Tuesday, March 10, 2009

RESPONSIBILITY

We have staff devotions every Tuesday morning with the whole gang gathered in the choir room. The pastors rotate the devotional time - today was my turn. I thought I'd share some of that devotional time here today ...

Q: What is your definition of a ‘church?’ Answers in the room ranged from - people who are the hands and feet of Jesus - to - a gathering of people who love God - to - a building with a steeple - to - somewhere you can feel loved and accepted.

Q: In your opinion, what does the mature believer look like? Answers ranged from - having an increasing presence of the fruit of the Spirit in your life - to - reaching out - to - loving God and others - to - being able to reproduce.

When I was a youth pastor (yes, I was one once) – I deeply cared about what was happening in the lives of the students I was pastoring. When I was a worship pastor, I deeply cared about how and why people were or were not worshipping. Now that I’m in my present role, I care intensely about how people are making connections – or not – in our church … I care about whether people are giving from generous spirits and hearts or from some other motivation … I care about how we’re reaching the lost and hurting in our community … I care about how we’re growing and becoming disciples.

I’m reading a book by Mark Waltz right now and he says, “I still pray for our people. I still feel a great sense of responsibility. But not like I once did. And I'm really happy about that. I don't care LESS -- I just don't feel responsible FOR everyone. I do, however, feel responsible TO them. Big difference."

And I think I feel exactly the same way. Because when I’m responsible TO people, I understand they have choices. When I’m responsible FOR people, I think I should decide for them.

When I’m responsible TO people, I know THEY have to figure out their next steps, not me. I have to show them what some of those can BE, but I can’t figure out everything for them. When I’m responsible FOR people, I try to tell them and then MAKE them do the next steps.

When I’m responsible TO people, I share their journeys and offer them encouragement and teaching. When I’m responsible FOR people, I try to micro-manage their journeys, never allowing them to wrestle, mess up or make a wrong turn.

When I’m responsible TO people, I talk to God a lot on their behalf. When I’m responsible FOR people, I talk to people a lot on God’s behalf.

The church is not a servant to man; it is a collection of people who are serving God and mankind. So, in his book, “Called,” Kary Oberbrunner says there is a common misunderstanding of discipleship that includes this progression:
1 Accept Christ
2 Don’t do bad things anymore
3 Withdraw from culture
4 Hang with Christians
5 Go to church
6 Read your Bible and pray
7 Be happy you’re saved and not going to hell
8 Tell other people you’re happy and they can be too if they follow these 7 steps

But then Kary challenges that THIS should actually be the progression, as suggested by Jesus:
1 I want your whole life – everything
2 I want to transform you and than have you transform culture
3 I want you to be in the world, just like I was
4 I want you to be the church – the present-day incarnation of Me
5 I want you to embody the Word to others
6 Be My hands and feet and see people as people, not projects to convert

Q: Which one do YOU think is closer to accurate?

Q: Which of those belief systems comes closest to best describing our/your church right now?

Q: Do we more often demonstrate responsibility FOR others or responsibility TO others?

Q: Do we trust the Holy Spirit to work in people’s lives? Where do you see the Holy Spirit working in your life? What has God done in you in the past ten years? How about this past year?

Q: In what ways could you take more responsibility for your own journey?

PS: One of the perks of being the one to do devotions on Tuesday morning is that person gets to choose where the pastors do lunch that day. I chose 'The 45 Diner' in Bristol today. Hot turkey sandwich with a tall chocolate shake, in case you were interested.

And be blessed.

6 comments:

Kary Oberbrunner said...

Thanks PK. Glad you are liking Mark's book. He's a great guy. You might want to check out my new Zondervan book called THE FINE LINE about how to be in the world, but not of it.

http://www.amazon.com/Fine-Line-Re-envisioning-between-Culture/dp/0310285453/ref=sr_1_1/185-2238378-5468740?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236755694&sr=8-1
























glad you are liking Mark's bn

Anonymous said...

I love your two lists and the right one about becoming a disciple. God is changing me every step of the way. It has been a process and it is exciting as I become more of who HE wants me to be. I am giving my life over to Him each and every day. I have only been saved a little less than 2 years, but I am very different. Not just smoothing out my rough edges and working on my areas of sin, but just becming more and more confident and outgoing. I trust that GOD is in control, so I know in my heart that everything will always turn out just the way He directs it to. It gives me faith each time I go through a situation and He turns it to good in the end. I feel so blessed! I love the Lord so much for being with me through my life. Even before I accepted Jesus He was there and has always known me. That is so amazing to me, but yet I know without a doubt that it is so.

PK's BLOG said...

Yes - weren't those GREAT!? I got them from a book I'm reading by Mark Waltz. Good stuff.

keithdaugherty said...

Excellent lists you used! You and Waltz are right on track. Keep on in the direction God has directed you. It is cool!

Anonymous said...

I just wanted to say that I think you are GREAT about being resonsible TO us. You always guide me in my walk and I appreciate everything you have done for me. You don't come down hard, but you have a way of leading me in a way that is so effective. I don't end up feeling bad about myself, but I just long to get more in step with what the Lord wants for me. I wouldn't be half as far as I am maturity-wise if it wasn't for your help. You have been a blessing to me. :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Pastor Kevin: Thank you for your blog. . I periodically drop in on your blogs. . .this current one about "responsibility" really spoke volumes to me as a person who cares deeply for people there have been many times where I take on too much responsibility "for" people instead of "to" them. It's so freeing to know that we can entrust people to God. Thanks for letting God use you as His instrument. He shines.