10 Things

Surely God is with Us.

Every day, I take our dog for a walk up the hill. It gives him a bit of exercise as he attempts to figure out every animal that crosses his land during the night, and it gives me a chance to pray and let my mind wander.

  I was pondering people that I have known, some who have followed the road to ministry and other into business. Then I got to thinking about Pam Clark’s latest Stackpost, “The Greater Glory.” Then at some point during the walk, my mind shifted to comparing things I have seen against the backdrop of Jesus's life.

  Many of you who have read my posts for a while, or read my book understand my mindset concerning Modern Corporate Christianity. But for those of you who have not, I will boil it down to this. M.C.C. is an artificial, synthetic religious system like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, that displays the illusion of a biblical life to entrap people's minds.

  This is something we have all seen, in every denomination regardless if we knew it or not. The reality is, it is so ingrained into our mindset that we fail to comprehend the real when it presents itself.

Jesus Our Pattern

  If we set up the life of Jesus before us as a pattern to follow, and then compare this against what we see in the M.C.C. Because there are striking differences we should pay attention to.

    Jesus is recorded as being a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek, not a priest in the order of Levi. It was the Levitical priesthood who had the authority to collect money, and mandate the people to do certain things. Since so little is written about Melchizedek, we must fall back on the examples of Jesus's life to understand how to conduct ourselves within the context of our new life. We must do this because the Levitical priesthood is NOT our pattern.

1. Jesus required no payment to join him.

2. Jesus never mandated a yearly membership fee.

3. Jesus never mandated a membership role, covenant to sign, or vote to allow new followers to join him.

4. Jesus encouraged people to freely give or not to give.

5. Jesus never mandated worship to take place at “anointed locations.”

6. Jesus was always approachable, he never told someone to schedule an appointment.

7. Did people support his ministry? Yes, there are examples. But do you recall at any point in the New Testament that Jesus had them “pass the bucket?” Jesus trusted what the Father gave and all lived off it.

8. In the New Testament, is there any recorded record of Jesus requiring music to “set the atmosphere for ministry?”

9. Did lack of funds, transportation, or weather prevent Jesus from his calling?

10. Was Jesus ever afraid of strong emotions from himself or others?

  Right now we are sitting at a very strange point in Christian history. There is so much exposure going on, not just in the Charismatic, but other denominations and movements are all feeling it. Pastors are falling, church boards are getting exposed and the people of God are feeling less and less comfortable with the leadership above them.

  In this, we are seeing the first hints of change that is coming.

  So much of the past was built on sand. It was about association, fake coverings that mandated membership fees, market shares, who you knew, and making sure they knew you. It was about honing your skills at drawing a crowd and fake crying from the stage. It was about the status, the image, and creating a divide by isolating leadership from the laity. It was about putting a spin on scriptures and culture to serve the Church, not God.

A question has to be asked, how does that compare to Jesus's instructions?

  Could it be that in the very words of Matthew 5, we find a far better foundation for the heart of leadership? Could it be that leadership must finally lead by example and not words alone?

 

Patterns of Leadership

1. Jesus was a man of no reputation. Philippians 2:7

2. Jesus assumed the form of a servant. Philippians 2:7

3. Jesus was homeless, Matthew 8:20

4. Jesus taught his followers to Love & honor and pray for each other. Be full of zeal. Have Hope and patience in affliction. Romans 12:10

5. Jesus did not suppress the leaders under him but encouraged and lifted them up. Matthew 26 & John 13.

6. Jesus turned his students into friends. John 15:15

7. Jesus did not hide from the lowest of people. Matthew 11:19

8. Jesus understood weakness. Hebrews 4:15

9. Jesus lived as a refugee. Matthew 2:13–23

10. Jesus was a man of sorrows. Isaiah 53:1

  I have seen people follow the world’s ways of doing ministry. They changed their clothes, speech, and who they hung out with. And in time they started to emulate the people above them, turning themselves into little clones of some great man of god.

  How many people who joined the prayer movement learned to walk, talk, and act like Mike Bickel? I know of at least one person who is now well known, I was his Sunday school teacher when he was a child. Hopefully, the other attributes of Mike will not be found in this man.

  And how many others tried to absorb the ways and mannerisms of other top-level leaders. If you did you need to go through a spiritual divorce so that you do not share in this person's sins. I say this because all things flow downward in headship to you, both good… and bad.

Jesus is your headship, let no man come between you and the Father.

  Click on the picture below to listen to one of the last songs the late Rich Mullins did before he died. It’s a rough recording, but since it was near the time of his death, and evidence suggests he may have known the time of his passing. Listen carefully to the words.