Recently, I sat in a coffee shop with friends discussing the “state of the union.” The conversation was quite animated, filled with all sorts of assertions about how bad things are and assessing blame. To be quite clear, none of it was “our” fault. Which was rather strange, since we had diametrically opposed views as to what the problems were and who was to blame. (I think they were just trying to be polite by not blaming me.)
Yet, hours later, as I was assessing my day before God, I recognized how selfish and self-centered I still am and I realized how much I've contributed to the problems we face today. I’m impatient and undisciplined, refusing to sacrifice for a better future. I’m self-centered and opinionated, refusing to acknowledge the criticisms of others and the possibility that I might be wrong. I’m selfish and ungrateful, focusing on what I still lack instead of everything God has provided. I’m hypocritical and hypercritical, decisively pointing out the faults of others while completely ignoring my own glaring sins. G. K. Chesterton nailed it years ago when, in response to a local newspaper that asked its readers - "What's wrong with the world today?" he replied, "The problem with the world is me." Indeed.
I spent over 33 years telling a crowd of people every week what was wrong with the world and how to fix it. I thought that was the gospel, but it wasn't. I thought my job was to be the moral example for that crowd (and anyone else that might be watching), but it wasn't. Instead, I think my job was to be a witness to what God was doing, or not doing, in me. That's a tougher, but much more honest, assignment because there were many times when, because of my pride and disobedience, I didn't allow God to work in me. I wasn’t encouraged to talk about that, so I didn’t.
Consequently, I became the modern day equivalent of the Pharisees Jesus condemned (Matthew 23) – more concerned with engaging the crowd than being engaged with God, more concerned with pleasing those that were paying me to do ministry than the one that called me to ministry, and, ultimately, more concerned with talking about faith than really living it out. Looking back I guess I really was an example for the crowd – a bad one. Removing myself from that environment gave me an opportunity to do some rather brutal introspection and I hated what I saw. It brought me to the point of utter despair. After all, if those that have been given the call to seek the kingdom of God and make disciples of Jesus aren't obedient, is there any hope for the world?
You hear a lot of church leaders these days talking about the church as "the hope of the world," or that the church is the answer to the world's problems, but, after spending over 30 years trying to lead churches, I don't think that's true. I think there is an answer and, although it involves the church, I don't think it is the church...and that's the problem. Just one man's opinion. What do you think?
You hear a lot of church leaders these days talking about the church as "the hope of the world," or that the church is the answer to the world's problems, but, after spending over 30 years trying to lead churches, I don't think that's true. I think there is an answer and, although it involves the church, I don't think it is the church...and that's the problem. Just one man's opinion. What do you think?
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