I would like to offer some solutions to the recent post in regards to my response to Zondervan's new soft ware known as "the city". Throughout my short ministry experience I have realized (either on my own but more than likely from my wife or friends) that gving an opinion is great, but you know, everyone has one, you know like noses, everyone has one. Below are some positive, (as positive as I can be), thoughts or solutions in regards to some of the problems I have brought up in regards to the lack of effort put forth by church attenders, lack of serving and overal laziness in the body. I also have added a few suggestions for church leaders in regards to some things we tried in my church in NY.
How can church leadership begin to empower the body to have more of a "giving attitude" as opposed to "taking"?- Goal- get the body serving....
1. Any good leader realizes he is only as good of a leader as the people in which he puts himself around. Meaning a good leader puts leaders around him. People that know him, that are different then him, that know how to steer him and direct him, and hold him accounatble. This act of leadership allows others to see the transparency of the leadership that they are told to (biblically) submit to. This tranparency should trickle down from the top, senior pastor, elders, to the deacons, to the body. The problem however is that when the leadership is not transparent and is not willing to lead by being transparent an attitude is shown, whether intentional or not, that the leadership has it all under control, it does not need any help, or worst of all, has it so much together that they may not even need our prayer. This type of leadership is often led with selfish motive. the result, twofold: lack of trust from the body and a false sense of what is genuine worship and service as a body. If the Body thinks the leadeship can do it all they will let them. If the leadership allows the body to think this, then we have an unhealthy body, an engine not functioning on any cylinders.
2. A good leader knows how to empower. Any good leader is secure enough to empower and develop the next batch of leaders. We have too many people sitting around doing nothing, particuarly young to middle age people. This can stem from the same old problem Timothy had in the Bible with Old people despising the youth. So much concern over the history that they had in Judaism or whatever, that there is a false philosophy painted that one must be over the age of 50 to serve properly. A leader must empower. Church leadership must empower the body to as Paul says, not let a part say to another, "we have no need for you" all parts need to be functioning. So transparent and empowering leadership is the goal.
The Body:
How do we empower the body to serve?
1. Teach Biblical Worship from the pulpit. Biblical worship today has been lost in the age of Grace. Jesus paid it all, and that is true but that does not deliniate us from responsibility. I guess I mean we have lost the "service" aspect of worship. Biblical Worship never existed without service. When Satan asked Jesus to bow down and worship Him he did not know what he was asking, Jesus knew worship was more than just a one time deal, worship involved service, work, responsibility and although satan would have been happy with Jesus one time act of worship whether kneeling down or whatever, Jesus calls him on it. He basically says you cannot have one without the other, for Jesus to worship satan would mean he would serve him too, and that is reserved for YHWH only, sorry man, no can do. Most people have no idea what proper worship and service entail. It is a good thing God gave us some gifts, or gift whatever your theological fancy. The problem is most people do not know what their gift (s) are. I recommend 2 things:
1. Know what your object of worship is- When Jesus meets the woman the well to discuss salvation and later worship, he meets her in an interesting place, right in between Mt. Gerizm, her place of worship and the Temple in Jerusalem. he meets her at Jacob'e well to make a point, this is where my Patriarchs worshiped me, out here in the sand, nothing made with hands. See the Samaritans worshiped in Spirit and the Jews in truth. The jews knoew the object of their worship but their hearts were not in it anymore. The Samaritans had the opposite problem, worshipping with their hearts, but the object of worship was false Gods. He meets her in the middle to say, both are wrong, someday the true worshipers will worship in spirit and in truth. part of me wonders how much true worship is going on, and worse I am afraid we have lost sight of our true object of worship and replaced it with efficiency.
2. The Gospel must be included in worship- Jesus redirects the woman at the well to remind her Salvation is a life altering change, She says she wants the living water but she does not know why, she thinks it is so she can be accepted back into her culture, she is not yet ready to deal with her sin. Jesus holds back the Gospel and encourages her to go get her husband and deal with your sin. We have lost focus of dealing with sin and seem to be too wrapped up in making the Gospel efficient and friendly.
Two more thoughts:
1. Spiritual gifts teaching from the pulpit
2. Spiritual gift test
You know as much as I do that there are people in the church that are practicing "gifts" that maybe they think they are the only ones "gifted" in that area. They will only learn if we teach them, They will only learn if we empower them.
In regards to social networking I stand by my argument that this should solely be for the use of supplemental purpose only. Now show me a church that is so far ahead in the biblical model of worship with service, where they have it so right, they are saying, 'ok how can I make this more efficient now, how can I do this better and faster', In that case maybe they are ready for "the city", but when you are not there yet as a church, physically, when you are not utalizing your gifts, when leadership is not empowering the body and the body is sitting there with ther arms outstretched wanting more "milk", maybe it is time to reconsider what is really the issue as opposed to covering it with more facilitation of laziness.
Please do not think that i am opposed to the usefullness of the web, but if I think if we were honest, we have a lot more work to do..
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