Better yet, is to give yourself permission to let yourself go, and you follow the simpler path.
You don't have to be diverted from the mission, by using up all your time trying to drag everyone else along on the mission. Live what is right and true, and if others follow great, if not, keep living the mission and some might catch the vision. But staying back with them trying to move them, gives them no example to follow. See what I mean? Build with a few, like Jesus did.
This may mean that need to get another job (like me), for now, at least to live missionally. But the freedom to minister in simple relational ways, without all the pressure of managing the programming "stuff" is worth it. The time we get to spend with others, in his name, instead of spinning the often fruitless program plates, is really enjoyable.
However, I will warn you. The road is very loneley for the first 2-4 years. You will be misunderstood, and even missrepresented. Don't react, don't try to answer, just keep moving.
Here is are some interesting comments for thought.
".....you may understand that you can't keep everyone together when you move forward to the ancient incarnational way.... They don't want to go and make it very clear. Let them "not go" Some... will..... seem to want to go but really don’t. They are the ones who pay your bills if you’re a pastor, give you nice strokes after your sermon, and who generally make life peaceful for you as long as you keep it peaceful for them. They calmly nod and smile when you’re preaching what they want to hear, and for a while they even sound like they know where you’re going to take them.
“Oh, we’re going to be a missional church? Cool! It’s about time. I’ve been trying to get us to do this for years!”“Oh, we’re going to he really committed to ‘community.’ Count me in. In fact, I’d like to lead one.” But as soon as you suggest that this new journey will include some genuinely “lost” people from the world in your church; or that they may have to open up their homes once a week to create small communities; or that you may change the service time to accommodate searching souls; or change a little music; or let “nonbelievers” be involved in church ministries and activities; or give up their first baseline seating spot, their position as women’s choir post, or dive deeply into the life and activities of the culture around them, you’ll see their claws begin to come out..
If you try to keep everyone in the same cage of your missional journey, you’re in for some crud! Wise leadership requires that you steward everyone well; pastor everyone well; be honest with where you want to go and try to express what the journey will feel like, what they won’t get to take if they go, and what it will cost them if they do. Then let people decide for themselves.
For church planters and pastors who wish to move their congregations deeper into mission, this is quite difficult. We used to be told that the number one indicator of a new church’s success is how many people they have when they start. Now we say, the number one problem you’ll have will be based on bringing too many people with you. Why? Because a good majority of the Christian world ....... have good hearts, but they hate change, they’ve gotten used to being provided for, and many will take too much of your time and energy to try to keen on the mission.
("Tangible Kingdom". Hugh Halter, pg 27, 2008, Jossey-Bass. )
No comments:
Post a Comment