Sad But True

This week I attended a “roundtable” discussion of ministry leaders in the Chicagoland area. We had been invited to talk together about how we thought we could make a difference in the Chicago metro area for Christ.

         

One of the things we were asked to do was to identify challenges or barriers to making progress in influencing people for Jesus. What are the things that prevent us from collaborating with others to make a difference? There were many things listed but two things stuck me as sad and true.

         

One of the items identified was self-interest and self-preservation. We are so easily turned inward. Congregations are created as communities of people. We talk about our “church family”. Communities and families are about relationships with one another. We help one another. We take care of one another. We enjoy one another. But rarely do we turn outward. Rarely do we think about how we can help other people, or serve the community, or give things away. When congregational leaders begin to focus on serving the community, inevitably there will be protests from within. “They care a lot more about the community than they do us.”

         

Congregations and ministries are only a product of what happens to us individually. The original sin is self-interest. The story of Adam and Eve tells us that they lived in the perfect situation, but were unsatisfied and wanted more for themselves. We are in an election year and one of the major concerns voiced over and again has to do with the economy. Who can make sure there is more money in my pocket? Few of us wonder which leader will help us serve others better.

         

It is sad that one of the challenges of changing communities is self-interest in that our founder, Jesus, came to give Himself away. He loved us so much he died for us! That is serving.

         

Too often we want our church, or ministry, or ourselves to get credit for what takes place. I cringe when I hear ministry leaders use the personal pronoun too often and talk about “my staff”, “my congregation” and “my ministry”. I try to avoid that language, but no doubt fall prey to my own self-interest on occasion.

         

The other barrier that stuck with me was lack of trust. Christian institutions, organizations, ministries and individuals don’t trust one another. We have partnered with others before and we have been burned. Promises have been made and unkept. Decisions have been arrived at and altered. Energy has been invested without reciprocity.

         

In every church I have served, there have been groups, and individuals, who don’t trust leaders. Whether it was Elders, Deacons, Administrative Boards or staff members, there has always seemed to be suspicion, a belief that people weren’t being honest, or a belief that the leaders were trying to “pull a fast one.”

         

I have never found that to be the case. Sometimes communication is the problem. Sometimes people make mistakes and things don’t turn out as planned. More often than not, it is an attitude of mistrust that has developed and that attitude colors everything.

         

Self-interest and mistrust. I am prone to both myself and I need to constantly examine my heart and mind to avoid both of these natural land mines.

         

We could make more progress in influencing people to be more like Jesus if we could get out of our own way.

         

Sad, but true.

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