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Many of us sense that the church is in between one thing and another. We
are in a period of transition in value systems. Ego-based ministry is collapsing.
Our culture had its stars -- Madonna, Michael Jackson, and O.J. Simpson.
We had our own stars too. In fact, the church became literally star struck
in the 80's. We had our own big men and big personalities. Their personalities
filled up a room, or conference center, when they entered or spoke. And
we rewarded them with power, wealth and honor. They became the church's
totems, representing our highest values.
But, while they were great men, they were not always good men. We assumed
that an inner character supported all this external success. We figured
that God would not permit such success, so many converts, such growth,
such size, such influence, unless these great men were also good. Now we
know better.
For these and other reasons the church is in the process of adopting some
new beliefs. We never called a conference. We never published a findings
report. We did not publish a declaration. But there is a new creed emerging
nonetheless. We are learning from our experience of the 80s. Through all
the pain, the church is increasingly believing these three propositions:
(a) External success and internal character are either unrelated or only
loosely related. (b) It is possible to have great external success without
inner character. (c) It is also possible to have a good inner character
without great external success.
We now know that numerical and financial success is not a reward for being
godly. External success and inner character are not tied tightly together.
You can have either, you can have both, or you can have neither. These
are our new beliefs. And, new beliefs create a new culture. Ego-based ministry
is quietly being de-throned in the church. Sure, there are still many who
worship this king, but they are like those who touted the Holy Roman Empire
long after it crumbled. But it is going fast.
So where to next? What will be our new criterion of success? I think Pennsylvania
DS Harry Wood has the answer on this one. He says we are in a transition
from skill-based ministry to Character-based ministry. Character-based
ministry. He argues that character-based ministry is the future. That the
laity have been burned too. They increasingly want a pastor who is first
of all a godly man, not just one who can do the job. Character-based ministry
is about inner integrity, not just external success. It focuses on being
more than doing. The heart before the hand, godliness before goals, spiritual
vitality before vision. It is about being a person of integrity, whatever
the cost. Our heroes of the future will be people who are close to God,
stand for truth, do what was right, and pay the price.
If Harry Wood' is on track (and I think he is), we are in for a major shift
in our criterion of success. There are massive implications for us in how
we select people, praise them, reward them, collect their statistics, and
anoint them as leaders. It is too early in the transition to consider all
of the implications here, but Harry cites two for us to consider right
off the bat: (1) Longer pastoral terms. The laity can be starstruck with
a fellow's skills or ego in a month or week, but developing a character-based
credibility will take years. (2) Suffering. After all, isn't that the best
way for people to see your true character? His two implications are just
a start. There are more, aren't there?
Final thought: Jesus Christ was a man of character. How do we know that?
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