Thinking-Christianly

When Marsha and I spent an evening in a motel recently, I found myself watching part of a program called, “What Not to Wear.” You may already know about the premise. Fashion experts Stacy London and Clinton Kelly ambush someone who has been nominated by a friend as a bad dresser. They help him or her change their wardrobe. More importantly, they help them think differently about how to pick the clothes they buy. The two fashion designers offer the person they select a $5,000 gift card for new clothing provided they be granted the right to toss our all the old clothing. This is a radical change. It forces the subject of the episode to yield to a new way of thinking and let go of the past. Over the course of an episode, it appears as if real change takes place.

As I watched the metamorphosis that took place, it reminded me of the much greater transformation that is at the core of Christianity. Spiritually, it reminds me of Romans 13:14: “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”

The hosts of the series bluntly challenge the old way of thinking that caused the subject of the episode to dress poorly. They promise tangible results. They invest in the person and express affirmation and encouragement.  The participant responds to this challenge and we watch a change in attitude lead to a change in behavior.

I wonder if followers of Christ might learn something from the approach of “What Not to Wear.” We can easily look at those dressed in the rags of their selfishness, the grimy clothes of lying and deceit, and the faded flannel of emptiness. We see they need a change. The transformation is not accomplished by placing the new clothing of righteousness over the old clothes of wickedness. Nor does it come by admitting that the old garb is unsightly.

Yet sometimes Christians can convince themselves that they’ve done their job when they point out the flaws in another’s wardrobe. But evangelism must be about the promise we have in Christ as well as the problems we have with the old nature. Even the prophets in the Old Testament who spoke of judgment on the land had his balance. They were brutally honest about the realities of sin, but they periodically pointed ahead to the grace of God and the great future that their audience could have if they chose to follow God.

In our approach to inviting people to give their lives to Christ, we have the opportunity to be blunt about the rags of sin while being excited about the promise of a great life in service to Jesus. Part of our task is to help them envision the life they can have with Christ. Though the intangibles of spiritual renewal may be more difficult to picture than a new designer wardrobe, the benefits of life in Christ far outweigh the transitory changes a television program can offer a prospective participant.

You see parents at sporting events cheering on their sons and daughters. The foolish ones berate and criticize. The wise ones encourage and affirm. They know that their daughters and sons will always need to fight fear of failure, comparison with others, and calls from officials that are not always perfect. So they clap and smile and shout words of encouragement across the soccer field or football field. They spread enthusiasm and confidence onto the volleyball or basketball court. And they make a powerful difference in their progeny.

When we related to one another as adults, we somehow forget the wisdom we can sometimes demonstrate toward our children. We motivate by guilt, criticism, and raw duty. We assume that the promise of more money or more responsibility will automatically produce the kind of growth in leadership that we long to see in the lives of others. We forget some of the simple principles of empowering others.

Paul’s words to the church at Corinth are instructive. In chapter 8 he reminds them that he’s sent Titus to them to obtain an offering to help churches in need. He wants them to give toward this need. And in the process of recruiting their involvement Paul speaks of an unnamed brother. But what he says about this emissary is most instructive.

Paul’s words overflow with affirmation for this fellow worker in verse 22. He speaks of him as zealous. He has proven his heart for the work in “many ways.” He has great confidence in the Corinthian believers. This language is the language of empowerment. It’s asserting to all who read the letter that this Christian man is to be trusted, listened to, and welcomed.

If Paul were a modern secular leader, he might have focused on his authority, and described this unnamed saint as his agent. But Paul models for us the importance of empowering those whom we lead. Paul gave away lots of trust chips in order to build a relationship between this servant and the Corinthian church. He understood that his affirmation was critical to this man succeeding in the mission that he had embraced. If he failed miserably, or fell short in the eyes of the Corinthians, Paul would be regarded as a bad judge of character. But he took the risk. He went out on a limb because he wanted his friend in ministry to succeed and do well.

Good leaders empower others. They spend the currency of their own good will to help others trust in those they labor with. They take risks with those they mentor and train. They invest so that others will taste success, and possibly even surpass them in effectiveness. I look at an example like this and ask God to help me be that kind of leader for those whom God brings into my sphere of influence. What an amazing opportunity it is to cheer from the bleachers for another who is walking in faith and seeking to make a difference for Christ.

We sometimes forget the radical nature of Christian leadership.

The leadership principles of the world focus on extrinsic results. They seek to build women and men into influencers who can extend their reach through the lives of others in order to accomplish a desire task. There is value in that. We often refer to Jethro’s advice to Moses in Exodus 18 regarding the principle of delegation. But the world’s tendency to define leadership in terms of motivating many to share in the tasks can often overlook the question, “Which tasks?”

Jesus often baffled the disciples because he failed to capitalize on key moments in his ministry when his influence might have impacted more numbers. He left the growing crows for the wilderness. He preached from a boat and made a ‘getaway’ after the teaching ended. He missed opportunities to debate the Pharisees. Jesus wanted the 12 to understand a radical dimension of his leadership that we often miss. He wanted them to become influencers of character transformation. His task was not to make himself known to as many as possible. The task was to reproduce his character in as many as possible.

This supernatural work, possible only through the Word and the Spirit, requires a different kind of leadership. It seeks to develop men and women of influence. But it insists that these individuals reflect a radically different set of values, convictions, and agendas than those the world applauds.

In one sense, it is leadership that produce Proverbs men and women—individuals who live out the timeless wisdom of God’s truth in everyday life. I was looking this morning a Proverbs 18:2, which notes, “A fool finds no pleasure in understanding, but delights in airing his own opinions.” It’s a call to hear, to process, to thoughtfully interact with others. This is quite a contrast from the politicians who have a set of talking points that they will repeat ad nauseam regardless of what’s asked them. Unfortunately, it’s also a contrast from the way you and I tend to respond in a casual conversation. We are more impressed with our own ideas than what we might learn from others.

This is but one of hundreds of character challenges that separate the heart and soul of Christian leadership from its secular counterpart. If we expand numbers and do not give great attention to the daunting task of building the character of Christ into each other’s lives, we erect a paper church that will not endure.

Whenever I have the privilege of teaching in an informal setting, it’s a great learning experience for me. It reminds me of the promise of Proverbs 1:5, “A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel.” I always feel that the teaching opportunities give me back much more than I offer others because they give me new angles to look at life and truth. That’s been my experience as I’ve engaged in discussions about leadership.

What is Christian leadership? What makes it unique? How does it differ from the principles advocated by Steven Covey, Jim Collins, or Tom Peters?

One of the trends among evangelicals is to take the leadership concepts of corporate America and repackage them for the religious audience. We add a few verses, draw analogies from the life of Jesus or Moses, and baptize the concepts for the Christian audience.

That’s not to say that there is nothing to learn from the world outside the church. Jesus himself taught lessons about wineskins, vineyard owners, and farmers. But when we uncritically adopt the approach of the world, we bring in the paradigms and presuppositions that are not always congruent with the radical thinking of the gospel.

Let me give one example.

Unlike many of the world’s approaches to leadership, the Bible’s approach centers on character. Of all the areas of life where we are to invest our energy as aspiring leaders, the development of our character is critical. Jesus and the apostles constantly spoke of issues relating to the ethics, generosity, love, and sacrifice. Jesus repeatedly humbled the apostles when they quarreled about which of them were his best followers. (See Matthew 20:25-27.) In 1 Peter 5:2-3 the apostle charges the leaders to shepherd others by being examples of what they want those in their care to become.

Much of the friction that arises in church does not stem from flawed game plans, mediocre SWAT analyses, or imperfect Gantt chart. (These can be useful tools, but they cannot in themselves reproduce the kind of disciple Jesus desires.) Friction arises when as a leader I make promises I can’t keep, mislead others I recruit, show impatience toward staff, react with resentment when my ideas don’t prevail, or refuse to face conflict with courage.

This leads me to the conviction that Christian leadership must be character based. Though it includes other components, it must always ask the questions: “What kind of person am I becoming?” and “What kind of people am I producing?” These questions force us into a paradigm that revolves around Christ rather than some innovative management tools that too quickly take his place. They draw our hearts to the battleground of our own sin and insecurities. They compel us to rely on the grace and mercy that must punctuate our daily lives if we are to be a reflection of the one who died for us.

As the political winds blow toward the national elections of 2008, they stir up the leaves of impossible promises. Pledges of near miraculous outcomes swirl around us. Those who seek office promise to lead us to a utopia of full employment, national security, and personal contentment.

Though most clear thinking individuals realize that most of these promises are more vapor than reality, they have become the staple of American politics, and in some ways a staple of American life. This happens on a personal level as well. We demand others deliver goods or services faster than we know they can, and force them into a pledge they cannot meet. We promise to meet an impossible deadline because that’s what is expected of us. So we either meet it by cutting corners that will have to be compensated for later, or we fall short and receive flack because the job was done right, but not fast enough.

How often do we who are married make promises to our mates and/or children that do not materialize? “I’ll be there in a minute,” I say. “I won’t forget to make that phone call,” I hear myself saying. We have the best of intentions, but over time our tendency to promise what we can’t deliver reduces our credibility and erodes trust.

When it comes to making promises to God, the bible urges caution. Ecclesiastes 5:2 advises us, “Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.” Unlike people, God does not solicit from us a thousand promises. His expectations are simple, clear, and straightforward. Obedience is not easy, and requires his grace. We will fail. But God himself is not in the habit of extracting from us pledges of the impossible. He simply invites us to grow in faithfulness, confess our sins, and trust in his love.

In an age when promises are often discounted because they mean very little, it’s good to know that God is above such games. He asks for simple, honest responses of faith from us, and patiently helps us move from people who play with our words to people who become what we pretend to be by his mercy.

Each of us find different levels of enjoyment in common things of life. To some cars are just containers on wheels that transport people from one location to another. They put gas in them, service them when needed, and treat them as utilitarian objects. For others, each automobile reflects a different style, engineering design, and era in the evolution of the car. Such people appreciate the features that separate a classic Mustang from a Thunderbird or even a simple K-car. Each one has a personality, a history, and a place in the saga of modern transportation.

Some of us relate to food as a combination of calories, sugars, proteins, and fat. It’s what we intake to sustain our life. For others, there are delicate blends of aromas, flavors, and textures. A very special meal also involves the eyes, and the way the food is presented to the diner. For them, eating becomes an experience that can be looked at from many different angles. They can’t understand those who simply wolf down food and leave.

Ever wonder what God delights in when he looks at mankind? When we look in the mirror we focus on our hair, weight, complexion, and beauty or masculinity. When we look on a resume we measure experience, accomplishments, and skills. But what does God treasure most? What does he delight in?

We have one answer in Psalm 147. Here God does not focus on the abilities or capacities inherent in men. He does not look upon us and focus on what we can do, on our potential. Though he is aware of those factors and created us to honor him with all we have, his delight in us flows from a different source. Notice what Psalm 147:10-11 states:  “He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He does not take pleasure in the legs of a man. The LORD favors those who fear Him, Those who wait for His lovingkindness.” God focuses on our hearts.

Sometimes we look critically at ourselves and wonder if we possess anything that God cares about. Others are more knowledgeable, more visionary, more accomplished, more creative. What do we have that might interest him?

The good news is that each of us has the ability to cultivate a reverence and a fear of God. As we learn of him and worship him with awe and profound respect, we grow in our ability to bring him delight. As we lean on him, rely on his promises, and wait for him with confidence and hope, we cultivate that part of us that brings him joy. And this is all within our grasp. As we cultivate humility, sincerity, and reverence, we become trophies of Christ in the heart of God. It changes us and pleases him.

Sometimes we see evil behavior and ask God to intervene. We may not have the power or ability to do anything ourselves, but our sense of justice or fairness compels us to ask God to do something.

The writers of some of the Psalms speak to God in this way. We call these Psalms imprecatory Psalms. (A seldom used word that describes the act of appealing to God to punish or curse someone is the verb imprecate.)

Critics of scripture fault the Bible for including such statements. One example is Psalm 137:8-9 which states, “O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, happy is he who repays you for what you have done to us—he who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.” The argument is that a holy and righteous God would not allow such pleas in his word.

How can a Christian respond?

There are several useful ways to look at statements like these. First, it is human expression of anguish over evil. Such language is man’s words addressed to God, correctly recorded. Even David himself expressed such frustration in some of the Psalms. See Psalm 109:10. But when it came to action, he searched for the nearest relative of King Saul, who hunted him down like a rabid dog. But instead of killing Mephibosheth, David invited him to be a permanent guest at his table, even though he was crippled.

God claims to be the one who can take vengeance. Expressing a desire for him to do so is not inherently evil. It is certainly preferable to doing it on our own, which is forbidden in scripture. See Romans 12:19.

A second way to look at a verse like this is to see it as a prophecy. If the statement is viewed as prophetic rather than reflective, it predicts what will happen to the Babylonian culture because of its terror against the people if Israel. Many of the words of the prophets forecast such calamities on God’s own people in the event that they did not repent.

One of the ways critics try to sidestep the idea of the resurrection is to assume that Jesus never really died. If Jesus did not actually die, then the resurrection becomes a recovery from life threatening circumstances rather than a supernatural event.

But the assumption that Jesus did not die is fraught with historical challenges. The gospel accounts claim that Jesus hung on the cross from around 9 am until sunset. The Roman soldiers, accustomed to executions, pronounced Jesus dead and did not break his legs because they realized he was dead. Pilate double-checked about Jesus’ death before giving the corpse to Joseph. Secular writers who were not friendly to Christianity treat Jesus’ death as a fact. Thallus (ca. 52) treats the crucifixion as an historical fact, as do Lucian and Phlegon.

One must selectively discredit the record of ancient writers and contemporaries of Christ in order to find a ground to reject the reality of Christ’s death. But is it likely that the opponents of Christianity knowingly entered some kind of conspiracy to perpetuate the myths of Christ and his followers? Or were they so careless or naïve that the fact that Jesus remained alive escaped their notice? And if Jesus did recover, what happened next? Did he turn cowardly and hide from the world? Did he die another way? When? How?

The proposed ‘solution’ raises more questions than it answers. It is a weak attempt to bring an anti-supernatural presupposition into the historical record instead of wrestling with the evidence, which is more credible than other historical accounts that Bible critics do not challenge.

Part of the buzz you hear in Christian circles today deals with the temptation for adults who call themselves born-again to stop attending church. They claim to like Jesus, but don’t have much use for the  church.

Julia Duin wrote book dealing with this phenomenon. It’s called Quitting Church. Terry Eastland reviewed the book for the Wall Street Journal (9/2/08, page A21). The reviewer had some interesting observations for the book. First, Ms. Duin relied on her own survey data. She did not engage a reputable agency to document the issue. That’s understandable. I would probably do the same thing.

The reviewer noted that many of the reasons people drop out, according to Ms. Dunn, are predictable. Complaints include pastors who are immoral, hypocritical, manipulative, and controlling. Who would want to remain in an atmosphere that fosters that kind of poor leadership—either in the religious or corporate world?

 The reviewer in several places noted that Ms. Duin cites the lack of a healthy community as one factor in the drop-out rate. But when community is the issue, it includes such expectations as a place where women are taken more seriously and where singles can find mates. I would agree that most churches in our impersonal world have a long way to go toward solid community. In fact, I would argue that it takes the power of the word and the work of the Holy Spirit to take autonomous adults who are trained to engage only on the basis of self-interest, and transform them into compassionate, caring people.

 But I’m troubled by the expectation that the church is not worthy of engaging in unless it takes women seriously and serves as a matchmaking agency for singles. Women should be taken seriously. If there is a place for Christian adults to find mature, spiritual mates, it should be the church. But these expectations represent a bigger obstacle in my mind—the demand that a certain group or a valued ideal drive the shape of the church. For me, that kind of thinking is probably at the root of much of the attrition in church attendance by those who claim to be born-again. It’s the demand that the church meet my expectations that flow from my life circumstances. If the church will do that, I’ll be loyal. If it won’t, then count me out. When those kind of expectations become the condition for engagement, discipleship looses and consumerism wins.

 Jesus doesn’t call us into community so we can prosper individually. He calls us into community because it is one of the vehicles he uses to show us our selfishness, our self-centered attitudes, our pride, and our greed. Community challenges us to forsake our narcissism. It dares us to love those who are not lovely and to give up things we want to keep. It’s as much a call to discipleship as anything else, because it messes with our character and unmasks our egotism.

 When our thinking about the church is driven by our consumer mentality, it becomes blind to the call to community as a call to maturity. It reverses the focus. Instead of concentrating on what the Lord of the universe wants to teach me as I engage in the messy business of mixing with other sinners like myself, I focus on my checklist. Does the church give me this? Does the church provide that?

 The sad reality is that even if a congregation scores high on my list, I go away poorer because my engagement is built around my purposes rather than God’s greater plan. The nursery may be clean. I may find the music to my liking. The volleyball class may fit my schedule. But as long as I don’t look very far beyond myself to walk in the footsteps of Christ in community, I condemn myself to a pigmy faith that will not transform me into the person God intends me to become. 

There is something about the attitude of compassion that prompts us to find some kind of words to say that will help another person feel better. It’s reminding a daughter in soccer that the last minute loss isn’t the end of the season. There will be more games ahead. It’s encouragement spoken to a youngster who just lost their balance on the two-wheel bike for the 12th time. It’s recalling God’s faithfulness when your husband is worried about the impact of an unexpected expense.

One of the most difficult times to find words to speak is in the face of an unexpected death. Last night I received a phone call that involved a death. A friend wanted to comfort a mother and her daughter. The daughter was engaged to a young man who was in a motorcycle accident. He did not survive. What should the friend say. She felt someone incompetent because she didn’t have any ‘professional’ training. What would I advise?

Many of us have faced those unwelcome moments when we’re face to face with someone whose grief seems to know no bounds. They are in shock. Part of their world has collapsed without warning. It all seems like a nightmare that needs to go away. Their hours are punctuated by seasons of tears, followed by calmness. And then the tears return again. Their minds are filled with questions like, “Why?” and “What if?”

What would you do?

In John 11:35 we see Jesus at the tomb of his friend Lazarus. The Bible simply states, “Jesus wept.” He knew that the state of Lazarus’ soul was safe in his Father’s arms. He even realized that in a few moments he would call Lazarus back from the dead. But he wept. Grief is normal at death, and in his humanity Jesus shared that. Romans 12:15 states, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” That’s what the Son of God did.

There are no magic words in these moments, even when the person who passed has the certainty of eternal life because they obviously trusted Jesus Christ. That reality softens the blow, but doesn’t diminish the sense of loss. When I visited the family last night I was sparing with my words, because this is one of those times when your presence is critical. Being there demonstrates compassion more powerfully than finding some kind of magical words. Your presence shows your care. It’s not about what you say, but simply about where you are.

So if you find yourself in one of those situations where death has stolen someone and the grief is great, don’t run away. Don’t over-talk. Just be there. Pray silently to God. Ask him to let your presence be a soft encouragement to hearts in turmoil. And he will work through you.