The Puzzle, July 2-3, 2009
The Best Way to Live and Lead
The leader is at the level of the people. This is not a condescending farewell. This isn’t “Kiss my ring.” This is the greatest missionary of his time and the person who wrote half the New Testament humbling himself before the Lord along with the rest of the leaders. This was Paul praying and crying and wrenching himself away from these people. It’s obvious that he really loved them, and they loved him. This is not keeping a professional distance from people, so they don’t get too close to you. Paul let these folks into his heart. That’s why it hurt like crazy to say goodbye to them, knowing this was the last time. It’s still the best way to live. It’s the best way to lead.
One of the many things I like about Paul is that he finished well. Instead of growing bitter and crotchety and nursing his many wounds, Paul seemed to get sweeter and more mellow as the years went by. The later his writings, the more affirming he was. His mood was good, disciplined, triumphant, humble.
Leaders Who Will Love
We need missionaries to America who have such a heart for the people that when they finish their assignment, it looks like it did when Paul finished at Ephesus. We need people who will just absolutely give themselves to others, in the name of Christ. We need humble leaders who will kneel down with the people in prayer, instead of trying so hard to “lead” them with an air of confidence. We need people who maintain good boundaries, but who aren’t afraid to give themselves to the people they serve, and love them without holding back.Paul ended his mission to Ephesus and Asia with a giant huddle. A mass of people knelt together in prayer, crying, embracing. This was not a condescending leader, but one who knelt at the feet of Jesus, on the same level as the people he led. They loved one another. It was so obvious, the most casual bystander couldn’t have missed it.
This was what the Lord was after. His prayer was for unity, that His followers would be one, even as Jesus and the Father, not divided into “us and them” camps that never got beyond surface civility. Jesus’ command—repeatedly— was love: Love God. Love one another.
If we want to be a leader, this is how to do it. We remember that our main job is to love God and to love one another. That does not change with ordination; it’s the same job for everyone, whatever the assigned role. Love God. Love one another.
We are to gather at the feet of Jesus, all on the same level, and love one another. That was His command, over and over. His desire was that we would be one in the same way He and the Father are one. What do we do? Love God. Love one another. There are times when it really hurts, but it’s still the best way to live and lead.
The Puzzle, July 6-14, 2009
The Asia Plan
Asia in the time of Paul was a Roman province, not a continent. It encompassed an area that looks to be about the size of Washington state, going by the handy-dandy map in my Bible. We’ve spent the past three months analyzing Paul’s approach to this mission field, the success of the Gospel in this region, and the attitudes and methods used. In addition, I’ve combed the letters to the Ephesians and Colossians (Asian cities), plus Jesus’ seven letters to the seven churches in Asia, found in Revelation 2-3. It’s time to condense the many pages of insights into a summary. This is important stuff—it’s about how to see the spiritual transformation of an entire region. That’s why I’ve been so cautiously dissecting it—it’s what I want to see happen in our own country, and I think God is willing.
This whole Asia “strategy” had something to do with methodology, but a lot more to do with attitude. Here are the key points which stick out concerning the spirit of the mission. After that, the methods.
ATTITUDE
Spirit-led
Otherwise, forget it. The entire Asia campaign was Spirit-led, from beginning to end. It was the Spirit who forbade Paul and company to preach in Asia, the first time through, then directed them to Ephesus, after first encircling the region with the Gospel. It was the Spirit who directed Paul to stay in Ephesus for three years, the Spirit who led him to leave. The entire mission effort was Spirit-led. That’s the way it’s supposed to be! The body should take orders from the head. Otherwise, there’s something wrong with the body. Christ is the Head of the Body, the Church. If we’re not getting our orders from the Head, there’s something wrong with the Body.Humility, Tears and Trials
The picture of the apostle Paul, kneeling down in prayer with the Ephesian elders, weeping together with them, then boarding a ship which he knew would carry him to further trials and suffering, is the picture of the Asian campaign. It’s a picture of humility, passion and courage. All three are essential, if we’re seeking transformation, even of ourselves, much less a region. The willingness to suffer, to care, to set aside personal comforts and rights in order to serve people who may not even respond to the Gospel—all of these are crucial to winning a region for the Lord.Remove Every Barrier to the Gospel
In the apostle’s team was a willingness to do whatever it took to establish the Gospel in Asia. Hard work was the expectation of each team member, helping to eliminate the barriers to the Gospel represented by greed, covetousness or laziness. Paul gave fellow Jews every chance to hear the Gospel, then relocated to a Gentile-friendly setting when his Jewish welcome had worn out. This enabled thousands of Gentiles to learn about Jesus without having to cross the barrier of Judaism, while still including all interested Jews.Glorify Christ, Not the Messenger or the Institution
Throughout Paul’s ministry in Asia, it was always Christ who was glorified, not the missionaries or the church as an institution. This laid a solid foundation for the Gospel, without it being tied to personalities, or peculiar doctrines or traditions. It also led to a rapid and complete transition to indigenous leadership, where the work would be able to carry on without the missionaries.Help the Weak
Jesus said it was more blessed to give than to receive. This is the philosophy Paul used in engaging Asia with the Gospel. Work hard so you’re able to support yourself and not be a burden to anyone. Seek out the unwanted and love them in Jesus’ name. Help the weak, the stupid, the stubborn, the lost who don’t even want to be found. Try hard to give more than you receive. No strings attached.Lead With Love
Condemnation doesn’t make converts; love does.Paul’s missionary team wasn’t content to just wait for people to come to them in public settings to learn about Jesus. They took His love from house to house, ministering wherever they went in His name.
Paul taught the elders that their job as “overseers” was not in giving orders, but “to care for the church of God.” They were to lead with love.
Watch Out for Wolves, From Without and Within
Paul warned them about wolves, from without and within: Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock,... (Ac 20:28) They were not to be naive, but prepared for temptation and attack.Spirit-led Love
Back to love, again. Love is the absolute key, when it comes to spiritual transformation. It’s God’s kindness that leads people toward repentance, not a message of condemnation, particularly one coming from strangers. Love is the only thing that softens the layers of bitterness; argument only prompts them to die trying. What worked for Paul in Asia was that he loved the people, and they loved him back. It’s always a good plan: Love God. Love one another. It’s the best way to live and lead.How did Jesus take Asia? With Spirit-led love.
METHODS
Spirit-led Strategy
For some reason, the Holy Spirit originally directed Paul and company past Asia, without allowing them to preach, then to Macedonia, then back to Asia again, where suddenly doors were open. Paul finished his second missionary journey, then promptly returned to Asia, where he ministered for three years in Ephesus. What God basically did is surround the province first, then come back to it. I’m guessing there must have been some significance to that approach. The important part of the whole endeavor is that it wasn’t man’s plan, but God’s. His plans always work.Establish and Work Through a Solid Core
When Paul first settled in Ephesus, he found a dozen believers. He immediately began giving them advanced instruction. My guess is that most of them were in that group of Ephesian elders, three years later. The Early Church did not leave new converts to themselves, expecting them to somehow “get it.” Discipling was a continuous process for all, and expected of all.Don't Be Deterred By Tradition or Opposition
Paul always went to the established religious organizations, first, but when he was no longer welcome, he left, and ministered among those who wanted his message. He didn’t let opposition stop him.Daily
This is really important, I think. I know of no revivals where ministry has been on a once-a-week basis; it’s always daily. Paul taught daily for over two years; the whole province heard the Gospel.Miracles of Healing and Deliverance
It must have been extremely important to the uneducated people of Asia to see and experience examples of God’s power; words alone would not have reached as many. Wherever God’s true healing, delivering, life-changing power is displayed, it lends credibility to the Gospel. It’s much easier for the person who was just miraculously healed to believe his sins may also be forgiven!Outward Signs of Repentance
Although the missionaries were leading with love, not condemnation, when that love resulted in repentance, they let it be public—which triggered more repentance. The $6 million bonfire must have been something. Nobody afterward was wondering if these people were serious about leaving behind their old life!Encouragement on Purpose
The Asian Christians were living under difficult circumstances from Day One. Paul made it a point to encourage these people at every opportunity. He risked his life to make a side trip to Macedonia, just to encourage the believers there. The farewell meeting with the Ephesian elders seems also to have been principally for their encouragement, and to commission them for ministry.The Whole Counsel of God
Lead with love, but don’t leave anything out, especially the repentance part.Public and Personal Ministry
There was effective group ministry going on in Asia, but the most life-changing stuff seems to have been predominately one-on-one, or in small groups. There was continuing public ministry, but there was also house to house ministry. Discipling was taking place all the time, on purpose.Commissioning, Commending, Letting Go
There were established leaders (elders), who knew who they were. There seems always to have been a plurality of eldership. Their responsibilities were made clear to them. Something else made clear was that they had been commended to God, and Paul had released them for ministry, without hanging onto any control over the future of the Asian church. He commissioned them, commended them to God and turned the work over to them, letting go.Everyone Has a Place in Ministry
The famous passage about how apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers are gifts to the Church, to build them up in unity toward maturity, was addressed to the Ephesians (Eph 4:11). Paul made it clear that Christian maturity was expected of everyone, the various ministers themselves being “gifts” to the Body to help get them there. He also made it clear in Ephesians that the Church builds itself up in love, or not at all. The letter to the Church in Ephesus contains lots of practical material on how to live as children of light, as well as cautions against going back to the ways of the world. There’s even a spiritual self-defense course, in the last chapter. It’s fairly obvious from Ephesians that holiness and spiritual maturity is the standard for all disciples, not just some, and everyone has a role in ministry. Together, the Church grows in love and maturity.Letters From Jesus
Through the apostle John in Revelation 2-3, the Lord sends a message to each of seven churches in Asia, many years after Paul’s missionary visit. Within each short message there is the promise of reward for the overcomer. There are also specific warnings, directed at churches grown complacent or apathetic, or which had caved in to compromise.He tells the Ephesians to repent and go back to their first love. He tells the Church of Sardis to wake up. He promises the Church of Philadelphia He will spare them from the coming hour of trial, as a result of their patient endurance. He blasts the Church of Laodicea for being neither cold nor hot. Though personalized for each setting, the basic message to each church is the same: Follow me, persevere, and I have an eternal reward for you.
APPLICATION
We’ve toiled over Acts 20 for months because I think it holds the keys to revival in America. Despite the major difference that Asia was brand new territory for the Gospel when Paul arrived, and America is a nation founded on Christian principles, but drifting away from them, I think the attitude of Paul is the attitude missionaries of all time need to pursue, to be effective. And although our circumstances are different from Paul’s, I think we would also be better off to adopt his methods, too.
So, if we were going to apply the attitudes and methods of the First Century missionary team to our own situation, how would we go about it? Let’s do a little quiz, and see how we compare. How about a scale of 1-5, with 5 being high? Let’s apply this to ourselves, and see where we come out.
First, in the blank at the left, rate yourself on a scale of 1-5 (5 being high). Then, rate your church or ministry in the blank at the right.
____ ____ 1. Spirit-led (Led by the Spirit of God, rather than another agenda)
____ ____ 2. Humility (Not a condescending, “we have all the answers” attitude)
____ ____ 3. Tears (A true passion for lost people)
____ ____ 4. Trials (Willingness to suffer or undergo trials for Jesus)
____ ____ 5. Work Ethic (Willingness to work hard, not greedy or lazy)
____ ____ 6. Barrier-free (Inclusive, generous, non-judgmental)
____ ____ 7. Glorifies Christ (not self-glorifying or organization- glorifying)
____ ____ 8. Help the weak (Reaching out to those with little to give back)
____ ____ 9. Lead with love (Love these people and make them feel loved)
____ ____10. Alert (Watch out for wolves, from without and within)
____ ____ 11. Spirit-led love (Love God. Love one another.)
____ ____ 12. Spirit-led strategy (God’s timing, God’s methods, God’s leading)
____ ____ 13. Discipling (Purposeful, practical, continuous, expected of all)
____ ____ 14. Undeterred (by opposition or traditions)
____ ____ 15. Daily (Connecting on a daily basis with other believers)
____ ____ 16. Displays of God’s healing, delivering, life-changing power
____ ____ 17. Serious Repentance (Supported by outward and inward evidence)
____ ____ 18. Encouragement on Purpose
____ ____ 19. The Whole Counsel of God (Love first, but nothing left out)
____ ____ 20. House to House, Personal Discipling (As well as public ministry)
____ ____ 21. Plurality of Leadership (Not just one person in charge)
____ ____ 22. Letting Go (Releasing it to God and others when we should)
____ ____ 23. Everyone is Engaged in Some Sort of Ministry
____ ____ 24. Living as Children of Light
____ ____ 25. Following Christ without Compromise
Total up each column. How did you do? How did your church do? I would call anything above 100 very good! (I got an 85).
Now, what do we do? If there are a lot of 1's, these might be what keep our 5's from being very effective. Pray about it (Spirit-led). Pray about what God would have us do with our 1's and 2's. Just ask Him what He wants you to do. Same thing with the 4's and 5's, and even the 3's. Does the Lord want us to focus on just one thing, or are there a number of areas where He wants to work, simultaneously? I think the Lord wants me to focus on one of my three 5's, keep working on that one, and keep an eye on the rest. If you’re not getting any direction from God, just pick from anything on the list. You can always start with the first one: Spirit-led. Spirit-led love is the way God changes nations, regions and people. Let’s be those people.
The Puzzle, July 15-17, 2009
Toward the Danger
And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.
While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.” Acts 21:4,10-14
This is worse than getting a couple bad fortune cookies. For the second time, in the second place, Paul is assured by certified prophets that he is heading for trouble if he goes to Jerusalem. First in Tyre, then in Caesarea, believers earnestly warn Paul not to proceed to Jerusalem. They claim the Holy Spirit told them what was to happen, and to warn him not to go. Their tearful pleas only make the apostle miserable. Paul had already told the Ephesian elders that the Spirit had promised him imprisonment and afflictions in every city; the prospect of persecution in Jerusalem was not a new thought to Paul—more of a guarantee.
Some of the commentators argue that the prophesying disciples must have been wrong—the Holy Spirit could not have been guiding Paul toward Jerusalem at the same time He was warning him through prophets not to go. Their conjecture is that mistakes were made, that the prophets didn’t really hear from God, or that they made mistakes in the interpretation.
I disagree. Apparently, so did Paul. Rather than say, “No, nothing bad will happen to me,” his reaction was, “So, what?” He believed the Spirit was leading him toward Jerusalem. Danger and trials? Just part of the package. The words of the prophets, rather than dissuading him from his mission, were only taken as confirmation that this was, indeed, the will of God.
Difficulties Next Two Miles
When the difficulties arose, they definitely would not be a surprise, which helps when it comes to difficulties. On life’s road, a sign or two saying “Difficulties Ahead,” accompanied with a brief description of what, when and where, is actually comforting, as opposed to being blind sided by them when we were led to expect happy times. If you’re supposed to go to a town where worshiping at the temple will reward you with a mob of fellow countrymen trying to dismantle your body, and Roman soldiers will have to do the mosh pit thing to get you out of there, alive, it might be good to know it’s in the script, beforehand, so you don’t panic or turn bitter. “Oh, yeah, God told me this would happen. Twice.”I think God wanted Paul to be prepared for what was going to happen to him in Jerusalem, the same way Jesus knew exactly what was going to happen to Him in Jerusalem. Rather than a “mistake,” I see it as actually being confirmation—that this whole thing is not going to be by accident, but according to God’s plan, which will place one of His best witnesses in front of governors and kings and emperors. When it unfolds, Paul would, of course, remember that the prophets through the Holy Spirit had repeatedly predicted exactly that. Instead of deterring Paul, I think it actually helped him. And I don’t think any of it was a mistake.
Toward the Danger
We need to get past the faulty reasoning which says that if we know something bad is going to happen to us, that means God wouldn’t want us to do it! We’re stuck in the same mindset as Peter, who thought he was doing the Lord a favor by telling Him, “Never! It’s not going to happen to you!” as Jesus soberly told of His upcoming death and resurrection in Jerusalem. In fact, that time it was Satan using Peter to try to derail the plan of salvation by assuring Jesus that it could never be the Father’s will to let Him suffer.“How could suffering be part of God’s will for us?” That’s a question the Bible has answered numerous times. There’s plenty of precedent for suffering being in His divine plan for our lives.
Why would we conclude that if it’s the Holy Spirit speaking to us, He would always be guiding us away from suffering, never toward it?
I have a friend who is a police and fire chaplain, who frequently reminds us to pray for the people who run toward the danger when everyone else is running away from it. I think about a young coast guardsman yelling into the wind, “Sir, if we go out in this, we may not come back!” And the officer’s reply: “Son, we don’t have to come back. But we have to go out.”
What Danger?
Sometimes, God leads us toward the danger. The thing is, when God is in charge, there’s no such thing as “danger.” Heart-stopping excitement? Yes! But think about it. A Father who can do absolutely anything (including raising the dead and granting eternal life), who loves us—what’s going to happen to us that is beyond His control? It might look and feel like danger, and the suffering may well be genuine, but at the end of the day, adventuring with God is safer than the thrill ride in an amusement park. It’s all been checked out. Even if the thing fell over on us and killed us, our Father would just call our name and we’d be alive again, at His side. Resurrection power and “danger” don’t really belong in the same sentence. Our Father has resurrection power, and all the other kinds, too. We’re safe, wherever He leads us. Suffering? Sometimes, it’s part of the picture. Death, too. But at the end of the day, our Father, who loves us, has us safely in His hand. Nothing could ever pry us out.What’s With the Suffering?
We are servants of Christ Jesus, at His disposal. He can lead us into hardship or into luxury; either way, we can choose to be content. It may be His purpose for our lives to lead us straight into imprisonment or persecution or death. We must be willing to follow Him, even unto death. That’s what Jesus said from the beginning! Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matt 16:24-25) There was no confusion in the minds of First Century people about whether or not a “cross” meant suffering! We may have turned it into a symbol and a piece of jewelry or a decoration, but it had none of those connotations, to them. It meant one thing: Death. The call to discipleship is still a call to death—death to the old life, the old passions, and death to the consequences of sin, which is death. When we are willing to experience death, Christ gives us new life, in Him. We are in error if we think Christianity is an add-on to our old life; it’s a replacement for our old life. We can’t experience real conversion without experiencing the death of our old life and the rebirth only found in Jesus. When we’ve been reborn as a new person in Christ, it makes sense to submit to His plan, even though it might lead straight into suffering. Once we’ve died with Him and been resurrected with Him, following Him is all that makes sense.The Puzzle, July 20-22, 2009
Dropping the Barriers
When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified God.
Acts 21:17-20
Years ago, when Paul was the unconverted Saul, he had packed around a list of Jerusalem Christians for persecution purposes. James, brother of Jesus, undoubtedly would have been on that list, as well as others among the Jerusalem elders. Despite Paul’s conversion and a lot of time having passed, this meeting must still have been awkward, particularly for Paul himself. It would have been easy to have skipped the whole thing, especially since Paul had been taking his orders directly from the Holy Spirit, rather than a human hierarchy. When you’re getting your stuff straight from the Holy Spirit, it takes some additional humility to choose to report to other people, no matter who they are or how close to God.
So why did Paul bother taking the risk of being rejected, due to his past life? And what about his ministry among the Gentiles? What if this body of elders disapproved in some way and undid years of hard work? Then, what?
Paul took the risk. He went straight to the brothers shepherding the Church and told them everything. Rather than rejecting him, they rejoiced with him. Instead of distancing themselves from Paul, they did their best to defend him and his ministry.
Spastic Surgery
Why go through channels? If the Holy Spirit is able to communicate to each of us, individually, what He would have us to do, why mess around with all the church politics and go through the humans?Because it’s the right thing to do. Checking in and cooperating with leadership is good, right and loving. It’s pleasing to God. God may speak to us on an individual level at times, but it’s not so we can go off and do our own thing.
A body works best when there is good communication between all parts—it’s called “coordination.” Coordination is a beautiful thing. When there is no coordination and a body part operates contrary to orders from the brain, it’s called being “spastic”—there is movement, but no control. Anybody want to be operated on by a spastic surgeon?
Coordination in the Body of the Church is important, too. There needs to be communication and mutual respect. Without it, the end results quickly become what you would expect from spastic surgery.
Dropping the Barriers
The Early Church faced some obstacles, when it came to letting in new believers, especially those not Jewish. There was a sizable, vocal group of traditionalists in the Church who concluded that in order to be a Christian, one must also be a Jew, or at least act like one. Had this faction won out, it would have been much more difficult for Gentiles to convert to Christianity, because before they would have been accepted by the Church, they would have needed to first become Jews, including undergoing circumcision, keeping the Law, etc. It would have been comfortable for the Jewish Christians, who would not have needed to make any changes, and very uncomfortable for everyone else. I would suspect there would have been few takers among the Gentiles. It was vital that the Church only require what God expected of the new believers, without adding manmade non-essentials to the requirements. This is what the Church chose to do. The Gentiles became believers through faith, not the Law. They became Christians through baptism, not circumcision. Aside from the most basic of restraints placed upon their behavior, the Gentiles were free to follow Christ without having to worry about Jewish traditions. The Gospel took off like a rocket among them. This is how missions is supposed to work.Mission Field: USA
The United States has enjoyed some marvelous success in missions. Our problem, of late, though, has been the refusal to consider ourselves a mission field. The spiritual stronghold, missionary-sending America of past generations has become a land itself in desperate need of a spiritual awakening. And the methods which used to move Americans in the direction of God now mostly fall flat. If the U.S. is not approached as a mission field, the barriers to the Gospel are becoming higher each day for the average American non-believer.What barriers? Just as some of the Jewish Christians wanted to require Gentiles to be circumcised and to observe all the Jewish traditions in order to become Christians, some American Christians want non-believers to buy into their particular traditions, modes of worship, theological idiosyncracies, beliefs about spiritual gifts, styles of music, political views, etc., etc., etc., before they would be accepted as “real” Christians. The list of “requirements” could go into pages! Is this any way to reach people for Christ on a mission field?
It’s fine to have personal convictions. We should. Same thing for traditions. And, thank God, we don’t all have to like the same kind of music in order to serve Jesus! But what I think He would have us do in trying to reach our lost nation for Him is to limit our requirements to His requirements, without bundling them together in a quirky denominational package that shuts out those who are only interested in Jesus and not our wonderful church heritage, too.
Our Obligation
We are obligated to give people the whole counsel of God, but we are also obligated to not impose upon them our own preferences or traditions, but only what God has required of them. This is tricky, especially when well-meaning zealots inhabit every denomination and tribe of Christian. The zealous are quick to impose every personal conviction and tradition in their repertoire upon the unsuspecting converts, convinced they are doing everyone a favor. They aren’t.Paul was “seeker sensitive” before seeker sensitive was cool. He didn’t veer away from the subjects of sin and repentance, the cross and Christ; what Paul avoided was imposing his traditions or personal convictions or prejudices upon other people. The only doors people had to go through were the doors God had set up, like the doors of repentance and faith in Christ. Paul took away the other barriers which might have been set up.
Shouldn’t we do the same?
I’m not suggesting that we drop our denominational distinctive’s, abandon all traditions or adopt a “who cares?” attitude about beliefs and conduct. I’m not suggesting that we need to change the way we serve Christ. I’m saying that we need to eliminate any barriers which would prevent people from coming to Jesus because they first have to cross a manmade barrier in order to get to His free grace. I believe God would have us make it as easy as possible for new believers to come to faith in Christ. I think He would not have us place even one additional burden on people, other than what He would have them carry. I’m pretty sure He would have us cooperate with one another, living in as much unity and friendship as possible, as opposed to reviling one another over differences in petty preferences, even if we think we’re right. And I’m absolutely sure He wants us to love one another.
The Puzzle, July 23-31, 2009
Having a Riot
(Church Fights Explained)
...the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. Then all the city was stirred up, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. And as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. He at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. Then the tribune came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done. Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, some another. And as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. And when he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd, for the mob of the people followed, crying out, “Away with him!” Acts 21:27-36Ah, yes. Nothing like a religious riot to make your day, particularly if you’re a mild mannered Roman tribune responsible for keeping the peace in a powder keg like Jerusalem. And nothing like being a returning, successful missionary, worshiping God at the sanctuary, when fellow worshipers begin screaming lies about you to the crowd, which then joins them in attempting to dismantle your body!
This is the pattern of religious riots, though. History is peppered with violent acts perpetrated by those convinced God was on their side. In rare instances, He was; usually, not.
Momma Told Me Not to Come
Paul had received sufficient warning; if he were trying to avoid conflict, he knew to avoid his old stomping grounds of Jerusalem. Prophets who loved him had begged him to stay away. But Paul knew where God wanted him: Jerusalem. On his arrival, the Church elders in Jerusalem did their best to try to repair Paul’s reputation among the Jewish Christians there, but in the end, it was an offshoot of Paul’s success in Asia that triggered a riot which had just been awaiting a spark.Had Paul’s missionary trip to Asia been a yawner, where he mostly sat around and whined about harsh conditions and unresponsive people, then hurried home on furlough as soon as possible, the Asian Jews wouldn’t have even known who he was. Instead, Paul’s brilliant, Spirit-led Asian campaign had electrified the province, even shaking up the idol-making industry to the point of a riot in Ephesus sponsored by the shrine makers of Asia. Paul had given the Jews in Asia first shot at the Gospel, spending three months with them upon arrival in Ephesus, until they finally showed him the synagogue door. After that, Paul had moved next door and set up a cross-cultural ministry open to Jews and Gentiles alike—and very effective. Trophimus, his companion, was one of many, many converts to Christianity gathered from among the Asian Gentiles.
Paul’s effectiveness had garnered him an assortment of enemies, as well as numerous converts. The Asian Jews who had not embraced Christianity now despised Paul. Their understanding of the situation was that Paul had rejected the laws of Judaism and was teaching other Jews to do the same. Such was not the case. Paul continued to live as a Jew, even while he offered the Gospel to Gentiles as a free gift, apart from Judaism. In other words, the Gentiles didn’t need to become Jews in order to become Christians; the Jews didn’t need to stop being Jews in order to become Christians. All the synagogue rulers understood was that synagogue attendance was down, it was Paul’s fault, and he hung around with Gentiles. They were not interested in anything but getting rid of him. To find him in Jerusalem in the company of Gentiles, now pretending to be an honest Jew worshiping in the holy temple, must have awakened in them levels of hostility they didn’t know they had. Their hatred boiled over. They had just enough disinformation to think they were right.
Response of the Defendant
Paul’s response is so cool, it’s like he’s been through this, before. (He had). Carried out of the mob mosh pit-style by the soldiers, Paul uses his multi-lingual skills and intelligence to at least grab the chance to make a speech to the people. Before it’s over, he plays the Roman citizenship card and avoids another beating, then splits the Sanhedrin over the resurrection question so they turn on one another instead of on him. Later on, he even gains an audience with Caesar by appealing to the same for justice. Through it all, the apostle is Spirit-led. It’s obvious that the wisdom and courage are not coming from him, but from above. Is there any reason we can’t lead lives equally Spirit-led? None I can think of.Recipe for a Religious Riot
How do these things get started? Whether it’s a vicious all-out religious riot or a garden variety church split, there are certain ingredients which make up the recipe.Zeal
It takes a certain amount of zeal or a religious riot will never get off the ground. People have to care about something quite a bit before they’re willing to inconvenience themselves to defend it. They’re not going to fight for something they don’t care about.
A Righteous Cause
They have to think they’re on God’s side. They need to be able to convince themselves that what they’re doing is right. Sometimes, this takes a great degree of rationalization; sometimes, a disconnect from common sense or morality, but nevertheless, “being right” is an important ingredient.
A Willingness to Pile On
By this, I mean a willingness to pile on! A disinterest in substantiating any claims against the defendant, but merely a desire to get in a few punches before it’s too late—these are characteristics of folks who are riot-hungry. It’s like when certain cities have a professional sports team in a championship game. A riot is planned in advance; it’ll be a victory riot if they win, a protest riot against unfairness if they lose. They only need to wait until the game is over, so they’ll know which kind of riot they’re having. You need people who don’t particularly care why they’re biting or fighting, or civility may take over and the riot may fizzle out; people who just want to argue are what keep the riot going nicely.
An Unrepentant Spirit
If the riot is supposed to continue underground even after authorities temporarily quench it, what is needed are those who choose to have an unrepentant spirit. By this I mean that no matter what, they refuse to accept any portion of responsibility for what happens. They also refuse to accept apologies from others, preferring to harbor grudges over starting over or making peace. Pride is key, here, because submission to God brings people to their knees, and soon it’s all over. It’s very hard to contribute to a riot atmosphere and repent at the same time. Repentance takes the fight right out of people.
Gossip
Gossip is the fuel necessary to keep a riot going. Usually the truth is not sufficient in itself to get people stirred up, so it has to be embellished in a convincing way to get their attention. If there isn’t enough negative truth available, negative assumptions or distortions will certainly provide sufficiently interesting information to catch the interest of the zealous. Communication is important—after all, what good is a lie or a half-truth in stirring people to action if they don’t know about it? It’s like advertisements sitting in a drawer somewhere. Without gossip to keep it going, the riot may burn itself out.
There is a flavor to gossip. Information may start out as positive or neutral, but by the time it has gone through a link or two of the gossip chain, it inevitably picks up a bitter taste. Gossip does this to all information of all types. That’s why it’s such vital fuel for any kind of enduring riot or feud. When people stop talking about the situation, it’s soon forgotten. Gossip makes sure they can’t forget.
So, there they are, five key ingredients for a religious riot. The presence of even one of these ingredients will generate noticeable tension, but stir together all five ingredients and you’d better stand back! This will be a church fight to remember.
But then, suppose you’re not trying to start a religious riot, but rather, to end one?
Enter, the Cleanup Crew
My first time-clock job was on the cleanup crew for a container corporation which canned and bottled soft drinks. We waded into some epic messes and came out better people for it.As I look around, I see many people dealing with epic messes, these days, in the church. Like at Mid-America Container, most of the messes happened on someone else’s watch, most of them were not intentional, a few we made ourselves, just to see it splatter and because we were going to have to clean it all up, anyway. Whatever happened and whoever caused it, no one would argue whether it’s a genuine mess, now. That’s what a lot of people face in their church—a sorry looking mess. Often, if there were intentional perpetrators, they’re long gone. All that’s left are innocent victims, and if you don’t think they’re all innocent, just ask them. (It’s like at the jail).
It always falls to the innocent victims to clean up the mess. A true villain would never be found with a squeegee in his hands. If we find ourselves gazing on the scene of yet another all-church brawl, what would God have us to do?
Righting a Religious Riot
Zeal (again)Zeal works both ways. It’s required to start a church fight; it’s also required to stop it. Without zeal—true passion for a cause, there is no change, there is only apathy. Everything stays the same. If we don’t care enough to be involved, we’ll not take the necessary risks to try to restore peace to the situation. We are in need of some zeal in the Church, these days. There seems to be precious little of it, and what there is usually seems to be centered on some aspect of preserving, restoring or abandoning someone’s version of the “good old days.” This zeal is directed against the opposition, whomever they might be.
So, what little zeal we have is largely wasted, sort of like the giant intramural tug-of-war games at college, with the mud and the rope in between and competing dormitories on either side. Eventually, one group will “win” by dragging their rivals through the mud, but the end result is a lot of muddy people and not much else. Same thing for most church fights.
What we need in the Church are people with a genuine zeal for serving Jesus Christ, but whose passion is under the control of the Holy Spirit. If we act out our zeal without any sort of restraint, innocent people are going to suffer, and so will we. We need the Spirit’s control, or we’ll do more damage than good, especially if the fight has already started.
What does God want us to do?
He wants us to be zealous for Jesus. Being “lukewarm” about our faith is detestable to Him; ask the Laodiceans (Revelation 3). At the same time, we need to use caution in keeping our zeal under the control of the Holy Spirit. How do we do that?
Pray
When we take things before God, He has a way of revealing to us what we need to know, particularly if we ask Him! (James 1:5) Being in a church fight is like walking through a minefield, but God knows the way. He is able to thread His people through it, but paying attention is a requirement. Take exactly the number of steps God shows you to take, and only in the direction He leads. No leading? Freeze! Don’t do or say anything without direction from God.
Religious riots are not fun. I tell people who are in them to keep their eyes on Jesus, and hang on! That, and “Don’t do anything unless God tells you.”
What are some other things we can do to bring a little peace to a messy church situation?
Learn the facts
Don’t believe everything you hear. The Acts 21 riot was started by lies and rumors. Had anyone bothered to check out the facts, there would have been no riot, since Paul hadn’t done anything. Learning the facts takes most of the drama out of gossip and herds it back toward the truth, which is usually pretty boring and unworthy of a fight.
Righteousness
Righteousness means a right relationship with God. This also means we are willing to do whatever we know God wants us to do. Under the direction of the Holy Spirit, righteousness is a powerful peacemaking tool. When we have repented of our own sins, bad attitudes, gossip, etc., we can then receive clear instructions regarding what to do which may be helpful to others. Until we make sure our own hearts are right before God, there’s not much we can do to help anyone else.
Don’t make negative assumptions
We need to be willing to live with holes in our knowledge, rather than filling them with assumptions, usually negative. (The Asian Jews assumed Paul had broken the law by bringing a Gentile into the temple. He didn’t bring Trophimus into the temple; there were just people who assumed he had.) If we’re going to assume something, it should at least be a positive assumption, giving them the benefit of a doubt unless proven facts indicate otherwise.
Refuse to pile on
As good as it may feel to finally be on top of those who have hurt us, we must resist the temptation to pile on. If we are in a position of authority and are actually responsible to help administer judgment, we need to be as fair and godly as possible. If it’s really not our position to judge, we’d better not! If it’s gossip, we would do well to let the gossip die on our watch, even when those dying to know are within whispering range.
Be a dead-end for gossip
Say nothing which does not need to be said. Do nothing which does not need to be done. We should be a dead-end for gossip. If we feel the person really needs a listening ear, we can listen to them, then let it stop with us. If there is nothing constructive which can be done about it, and nothing to be gained by anyone hearing it, we’re better off to not even listen to it.
Gossip? Like with an errant e-mail, block it or listen and delete, but don’t forward. Break the chain. Be a dead-end for gossip.
Refresh the person, not the quarrel
Internet browsers have a “refresh” button that updates the additions and changes on a web page. Just hit “refresh” and we know all the latest. Quarrels are like that, too. Injured people may be trying to put it out of their minds, but their friends keep hitting the “refresh” button by adding the latest tidbits of information and disinformation, since “they’d want to know.” The argument (and the pain) are all renewed!
If we’re wanting to keep the quarrel stirred up, all we need do is keep hitting the “refresh” button, because each time we do we’re refreshing the argument. If we’re wanting Jesus to use us to help calm things down instead of keeping them stirred up, a wise choice would be to refresh the people, not the quarrel. And, believe me, if you’ve ever been in a church fight, everybody is hurting and in need of refreshment! What kind of refreshment? All kinds. It’s just awfully nice to have someone coming toward you who is trying to refresh you instead of trying to rebuke you, reform you or recruit you! A cup of cold water in the name of Jesus... Refresh the person, not the quarrel.
Bring in the Bitterness Bomb Squad
Examine the root of a riot; you’re bound to find bitterness. Bitterness is a disease with few cures. Condemnation isn’t one of them. Bitter people are not searching for facts, but for love and acceptance. The more bitter they become, the scarcer these entities are for them, since they drive everyone away, leaving only a handful of commiserators.
People aren’t argued into repentance. Even when we think we’ve won a verbal shooting match, we find the vanquished have only crawled off to reload. I’ve yet to meet a person who decided to follow Christ because of the condemnation of a Christian. It’s love that gets them in, and it’s God’s kindness that leads us toward repentance. (Romans 2:4) That same chapter details the foolishness of trying to do God’s judging for Him.
Our assignment is love. Love takes many different forms, but the form which best disarms bitterness is continuing, unconditional kindness—God’s kindness. It’s the only thing I know that penetrates bitterness. God’s kindness, channeled through His people, has a way of restoring hope and turning things around when nothing else can. Bitterness is like a bomb ready to go off. Condemnation is sure to set it off; so will almost any form of confrontation. What is needed is the Bitterness Bomb Squad, armed with kindness from God. Painstakingly applied kindness is the best solution to the volatile situation. Bitterness traps people. Kindness helps free them.
Conduit of Kindness
Church fights happen. People who are zealous for (or against) religious beliefs will witness confrontation from time to time. There are certain things we can do which help in reducing the amount of conflict we face, but inevitably, we’ll find ourselves in the middle of a church fight of some sort, if we live long enough. What should we do, then? Hang onto Jesus, and do what He tells you! Nothing more, nothing less. If we don’t know what else to do, the principles we talked about are good, biblical things to do, even if we’re not in a church fight.And we need to remember our number one tool, when it comes to resolving church fights: Kindness. Toward whom? Everyone! When it gets hot on the church scene, we need to be the fire hose God can send in as a conduit for His kindness. Will we put out the religious riot? Maybe. Maybe not. Whatever happens, God will use it. (It ended up being how He got Paul an audience with Caesar). The important thing is to be a tool God can use any way He wants. The outcome is up to Him, but if we’re a conduit of kindness, He will always use us to be a blessing, regardless of our situation or the earthly outcome. What a great assignment! God has us on the cleanup crew, armed with His kindness.
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