Rumored Thought (Pt. 5)

(Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, & Part 4)   

Jesus is to be our example here, in the scheme of mission (as pastors and as people), for he lived the ultimate mission, and he did so for the right reason, his own glory.

But what I want us to see in the story of Jesus is exactly what I’ve been writing about.

Jesus proved mission wasn’t clean; he took on the sins of every member of his Church. He proves mission isn’t safe; he’s killed in the worst possible manner. He proves the leader is the one in the fray; he’s the one doing the saving not a contractor.

He hung around with a tax collector, a zealot, a bunch of fishermen, and a guy who'd stab him in the back; the jokes probably weren’t clean, the wine was probably nicely fermented, and the brotherhood was better than many of our churches now know.

But here’s what I’m not saying.

I’m not saying we are all called to be on mission in the same capacity. I’m not saying the congregant must be as vocal as the pastor. I’m not saying you better hang around drunks and be personable to geeks or you’re a failure.

What I am saying is this:

We are all called to make disciples. To lovingly lead others in the walk called faith. Being sensitive to the movement of the Spirit and in so doing reflecting the glory of God to others. Which means what?

It means mission happens in everyday life. When moms disciple their kids, and dad’s wash their wife in the Word. When a co-worker is loved and cared for, because of one’s love for Jesus and the person. When relationships are built and Jesus is shown and proclaimed to be the most beautiful hope giving reality of all reality.

(I suppose it’s typical to start something like this series of post with a defining of words, so everyone knows what I mean. But doing it at the end should be jarring.

Specifically, mission, what I mean when I say mission, isn’t a two-week trip. What I mean is, “building relational bridges that are strong enough to bear the weight of truth.” Which, quite frankly, is a great definition for discipleship. So what I mean when I say mission, is discipleship. There, that’s what I mean.)

Rumored Thoughts (Pt. 3)

(Part 1 & Part 2)

So all of this began my thoughts on a pastor’s role in/on mission.

Leaders are what pastors are, the ones who are to be in front of the rest of the people both showing them how to do things and how to not do things. Teaching doctrine and discipleship while living a life on mission.

So it should follow that a pastor should be leading the charge in the mess of mission, right? That these men shouldn’t be the archetypal clean man, but rather the one in the fray, learning and leading with cuts on his knuckles and blood in his eyes.

Yet, often times the one who’s the cleanest is the one in leadership. (This is what my past has shown me at least.) Ironic, if you ask me.

This isn’t flattering to pastors. This isn’t flattering to myself. This isn’t flattering to any Christian. It ought to be hurtful, to all of us. The ones leading us aren’t the Braveheart type of leadership; rather they’re the one’s standing in the back, “’Cause they’re too important to lose.”

Our leaders (me) aren’t showing us mission well, because rather than disciple-ing (teaching while going about life) they sit behind their desk (or coffee mug) and tell others how they ought to do mission.

So the change should be, what? That a pastor should lead his people in the charge of mission? Yes. That’s exactly what I’m saying. It ought to be the pastor’s primary aim, mission.

Indeed, preaching and administrating are affective tools in mission, but they are not mission itself; they are not the aim. Rather discipleship is the focus of mission and therein the pastor should strive to thrive.

Discipleship is the focus of mission because the gospel is the focus of discipleship, and the gospel is the focus of discipleship because the gospel reveals to us the glory of God, and to that end the leader must lead, or he is no pastor.

At least this is my understanding of the pastor’s role.

Rumored Thoughts (Pt. 1)

Mission is never clean; never is mission simple; never is mission easy.

Recently I’ve been confronted by the fact I don’t look like most pastors (neither do the ones I work with). I’m glad for it.

Sure there’s the preconceived notions of what pastors should look like, the way we ought to dress, the jargon we ought to use, and the places and people we ought to hang out at and with.

My thoughts on this began a while ago, but they were solidified with a rumor I heard about me (I guess being plugged into the Wichita grapevine has an advantage). It wasn’t a nasty rumor, not at all, and it was absurd enough to let it slide off my back, but it has also made me ask some questions. And the answers I’m coming up with aren’t too flattering, to myself or to other pastors.

You see mission is dirty. We’re called to go and to be within the crowd, to get to know ‘tax-collectors and sinners’ and love them in such a way so as to show Jesus to them. I don’t think there’s a way to do this and remain clean.

There’s no way to get to know a drunk unless you go to the bar. There’s no way to love the homeless guy unless you sit with them and listen. There’s no way to befriend the artists unless you go to their exhibit…

There’s going to be a few posts in this, because this is something I need to learn. Hopefully you can learn with me.

(Read all of these posts: Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6)