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Think Big - Act Small
PART 4 – Pastor Knows Best
by
By Allen Ratta
Small Thinking
Small thinking leads to acting small. Small thinkers tend to limit their considerations to their immediate reality. They are often trapped by their circumstances (perhaps a close knit congregation that sees things in very narrow legalistic terms) or pre-existing belief systems. Small thinking gave rise to the old ditty, “I don’t smoke and I don’t chew and I don’t go with girls that do.” I am certainly not advocating the use of tobacco but I stand against the use of slogans that capture only the smallest part of what it means to be holy. We can communicate better. Small thinking church leaders may make sense to their fellow church attendees, but run the risk of becoming increasingly unable to effectively relate to people with a secular mindset. Since Jesus has called us to win the lost, and not those who are already in the fold, this is a matter of eternal importance.
Big Thinking
Big thinkers engage in ideas and concepts that remain true beyond their immediate context. They shun out-dated and narrow standards for holiness, written or unwritten, or anything that muddies the waters for seeking unbelievers. Big thinkers seek the timeless principles of Biblical truth that can penetrate and relate to the human condition in any culture. This is essential, given how rapidly the cultural landscape has shifted in the United States,
The Loss of Innocence
Many common-sense notions that come from a bye-gone era, when things appeared much simpler, have fallen prey to the hard realities and cynicism of modern times. The belief that “Father Knows Best” has suffered an unrelenting and, in many ways, justified onslaught in recent history. Women, armed with the right to vote on equal terms with men, the feminist movement and the way men have conducted themselves have conspired to shatter the male-supremacy myth. Nor are we capable of being enamored with a television show entitled, Dennis the Menace. We have seen just how menacing children can be at younger and younger ages. Child-evil has savaged, mortified and confounded our nation. We wring our hands and do not know how to explain this ingrained problem of evil. These and other cultural shifts mean that many of the themes from televised shows of a generation ago could not possibly stand up to today’s common sense beliefs about people and reality.
We have become less innocent in other important ways. People used to mostly believe the things the government told them. Then came Vietnam and Watergate. The opinion of a physician used to be sacrosanct but misdiagnosed illnesses; online research and webmd.com have helped to erase that silly notion. Medical doctors who have not yet accepted their dethronement are increasingly out of touch with how to effectively relate with their patients. At this point you may be asking, “What does all of this have to do with the church?” I am convinced that this issue of cultural relevance is front and center for the church today.
The Gaining of Credibility
Truth is the cornerstone of lasting credibility. Overstating the truth is another way of promoting a lie. Nothing erodes credibility and respect any quicker than a misstatement of truth. Let’s look at three widely accepted truths right out of the Bible.
| TOPIC |
TRUTH |
| 1. Parents |
“Children, obey your parents…” Eph. 6.1 |
| 2. Governments |
“Submit yourselves …to every human institution” 1 Pet. 2.13 |
| 3. Church Leaders |
“Obey your leaders and submit to them…” Heb. 13.17 |
Exaggerations of Truth
- “Father Knows Best”
- “Government Knows Best”
- “Pastor Knows Best”
It is easy to confuse the Biblical principles of authority and submission with omniscience. Those whose often-joyless task is to make the final decision have the greatest need for idea gathering and collaboration to make sure they get it right. Biblical authority does not mean that one’s first impression of a matter is even remotely correct. Authority necessarily confers responsibility not wisdom.
Biblical Leadership
Good pastoral or parental leadership requires that facts be gathered with an open mind. Opinionated dogmatism, because “I am the one in authority,” is a misrepresentation of truth. Mature leadership projects the attitude, “Help me to understand because I have to make the final decision before God.” Kids and congregants appreciate that kind of honest approach for they live in a culture that has truly lost its naiveté regarding leaders.
Empowering People
Good pastoral leadership has an elevated view of congregants. Many times “they know best.” This is why ConnectionPower designs web-based ministry systems that put the steering wheel in the hands of the volunteer and relieves the over-worked ministry professionals. For example, the average person does not need to take an assessment to understand their passions, abilities and experiences. We empower people to self assess and look for areas of ministry involvement that they feel are a good match for them, right through the church’s website. This concept of people empowerment is central to the design of ConnectionPower Ministry Software.
ConnectionPower has worked with thousands of churches over the past 20 years to empower people to effectively serve in the church. Our church software systems are unique in that they have been built on the lessons learned and best practices from this vast experience and knowledge base. Request a demo and see what 21st century church management software can do to help grow your church.
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