80's cartoons taught some pretty impressive values about being a hero, a leader, and a good person. I think cartoons in the past decade and a half have really dropped the ball in this respect. One of the most interesting things I learned from 80's cartoons is that a good leader comes last. Watch the old GI Joe, Transformers, Thundercats, and even Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Time and time again the leaders in these shows must set aside their own desires, comfort, and even safety for the sake of their people. Some even go so far as to die for them because that is what a good leader does.
Of course, this is not new. Jesus says the one who wants to lead must be a servant to all. This is a very important truth we need to understand if we are going to be God's servants.
In my church there have been troubles and factions. Last year about this time a man came to me who was trying to get the pastor kicked out. he learned something about me that day and I learned something about him. At the end of the discussion I told him if he really cared about the church like he said he should apologize to the pastor and make himself a servant to him. This man got very angry and shouted, "I serve no man. Only God!" I told him that God called us to serve all men if we are to serve God. I gave him scriptures but he refused it.
When I interviewed with the pastor before being offered the position I told the pastor my view on my responsibilities as a staff pastor under him. I believe I am God's servant first and foremost. Then I am the pastor's servant. If I ever reach a place where I cannot be a servant to what the pastor is doing but the pastor is not doing anything immoral, then I must leave and not condemn the pastor. It really bothers me when I see church staff thinking they know best standing against the pastor of a church publicly and tearing a church apart. The staff are leaders and a good leader need to know they come last.
Sure some senior pastors need to get that themselves, but it isn't the staff's place to try and force the pastor to become a better servant. This is something I learned by watching 80's cartoon and then reading my Bible. You want to see a story that could have been the basis for a great number of 80's cartoon? Try reading about David and how he served Saul even when Saul was trying to kill him. David was a good leader and put himself last. Whenever he didn't is when bad things happened.
What do you think? Is my head in the clouds? Should I visit the real world? I know if I play the political game I can go further but are my ideals keeping me back or will they bring me further than I can imagine because God is faithful? Should I try to be least or greatest?
Monday, April 6, 2009
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7 comments:
Yessiree, your head is most certainly in the clouds. Just not in the bad way people usually imply when they suggest that sorta thing.
I don't think your ideals will keep you back at all. Your ideals are based on God's word and the truths he has planted in your heart. So "your" ideals will most likely take you further than politics ever would.
Nick, I think you have the right attitude here. I don't think I would be bothered by privately challenging the pastor, but openly standing against him is wrong. I don't know if I would go so far as to say we have troubles and factions in my parish, but there are groups who gossip.
"The pastor doesn't care about the seniors, just the youth."
"The pastor doesn't spend enough time with the kids."
You get the idea. It makes me angry. But then, if I agreed would this, I would say "Yo', Father Ted. The kids miss you. When are you going to stop into Religious Ed. and say hi?" or "The old folks seem to miss you. Do you think you could drop by one of their meetings soon?" Since I don't agree with the gossip, I usually just state that he is one man, trying to be there for everybody, and I wouldn't want his job.
My point? The pastor can not please everybody. There will always be folks who do that. I don't know how to put a stop to it.
Keep at it Nick. I am proud to know a servant of God who doesn't play politics, even I've only met him in cyberspace. (Hey, that means we can tell people we met in space. All of us smarty pantsers met in space. How cool is that?)
And he is a geek.
Who thinks April Fool's Day is April 2.
;-)
I think your "head in the clouds" attitude is utterly and completely biblical, and if more Christians would put God before pride there's no telling what He could accomplish through us. Very good post, Nick.
wv: isesess - katdish attempting to say "is" in Spanish
My comment was too long and profound to fit in the space here. Okay, one out of two's not bad.
So I posted it over at my own blog. Check out this
><-SB>
jake,
Thanks, I know that having lofty ideals can be head in cloud inducing but I remain optimistic that one day the concept will catch on and more and more people will set aside their political aspirations in the church and just do the work of the Church.
Helen,
I agree 100% that if there is a problem you can talk to the person. More than that I think it is a scriptural mandate. The issue I have is when people either don't or the problem isn't resolved and so go about trying to get it fixed through all these other things. Also, the prank was on the 1st it just took a while to get the reveal out there.
katdish,
For someone from Texas I'm kind of disappointed in you. Shouldn't you know "is" is "istesess" is Spanish. Silly.
SB,
Good post over on your blog. I commented there.
Great post. A servant leader is hard to come by. At a church I used to attend, one guy acted as if he had never heard the term. His 'leadership' in everything was so obviously self-serving it was ridiculous.
And I never thought about the morals of 80s cartoons, but you're right, today's are really missing it, and a bunch of other stuff that make cartoons good.
Matt,
It seems most Christians are interested in themselves just like Jesus' disciples. We sit around and argue about how awesome we are and Jesus sits there shaking his head about how wrong we are with the question, much less the answer.
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