  40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. 

COUPLE OF NOTES:

1. This can be a VERY EFFECTIVE way to tell people about Jesus. It was just the style needed for the situation in ACTS 2. These folks were calloused religious “do gooders” that needed to be shaken a bit in order to “hear” the Gospel.
2. Peter’s motives were to bring people to faith not to tell people they are lost. I actually know folks who love telling people they are going to hell…but do they love telling people they don’t have to?
3. This was true to who Peter was….he was Confident, Assertive, DIRECT…confrontational.
4. If you try to share your faith this way but are not “wired” like Peter you may very well struggle.
5. Confronting people is A WAY to share your faith….but not the ONLY WAY!

 “EVEN YOU” CAN SHARE YOUR FAITH….”JUST DO IT, LIKE YOU DO IT”!