Stumbling Blocks
Recently, I had the opportunity to speak to some students regarding Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Particularly, we focused on the last few chapters of the Epistle. Part of that conversation concerned “stumbling blocks”:
Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. (Romans 14:13-16 ESV)
In these last few chapters, Paul continually tells the Romans to humble themselves, love, serve, accept, and greet brothers and sisters with whom they disagree. Specifically, he lists two “stumbling blocks” to the type of fellowship that the Spirit creates within the lives of God’s children: 1) holding one day as more important than another (Rom. 14:5-6) and 2) eating meat sacrificed to idols (Rom. 14:20-21).
Some may suggest that Paul wanted believers to fellowship in spite of their different beliefs in these two areas because these two items are not as important as our differences today. Today, we hold many different positions: Calvinism vs. Arminianism, infant baptism vs. believers’ baptism, cessationism vs. continuationism, and a plethora of eschatological beliefs. Certainly, these differences are much greater than days and food, right? It is right for us to dis-fellowship ourselves from those who hold to different views than us, right?
In fact, I think the two different views in Romans (days and food) should help illustrate how important continued fellowship is in spite of differences. For example, consider the first difference: holding one day as more important than another. In Rome, during the 1st century, which group of people would have held that one day was more important than other days? The Jews. Why would they hold that belief? Because Scripture is clear that God created the Sabbath to be honored. In other words, those who hold that one day is more important can back up their assertion with Scripture. Certainly, if someone disagreed with their claims, they were disagreeing with the clear teachings of Scripture.
Which group of people would have held that all days have equal importance? The Gentiles. They could also back up their beliefs with Scripture. Again, anyone attempting to hold one day as more important than the others would be disagreeing with the clear doctrine of Scripture. Even Jesus worked and healed on the Sabbath! Plus, Jesus rose on Sunday, given more importance to that day, if any day. However, Paul said that these two groups should accept one another and should not be “stumbling blocks” to the other. Yes, they should hold to their beliefs, but they should not let their beliefs keep them from serving, loving, accepting, and greeting those with other beliefs. Why? Because they were all part of the same family in God through Christ by the Holy Spirit.
Consider the second illustration that Paul uses: eating meat sacrificed to idols. Who would consider it problematic to eat meat sacrificed to idols? Those who associated eating this meat with worshiping a false god. Eating and drinking was part of the rituals associated with showing allegiance to and deference to and respect to and worship to that particular god. Scripture clearly teaching that we should worship no god besides the One True God. Why would anyone argue with this assertion, which is so clearly displayed in Scripture?
But, of course, the other side would argue that there are no other gods. In fact, only one God exists. So, eating and drinking – even food and drink that had been used in some pagan ritual – has nothing to do with deity. God himself declared that all food and drink are clean and that eating and drinking do not make a person unclean. This is very clear in Scripture. Yet, in spite of the fact that both groups could easily defend their positions in Scripture, Paul expected them to serve, love, accept, and greet one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. Yes, they should hold to their beliefs that their conscience requires, but they should not allow these beliefs to separate them from other believers and they should not allow these different beliefs to become “stumbling blocks” to other believers.
I hope you see that these two points were no less significant then than our differences are today. Both sides have biblical arguments for their positions, and they could easily use those arguments to beat sense into the other sides – those heretics who refuse to see the clear meaning of Scripture. But, Paul encouraged them not to do so. I think he would say the same to those who hold differing views of soteriology, ecclesiology, pneumatology, eschatology, or any other -ology.
To Paul, what was important was being a child of God, through Jesus Christ, by the work of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, he expected our relationship with God to demonstrate itself through our relationships with one another and with the world around us. According to Paul and other authors of Scripture, we do not questions a person’s relationship with God primarily by what they say they belief, but by how they live their life. (Yes, I know there are some beliefs that are given as reason for separation, like believing that Jesus is not the son of God or believing that Jesus did not come in the flesh. But, there are very few of these given in Scripture.)
Today, if Paul were to examine how we treat other believers who differ from us in the areas of soteriology, ecclesiology, pneumatology, eschatology, etc., I wonder if he would be concerned with our relationship with God. He would not be concerned because of what we say we believe. Instead, he would be concerned about how we are treating our brothers and sisters in Christ. He would be concerned that no one was willing to defer to a “weaker brother”. He would be concerned that we are not humbling ourselves before, serving, loving, accepting, and greeting one another because of these differences. He would be concerned that we are living as “stumbling blocks”.
The first eleven chapters of Paul’s Letter to the Romans contain important lessons on sin, grace, righteousness, sovereignty, faith, etc. Through these chapters we see the awesome majesty of God and his work in the world and his people. But, we should not think that we can separate these great truths about God from living the life that God is creating with us – especially when it comes to our relationships with other believers. If we are not demonstrating love and grace in our relationship with our brothers and sisters – if we are living as “stumbling blocks” – then we are not thinking right about God, whatever we profess to believe.
Human Called to Love
I’ve mentioned before that God is working in my life in the area of serving the poor. Earlier this week I read two blog posts dealing with this issue from different but complimentary perspectives.
First, consider what Brandon (from “Eleutheros“) says about serving the homeless in a post called “Getting out“:
Yesterday for house church (our youth ministry does house church every other Sunday evening) we took 25 11th grade students to Woodruff park in downtown Atlanta. We had everyone bring two sack lunches and we had some candy to give out too. The students would go in groups of 3 and find a homeless person to share a meal with. Basically they just asked them if they were hungry and then asked if they could eat a meal with them. The responses of both the students and those they spent time with were great.
The students found out that many of these people were just that…people. They had differing reasons for their situations but they all had a story. The homeless were really surprised that they didn’t just want to give them food, but that the students wanted to talk to them, share a meal with them and pray with them. It was a great trip and we’ll be going back on a more regular basis.
As I’ve previously mentioned on my blog, God is changing my heart when it comes to serving and loving the homeless. I have not taken the steps to search for the homeless as Brandon has, so his post is very encouraging to me.
Next, consider what Jonathan (from “Missio Dei“) says in his post called “Love in the Burbs“:
And our first response is typically the idea of participating in some organization that feeds the homeless, or serve at a soup kitchen. These established ministries are needed, wanted, and serve to transform my own heart as much as they reach those who are homeless. And when we think of the poor, the first thing that typically, but not always, comes to mind is the idea of financial poverty. But is poverty deeper than that?
I live in the burbs. I live in a upper, middle class community in the suburbs of Sacramento. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is where my Father has me at the moment… [Jonathan discusses going to another area of town to serve people.] But loving our neighbor next door, when every time he looks at us with an angry stare, is another matter. Our neighbor isn’t likely to leave tomorrow, meaning we have to love over a long period of time. Our flaws are likely to show and then we’re no longer the hero. We’re simply human called to love.
Jonathan’s post describes where I am today. God has placed our family in a suburban neighborhood, and it is our responsibility to be salt and light in that neighborhood. Like Jonathan said, suburbanite are just as poor as their homeless counterparts, but the poverty is hidden by the stuff with which they tend to fill their lives.
So, who is correct? Is Brandon correct that we need to leave our neighborhood in order to serve and love the homeless? Is Jonathan correct that we should stay in our neighborhoods in order to serve and love our neighbors? The answer is “Yes” to both questions! We are to serve those near us and those far away as God gives us opportunity.
These two examples demonstrate the importance of listening to different voices. God gifts people differently and he gives people different passions. If we only listen to those who are gifted similarly to us and passionate about the same things as us, then our lives will become stilted and out of focus. We need to listen to one another.
Finally, I want to conclude this blog post by pointing back to something that Jonathan said in his post. We are “Human called to love”. We are called to love everyone that we come in contact with, whether this is the neighbor across the street or the homeless across town or the grocer or the doctor or the landlord or the governmental official. We are called to love everyone, especially those who seem the hardest to love. In fact, we need to love those who are the hardest to love especially, both for their sakes and for our sakes, but primarily so that God will be glorified when he does something through us (loving the unlovable) that we cannot do ourselves.
Playing with Blocks
Sunday morning, during our weekly church meeting, my friend Maël taught from Matthew 4. Part of the teaching concerned Jesus’ call for Andrew, Peter, James, and John to follow him.
I watched one of the brothers sitting on the floor in the back of the room with his infant son. They were playing with a box of wooden blocks which were scattered on the floor around them. The father was picking up the blocks one by one and placing them in the box.
I watched as the son clumsily picked up a block and almost tossed it at the box. Somehow the block managed to go into the box. The boy then reached for another block, seemingly forcing his hand and arm to go places and do things that they did not want to do. Finally, the child grasped the block and forced his arm again to move toward the box, where he released the block.
This played out over several minutes. The father expertly picking up the blocks and smoothly and silently placing them into the box. The young boy tried to mimic his father, but his motions were less than perfect, not quite smooth, and rarely silent. But, the boy was able to put the wooden blocks into the box.
I realized that this was a picture of what it must look like to God when we attempt to follow Jesus. From the most mature believers to the newest follower, how clumsy and awkward and imperfect we must look to him! It would be so much cleaner if God did everything himself without involving us at all. But, God did not choose to work that way. Instead, he called us to follow him as he works in the world.
When we follow Jesus, we will usually find ourselves in the position of the infant child. We may serve, but it will be clumsy, messy service. We may speak, but our words will be awkward and imprecise. We may love, but our love will be less than genuine. We may follow, but we follow with the unsure steps of an infant son – wobbly, unstable, distracted, selfish, wandering. We will follow imperfectly.
So, does this mean that we should not attempt to follow at all? No! When someone is in need, do hesitate because of our imperfections? No! When someone needs a work of instruction or correction or comfort, do we remain silent because our words are often clumsy? No! Do we allow those more capable than us to serve or to speak? No!
Why? Because we have been called to follow; so, follow we must. As Jesus’ hands cared for the hurting, we must care for the hurting. As Jesus called people to repent, we must call people to repent. We recognize that our efforts are feeble and our words are awkward, but this should not drive us to inaction and silence! Instead, this recognition must drive us to complete reliance upon the Holy Spirit to work any good thing through our actions or our words. This recognition removes any source of boasting on our part, and shifts all glory and honor to God through Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit.
The one who clumsily helps those in need is following Jesus Christ. The one who refuses to help because their efforts may fall short is not following Jesus Christ. The one speaks awkwardly in an effort to encourage and build up others is following Jesus Christ. The one who refuses to speak because their words are not as refined as others is not following Jesus Christ.
By the way, I found out later from the father in my story that this was the first time that his son has attempted to put away the wooden blocks. I’m sure that this father was very proud of his son for his attempt, however clumsy and imprecise it may have been. Perhaps, our Father would be just as proud of those who decided for the first time to actually serve others or speak to others in spite of their own clumsy efforts. We know from 1 Peter 4:10-11 that God receives glory when we serve and speak to others.
God loves the homeless
A few months ago, in a post called “Reaching Beyond the Bubble“, I copied part of a poem that I saw on “The Thin Edge“. The poem touched me at that time, and it still does today. Here is the poem in its entirety:
I am homeless
by Jamey Mills Wysocki
I came here because my house burned down last night.
We lost everything. We had no where else to go.
I am so scared and don’t know where to go from here.
Would you reach out to me?
I am homeless.
I am here because my boyfriend beat me so bad.
I was afraid for my life and for my children.
If you could see my battered body and broken spirit,
Would you reach out to me?
I am homeless.
I am here because my husband passed away,
and I could no longer pay all the bills.
I tried so hard, and could not do it alone.
I have five children with me. We are scared.
Would you reach out to me?
I am homeless.
I am here because I lost everything in a divorce.
My wife, my kids, my home.
I was broken financially trying to fight to keep them.
I am trying to put my life back together and I am scared and alone.
Would you reach out to me?
I am homeless.
I am here because I ran away from home.
I couldn’t take my father’s abuse anymore.
I have no hope left. I am scared.
Would you reach out to me?
I am homeless.
I need to see God’s love right now.
I feel so alone and scared.
Would you please pray for me.
I am homeless.
I had planned to post something else today, but yesterday, the person who wrote that poem (Jamey Wysocki) left a few comments on my blog (go to the post above to read all of her comments). What she said was too good to leave in the comments. So, here are some of excerpts to round out our understanding of this poem and homelessness:
I am a christian mom, who due to domestic violence found herself in a situation that I never thought would happen to me… I wrote that poem so that others could see the different situations which brings a person to homelessness. And there are many different situations which can bring someone to homelessness.
Homelessness can happen to anyone. I never thought it would happen to me, but it did.
And I seen homelessness in a way that I never thought possible. I seen the different faces of homelessness. People tend to stereotype homeless people, but in reality, it can happen to anyone and I wanted others to see what I had seen. So I wrote this poem “I Am Homeless,” based on my experience of being homeless and what I had seen while in the shelter. I seen someone there who had lost a home in a house fire, another was there because they lost their job and could no longer afford the payments on their home. I met a single mom who was escaping an abusive relationship. Can you imagine what it must be like to have no place to go? To have no family who can help you? It’s a scary place to be and I will never forget that experience… or the tears and the anguish I seen in the eyes of those who had no place else to go.
She also left this comment in reply to Aussie John’s remembrance of the love and care that his wife showed to the homeless:
“I have great memories of my wife putting her arms around a prostitute, setting a bath for her, washing her clothes and loaning some of her own, making a bed for her and welcoming her at our meal table.” (Aussie John)
That is showing the love of God. It’s not about money because money only provides temporary relief. But love…that lasts a lifetime and has the greatest impact on another’s life. To love another regardless of their situation in life. That’s how God loves us…unconditionally. He loves me when I don’t deserve it. He loves me when I have failed and made mistakes. He loves me. He is LOVE.
God loves the homeless. He loves the homeless family whose house burned down. He loves the girl whose boyfriend beat her. He loves the widow and orphans who could not afford to pay the bills. He loves the divorcee who lost everything. He loves the abused runaway. He even loves those who are homeless because of bad decisions, addictions, mental illness, and even laziness. God loves the homeless.
However – and I’m being as honest as I can here – I have never allowed God to love the homeless through me. When I read Jamey’s comments and I remembered the first time I read her poem and how it affected me, my heart was broken again. I desire to be a channel of God’s love to the least – to those who cannot repay that love – to those who may think that God has turned his back on them. That’s what I want, but that’s not where I am.
I think Jamey’s poem will help me. Why? Notice the title of this blog post: “God loves the homeless”. It is easy to make general statements like that. It is easy to group people together according to a certain criteria and state that God loves that group. Jamey’s poem pulls the individuals out of the amorphous, faceless group and makes them real people. Yes, God loves the homeless, but more importantly, he loves each individual person who happens to find himself or herself without a home.
It is one thing to look across a faceless blob and state, “God loves you”. It is another thing altogether to peer into the eyes of someone who is hurting and say, “God loves you”. The eyes looking back at you may require proof – and you may be the proof that God sends – I may be that proof. Am I willing to look into those eyes? Am I willing to peer into the eyes of the family whose house burned down, or the young girl who was beaten by her boyfriend, or the widow and orphans, or the divorcee? Am I will to state that God loves them, and then demonstrate that love as Aussie John’s wife did?
Yes, it is much easier to state, “God loves the homeless”. It is much more difficult – but also much more like Jesus – to look into the eyes of the homeless person and show them that God loves them. Like I said earlier, I’m not there yet.
Beginning the new year
I can think of no better way to begin 2008 than being reminded of our mission. Dave Black does just this in his post from this morning:
As I meditated upon Acts 1:8 this morning I realized again: Je me dois à tout les hommes. I should like to be able to do anything in my power to help them, especially the most needy. I’m very glad the younger generation of evangelicals is waking up to the priority of love and good deeds over degrees and reputations. Acts 1:8 is an excellent summary and analysis of Jesus’ teaching. (1) Missions is for all of us. (2) Missions is utterly impossible without the Holy Spirit’s power. (3) Missions is everywhere: locally, regionally, globally, even cross-culturally.
Thank you for this reminder!
When the Gospel is Social
Many evangelicals cringe when they hear the words “gospel” and “social” together in the same sentence. Many times their minds immediately connect the two words into one term: “social gospel”. And from there, of course, they think about terms such as “works salvation”.
Unfortunately, I think these thoughts have caused many evangelicals to give up on helping relieve social problems. In fact, I believe the “social gospel” may exist because those who believe the gospel are not concerned with social work. I’m glad that this is not the case with all evangelicals. Consider the following snippet from my Ph.D. mentor, David Alan Black (from Thursday, December 13 at 9:27 am):
As you know, it has long been our desire to dig wells and thus supply fresh drinking water in Alaba and Burji. There is always a certain tension among missionaries between those who are devoted to personal evangelism and those who are concerned about social issues. We see no problem in bringing both sides together in a joint operation. Once we have trained local church leaders to dig wells on church property, they will have an important preaching point where their evangelists can point non-believers to the Water of Life as they come to draw water for free. It will, no doubt, be very hard work.
I love the connection between the gospel and social work – between recognize the need for spiritual nourishment and physical nourishment.
If I remember correctly, John placed these two concepts (gospel and works) side-by-side:
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. (1 John 3:16-18 ESV)
And, James said something similar:
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (James 2:14-17 ESV)
These are sometimes difficult passages for those of us who believe we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). But, of course, that passage doesn’t end there, does it? We see that even Paul associated works with the gospel:
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10 ESV)
What do we do if our heart does not break and we do not take action when we see someone hurting, oppressed, widowed, orphaned, hungry, thirsty? What do we do when our faith does not work? What do we do when it seems that the love of God is not in us because we are not demonstrating the love of God? What if we are not concerned about “the least of these“?
I will leave those questions to you, my readers. How would you respond to someone who asked the questions above? How would respond to someone who said that they have faith, but they rarely if ever demonstrate that faith by caring for others?
The least of these…
Next Sunday, we’re going to begin studying through the book of Matthew together. As I’ve been reading through Matthew, there have been several passages that God has used to convict me. The following passage is one of those (I recognize that this passage is long, and probably familiar, but please humor me and read it one more time):
When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. (Matthew 25:31-46 ESV)
I believe that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not by works. However, it seems that this salvation results in certain outward signs – works. The works are so important that in this passage Jesus says that the “righteous” and the “wicked” – the “sheep” and the “goats” if you prefer – can be divided based on what they do for “the least of these”. In fact, he says that whatever we do for “the least of these” we are actually doing for Jesus, and whatever we refuse to do for “the least of these” we are in reality refusing to do it for Jesus. This is an expression of faith or an expression of a lack of faith.
This is certainly not the only passage dealing with faith. And, again, I’m not suggesting that we are saved because of our works. I do not believe that at all. However, as James says, the kind of faith that saves us is also the kind of faith that works. I don’t think we can separate the two. Similarly, John says that faith results in love – love for God and love for other people. In fact, he says that if someone does not love a brother or sister in need by providing for that need, that the love of God is not in that person. That’s quite a statement!
My heart is being moved toward “the least of these” – the widow, the orphan, the stranger (alien), the oppressed, the sick, the hungry, the prisoner, the destitute. As my heart is being moved closer to “the least of these” I think it is also being moved closer to God.
I’ve had a few opportunities recently to demonstrate my love and concern for “the least of these”. God used me to demonstrate his love in some of those instances. I wish I could say that I was always faithful in demonstrating the love of Christ, but I was not. I’m learning. I’m growing. I’m becoming more faithful. But, I’m not there yet.
How has God given you opportunities to love and care for “the least of these”?
Examples and Models
I love the latest post by a new blogger, Trey from “One Man’s Journey“. The title of the post is “Walk Away for the Love of Christ?” I love his honest reflection and life-changing questions. I also see in his questions many of the questions that I started asking myself a few years ago. Here is an excerpt from Trey’s excellent post:
As my family and I sunk into a financial pit of despair, I began to read much in the realm of finance, investing, financial planning, and biblical financial stewardship. I grew to love this and can see many ways in which the average Christian and also the average church misuses the resources provided by God. I began to see myself as doing this sort of consultation work to families, small businesses, churches, and parachurch ministries once I gained the proper training. But what about seminary? What about my calling? What will my family think?
As previously, most issues discussed here have not been settled in my mind completely. I have been reminded in my prayer times that God certainly does not need me. He has managed eternity just fine before me and will do so long after I become one of saints on high. Also, why do I need the spotlight of an official pastor-elder of a local congregation? Can I not teach and serve in other ways just an important to the kingdom?
Several years ago, I also had this “calling”. Looking back, I think that God was calling me to a more committed life of serving himself and others – he was calling me to full-time ministry, although I don’t think he was calling me to “full-time ministry”. At the time, though, I only saw two options: 1) become a vocational pastor, or 2) become a missionary.
Why did I only see these two options? Well, those were the only two options that I saw modelled. These were the only examples that I saw of what it meant to serve God full-time. So, I picked one – vocational pastor – and did what I was supposed to do: I went to seminary. But, as my family will tell you, I struggled with the idea of being a full-time vocational pastor from day one. I did not think that this accurately reflected what God wanted from me, but I did not have any other categories, models, or examples to compare to.
I knew what God wanted from me: he wanted me to serve him and serve others in everything that I said and everything that I did. But, this couldn’t happen if I worked a regular job, right? I mean, regular people are distracted by work and commuting and co-workers and business trips and office parties. But, God didn’t want me to be distracted by these “secular” things, so I needed to give all of that up, go to seminary, get hired by a church in order that I could concentrate on “spiritual” things.
As Trey expressed in his blog post, I thought that the real work of God was done by those people who prominently stood before me each Sunday morning, Sunday evening, Wednesday evening, etc. These were the people who knew God and what God wanted from me and others and how to teach the Bible and how to put on Bible studies and where to find the lost people and when to schedule the Children’s program.
A strange thing happened on the way though. As I was happily preparing myself for just this type of “spiritual” vocation, I took my professors seriously, and I read Scripture to find the answers to my questions. It began with recognizing that Scripture does not call the Sunday morning routine “worship”. I asked myself, “If that’s not worship, then what is worship?” Again, I turned to Scripture for answers. From those answers, I was forced to ask other questions and search for more answers.
In fact, the more I studied and read and asked questions, the more I realized that the type of “spotlight servants” which Trey mentions – and to which I was aspiring – was not described in Scripture at all. In fact, I would suggest that “spotlight servants” are antithetical to the teachings of Jesus, Paul, Peter – in fact, all the books of the New Testament. Instead, Jesus calls all believers to be servants – not “spotlight servants”, but servants.
And, slowly, I began to understand that “vocational pastors” may be necessary to carry out what we typically see associated with church today. However, when we examine church in Scripture, we see that “vocational pastors” seem out of place. Instead, we see people shepherding as they work, and discipling wherever they are, and teaching in any context, and caring and comforting wherever they find people who are hurting. We find leaders who lead by example, not from the spotlight. We find elders who are mature and wise and known, not hired for their education and speaking abilities. We find prophets and teachers and apostles who are willing to dialog instead of monologue. We find disciples who are constantly and consistently attempting to live for Christ with the help of other brothers and sisters. We find that there is no secular and sacred divide. Through the indwelling Spirit, all things become sacred – every place becomes a sanctuary – every believer becomes a priest and a temple.
In other words, God can use me as his full-time servant when I am selling cars, or writing code, or running a business, or seeing patients. I can pastor while I am teaching in a school or college, or taking care of the home, or packing boxes, or delivering mail, or selling clothes. I can meet with other believers as the church in a church building, or in a restaurant, or in a park, or in a home, or in a car, or in an office. God was calling me – and he is calling others – into full-time service, wherever we are and whatever we’re doing.
It is my desire to live the rest of my life as an example of following God and serving him full-time in whatever vocation he provides for me. I hope that the believers who come along after me will see my example as another option when God calls them also.
To deacon or not to deacon
As I was reading Dave Black’s blog this morning, I was encouraged by the way that he described his wife:
I like to tell people, “If you want to understand my wife, just read Romans 16:1-2.” Usually, people compare Becky and me to Priscilla and Aquila. We always travel to Ethiopia together. But on this trip she will be more like Phoebe. Note that Phoebe is described by two words: “diakonos” and “prostatis.” In the New Testament the noun diakonos is often translated “deacon,” not always a good choice in my opinion. The English word has a religious connotation lacking in its Greek counterpart. A diakonos is simply a person who serves other people. If you know Becky, she is a deacon par excellence. (I have written about this often.) The second word is even more emphatic. The Greek term prostatis is defined by Douglas Moo as “one who came to the aid of others, especially foreigners, by providing housing and financial aid and by representing their interests before the local authorities.” Moo thinks Phoebe was “a woman of high social standing and some wealth, who put her status, resources, and time at the service of traveling Christians, like Paul, who needed help and support†(Romans, p. 916). Now, if you will combine Rom. 16:1-2 with Phil. 2:3-4, you will understand exactly why Becky is going back to Ethiopia.
Are you familiar with the passage in Romans that Dave referenced?
I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well. (Romans 16:1-2 ESV)
As Dave Black pointed out, the word translated “servant” above is the same word that is often translated “deacon”. In fact, sometimes within the same context the word will be translated different ways, giving the illusion that one refers to an ecclesial office while the other simply refers to being a servant. This distinction is unfortunate, in my opinion. For example, consider this passage from 1 Timothy:
Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 3:8-13 ESV)
This is the famous passage that gives “qualifications” for deacons. In fact, it is the only passage that speaks of “deacons” in this way. Interestingly, the phrase “those who serve well as deacons” is a translation of a two word participial phrase. The exact same two words are used as nouns only nine verses later in 1 Timothy 4:6 – “If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.” (ESV)
Did you see where Timothy was called a “good deacon”? No? Well, that’s because the translators did not translate that same phrase as “good deacon” this time, but instead they translated it as “good servant”. Why? Well, everyone knows that Timothy wasn’t a deacon, right? He was the bishop of the church in Ephesus, right? Only, Scripture never calls Timothy a bishop or an elder, but here Timothy is encouraged to be a “good deacon”. It seems strange to me that Paul would use the exact same phrase twice within a few sentences with completely different meanings. Could it be that the meanings are not different? Could it be that both passages are describing good servants of Jesus Christ without reference to any kind of ecclesial office?
Today, as with many discussions, the conversation surrounding “deacons” usually revolves around the issues of control and authority. How much authority should a deacon have? How much decision-making control should churches give to deacons? And, along with those issues, we find the issues concerning gender: Should women be deacons?
Honestly, I think these questions completely miss the point. Those who serve well are not interested in making decisions or having authority. They are interested in using their abilities, talents, gifts, and situations in life in order to serve other people. They spend their time and their energy by helping other people, both believers and nonbelievers, both friends and strangers. As Dave Black said, they come to the aid of other people.
In this sense, Phoebe is certainly a good example of a servant – a deacon. If Moo is correct that Phoebe was “a woman of high social standing and some wealth, who put her status, resources, and time at the service of traveling Christians, like Paul, who needed help and support”, then she should be an encouragement to us all. Wherever God has us, in whatever station or status in life, God has placed people around us that need help. They need physical help, emotional help, financial help, spiritual help. And, He has placed us where we are to be deacons in their lives – to be servants.
Are you looking for opportunities to deacon?
Serving in the ordinary
In the last few years, I’ve talked to many people who have tried to serve believers and unbelievers outside of traditional church programs and structures. Sometimes, these same people struggle with deciding how they should serve. For example, consider this excerpt from grace’s article “An Ordinary Calling“:
This was a difficult adjustment for me in leaving our former church. Suddenly, I was aware of how much of the respect that I was accustomed to was dependent on my title and position. The position had automatically created ministry opportunities for me. Apart from the position, people were not seeking out ministry, advice, or counsel from me.
If I wanted to be involved in ministry now, it would have to occur in the realm of ordinary life in whatever means I could find to give and serve. This kind of serving not only doesn’t have the prestige of church ministry, it also doesn’t have the stamp of legitimacy that comes with ministry in a church setting.
Perhaps you have had some experience serving people outside of traditional church structures. If so, please share some of the ways that God has used you – in your ordinary life – to serve both believers and unbelievers.