A friend of mine reminded me the other day of an incident that occurred on campus when I was in Bible college 37 years ago. In reaction against a host of perceived ineptitudes on the part of the faculty and board of administration, and in keeping with the mood of the culture at that time, unrest was gaining a foothold in the student body. Classroom discussions were confrontational and petitions were being circulated.
In reaction to this brewing storm, a high powered guest speaker was brought into a chapel service to deliver a message on the topic "God's Chain of Command". With stridency and intimidation this member of the administrative board, who also happened to be a pastor of a large church, made the case that he and those in charge of the school were in authority by divine assignment and to question their authority was to question God. Several years later this same guy refused to comply with a denominational policy he didn't agree with and quit the denomination and had himself decalred to be an anointed apostle. So much for God's chain of command.
I have learned through some painful experiences that when we flex our authority muscles and employ enforcement tactics to coerce others into compliance, we usually do so out of insecurity and a need for control. Seldom if ever is that the approach God prefers. Human leaders are too human to be trusted with absolute authority. That is precisely why Jesus told his disciples that in his kingdom he resists any sort of lording it over others. Greatness in his world is reserved for those who humbly serve rather than for those who think they must be in charge. I've quoted it before but it bears repeating, "Relationships of domination are forbidden in the kingdom of God" (Jerry Cook).
For people to work together in any organized way toward the accomplishment of an objective there have to be certain agreed upon guidelines to maintain order and some way to resolve problems that arise. I get that. What we should avoid at all cost, however, is allowing anyone to station themselves between us and God as if in matters of personal faith they have the final word. Theologian Paul Tillich said it well back in 1962: "I don't give any human being, be it pope, or preacher, or professor of theology the right to tell me how my faith shall express itself." When it comes to my personal relationship with my Creator, there is no human chain of command.
2 comments:
The authority issue is usually always fueled by ambition. It also usually abrogates the link of relationship that must characterize the exercise of true spiritual authority given as a sacred trust by the Father. The weak link in God's chain of command is the leader that somehow doesn't feel the need for accountability nor does he/she model the servant heart. It's not hard to spot. It's everywhere. However, God's key of authority is not some surrogate name tag that can be hung on just any leader. It is reserved for the one with clean hands and a pure heart. I guess that's the bottom line . . . clean hands and a pure (servant) heart.
Right on, gatorguy. The link of relationship is SO important. It is easier, really in whatever sphere we operate but especially the church, to make a policy than to sit down with someone, with whom we have already established a relationship, and say, "So...what's going on here?"
Being a dictator is so much more convenient than spending the emotion and time it takes to form and maintain relationships. But to rule out of authority means you miss the joy of laboring together in love. And I don't necessarily fault those who do - years of hurt feelings, people taking and giving offense, not giving them the benefit of the doubt, and not being in relationship with THEM, can cause them to retreat to a safe place behind the walls. Yes, there are those who are driven by ambition too. But often it's mixed with a root of hurt that goes both ways. It's not right, and relationship could be the answer to both.
I do also just want to say, for the internet and everyone to see, thank you gatorguy and Stevo, for being two leaders who literally and generously poured your lives into relationship with me. This isn't just theory that they read in a book somewhere - they really believe it and live it. I would not be where I am today without you both.
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