Who are your leaders?

The favourite job in a Christian group is 'the Leader'. Apparently we need more of them. 'Leading' is the preferred skill.

Yet our Lord throws some cold water on this in Matthew 23:8-10:

But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your teacher, and you are all brothers. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your father, he who is in heaven. Do not be called leaders; for one is your leader, that is, Christ.

Hard to argue with.

Paul's view in the list of giftings seems to differ as well, from our modern hubris:

1 Corinthians 14:39 sets the record straight:

Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy.

There are plenty of other roles called for as well. Roles, not titles. Romans 12:6-8 covers it. But we have to be wary here, the word sometimes translated 'leads' is proistēmi.

It has a range of meanings: to be a protector or guardian, superintendent, to give aid, to care for, give attention to. Hardly the modern 'leader' which is acted out as the Greek 'archon'. Not a happy term in a gathering of Christians.

What should we do with 'titles' then? 

Here are a few that we can use:

• Moderator
• Organizer
• Convenor
• Coordinator
• Minister
• Worker
• Helper
• Assistant (that could be a quite high 'rank', come to think of it)
• Teacher
• Facilitator
• MC/Master of Ceremonies (for formal gatherings)
• President/Chairman (committees)
• Administrator
• Coach
• Counselor (as in Summer Camps)
• Speaker.

 But above all...let everything be done in love...do not be conformed to the world...

Son of Man?

As a younger Christian I was much puzzled by this term. Not helped by the poor Christian education provided by my church, of course.

One minister, RS, offered a suggestion that it had something to do with the Son of Man in Daniel 7:13; and this has some weight, I think.

Perhaps it was merely the human-like form of the vision, that attracted the title, but even here, it seems to denote something of greater significance, a sort of summative title.

The son is usually the inheritor, so what does the 'son of man' inherit?

I think it might be that, as the incarnate (to be, in Daniel) God...the Son, he inherits all that man as created was to be, pre-fall. He also, as the Lamb of God, inherits the consequence of the fall for man as created. This bears out both his conduct on earth pre-resurrection, but as the divine adopting human form, and his accepting the punishment given for sin (the repudiation of God-ness, and of God himself): death, despite him not meriting it. He accepted it to defeat it.

Also check out this video from the Bible Project. 

Not the words I use

In his article "Christian Apologetics" in Hooper's anthology: C. S. Lewis "God in the Dock", Lewis put his finger on the problem of communicating the gospel to non-churched people.

He listed words that have either no meaning, or a mistaken meaning to them:

Here's a selection. I've updated some of Lewis' explanations.

ATONEMENT

People have no idea what this means.

BEING

This may or may not be understood as 'person', as 'human being'. For example the Holy Spirit as a 'being' may not be understood as a person: a 'centre of consciousness'.

CATHOLIC

The Roman church, rather than the church universal.

CHARITY

An organization that helps people for no charge, instead of 'love in action'.

CHRISTIAN

A nice person, a person who is ordinarily 'moral' or 'nice'.

CHURCH

A building they'd never step inside, rather than a gathering of saints.

CREATIVE

Description of an artist, designer or sometimes writer or film-maker (photoplay maker: I like that older term).

CREATURE

An animal.

CRUCIFIXION, CROSS

A ceremonial religious emblem rather than an instrument of cruel torturous death.

DOGMA

Unreasoning and stubbornly held statement of opinion.

MORALITY

Being 'good', rather the general behaviour category of values.

PERSONAL

Applicable to oneself exclusively: my personal wardrobe, computer, equipment, tools.

PRIMITIVE

Not fully developed as in 'primitive man' uses sticks for weapons and stones for pillows.

SACRIFICE

Something you give up, usually at tolerable personal cost.

SAINT 

A super-spritual person, usually related to episcopal church usage for special religious people.

SPIRITUAL

Immaterial, usually related to aesthetics or emotions. 

The lesson? In talking to people outside your church circle, use common language that communicates meaningfully to your listener.

Get 'em in!

I came across this church website: St. Swithuns (sic), but not in England, In Oz. That may explain the odd spelling.

This is a 'brochure' type site, with info about the church programs, etc. OK as far as it goes, but just how far does it in fact go?

I clicked on Hope25, because this looked like something I should  know but clearly don't. That means its addressed to an 'in' crowd. 

OK, so its a special activity. I'll screen shot it because it will disappear after the event, I guess.

The special activity advertised these 'gripping' themes:

The Sermon Topics

11 May: Hope for the Despairing

18 May: Hope for the Stressed

25 May: Hope for the Lonely

1 June: Hope for the Ageing (that's all of us!)

We'd love to welcome you to any of these services. If you'd like a friendly church member to be looking out for you and/or sit beside you, please contact Andy on XXXXXXX or by email XXXXXX

Observations

1. The "sermon". This is 'in-talk'. What's a 'sermon' to most people? Either no clue, or a boring discourse on some irrelevant topic or a moralistic exhortation without an argued basis.
2. The topics are framed to attract people who self-identify as some sort of 'can't cope' loser. Or I may be wrong, a whole lot of people from the community will say to themselves, 'heck, I'm despairing after the recent elections, I'll toddle along'. Not.
3. If you need a 'dial-a-pal' we'll supply one.

It really seems to be an anti-advert. Framed for the weak-at-heart, and not for adults with serious challenging questions of our common lot.

I predict it will attract no new person along. It may even discourage a few of the regulars who don't want to be marked as 'despairing', 'stressed' (and not on top of it), 'lonely' (and therefore unpopular), or not able to deal with the inevitable aging.

The 'dial-a-friend' service would be about as attractive as admitting that one dates paid 'escorts'.

It also suggests that the church has no confidence in the capability of its doormen or ushers.

The topics themselves are real issues, but to attract those who might be interested, the titles have to be affirming and encouraging, not deprecating.

Perhaps less pointed language:

"The challenge of despair" our human lot.

"Success and its stresses"

"Alone again, naturally: we all go there sometimes." 

"Dynamic aging"

Not brilliant, I'd admit, but I'd call them 'themes' not 'sermon's, and include structured interviews with 'successful' people who would deal with the topics. And optional 'focus' groups to follow up.