I am the Good Shepherd…

"...Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." Ephesians 4:15 

I don't often get on my soap box but today I have dusted it off and, with your permission, will take a few moments of your time to share what has been grieving my heart this last week.

Most people have heard of Willow Creek Community Church and the recent news headlines involving Bill Hybels and his fall from grace. If not, you will easily find it if you search for it. Willow Creek was the "model" for so many churches as "the way to be a successful church". So many eyes were/are on Willow Creek and on churches like Willow Creek who are perceived as growing and successful. My heart hurts for Bill Hybels and all the other pastors who have fallen over the years. One after another fall, either sexually or financially (embezzling and so forth), or experience severe depression and even commit suicide. We see it in the news headlines on a regular basis announcing yet another "man of God" has fallen. And for all those who have been "caught" or confessed to sexual misconduct, there are countless more that are still living in secret sin, as well as experiencing emotional pain and or depression. 

In the ministry Tom and I are in, our eyes have certainly been opened to the truth of the condition of the men and women in the church, and not just the parishioners, but especially the pastors who are on the stage and in the spot light. In one of the books we read years ago (Tom thinks it was Pure Desire by Ted Roberts?) it listed a bunch of statistics, one of which was that the Promise Keepers and Pastors conferences have the highest X-rated movie rental in the hotels than any other conferences!! Say, WHAT!? Are you as shocked as I was!? And this statistic was at least 15 years ago. How much more now with smart phones and technology which makes it way too easy to access this information as well as to "hide"?? This statistic makes it clear that not only are the men of the church (Promise Keepers) but also the Pastors are struggling MORE than anyone else!

My point is not to condemn or heap guilt or shame on these men and women, but I would like to propose that "man" (short for human, including women) should NEVER be placed in such a lofty position to begin with. I truly believe we were never created to be there. Why do we have a church system that places "man" in a position, over other men and women, that God never intended him to be? And why are we surprised when a "man" falls into sin? Men fall into sin all the time, the world is FULL of temptation, so why are we surprised when a Pastor, who is still a "man" falls? Do we have different expectations of a Pastor than any other man? If so, why is that? Who said he was different? 

This is what Jesus says:

"But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called 'teacher,' for you have one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Matthew 23:8-12

"It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me." John 6:45

And after a couple of the disciples were discussing who would be the greatest in his Kingdom Jesus said:

"...You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:25-28

Have we embraced the "world’s" ways of "lording over" and "exercising authority over each other"? We are taught in the church that the Pastor is "over" us... somehow? But that is not what Jesus says. He says "Not so with you"! We are all brothers and sisters and we have ONE teacher, the Christ. When we look to "man" to teach us we get "tainted" information. While everyone may be well meaning we still make mistakes, believe and pass on lies, hear things wrong, see things wrong and understand things through our broken filters (I know because I have personally done this!). But, Jesus doesn't make mistakes, ever. Why don't we go to HIM and reinstate HIM as the Head of the body?

I know that most people, when they feel "the call" to be a pastor or to preach have very good intentions and have a pure heart to please and serve the Lord but, after a while, in a position they were never meant to be in, they change. And over time they start to believe they are better than, more spiritual than, more godly than... everyone else and pride changes their hearts and they take chances and risks they would have never taken in the beginning. “…For whoever exalts himself will be humbled…” Absolute power corrupts absolutely. 

You may be saying, "But I know people who have wisdom and know the Bible better than I do, why can't they teach me?" Tom has a really good visual for this, he says there are people who are farther down the road on this journey than we are, and can help us with directions, but they are never OVER us. And, while we may share our testimony of what God has done on our personal journey to encourage others, we should always send them back to God to have them ask HIM for the answers for their own journey. Everyone's journey is different so God's plan for them will be different than ours so only HE can help them with the details of their journey. 

In the Trinity we have a "Father" who loves us, cares for us and provides for us, and a "Teacher" in Jesus who makes NO mistakes, and a "Counselor" and Comforter in the Holy Spirit that is full of TRUTH and wisdom and oh, by the way, He is FREE! We have all we need, why would we look to man, who is imperfect, for what God gives perfectly and freely? Why do we elevate a man and then are surprised when he falls or fails us?

The Body of Christ has ONE Head and that is Jesus: "And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." Ephesians 1:22-23. The purpose of the members of the body is to support, encourage and to build each other up, not to be over each other. Paul talks about the body of Christ and our gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 and his point is that, even if we have different gifts we are all one body. And while there are different parts we are all interconnected and need each other. Yes, there are pastors and people who are good at teaching, exhorters, encouragers and so forth, but we are all brothers, on the same level, using our gifts for the good of the body. The only one who should be over us is Jesus, as the True Head.

Tom brought up another great scripture:

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me-- just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep." John 10:11-15. These men and women who are put “over us” are "hired hands" who don't care for the sheep like Jesus does! While they may have good intentions in leading the flock they will not lay down their life for the sheep like Jesus did.  

So yes, my heart hurts for these men and women who are deceived and have gotten caught in the lie and believed they were more than they are and have found themselves humbled before God and man. I guess I do need to say that I truly believe that God works through these men and women and lots of good things are done through them, but just think how much MORE He could do if we allowed the TRUE Head to be over us! As always, don't take my word for it, look it up yourself! Go to the gospels and see what Jesus says about this matter.

Ok, I am stepping off my soap box now. This is my two cents worth… whether you agree or not, it is worth thinking about and asking God yourself.

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." Ephesians 1:19-23