politicians, professional christians and the inside out (pt.3)
Politicians.
For some strange reason, I’ve always wanted to be a lobbyist. I don’t know why. Given time and relationships, I feel like I can sway most people to my side of things. However, I realize I may be completely disconnected from my true-self when I make that observational statement–I’d like to think I can effectively sway people like that, at least. Nonetheless, being a lobbyist and persuading the view of an individual in the political arena about something I believe in is something I’ve always wanted to try.
But aren’t the politics and “persuasions” of being a lobbyist, manipulative?
I think I speak for most pastors when I say this–If there’s something that wears me out about church leadership, it’s the politics. I’m not talking about choosing the color of the carpet or whether there’s enough money to repave the parking lot. The tangible, housekeeping things can be taken care of by the latest, sexiest business model.
I’m talking about the path or direction that God has specifically pointed you toward. So many times, the board/elders (whoever makes the final call on direction) get so concerned about the few people who are completely against the idea, direction or philosophy that God has pointed you toward, that it completely wrecks the ship. Then, once everything comes to a halt, the church leaders are expected to do unspeakable, outrageous and probably unbiblical things. They are asked to become politicians to sway the vote of the members, hold town hall meetings and ultimately, manipulate the few.
God speaks, points us in a direction–completely righteous. Then, we have to use our leadership (or power) to manipulate the few who aren’t on board? That sounds completely unrighteous to me!
In the Old Testament, the prophets would go proclaim the message God had given them by speaking and doing some pretty outrageous things. In the New Testament, Jesus gave a choice by extending the invitation to follow him or not. Unfortunately, we know what happened to all of them…killed. Throughout Scripture as a whole, there’s always a choice.
a) follow God. or,
b) don’t follow God.
I’ve never read anything in Scripture, from the Patriarchs through the Apostle Paul, that causes me to believe that “manipulation” was used as a leadership technique. Actually, I’ve found that all of the scheming and manipulating was done by those who were anti-Kingdom of God.
Believe me when I say this, I’m an includer. I want everybody to come along for the ride–I don’t want anybody left behind (no pun intended). Actually, I lose sleep over people who aren’t following me in ministry and how I can lead them better. But there’s something that doesn’t sit right in my soul when expected to be a sly, scheming politician in order to advance the Kingdom of God.
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 3:12-14
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