This week, as we look at discipleship through the eyes of author Sherry Weddell, we ask ourselves, “What do we do when church leaders aren’t yet intentional disciples??” It’s a conundrum. I think it’s interesting that we use the term ‘disciple’ (almost like a job description) rather than the term ‘maturity’. If the ‘leaders of our work’ aren’t ‘qualified’ then the ‘business’ is danger of sinking, and we have a hard time respecting them, etc….
But if we think about maturation as something that is an ongoing process for everyone, we might help leaders be more open about their faults and failings. If you don’t have the baseline qualifications for a job, you get fired (or realize you ought to be fired). No wonder parish leaders, when they realize how much they lack in Christian maturity, are hesitant to share that fact publicly. Perhaps if they were taught to expect that we mature in many different aspects of self and not all at the same rate, and that exposing whatever need-for-growth exists in us at this moment would help others move along in their own journeys, then we could overcome this hesitation.
I’m willing to forgive my ‘parish leaders’ for needing to grow up more, but it is harder to accept that unqualified candidates are holding positions of authority. So, I need to see them less as employees and more as brothers and sisters in Christ, no matter what their position in the Church. They need to see themselves as leaders in self-exposure, rather than as leaders in perfection. When they start sharing their need for growth with us, they’ll be inviting us to share, and modeling that transparency.
Meanwhile, if it has to start with us (the non-leaders, or the congregation, or the lower ranks) then we need to step up to the plate and invite them into our need, our brokenness, and our struggle to grow up. Whoever is more mature in any situation has the responsibility to be gracious to the others who have some growing up to do, and to forgive when those people disappoint and hurt us. We can all look up to Jesus for an example of this loving condescension, and get help forgiving by asking for His forgiveness for whatever we’ve done to disappoint and hurt him.
I would not like to say that someone who is not intentionally being a disciple is not, therefore, a follower of Christ. They are, perhaps, more like children who’ve not yet “grown up unto Christ in all things” and so we just have some patient waiting to do. Maybe we should be asking, “What will attract a child toward adulthood – motivate him to enter the struggle for his own maturation?” instead of, “How can we get a person to work harder at the task of discipleship?”
Anyway, you can follow the fun during these last few weeks of our ‘lawn chair catechism‘. Weigh in with your thoughts about what it will take to increase the number of people who follow Christ actively instead of passively. Our Church really needs this discussion!
Some say that Christian leaders appear to have more of a propensity toward disappointing those they lead. I don’t think that is true at all. Regardless of who the “leader” is and who that leader is leading … there will always be people they will disappoint and be disappointed by.
I think if we could just realize that we are all children in some things, struggling ‘adolescents’ in others, and adults in a few more, we could approach all of this with more grace. Yes, I want the parish leaders to have great qualifications, but if I leave that to whoever does the hiring, and just imagine that God is using these jobs to grow up His people, rather than using His people to get these jobs done, then I can help others along, learn a lot from those who are further along in some way, pay forward the help I get, and stop stressing over everyone’s level!
Your question of maturity of leaders makes me wonder how people see me as head of a small ministry. Am I mature enough to lead even in a small way like website exitor? As we look at the qualifications of one another I sure hope we are compassionate like Jesus. He will help us grow up in the Spirit together under his loving care.