Many church leaders these days seems to be all about labels, buzz words and strategies. I can’t keep up with them all and when I try, every one has their own definitions. Words like missional, emergent, simple, reformed, etc. etc.
What do these labels describe? They seem to indicate an over-arching philosophy, or core principals, on which a particular “sect” is building upon. From what I have come to understand about these strategies, they describe good things which the body should be doing. But I think we err when we focus too much on these things to where it becomes our identity. Our identity should be in Christ. Christ alone! Christ said He would build the church and that everything else would be burned up. The modern American church will see a lot of fire it seems…
As such, let’s change the way we do business. Perhaps we can have some of Christ’s gold here in these last days…
As we give ourselves labels that describe our strategies, we become a servant to the strategy. And if the strategy begins to produce the desired results (growth, saved souls and Christians who can get drunk in the name of evangelism), we become more and more attached to the plan. Soon, the strategy begins to own us and compell us. We become the “Purpose Driven Church”.
I don’t think Christ ever intended us to be “Driven”. Last time I check we were to follow. Eph 5:1
What happens when Christ tells us to move in a different direction? Can anyone say “Church Split”? Where is the Unity in that? Christ is our leader and when we begin to serve our own plans and strateges, we get diverted from the Vine. When the Spirit starts to lead us in other directions, but we are servants to the Church Vision, we either rebel and quency the Spirit, or by God’s grace we are delivered so we can repeat the same error in the future (a bit of sarcasm included for your reading enjoyment) 
In the early days Christians didn’t label themselves but were called “Christian” by their heathen observers. It wasn’t until we started labeling ourselves that we got into trouble. If anything we should be looking at the labels Jesus already provided for us in the Bible to see where we fit: Ephesus, Smyrna, Philadelphia, Laodicea, etc.
But we in America love to coin new buzz words, strategies, and plans. We pursue with all of our American-bred work ethic these constructs and strategies, confident that we will change the world with them and bring glory to God’s name with some left-overs for ourselves of course…
Why are we driven to begin with? Sure Paul ran a race, but he never ran ahead of Christ. He didn't make his own path. He wasn’t driven; he was running after the front runner - Jesus Christ. We in America are “driven” as a way of life and we don’t know why - we just drive forward with an insatiable desire of conquest. Manifest Destiny! At all Costs! So much so that when Christ whispers “stop”, we don’t hear him and keep plowing right along and in our wake a spiritual "trail of tears."
Paul attempted to enter Asia but the Spirit would not permit him. The American Church is influenced by business models that have been designed for capitalism (influenced no doubt by Mammon himself) which have become the norm for church planning and planting; these drive us into "Asia" even though the Spirit is shouting “STOP”!!!!
I believe mammon is one of a few chief spiritual agents responsible for our “driven” culture. It says, "To get ahead, we must drive with all that is in you. Success at all costs. Oh yeah, and it must be measurable too."
God views success much differently than we do however… His scales measure more than the external results.
The unchallenged belief that we must be driven is a foundation that effects everything we do, including one of our many problems in the church: works without knowing (or forgetting) our first Love.
One of the most popular Christian authors of all time tells us all about a life and church that are both driven with purpose. Yet I don’t see the word “driven” used in this context once in my bible (although it is used to describe getting rid of demons). This isn’t being led. I think we should write a book called “The Christ-led Life” and “The Christ-led Church”. One problem though - it wouldn’t sell a zillion copies…
We view church growth as success and we plan accordingly. But true church growth isn’t about plans, missions, or services that we as the church can offer. Just because we go out and bring as many people to church as possible doesn’t mean real growth is occurring. Jesus had huge crowds following him, but he would run them off when he started talking of true discipleship. Remember what happened when he told his “followers” that they must eat his flesh and drink his blood? Remember what the young, rich ruler did when Jesus told him the cost of discipleship?
True growth comes organically and naturally out of the overflow of Jesus Christ in one’s life.
Think back to the infancy of the church; Christians were being killed left and right - being used for tiki torches at Nero’s garden parties - yet the church grew. That early church didn’t have a written strategy or plan. Or a label. Their strategy was to know Christ and Him crucified and, if you were blessed, partake in His sufferings even unto death.
Take the church of Laodicea which in many opinions most closely resembles the state of the American church (ouch!) - sprawling with wealth, intelligence and growth. Yet what did Jesus say of her? Something about vomit… (Rev 3:15,16)
In contrast, I’m sure the church of Smyrna was too busy dodging prison, tribulation and poverty to be concerned with being “seeker-sensitive”, “missional” or “reformed theology”. They weren’t trying to figure out what guest speaker will bring the greatest draw, or what book to write next to fund that new church building or car or “leadership conference” hosted at some exotic spa. Yet what does Christ way about her? (Rev 2:10)
We must think differently. And teach others to think differently. Anything that takes us away from Christ must be discarded. And make no mistake - we’ve gotten away from Christ. We are driving, driving, driving, all for the kingdom but we’ve lost our first Love. In the process, we’ve burned ourselves out and turned people away from the truth.
We haven’t entered His rest; most have forgotten it exists or have given up on finding it, as if it were the hidden fountain of youth.
The thousands upon thousands we manage to ‘convert’ don’t exhibit the fruit spoken of in the bible. We here at Laodicea cast out demons, speak in other tongues, and prophesy of things to come as we push ourselves into churches and bars and everywhere else between. Yet Christ said he will cast us out because he doesn’t know us.
Don’t misunderstand me - going to all the world is not a bad thing; its good in fact. But it is fruitless if a strategy sends us instead of Christ. We must dance with the one who brought us. We must follow Christ and bear his fruit which include holiness, purity and the fruit of the Spirit (esp. Love).
For most that means we should put away our grand strategies and philosophies and focus on the master until His strategies and plans become clear.
Until we learn to follow we must not lead. Be still and know.
Out of relationship, the overflow of Christ himself will change the world around us and we won’t even need a written plan or label on our church philosophies. "They will know Him from the least to the greatest" because the Spirit of Christ draws all men unto Him. If we were smart, we would stop trying to figure out the next silver bullet strategy and wait upon God. We should abandon these idols of intellect that keep getting reinvented every generation and walk in the Spirit like we should.
America - we are a church that does not know Christ intimately and underneath our polished and shiny veneer we know it. All our works and activities cause us to ‘look’ like we are in Christ while masking our spiritual emptiness before men. We keep ourselves distracted in our efforts so we don’t have to listen to the spirit of God calling us to repent. This is evinced by all of our secret little sins.
We export what we don’t possess. And we possess that which is contraband.
We come up with recipes which promises church growth, evangelism, etc. and we call our success God’s doing. But while we were busy building our church, freedom snuck out the back door and took liberty with her.
All of our converts are busy worshiping Mammon, Molech, Baal, while sleeping with Jezebel. The church is divorcing at rates equal or greater than heathens. Our children are killing and cutting themselves. Our adults are no longer concerned about their children or themselves and have no sense of right or wrong. Our spiritual leaders are annoucing their divorces and sexual misconducts from the pulpit with no shame or conviction.
Confusion ensues and one generation is wasted wondering what happened to the “American Church Dream”, while the next generation claws over the previous with the latest recipes promising sure success this time…
What’s interesting is that most everyone caught in these cycles has great intentions. But as the quote says, “The pathway to hell is paved with good intentions”. This may be a little strong, but should do well to illustrate the point. I’m not saying everyone is going to hell - I’m saying that intentions don’t justify the plans of man whilst forgetting Christ.
My friends, we here in the USA may be dangerously close to loosing our candlestick. And it’s not the fault of any one church, denomination, sect, belief, strategy, etc. It’s our fault. Me. You. Personal responsibility. We stock up for ourselves teachers who tickle our ears; who make us feel good at the expense of Truth. And our teachers, being deceived have led others astray. I wonder how many teachers have ever trembled when they read the scripture that warns that not many should desire to be a teacher… I would hope most, but evidence is to the contrary….
Let’s run back to the stumbling block Himself and throw ourselves upon Him until we know Him. Christ and Christ alone. Seek Him and Him alone. Make sure we follow His direction; not tell him what we are going to do for him. Let’s follow Christ and teach others to do the same. How? He told us.
We must become poor in spirit. We must repent. We must loose our lives. We must pick up our cross. We must obey. We must follow and be led. We must be persecuted. We must not love the world or anything in it. We must esteem ourselves destitute and unwise. We must quit thinking that because we sound good, write well, sing smoothly, plan effectively, and preach with angelic charisma, that we must be exhibiting good fruit.
We must obey at all costs. We must be willing to suffer rejection even from those who call themselves “brother”. Finally we must suffer in the flesh. And if we fat, rich American’s can’t figure out how to make ourselves suffer like Paul did, God will come to our rescue - just not in the way we like to imagine him coming… He will not leave us orphans, but He will come to us. But make no mistake - He has no regard for our flesh. He will come as an all-consuming fire and burn up all that we have stocked up for ourselves and many will suffer loss. There will be those who are suprised at His rejection; and of those who are not rejected most will escape only as one escapes the lashing flames of a fire.
Let us not forget in our haughtiness and pride that Christ told us the way was narrow and few will find it. We Laodicean-Americans think the other churches are the ones that are missing the mark while we in all of our accomplishments are on the right path. But hear this and hear this good: God sees success differently. He chastised Laodicea and bragged on Smyrna. We should ask ourselves are we seeing things like God sees them?
The fear of God is something we gloss over by saying “It means awe of God.”
Well, that is part of it, but if you haven’t feared God from time-to-time as a child fears a father's discipline, or even as one who can destroy both your soul and body in hell, then you may need additional revelation of fear.
All things considered, we shouldn't be surprised at the condition of our American church.
Our naivety is buttressed by our success; our faith affirmed by our prosperity; our confidence unshakable on the firm footing of our successful church growth strategies and disciple-making programs.
Yet our fruits betray us.
We must follow Christ and then teach others to follow Christ instead of our mission statements and creeds. Instead as is far too often the case, we spend all of our precious time trying to convince our peers and critics alike that our way is the best way. We build our structures on the shoulders charismatic leaders turning them into the Kings of Israel, and are surprised when the fail us.
We must obey what the Spirit is expressing to us and let Christ be our judge. Leave our identity to Christ and the labeling to our heathen observers. To him who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches…
Consider: From “My Utmost For His Highest” by Oswald Chambers
Acts 26:16 “I have appeared to you for this purpose…”
The vision Paul had on the road to Damascus was not a passing emotional experience, but a vision that had very clear and emphatic directions for him. And Paul stated, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19).
Our Lord said to Paul, in effect, “Your whole life is to be overpowered or subdued by Me; you are to have no end, no aim, and no purpose but Mine.” And the Lord also says to us, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go…” (John 15:16)
When we are born again, if we are spiritual at all, we have visions of what Jesus wants us to be. It is important that I learn not to be “disobedient to the heavenly vision” - not to doubt that it can be attained. It is not enough to give mental assent to the fact that God has redeemed the world, nor even to know that the Holy Spirit can make all that Jesus did a reality in my life. I must have the foundation of a personal relationship with Him.
Paul was not given a message or a doctrine to proclaim. He was brought into a vivid, personal, overpowering relationship with Jesus Christ.
Acts 26:16 is tremendously compelling “… to make you a minister and a witness…” There would be nothing there without a personal relationship. Paul was devoted to a Person, not to a cause. He was absolutely Jesus Christ’s. He saw nothing else and he lived for nothing else. “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2)
May grace and peace be yours in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.