Body Dynamics: the weak and strong living in harmony

Last week, I took my two boys for a walk. Our youngest is two. When we walked out of the gate, I knew where we were headed and how long it would take us to get there. However, there was a problem. If I walked at my pace, my son would have to run to keep up. If we walked at his pace, getting there would take a while. If I carried him the whole way, I would be tired, and he would miss the exercise that would strengthen his body.

In many ways, that is a perfect picture of the body of Christ. The church is comprised of people at different stages of Christian maturity. For this reason, it is often a challenge to figure out the pace at which the body should move. Some struggle with issues that others deem non-issues. Some clearly understand where they should be and what they need to do to get there, while some have to be convinced about the need to go first! Some have resolved some theological and ethical challenges in their minds and have settled convictions, while some are only beginning to answer the questions.

Such a situation poses a wonderful or potentially volatile opportunity. Those who are mature in matters, let’s call them the strong, will struggle with the temptation to look down on or be frustrated with those who are immature; let’s call them the weak. The weak, in turn, will despise the strong for their freedom and insensitivity to matters. The strong could walk at their pace, to the neglect of the weak, or they could carry the weak on their back and never allow them to wrestle through issues. A better option is for them to walk alongside the weak and help them grow to maturity.

This was the situation at the church in Rome. Romans 14 and 15 address such a challenge between the strong and the weak in the church. In addition, Scripture admonishes that the strong should lovingly bear with the weak. In other words, it is God’s design for them to be together and to help each other joyfully grow. It would be easy for the strong to start their own church and the weak to do likewise, but such actions would be motivated by pride and self-satisfaction, attitudes that are works of the flesh. Therefore, the Scripture exhorts:

But we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those who are without strength and not please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbour for good, for edification. Romans 15:1-2

 

MINISTERIAL PLATFORMS, SELF-PRAISE AND SELF-GLORY

John the Baptist is a fascinating character. He plays an essential role in the narrative of the gospels and yet is so peripheral we often do not pay attention to him. Almost always, you hear him mentioned; it is, by the way, which was the role God intended him to play all along. Every time John speaks, he is pointing to Christ and deflecting focus from himself.

Interestingly, Jesus called him the greatest man that ever lived and yet, at the same time, the least in the kingdom (Matthew 11:11). John the Baptist was always humble in his self-assessment. Notice the phrases used to refer to or describe the man: he was not the light, I am not the Christ, I am not Elijah, I am not the prophet, a voice in the wilderness, I must decrease, he ended up in prison and beheaded. It is not a glamorous ministry, and neither is it one you want to crave, yet John, by Christ's estimations, was the greatest. What lessons can we learn from the life and ministry of John the Baptist? 

 

Ministerial platforms come from God.

John answered, "A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. John 3:27

This perspective of life and ministry will save many of us from envy of other people's success and from jostling for attention and praise from people. Ministry platforms and opportunities come from God, and they are to be used for Him, not self-promotion or exaltation. This perspective will also ensure that you are content with your ministry, whether it is celebrated or little-known. Christians with this perspective are satisfied with being forgotten. They recognise a difference between proclaiming and promoting the cause of Christ and promotion of self. Oh, for wisdom to know the difference.

 

Ministerial platforms are meant to point to Christ.

John the Baptist understood that he was just meant to prepare the way and stay out of the way. He was merely a pointer and not the point. The point was Jesus Christ! Someone rightly said, If all people see is you and your efforts to build a platform, then you are stealing the show." The clamour for people's attention in a minister’s should be of concern. With the rise of social media, the temptation is ever real. Where does one draw the line?

On the one hand, it is a wonderful tool for ministry, while on the other hand, the dangers of self-praise are ever-present. Every man knows the motives behind his actions. Ada Whittington's prayer should be every minister's. 

 

Not I, but Christ be honoured, loved, exalted,

Not I, but Christ be seen, be known and heard;

Not I, but Christ in every look and action,

Not I, but Christ in every thought and word.

 

Ministerial platforms can only be enjoyed when used for the glory of God.

Every time I officiate a wedding, I remind the bridal party and the family that it's not their wedding, and it is not about them! It is not uncommon for the supporting act to make it their show; they whine and grumble and make ridiculous demands. Such people never get to enjoy the celebration. They are so preoccupied with getting the attention that they are frustrated that the bride and groom are the centre.

 

Could it be that part of the reason a lot of Christian ministers are often grumpy and discontent with their ministry role and places is because they are seeking self-glory? People who miss the point and fail to understand their part do not have the joy of serving God. Their happiness is often tied to the recognition and praise of others. They are not happy if they have a particular position or role. They are grumpy if they are not in control or have their way. They are so glad when the numbers are high and the likes are on the rise, and they are delighted when they receive approval. And they are miserable when the numbers are low and no one praises them. They rejoice when they are invited to places and connected with certain people. They are envious when someone else receives attention; they quietly ask, “Why not me?” All these and many other examples reveal the wrong focus in ministry. It is not about us; we are mere instruments in the hands of our maker, and our joy comes from the fact we have made our God known whether people listen or they do not or whether they praise us or they do not. That’s not to say there is anything spiritual about failure or that we should glory in it. My point is that we should have John’s perspective of life and ministry:

 

You yourselves bear me, witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.' The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore, this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:28-30

 

 

 

Symptoms of A Prayerless Life

In studying the gospel of Mark, one cannot miss how action-packed and fast-paced it is. This is seen from the reoccurrence of the word “immediately.” In the space of 40 verses, John the forerunner is introduced; Christ has arrived, been baptised, was tempted in the wilderness, and began his ministry, preaching, healing, casting out demons and choosing the first disciples. In the midst of this activity, I was tempted to skim over verse 35: “… he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed”. At a time when his fame was spreading and he was experiencing success in what was becoming a busy and demanding ministry, Jesus prayed. That struck me! It struck me because when I am busy, I neglect prayer. In my thinking, spending quality time in prayer when I am pressed for time is not the best use of my time. Such reasoning is dangerous and detrimental to my spiritual growth and ministry. Busyness and prayerlessness are a dangerous combination whose symptoms are seen in our attitude, work and relationships.

Impatience

When we pray, we are surrendering to the will of God and humbling ourselves to wait on the Lord, knowing it is in Him that we live, move and have our being. Only a heart communing with God in prayer will have that spirit of surrender and patience. A busy and prayerless heart relies on its own strength and power to get things done and make things work. Consequently, such a soul gets drained, weary and frustrated. The result is you go around snapping at everyone in your path: your children and spouse at home, your coworkers, the weather, fellow road users, churchmates, etc.

Anxiety

As a result of being self-reliant while lacking self-sufficiency, we become experts at worry. Even when we hear and read the comforting words of Scripture, to cast our cares upon the Lord, for he cares for us, we, in truth, do not believe them. We pray, but in essence, we are still confident in our own abilities and carry burdens the Lord did not intend for us to carry. The buzzword today is “stress”; we have used it so much that it has become a fancy term; the biblical term for stress is anxiety! Being gripped by fear because of the uncertainty of a situation. As a result, we end up grumpy, restless and irritable.  

Pride

Busyness means activities, programs and events. It is easy for one to be prayerless and still host a successful program or event. It is a mystery of ministry that one can be relatively successful while not walking or depending on the Lord, at least from the onset. Such a situation is fertile ground for pride. A person who prays earnestly and consistently has no basis to be proud because, in prayer, he declares his poverty and reliance on God. Not so for a prayerless individual; he relies on his experience, gifts and planning, and any ounce of success soon gets to his head. As a result, such a person ends up becoming the centre of ministry and ungrateful.

Joylessness

There is a childlike joy that comes from fearing God and submitting to him and his will. This joy is a result of being satisfied with your relationship with God and being found in his presence and finding that in his presence there is fullness of joy, and at his right hand, there are pleasures evermore. It comes from a soul that proclaims with David, “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my flesh faints for you as in a dry and weary land” (Ps. 63). Prayerless Christians and ministers are devoid of joy because in their pride they have become self-reliant, which then makes them impatient, anxious and joyless. 

I can be so busy and caught up in the activities of life that I neglect to pray. I forget that to realise that I was created to live in dependency and trust the Lord for daily sustenance. When I choose not to pray, it affects not only my spiritual vitality but also my attitude towards my relationships and responsibilities. May what was said of Charles Simeon be true of me: “Never did I see such consistency, and reality of devotion, such warmth of piety, such zeal and love… he devoted the first four hours of the day to private prayer and the devotional study of the Scriptures…”

Nine Ways to Encourage your Pastor

There is a lot said about how pastors should minister to the congregation. And rightly so; in fact, one could argue that there is a need for more written on the subject as too many of us pastors are preoccupied with too many things to neglect our primary duty of shepherding the congregation. That, however, is a subject for another day. My focus today is to offer some ways in which congregations can be of ministry to their pastors practically. And yes, this may sound like it is from the pastor’s union! October (usually the second Sunday and particularly in the West) is Pastor's appreciation month, so it comes to an end; here are nine practical suggestions on how congregations can be of ministry to their pastors. 

1.      Pray for him- ask him for specifics

You will never know how much pastors need the prayers of the congregation. Pray for them. Ask for specifics, and let them know you are praying for them. Your pastor needs your prayers. 

2.      Be present and attentive to the teaching and preaching

You must heed the Scripture’s command to not forsake the assembling of believers. When you gather, listen to the teaching and preaching of the Word with enthusiasm. That will encourage the men that labour in the Word among you. And, of course, apply the truths to your lives. 

3.      Give feedback to the preaching

As you listen week in and week out, give feedback. This means more than the traditional thank you for the message. Ask follow-up or clarifying questions. Share anything that stood out for you. Even mention if there is something that you disagree with. You will encourage your pastor by giving constructive feedback to his sermons. 

4.      Buy him a book

Pastors need and love books, but books are expensive! Buying your pastor a book that he needs or has been desiring might be an encouraging act of love from you. The only advice I would offer is to ask him what book(s) might be of most help to him at a particular moment. And just for your information, pastors love other things and not just books! 

5.      Challenge him to rest

Some pastors can be workaholics. Encourage them to rest. Challenge them not to have a messiah complex. The church will not close because they are away. They need to be humble and rest. Only God never sleeps nor slumbers. 

6.      Ask him how he is doing

Really ask him, not just the superficial greetings we give each other. Ask him if ‘it is well with his soul.’ Be ready to listen. This will also help you with how to pray for him.  

7.      Minister to his wife

Be a blessing to the pastor’s wife. She is not an assistant pastor, but she does bear the burdens of the ministry as well. Find out some practical ways you can be of blessing to her. While her husband is often in the spotlight, she works hard and quietly behind the scenes. Encourage your pastor by encouraging his wife. 

8.      Do not give him undue respect

Honour your elders. However, do not treat them as Lords. Undue respect will puff up the man, which will not benefit him or the congregation. 

9.      Submit to and cooperate with the leaders

Be willing to be led by the elders the Lord has blessed you with. Refrain from complicating their work by refusing to submit and cooperate with them. You will encourage your pastor by offering to and cooperating with his leadership. 

Conclusion

The relationship between the pastor and the congregation is one of mutual responsibility. The congregation makes and trains the pastor, and the pastor shapes and influences the congregation. As a congregation, do your utmost to be of ministry to your pastor.

Lessons from Tori

 About 18 years ago, I crossed paths with Victoria May Barret (we call her Tori), now Mrs Camp. Tori came to Zambia as a single missionary from the US to lead and teach at the primary school of Faith Baptist Church Riverside (the church I now pastor). She had spent some time in Togo, West Africa, before coming to Zambia. Little did I know that the friendship that would forge would leave a lasting impact on my life. Here are five lessons I learned from Tori.

Encouraging people and spotting God’s grace in their lives

Tori can see and unearth (even where I am convinced it does not exist!) God’s goodness in people and encourage them in that light. She both amazed and frustrated me with this trait. There were times all I could see was bad, and she would gently point out a particular strength or virtue in the person that God had given them. It is no wonder that Tori constantly encouraged many people at work, in the church and the community.

Practicing Hospitality

Her home was an open door. She hosted families, couples, singles, youths, children, men and women. She was intentional, sacrificial and flexible in her practice of hospitality. When she had people over, there was always an end goal: either share the gospel with the lost or encourage believers. You always knew that when Tori hosted you, you would play games, eat food, sing songs and have a conversation from the word of God. It was simple and sweet, and we often had serious conversations. What amazed me was Tori did not let her status hinder her from hosting a group of couples monthly for fellowship.

Practical Discipleship

Tori is a relational person. She invests in people’s lives. You will often find her rooting for someone or weeping for them. She pours her life into all kinds of people from all walks of life and ages. From meeting weekly with a lady from a nearby shanty compound to visiting and hosting children of all ages. From hosting a group of university students to hosting a group of families. Whether church members or unbelieving acquaintances, Tori was invested. She was deliberate, simple and practical. Deliberate about studying God’s word and fellowship, straightforward about life’s issues, and helpful in addressing the various issues of life. She did not shy away from confronting, correcting or rebuking, but you left the conversation assured she loved you.

Loving and learning from people

One reason Tori was effective in influencing people was because she was quick to recognise God’s graces in others, but she was also sensitive to spot spiritual and physical needs in people’s lives. She genuinely cared for people. She did not deem herself superior. She taught me it is possible to have genuine and meaningful cross-cultural relationships, even amid differences. Sure, she had many frustrations and struggles, but Tori related with people with no strings attached and no hidden agenda. She loved people and did not deem them as projects. She even loved the people I would look down on! She also was humble enough to want to learn from everyone because she recognised the grace of God at work in others. She asked questions, sought counsel and listened. She strongly desired for Zambians to relate with her the way we related to one another. She often said, “I really look forward to a day when my Zambian friends would show up at my house without an appointment.”

Teaching Clearly, Simply and with passion

I learnt a lot about teaching from Tori. I joined her class in the children’s ministry at the church, and she modelled how to teach, gave tips and then observed me as I taught. Tori is a clear teacher; she taught the big truth to small hearts clearly and simply. She was oozing with joyful passion. That passion came from her love for God, his word and her love for the children.  She genuinely cared that people knew and understood the word of God. I look back at the two years teaching with her, and I realise how formative those years were for me.

I am grateful for Tori and her impact on my life. I am reminded of Paul’s commendation of Pheobe when he urges the Roman Church to receive and welcome her. he comments, “Receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may need of you, for she has also been a helper of many and of myself as well.” Romans 16:2