When Jesus chose his disciples, they weren’t a group of educators. Now this hurts, personally, because, well, if there were a broad category for what I do, it would be that of educator. I deal in ideas. But Christ chose a diversity of craftsman. Oh well, I always have Paul to identify with. Nevertheless, the genius here is that the gospel was at street level, accessible to the common man, not stuck in an ivory tower. The gospel translated by fishermen and carpenters might have been understood very differently than the gospel translated from a life-long academic or educator.
Are the leaders of your church as diverse as the Apostles, or are they mostly educators?
Now lets be fair. If you happen to be an educator, or happen to be somebody who likes the truths of scripture translated for you into doable steps, it might be hard to be objective. Would you still attend if, each Sunday, the pastor didn’t give a sermon but went over blueprints for how to build better well-drilling systems, all as an answer to Jesus’ request to bring water to Him when He was thirsty? What if church were not educational but action oriented and experiential? Would we still have the same leaders? Donald Miller.
Miller has a very valid point and goes on to say...
Two close friends of mine don’t attend church. Actually, more than two, but the two I am thinking of are interesting because, quite frankly, they are the two most influential people I know. I won’t get into what they are doing with their lives, but they are literally positively affecting thousands. And when I say positively affecting, I mean feeding them, getting them water, setting them free from slavery and so forth. And I seem to meet these guys all the time, people who love Jesus, love other people and are visionary leaders with no shortage of passion. And they don’t go to church.
For whatever reason, I found out a long time ago that whatever I had to offer was outside of the church. I had that verified later on by my pastor at the time. Don't know that I fully believed him then - it took a while, a really long while.
I know that at my church, they have had leadership classes. For those who wanted to be in leadership at the church. Helpful maybe, but I think everyone is a leader of their own influence and that if the Church wanted to help, teaching that kind of class what would be more helpful.(Let me say right here that when I talk about Church, I don't mean a particular church - I mean the Church universal. All christian churches. The whole not the sum of the parts)
Go to church, don't go to church - that is your call. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. If you don't fit the theme of your church, don't worry about, do your own thing. It might seem difficult to separate the two in your mind but it is easier than you think. A real Jesus Church knows about the outside and will embrace it. Realizing now that being outside is as good as being inside. Have a degree, don't have a degree - it doesn't mean a hill of beans to Jesus. You are the only you there is - if you are Walking with Him, letting Him lead, being on the outside is a wonderful Place to be. Either way, do His Thing and do it with all your heart....Jesus, I love you man....
