Tagged with follow …

Jul 19 2010
Leave a comment
Spiritual Growth

Why do you follow?

This question has been rolling around in my head for about a week.

Last Sunday I participated in an online worship service of NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC where one of my favorite pastors, Pete Wilson was a guest speaker for the weekend. Pete preached an amazing message about Joseph’s life story (you can begin reading his story here).  The thing that hit me most from the message was this: “Do you follow Me because of Who I Am or because of the good things I give to you?”

Joseph followed a God he never read about but obviously knew and had heard from personally.  He rode the roller coaster of situations in his life, trusting in his God not because of what God would give him, but because God was HIS God.  The relationship he had with his God was worth it.  Above all, Joseph was passionate about his love for God.

I had to dig deep inside myself asking that question and I didn’t like the answer.  I have followed God, at least lately, for what He can give me.  I pray and pray and every time something falls through or falls apart, I have more questions and fall farther behind in my following.  Now, don’t get me wrong, God gives good gifts to those He loves.  But here is what I am BEGINNING to learn…

He is giving me good gifts and I can’t see them because I am waiting for ones I dictate, ones I don’t really need, at least not now. I am learning I don’t know what I need, but He does.

So, it’s time to get back to the basics.  God is righteous and He wants me to be righteous, that is, in a right relationship with Him. I follow because He is God and He is good, not just because of what He gives me, but because He first loved me in a way that no one else can love me.

why do you follow?

Tagged , , ,
Feb 02 2009
Leave a comment
leadership

Leader-strip

Saturday I got a chance to listen to my good friend, Dr. Don Green, from Lincoln Christian College on the subject of church leadership. He was talking about functional leadership and he zeroed in on Hebrews chapter 13.  There are three verses that stand out here…

1. Verse 7 – “Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.”
Here the Hebrew writer gives us a challenge to remember our leaders and follow their example…

2. Verse 17 – “Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.”
Skipping down, the writer tells us to obey our spiritual leaders and do what they say to be encouragement to their leadership, not a hardship.

BUT…in verse 8, the writer says this…”Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Why would he include that here?

Don said this: “Leaders are to be an example of Christ as they follow closely to Christ.”

All that made sense to me, but then Don said that he tells leaders this, “I will follow you so long as you are following Christ, but as soon as you stop following Christ, I will no longer be following you. Either I will be out of here or you will be.”

The challenge here is two fold:
1. As Christian leaders we have to MAKE SURE we are following Christ, not ourselves.  Because, Hebrews 13:7 reminds us that: “Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God.” Our work is to watch over the souls of those we lead.  That is a HUGE responsibility.  One we need to take VERY seriously.

2. As followers of those who lead us, we DO NOT have to follow people who call themselves leaders but do not follow Jesus Christ.  Once they cease to follow Christ our responsibility is to cut off their leadership in our lives either by refusing to follow them by leaving the relationship ourselves, or removing them from leadership.  We strip them of their leadership.
What do you think?  How have you handled these type of situations?

Tagged , , , , , , , ,
← Older posts