by Tom Johnston
It is said that, in any nation, the Christian faith is always just one generation away from annihilation. If the parents of one generation fail to transmit the faith to those who follow behind them, then the witness for Christ in that land will evaporate, and dissipate like a mist. Are we in the West now on the brink of this reality coming to pass? Are we truly at (or past) the “point of no return,” where the Church will not thrive, but continue its massive decline until little, or nothing, remains of a once vibrant witness it held forth?
The statics are shocking to say the least. It appears that we have not even reached the numerical equivalent of our own children in this generation. Only three percent of the Millennial generation have a positive view of the Church – and it seems that number is the same for those young people inside the Church! The Vatican released figures a few months ago that those in America who claim Roman Catholic heritage born since 1980 have less than a 10% participation rate, with only about 4% of all Americans in this age group calling themselves “Christian.” Our own personal surveys and interviews with pastors and Christian leaders indicates that few, if any, pastors and leaders have a regular structured discipleship time with their spouse or as a family during any given week. However, while the statics are grim, all is not lost.
We are raising a call, not for a new generation of spiritual children, but of spiritual parents – men and women of faith who will take responsibility for developing in the faith those who follow behind, starting with their own families. That’s right, you don’t get to export it if it doesn’t work at home (1 Timothy 3:4, based on Deuteronomy 6:4-7.) The New Testament metaphor for leadership is quite often parenting: Jesus, Peter, James, John all refer affectionately to their spiritual “children,” not in any form of condescension, but in the sense of giving life to another. Being a life-giving spiritual parent is the call of every Christian, and is much more biblically aligned than the positional, titular corporate role functions most often embrace by leaders in the Western Church.
So, who are you giving life to, spiritually? Who are you fathering or mothering in the faith? Who are you strengthening and encouraging, building and nurturing? Who do you have relationship with that you desire to pour spiritual life into, like Paul did with the Galatians:
my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! (Galatians 4:19)
We will never have another generation of Christians in this country unless we take responsibility to disciple and mentor those who follow behind. We cannot subrogate our personal responsibility before God, passing it off to the institution of the Church, relying on someone else or some program to disciple our own children. Nor can we entrust the development of next generation leaders to the classroom alone. Timothy and Titus had Paul, not a DVD or a syllabus. Apollos had Pricilla and Aquila to “more correctly” instruct him in the Way (Acts 18:26.) It is through the “curriculum of life” that someone learns how to follow Christ in discipleship, how to treat their spouse, how to raise their children. It happens “on the way,” each and every day, as people walk together with Jesus.
So, what will it be? Will the Church in the West decline and fail? Will she become like Europe has? Indeed we will, unless each of us takes on the challenge of discipleship – first of ourselves, then of our families and then those whom the Lord leads us to through relationship. Be a life-giver. The time is now. The choice is yours.
Friday, August 22, 2008
What's Wrong With Legitimacy?
by Mark Overmyer
Recently, I was thinking through some challenges with a church planter. In our conversation I was reminded how every baby church strives for legitimacy. Ninety nine out of a hundred people who ask the planter, “How’s it going?” are looking for indicators that would verify the viability of the new enterprise. The church planter realizes that his baby church is like a house of cards. And so not wanting to admit the truth, often the planter is left mumbling something about attendance at their most recent event and the inquirer is hopefully satisfied. Have you noticed how even the websites of baby churches can be deceiving? It’s always better on paper than it is in reality. Is this church going to make it? When visitors and attendees insinuate this question by asking about available programs and/or facilities, church planters encounter that familiar old knot in the stomach and the gulp that familiar gulp. Sure we trust that Jesus will build His church and this spiritual promise quenches the burning question for a moment. But often we are moved to do something about it as well. But what to do? We reason that, “If we could just have a quality children’s program we could attract families. If our audio & visuals were higher quality, visitors would return. If we had more people we could achieve ‘critical mass.'" And so we pursue, often with brilliant innovation and generous financial investment, all the factors that we’ve come to know will contribute to legitimacy. Not a bad approach, but I must say it’s a few degrees off-center of the Great Commission.
The bull’s-eye Jesus drew was different. It’s no wonder, because legitimacy was never a concern of Jesus. Viability was never in doubt for the Master. For him the target was fruitfulness (see John 15.) And to hit this mark, we can afford no distractions and no preoccupations with personal or corporate validation.
Think about how different “fruitfulness” is from “legitimacy” when it comes to the focus of a church planting team or a church leadership team. Legitimacy in a new church is marked by attendance, growth, and programming excellence. And, trust me on this; these can be achieved without any spiritual fruit. Fruitfulness is evidenced by the effects of the ministry of the Word and the Holy Spirit when the “branch abides in the vine.” Fruitfulness is the result of sowing eternal Gospel truth through conversation, music, study, preaching, serving, etc. The seed germinates, takes root, sprouts and grows. The effect (i.e. fruit) is repentance, healing, reconciliation, recovery, new priorities, sacrificial service, loving community.... essentially obedience. Brainstorm your own lists: What demonstrates legitimacy in a church? What demonstrates fruitfulness?
The Spirit led me to brainstorm these lists with my church planter friend. After we filled a page of two columns, I asked him, “Which of these did you sign up for when you were called to ministry?” and “For which of these would your leaders to give their lives?” Since that table conversation, I’ve thought of another question: If you could have only one or the other from a member of your church which would you want: attendance at church services or obedience to Jesus Christ? Clearly we want both. And some thoughtful readers are already asking why can’t we have both attendance AND obedience, legitimacy AND fruitfulness?
If legitimacy in a church plant is primarily affirmed by strong attendance and if fruitfulness is primarily affirmed in a church by obedience, then which is most important to you the church planter or church leader? Don’t say “BOTH!” Which one, really? The question is meant to challenge us to consider where we spend the most time, effort, money, research, planning, conference-attending, and intercession. If we are honest, we would have to admit that we are conditioned to lead toward legitimacy more so than fruitfulness. In order to have both (which I strongly desire and advocate) there is a chronology that works best. If you focus on fruitfulness it will tend to lead to legitimacy. Jesus said, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35, NIV) But if you start with legitimacy, you may or may not end up fruitful.
Think about this. I’ve found this to be profound for me. So much of Jesus’ ministry example seemed to even undermine legitimacy. His ministry was a threat to the establishment. He didn’t seem to mind. In fact, in validating his messiahship the text says he is “like one from whom men hide their faces.” Think of the bag-lady of the inner city, the homeless man on the park bench. This was the class of human being that Jesus identified himself as – almost as a badge of his messiahship - “despised and rejected by men.” I love how every time he gathered a crowd he seemed to quickly retreat from the same. Then there was his ascension a mere 40 days following his resurrection. (Talk about killing the marketing momentum!) Legitimacy was securely in hand, and he seemed to let it sift away. Because he knew that the Holy Spirit would come and empower his Church to bear fruit.
How do we resist the subtle but real pressure to lead toward legitimacy and focus on fruitfulness instead? It takes vigilance, creativity and a commitment to always keep before your people the wonderful sense of adventure and risk that is inherent in following Jesus and being a partner in his enterprise.
I don’t know who he was, but I like what he said:
"If you want to build a ship, don't herd people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea." - Antione de Saint-Exupery
On the agenda of the leaders’ meeting at one of our churches is the need to mow the now jungle-like weed patch at the front of the property. No one would argue with the need. The impression left on passersby is that the people who worship here don’t care about the message their sloppiness sends. If a church’s legitimacy is important, then the leadership task includes recruiting, coordinating, and gentle coaxing of overworked deacons whose capacity for volunteering always seems to outstrip their follow-through. Pastors call this part of their job description “administration.” Few of them like it – but it must be done. The leader who wants to maintain a good impression in the community will recruit wisely, coordinate carefully and coax convincingly and may even offer to pick up an extra gallon of gas for the mower in order to prod lovingly. But how far will those efforts get the deacons down the path of fruitfulness? Look at the quote above again: don't herd people… don't assign them tasks… but rather teach them to long… What if the pastor instead taught them to long for Kingdom fruitfulness?
Follow me now: Since the most exciting part of ministry is life-change, how might the pastor teach even a deacon to make every effort to be on the front row with an unobstructed view of miraculous supernatural life change? You could paint pictures, share stories, or cast a vision for what kingdom ministry looks like. You could ask him/her, “Has anyone ever taken the time to value you through conversation? to include you by asking your opinion?, or to trust you by asking for your help? Who might you bless with the same? Can they run a string trimmer or drive a lawn tractor? Who might you share the mowing task with as a means for ministry? Could you imagine sharing a prayer before starting up the mower and the string trimmer? Could you imagine taking a lemonade break halfway through and asking some simple conversation launching questions?"
A vigilant, creative pastor might even offer to make the lemonade! But please, please leave out only two glasses. Let the deacon do the ministry and you pray while they talk.
When you focus on leadership toward fruitfulness, the strategizing and the planning takes a whole new tack. And when someone longs for the endless immensity of the sea, you can’t keep them away from the wood or the work, because to get out to sea, they must build a boat.
Recently, I was thinking through some challenges with a church planter. In our conversation I was reminded how every baby church strives for legitimacy. Ninety nine out of a hundred people who ask the planter, “How’s it going?” are looking for indicators that would verify the viability of the new enterprise. The church planter realizes that his baby church is like a house of cards. And so not wanting to admit the truth, often the planter is left mumbling something about attendance at their most recent event and the inquirer is hopefully satisfied. Have you noticed how even the websites of baby churches can be deceiving? It’s always better on paper than it is in reality. Is this church going to make it? When visitors and attendees insinuate this question by asking about available programs and/or facilities, church planters encounter that familiar old knot in the stomach and the gulp that familiar gulp. Sure we trust that Jesus will build His church and this spiritual promise quenches the burning question for a moment. But often we are moved to do something about it as well. But what to do? We reason that, “If we could just have a quality children’s program we could attract families. If our audio & visuals were higher quality, visitors would return. If we had more people we could achieve ‘critical mass.'" And so we pursue, often with brilliant innovation and generous financial investment, all the factors that we’ve come to know will contribute to legitimacy. Not a bad approach, but I must say it’s a few degrees off-center of the Great Commission.
The bull’s-eye Jesus drew was different. It’s no wonder, because legitimacy was never a concern of Jesus. Viability was never in doubt for the Master. For him the target was fruitfulness (see John 15.) And to hit this mark, we can afford no distractions and no preoccupations with personal or corporate validation.
Think about how different “fruitfulness” is from “legitimacy” when it comes to the focus of a church planting team or a church leadership team. Legitimacy in a new church is marked by attendance, growth, and programming excellence. And, trust me on this; these can be achieved without any spiritual fruit. Fruitfulness is evidenced by the effects of the ministry of the Word and the Holy Spirit when the “branch abides in the vine.” Fruitfulness is the result of sowing eternal Gospel truth through conversation, music, study, preaching, serving, etc. The seed germinates, takes root, sprouts and grows. The effect (i.e. fruit) is repentance, healing, reconciliation, recovery, new priorities, sacrificial service, loving community.... essentially obedience. Brainstorm your own lists: What demonstrates legitimacy in a church? What demonstrates fruitfulness?
The Spirit led me to brainstorm these lists with my church planter friend. After we filled a page of two columns, I asked him, “Which of these did you sign up for when you were called to ministry?” and “For which of these would your leaders to give their lives?” Since that table conversation, I’ve thought of another question: If you could have only one or the other from a member of your church which would you want: attendance at church services or obedience to Jesus Christ? Clearly we want both. And some thoughtful readers are already asking why can’t we have both attendance AND obedience, legitimacy AND fruitfulness?
If legitimacy in a church plant is primarily affirmed by strong attendance and if fruitfulness is primarily affirmed in a church by obedience, then which is most important to you the church planter or church leader? Don’t say “BOTH!” Which one, really? The question is meant to challenge us to consider where we spend the most time, effort, money, research, planning, conference-attending, and intercession. If we are honest, we would have to admit that we are conditioned to lead toward legitimacy more so than fruitfulness. In order to have both (which I strongly desire and advocate) there is a chronology that works best. If you focus on fruitfulness it will tend to lead to legitimacy. Jesus said, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35, NIV) But if you start with legitimacy, you may or may not end up fruitful.
Think about this. I’ve found this to be profound for me. So much of Jesus’ ministry example seemed to even undermine legitimacy. His ministry was a threat to the establishment. He didn’t seem to mind. In fact, in validating his messiahship the text says he is “like one from whom men hide their faces.” Think of the bag-lady of the inner city, the homeless man on the park bench. This was the class of human being that Jesus identified himself as – almost as a badge of his messiahship - “despised and rejected by men.” I love how every time he gathered a crowd he seemed to quickly retreat from the same. Then there was his ascension a mere 40 days following his resurrection. (Talk about killing the marketing momentum!) Legitimacy was securely in hand, and he seemed to let it sift away. Because he knew that the Holy Spirit would come and empower his Church to bear fruit.
How do we resist the subtle but real pressure to lead toward legitimacy and focus on fruitfulness instead? It takes vigilance, creativity and a commitment to always keep before your people the wonderful sense of adventure and risk that is inherent in following Jesus and being a partner in his enterprise.
I don’t know who he was, but I like what he said:
"If you want to build a ship, don't herd people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea." - Antione de Saint-Exupery
On the agenda of the leaders’ meeting at one of our churches is the need to mow the now jungle-like weed patch at the front of the property. No one would argue with the need. The impression left on passersby is that the people who worship here don’t care about the message their sloppiness sends. If a church’s legitimacy is important, then the leadership task includes recruiting, coordinating, and gentle coaxing of overworked deacons whose capacity for volunteering always seems to outstrip their follow-through. Pastors call this part of their job description “administration.” Few of them like it – but it must be done. The leader who wants to maintain a good impression in the community will recruit wisely, coordinate carefully and coax convincingly and may even offer to pick up an extra gallon of gas for the mower in order to prod lovingly. But how far will those efforts get the deacons down the path of fruitfulness? Look at the quote above again: don't herd people… don't assign them tasks… but rather teach them to long… What if the pastor instead taught them to long for Kingdom fruitfulness?
Follow me now: Since the most exciting part of ministry is life-change, how might the pastor teach even a deacon to make every effort to be on the front row with an unobstructed view of miraculous supernatural life change? You could paint pictures, share stories, or cast a vision for what kingdom ministry looks like. You could ask him/her, “Has anyone ever taken the time to value you through conversation? to include you by asking your opinion?, or to trust you by asking for your help? Who might you bless with the same? Can they run a string trimmer or drive a lawn tractor? Who might you share the mowing task with as a means for ministry? Could you imagine sharing a prayer before starting up the mower and the string trimmer? Could you imagine taking a lemonade break halfway through and asking some simple conversation launching questions?"
A vigilant, creative pastor might even offer to make the lemonade! But please, please leave out only two glasses. Let the deacon do the ministry and you pray while they talk.
When you focus on leadership toward fruitfulness, the strategizing and the planning takes a whole new tack. And when someone longs for the endless immensity of the sea, you can’t keep them away from the wood or the work, because to get out to sea, they must build a boat.
Friday, June 27, 2008
A Tale of Two Kingdoms
by Tom Johnston
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:9, ESV)
Amazing, isn’t it? God the Father has delivered us from the spiritual chains of our own sin, freed us from our spiritual blindness. What amazes me more is that so many who claim Christ still walk under the sway of the dark dominion.
The previous several verses speak to the issue quite plainly:
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. (Colossians 1:9-12)
First, it seems that St. Paul considered that it was possible for us to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, in a way that is a blessing to him, in a way that bears both the fruit of the Spirit and the fruit of brining transformation to those who are yet to know Christ. To that end he prayed for his disciples in Colossae – who were confronted with heretical teaching. What he prays for is their ability to have spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that God’s will would be known. Such knowledge allowed the Colossians to live in a manner worthy of their calling in Christ. He also speaks the blessing of divine strength and power, allowing the Colossian Christians to maintain their joy as they walk in patient endurance. It seems that Paul is convinced that such discernment and empowerment was essential for the Colossians to walk effectively with Christ.
Discernment and empowerment. Interesting. Two things which it seems that the Church in the West lacks. This would explain a lot, as it seems many Christians have little ability to endure, to maintain their joy in the midst of trial and difficulty – and to stand amidst the swirl of ideas and influences in a culture dominated by the spirit of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4). This lack of wise discernment and accompanying absence of spiritual virility allows people who are positionally in the Kingdom of God to functionally be trapped in their thought patterns, attitudes and behaviors found in the dominion of darkness. Freed, but acting like slaves. Sons and daughters of the Most High God, but living like spiritual paupers. Having regained their sight, but living in a cloud of befuddling darkens. The “sins stats” in our culture bear this out – most Christians have lives which diverge little from the rest of the population. They remain as partial prisoners of self, of sin, of hell.
Like Paul we need to pray for each of us to have spiritual insight, the ability to make wise choices in every area of life. We need the Spirit’s transforming enlightenment and consequent empowerment to live a life which in its totality is an act of worship before God (Romans 12:1-2). Until people come to a deep understanding of who they are in Christ – their new-birth identity in Him, they remain heavily influenced by darkness. Where we are not renewed in our thinking and transformed in our hearts – in those areas hell can still hold dominion. This need not be.
Dozens of Christian people we know – friends, family, fellow church members – continue to walk as if they are still under the dark dominion. May God so move our hearts that we will pray for them without ceasing, that they may know the freedom which Christ has purchased for them. May God make us just bold and brave enough to go on some very necessary rescue missions, carrying on the spirit-liberating ministry of Jesus, bringing the light of God’s love, acceptance and forgiveness to darkened minds. This is the heart of the Revolution – no prisoners.
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:9, ESV)
Amazing, isn’t it? God the Father has delivered us from the spiritual chains of our own sin, freed us from our spiritual blindness. What amazes me more is that so many who claim Christ still walk under the sway of the dark dominion.
The previous several verses speak to the issue quite plainly:
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. (Colossians 1:9-12)
First, it seems that St. Paul considered that it was possible for us to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, in a way that is a blessing to him, in a way that bears both the fruit of the Spirit and the fruit of brining transformation to those who are yet to know Christ. To that end he prayed for his disciples in Colossae – who were confronted with heretical teaching. What he prays for is their ability to have spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that God’s will would be known. Such knowledge allowed the Colossians to live in a manner worthy of their calling in Christ. He also speaks the blessing of divine strength and power, allowing the Colossian Christians to maintain their joy as they walk in patient endurance. It seems that Paul is convinced that such discernment and empowerment was essential for the Colossians to walk effectively with Christ.
Discernment and empowerment. Interesting. Two things which it seems that the Church in the West lacks. This would explain a lot, as it seems many Christians have little ability to endure, to maintain their joy in the midst of trial and difficulty – and to stand amidst the swirl of ideas and influences in a culture dominated by the spirit of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4). This lack of wise discernment and accompanying absence of spiritual virility allows people who are positionally in the Kingdom of God to functionally be trapped in their thought patterns, attitudes and behaviors found in the dominion of darkness. Freed, but acting like slaves. Sons and daughters of the Most High God, but living like spiritual paupers. Having regained their sight, but living in a cloud of befuddling darkens. The “sins stats” in our culture bear this out – most Christians have lives which diverge little from the rest of the population. They remain as partial prisoners of self, of sin, of hell.
Like Paul we need to pray for each of us to have spiritual insight, the ability to make wise choices in every area of life. We need the Spirit’s transforming enlightenment and consequent empowerment to live a life which in its totality is an act of worship before God (Romans 12:1-2). Until people come to a deep understanding of who they are in Christ – their new-birth identity in Him, they remain heavily influenced by darkness. Where we are not renewed in our thinking and transformed in our hearts – in those areas hell can still hold dominion. This need not be.
Dozens of Christian people we know – friends, family, fellow church members – continue to walk as if they are still under the dark dominion. May God so move our hearts that we will pray for them without ceasing, that they may know the freedom which Christ has purchased for them. May God make us just bold and brave enough to go on some very necessary rescue missions, carrying on the spirit-liberating ministry of Jesus, bringing the light of God’s love, acceptance and forgiveness to darkened minds. This is the heart of the Revolution – no prisoners.
When Worlds Collide
by Mike Chong Perkinson
The Gospel of Mark paints a rather clear picture of two contrasting ways of life. Jesus sternly rebukes Peter at one point in the narrative for not thinking the things of God but of the things of men (Mark 8:33). Here we see the contrasting values set in opposition, two orientations of life: what God wills for people and what people want for themselves.
At the beginning of the journey to Jerusalem (8:22-10:52), Jesus teaches these contradictory standards to His disciples. The disciples resist the teachings at every point, but eventually come to submit to them. The journey can then be pictured as a clash of values between Jesus, who teaches what God wills for people, and the disciples who exemplify what people want for themselves. On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus prophecies three times to the disciples about his impending persecution and death (8:31-9:1; 9:30-50; 10:32-45). After each prophecy, the disciples demonstrate that do not understand the nature and depth of the prophetic word or accept his teaching. After each of these prophetic moments, Jesus takes some time to teach the disciples the values of the rule of God that underlie his words and actions.
Kingdom Values
After the first prophecy, Jesus says: “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.” (8:35) After the second prophecy, Jesus says: “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (9:35) After the third prophecy, Jesus says: “And whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (10:44-45) Let me break them down for you:
1. In order to save your life you must lose it.
2. The pursuit of status is not the standard for God’s people.
3. To have power one must be a servant and relinquish the pursuit of power for oneself.
There is a sharp line of demarcation that Jesus is drawing between acquisition (saving) and relinquishing (losing). Let me explain: people who follow the world’s standards seek to acquire status and power for themselves. This way of life is motivated by fear.
In contrast, people who follow Jesus’ standards receive the blessings of the Kingdom and are willing to relinquish life, status, and power in order to bring the good news of the Kingdom to others. This way of life is only made possible by faith and is motivated by love. It is through the empowering of the Holy Spirit that we find such a life possible. Mark portrays in rather dramatic fashion that only two ways of life are possible: “saving one’s life out of fear” or “losing one’s life for others.” The characteristics for these two opposing modes of life can be stated as follows in this diagram:
Jesus embodies “what God wills for people.” He brings healing, drives out the demonic, forgives sin, and ultimately dies for the mission. In stark contrast we find the religious leaders, who exemplify “what people want for themselves.” They are afraid of losing their position and aggrandize themselves at the expense of the people. The disciples, in Mark’s narrative, are caught in the middle and vacillate between the two positions. The dissonance they feel is due to their struggle in following Jesus to promote the good news of the Kingdom of God or following Jesus to acquire status and power for themselves.
May we become a people that are motivated by love and not by fear. May we choose to reject our human need to acquire status, reputation, and power for ourselves and give our lives to the One who gave His life for us so that His life, healing and salvation would shine through us, the Church, His Bride.
The Gospel of Mark paints a rather clear picture of two contrasting ways of life. Jesus sternly rebukes Peter at one point in the narrative for not thinking the things of God but of the things of men (Mark 8:33). Here we see the contrasting values set in opposition, two orientations of life: what God wills for people and what people want for themselves.
At the beginning of the journey to Jerusalem (8:22-10:52), Jesus teaches these contradictory standards to His disciples. The disciples resist the teachings at every point, but eventually come to submit to them. The journey can then be pictured as a clash of values between Jesus, who teaches what God wills for people, and the disciples who exemplify what people want for themselves. On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus prophecies three times to the disciples about his impending persecution and death (8:31-9:1; 9:30-50; 10:32-45). After each prophecy, the disciples demonstrate that do not understand the nature and depth of the prophetic word or accept his teaching. After each of these prophetic moments, Jesus takes some time to teach the disciples the values of the rule of God that underlie his words and actions.
Kingdom Values
After the first prophecy, Jesus says: “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.” (8:35) After the second prophecy, Jesus says: “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (9:35) After the third prophecy, Jesus says: “And whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (10:44-45) Let me break them down for you:
1. In order to save your life you must lose it.
2. The pursuit of status is not the standard for God’s people.
3. To have power one must be a servant and relinquish the pursuit of power for oneself.
There is a sharp line of demarcation that Jesus is drawing between acquisition (saving) and relinquishing (losing). Let me explain: people who follow the world’s standards seek to acquire status and power for themselves. This way of life is motivated by fear.
In contrast, people who follow Jesus’ standards receive the blessings of the Kingdom and are willing to relinquish life, status, and power in order to bring the good news of the Kingdom to others. This way of life is only made possible by faith and is motivated by love. It is through the empowering of the Holy Spirit that we find such a life possible. Mark portrays in rather dramatic fashion that only two ways of life are possible: “saving one’s life out of fear” or “losing one’s life for others.” The characteristics for these two opposing modes of life can be stated as follows in this diagram:
Jesus embodies “what God wills for people.” He brings healing, drives out the demonic, forgives sin, and ultimately dies for the mission. In stark contrast we find the religious leaders, who exemplify “what people want for themselves.” They are afraid of losing their position and aggrandize themselves at the expense of the people. The disciples, in Mark’s narrative, are caught in the middle and vacillate between the two positions. The dissonance they feel is due to their struggle in following Jesus to promote the good news of the Kingdom of God or following Jesus to acquire status and power for themselves.
May we become a people that are motivated by love and not by fear. May we choose to reject our human need to acquire status, reputation, and power for ourselves and give our lives to the One who gave His life for us so that His life, healing and salvation would shine through us, the Church, His Bride.
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