Resisting Activitism
Living in busy Singapore makes us feel like busyness is a badge of usefulness and even spirituality. Busy pastors are normal in many places. Busy in meetings, projects, teaching, strategising, etc. Meaningful busyness as some would say it.
But Eugene Peterson pulled no punches when he stated that "busyness is a sin!".
Busyness, through good church activities, can rob us of worship.
We can be so busy serving Him and missed relating to Him.
We can be so busy doing church and missed recognising His call.
We can be so busy solving problems and missed relying on His Spirit.
We need to stamp the tide of cultural influence and re-evaluate how we live our lives.
We need to question our need to be busy.
We need to ask soul searching questions on “where is God in our work”.
(if our work is to be truly our act of worship, God must be central and key!)
We need to make time to reflect or we will only be pushed to do what we have been scheduled to do.
Pauses in the day, breaks in the week, retreats in a year are all essential space of time we owe to God and ourselves to live life intentionally for worship.
Otherwise, we could complete our time on earth and realise that we have worshipped the church more than Christ!
pastoral musing
Learning on submission and its related issues
1 Definition of submission – voluntary obedience in love
2 Control – good or bad? denial of rights or pay for the consequence?
3 Discipline – is more than punishment. It is training for maturity
4 Can a husband expect submission? Yes but not good; God loves us but did not control us into submission. Submission is our choice. Choice brings consequences.
5 Failure to submit will bring forth the consequence and the person involved must be prepared for it. Blaming the consequence is not being conscious that it is a direct result of his choice.
6 Can a leader “control” the behaviour of his members by setting the boundary of freedom? Beyond which there will be “disciplinary” action?
7 The key issue is in the spirit of the so called “control” and “accountability”. If the spirit is punitive, the effects on people is more than the intention of building but tearing. Shepherd needs to be mindful of our representation of God to followers. God disciplines us when we choose not to submit to His word and will. But His love for us is not dependent on our obedience or submission; our ability to recognise or be deceived is clouded by our sin. Yet Grace is there to bring us back. God’s way is prompting us, lovingly, to obedience and not controlled obedience, dictated obedience. Key is really in the posture.
8 On the side of the leader
- be mindful how we implement the teaching of “submission” and “accountability”. It is not how but what is the spirit within us when we do so.
- allow grace to guide our posture in dealing with our followers
9 On the side of the followers
- listen to contrary advice with a teachable heart; ask ourselves why we are not open to this advice
- test our own spirit ie are we being rebellious
- consult godly advice
- be willing to submit, not just to man, to Godly advice.
- be prepared to humble all the way including facing the consequence of your choice.
10 I am still musing on this subject…hahaha….
1 Definition of submission – voluntary obedience in love
2 Control – good or bad? denial of rights or pay for the consequence?
3 Discipline – is more than punishment. It is training for maturity
4 Can a husband expect submission? Yes but not good; God loves us but did not control us into submission. Submission is our choice. Choice brings consequences.
5 Failure to submit will bring forth the consequence and the person involved must be prepared for it. Blaming the consequence is not being conscious that it is a direct result of his choice.
6 Can a leader “control” the behaviour of his members by setting the boundary of freedom? Beyond which there will be “disciplinary” action?
7 The key issue is in the spirit of the so called “control” and “accountability”. If the spirit is punitive, the effects on people is more than the intention of building but tearing. Shepherd needs to be mindful of our representation of God to followers. God disciplines us when we choose not to submit to His word and will. But His love for us is not dependent on our obedience or submission; our ability to recognise or be deceived is clouded by our sin. Yet Grace is there to bring us back. God’s way is prompting us, lovingly, to obedience and not controlled obedience, dictated obedience. Key is really in the posture.
8 On the side of the leader
- be mindful how we implement the teaching of “submission” and “accountability”. It is not how but what is the spirit within us when we do so.
- allow grace to guide our posture in dealing with our followers
9 On the side of the followers
- listen to contrary advice with a teachable heart; ask ourselves why we are not open to this advice
- test our own spirit ie are we being rebellious
- consult godly advice
- be willing to submit, not just to man, to Godly advice.
- be prepared to humble all the way including facing the consequence of your choice.
10 I am still musing on this subject…hahaha….
Personal update
Attended church at Trinity.
It was a nice feeling because I was from Trinity back in the 80s. I remembered attending church at World Trade Centre and prayer meeting at Adam Road. I went to church alone for more than a year without knowing anyone there. But I felt God and His truth there for my learning.
Then my BS leader asked me to change to a more conservative church because of the charismatic issues. So I did. I went to Grace Baptist Church in 1985.
And it was not long when Lawrence Khong, then SP of GBC, was asked to leave. I followed the rest to FCBC in Aug 1986.
And now, visiting TCC, brought back much fond memories with God and the simple church life.
The message today was about the Prosperity God wants for us ie Your Adverity will be His opportunity, Your Confession will be His permission, Your emptiness will be His readiness.
It was a good reminder to thirst and hunger for His fullness in our lives.
I am glad to see this church growing well in members and ministry.
It was a nice feeling because I was from Trinity back in the 80s. I remembered attending church at World Trade Centre and prayer meeting at Adam Road. I went to church alone for more than a year without knowing anyone there. But I felt God and His truth there for my learning.
Then my BS leader asked me to change to a more conservative church because of the charismatic issues. So I did. I went to Grace Baptist Church in 1985.
And it was not long when Lawrence Khong, then SP of GBC, was asked to leave. I followed the rest to FCBC in Aug 1986.
And now, visiting TCC, brought back much fond memories with God and the simple church life.
The message today was about the Prosperity God wants for us ie Your Adverity will be His opportunity, Your Confession will be His permission, Your emptiness will be His readiness.
It was a good reminder to thirst and hunger for His fullness in our lives.
I am glad to see this church growing well in members and ministry.
Reflection on Leadership
Leadership Paradox
- The siren call of stardom (pp 37-50)
1 Philip Yancy
“We prefer a tall, handsome, and above all, slender Jesus."
2 Obedience and humility are God’s twin guardians against the plague of vain ambition resident within the heart of the leader who wants to be a star.
3 Unholy trinity of Amercia’s definition of success; size, speed and public exposure.
4 In our anxious desire to validate the fruit of our ministry, we give in to these definitions.
5 Lewis Lapham, essayist and editor of Harper’s Magazine, wrote in the 60’s:
“The previous distinct genres of journalism, literature, and theatre gradually fused into something known as media. The amalgam of forms resulted in a national theatre of celebrity….it the media succeed with their spectacles and grand simplifications, it is because their audiences define happiness as the state of being well and artfully deceived.
6 The line of separation between truth and fantasy vanishes into something called “testimony” or “vision”.
7 People want to have larger than life heros and these exaggerated claims are rationalised on the grounds that the end justifies the means.
8 Doorway of opportunity can quickly become trap doors for the leader driven to promote his ministry.
9 The enticement of success and popularity can easily deluded a leader into believing the fallacy that opportunity and guidance are synonymous.
10 Walter Wangerin, Jr
“From the beginning of His ministry, Jesus charged those who experienced His power to say nothing about it”
11 Adolph Hitler
“The great masses of the people …will more easily fall victims to a big lie than a small one.”
12 Jesus was almost oblivious to ministry momentum….by his refusal to captialise on the situation and opportunities created.
Jn 8:29 –“…..i always do what pleases Him”. Jesus lived by putting His Father’s will above His own. He dwelt in that serene place where ego, prestige, and position had no dominion.
13 We must seek to order everything in accordance with His will, even if it means forfeiting wonderful opportunities to further enhance our leadership standing. We must have the courage and conviction to say no to a coveted opening even when knowing that by doing so another leader may take our place in reaping the rewards.
14 Why we reject servant leadership?
Nature of servant leadership goes deeply against the grain of human ego.
- we offer mere lip services to the possibility of pride while denying its insidious work in our hearts.
Concentration on an American-style ethos fuels us with a tainted incentive to look good at all cost.
- making promises and announce big plans that will never come about but we look and sound successful. When challenged on such issues, we wax eloquent on the nature and calling of visionary leadership while our followers clamour for more vision talk.
- in America, appearance count more than reality.
Obsession with packaging
- we want a formula or technique that we could market as the next big revelation to solve XXXX or growth, etc.
- we have accepted man-centered, self-glorified, ego-inflating packaging as a normal part of Christendom.
15 Frederick Buechner
“One of the blunders religious people are particularly fond of making is the attempt to be more spiritual than God.”
16 Trap on Destiny and Call
“One’s destiny can become one’s test…the individual driven to act out and prove that he or she is a special chosen vessel can easily forfeit the anointing to lead. The initial calling may well have been from God, but unchecked ego will pervert the call. Vain ambition disguises itself with assertions of uniqueness. Destiny bound with ego easily degenerates into empire building, and empire builders have the unfortunate tendency to become false prophets.”
“The leader wishing to emulate Jesus resists the great temptation to build a ministry around himself. He chooses to abandon himself to the will and pleasure of God….communion takes precedence over causes, obedience over opportunity.”
16 Brennan Manning
“The imposter does not want to come out of hiding. He will grab for the cosmetic kit and put on his pretty face to make himself “presentable”.”
17 The deceitful hearts; things to watch
- status with privileges
- name dropping reveals insecurity
- defensiveness
- self promotion
- using ends to justify means
This book is a Good Read. Many important lessons for us to comtemplate ...and we need to lest we are reflecting leadership of the world more than leadership of Jesus.
If you are a leader...which kind you would rather be?
- The siren call of stardom (pp 37-50)
1 Philip Yancy
“We prefer a tall, handsome, and above all, slender Jesus."
2 Obedience and humility are God’s twin guardians against the plague of vain ambition resident within the heart of the leader who wants to be a star.
3 Unholy trinity of Amercia’s definition of success; size, speed and public exposure.
4 In our anxious desire to validate the fruit of our ministry, we give in to these definitions.
5 Lewis Lapham, essayist and editor of Harper’s Magazine, wrote in the 60’s:
“The previous distinct genres of journalism, literature, and theatre gradually fused into something known as media. The amalgam of forms resulted in a national theatre of celebrity….it the media succeed with their spectacles and grand simplifications, it is because their audiences define happiness as the state of being well and artfully deceived.
6 The line of separation between truth and fantasy vanishes into something called “testimony” or “vision”.
7 People want to have larger than life heros and these exaggerated claims are rationalised on the grounds that the end justifies the means.
8 Doorway of opportunity can quickly become trap doors for the leader driven to promote his ministry.
9 The enticement of success and popularity can easily deluded a leader into believing the fallacy that opportunity and guidance are synonymous.
10 Walter Wangerin, Jr
“From the beginning of His ministry, Jesus charged those who experienced His power to say nothing about it”
11 Adolph Hitler
“The great masses of the people …will more easily fall victims to a big lie than a small one.”
12 Jesus was almost oblivious to ministry momentum….by his refusal to captialise on the situation and opportunities created.
Jn 8:29 –“…..i always do what pleases Him”. Jesus lived by putting His Father’s will above His own. He dwelt in that serene place where ego, prestige, and position had no dominion.
13 We must seek to order everything in accordance with His will, even if it means forfeiting wonderful opportunities to further enhance our leadership standing. We must have the courage and conviction to say no to a coveted opening even when knowing that by doing so another leader may take our place in reaping the rewards.
14 Why we reject servant leadership?
Nature of servant leadership goes deeply against the grain of human ego.
- we offer mere lip services to the possibility of pride while denying its insidious work in our hearts.
Concentration on an American-style ethos fuels us with a tainted incentive to look good at all cost.
- making promises and announce big plans that will never come about but we look and sound successful. When challenged on such issues, we wax eloquent on the nature and calling of visionary leadership while our followers clamour for more vision talk.
- in America, appearance count more than reality.
Obsession with packaging
- we want a formula or technique that we could market as the next big revelation to solve XXXX or growth, etc.
- we have accepted man-centered, self-glorified, ego-inflating packaging as a normal part of Christendom.
15 Frederick Buechner
“One of the blunders religious people are particularly fond of making is the attempt to be more spiritual than God.”
16 Trap on Destiny and Call
“One’s destiny can become one’s test…the individual driven to act out and prove that he or she is a special chosen vessel can easily forfeit the anointing to lead. The initial calling may well have been from God, but unchecked ego will pervert the call. Vain ambition disguises itself with assertions of uniqueness. Destiny bound with ego easily degenerates into empire building, and empire builders have the unfortunate tendency to become false prophets.”
“The leader wishing to emulate Jesus resists the great temptation to build a ministry around himself. He chooses to abandon himself to the will and pleasure of God….communion takes precedence over causes, obedience over opportunity.”
16 Brennan Manning
“The imposter does not want to come out of hiding. He will grab for the cosmetic kit and put on his pretty face to make himself “presentable”.”
17 The deceitful hearts; things to watch
- status with privileges
- name dropping reveals insecurity
- defensiveness
- self promotion
- using ends to justify means
This book is a Good Read. Many important lessons for us to comtemplate ...and we need to lest we are reflecting leadership of the world more than leadership of Jesus.
If you are a leader...which kind you would rather be?
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