Admit it, not cover it

"Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ Isaiah 6:9

 This verse(including v10) was quoted in the NT to depict the blindness of the Jews with regards to recognizing the Messiah. It is tragic how the Jews could not understand and perceive Jesus as the Messiah even with His miracles, teachings and exemplary lifestyle. Why were they blind? Was pride the reason?

Although the context is not really talking about leadership, I would like to point out one thing about leadership that is in line with its principle. Q: If you are a leader of your church today, do you find yourself in the same category of what Isaiah had said? Have you spent time praying, listening and discerning what God is saying and showing to you for the church? Have you touch the ground enough to understand the needs of your flock and realized what is wrong(or could be better)? Or are you just "hearing but not understanding; seeing but not perceiving?"

One of the greatest tell-tale signs of such a leader is when the leader do not apologize for errors made. The Jews refused to admit that Jesus is the Messiah even when the signs are clear. Are you a leader who refuse to admit your error even when you are clearly at fault? Hiding, shoving and pushing faults aside will only make you more and more like the Jews who hardened their hearts and could not understand nor perceive. If as a leader, you do not take your faults into account, sooner or later, you will be heading for disaster.

Admit readily your fault and make things right. Do things properly with integrity and impartiality. If you do not do so, very soon disaster will come, and the tragedy will be: you do not even understand or perceive the coming disaster until it is too late.

Landscapes are changing - hast thou not seen?

The recent General Election in Singapore has caused many people to conclude that the political landscape is changing and that the PAP could no longer reach out to citizens and handle politics the way it has always been doing in the past.

It took the loss of a GRC with "heavyweight" ministers and a drop in total votes to wake them up. I ask, "What about the churches in Singapore? Have the leaders been listening to the ground? Or do they want to wait for some major upheaval before they start asking the right questions and engaging the people at their level."

While I recognised that the world is changing very rapidly and no one can keep up with the times, it does not give the people of God, especially leaders/ministers, the leeway to say that we do not need to know what is happening. It is overly simplistic to say "I know better. I have been a youth once. I have more experience. I know what is going on." if a minister would not listen to what the young people are facing, what the world is dishing out, and what are the waves that are coming.

Leaders of the church can no longer afford to give themselves excuses that they belong to a different generation who do not use ipod, ipad, msn, facebook, google and hence, they don't need to learn what these are. They need to take more public transport and go to places where the youth/young people hang out to see more of the current moral/spiritual/emotional landscape. What do you see?

1. I see more affections and sexual inklings expressed in public between members of opposite sex AND same sex.
2. I see more rantings, expressions of personal views, and a different person on Facebook than the person I see once a week in a "you-must-be-a-goodie-good-person" church.
3. I see more influence and faith placed on the advice of peers than the Bible when it comes to choosing vocation, prioritizing studies, spending money and what to wear.

The list can go on and on. If we have lost touch, admit it, say "Sorry" and back it up with actions. People say the church always tend to be reactive than proactive. Perhaps we can be proactive than reactive for a change.

From what I see, there is a need to engage the youth/young adults in:
1. Homosexuality and the Christian faith - there is much to discuss, explore and debate. This "wave" is coming, if you have not noticed. What does the Bible say? How do we love someone with a different sexual inclination? Can someone be a Christian even if he/she has an inclination to remain liking the same gender?

2. Sexuality and the Christian faith - let's not kid ourselves. A large % of young boys and girls have been exposed to pornography and for some, sex from a much earlier age. Those who are addicted or struggle with porn and masturbation are crying out for help, but are afraid they'll be condemned and cast away like lepers. The shame and fear can be overbearing. Is there a healthy and loving platform to talk about such things? Is there a place to discuss what the Bible talks about sexuality, sex and marriage in a real way?

3. Wisdom and the Christian Faith - okay, Wisdom is a big word. What I really want to say is that we need to help the younger folks to think. The "you-do-what-I-say-because-I/the-Bible-says-so" is not a helpful method for this generation. They need to understand why, to dig the Bible and think what it says, and to become wise. The world is becoming increasing post-modern(or already is) and we need to help them to think and to live wisely. They have too many choices, too little though process, too used to getting spoon-fed in school, too reliant on the words of church leaders, and too resistant to opinions different from theirs. We need to engage their mind with the Word and real lives and relationships.

So I hope we get slap in the face and wake up before we once again become reactive. May the Lord give us all wisdom and patience to listen, engage, and do what is pleasing to Him for His glory. Amen.

The Uninterested and Interested

Pastor Michael wrote an interesting article called "Dropping the Rope, Holding Hands, And Learning To Walk Together." It talks about uninterested parishioners*, flawed perceptions and the struggles of a pastor.

How do ministry workers handle the interested and the uninterested? From experience, these are the few ways I've observed.
1. Forget about the uninterested. They are wasting my time. Give 100% to those who are interested.
2. "Pull" the uninterested, give them 90% attention and 10% to those interested. After all, the interested ones will not become uninterested or grow cold.
3. Do nothing about both. I'm too busy. The interested will come to me, and the uninterested ones won't. So I let them decide.

All of the above are not ideal. The 1st one has effectively shut out the uninterested who might in time become interested. The 2nd one thinks that spending more time equals to getting uninterested parishioners more interested but this usually does not happen. And it's bad to assume the neglected interested ones will keep going; they can drop off the radar (we're humans!). The 3rd one can't be bothered with both.

So what is the ideal? I like what Pastor Michael said. "I will care and give correct spiritual guidance to both the interested and the uninterested. I will never be so far out front that I waste effort on the truly uninterested, but I will stay engaged (appropriately so) to see when the spark of interest ignites" It's a good balance which every minister need to take heed of. And to always pray for the uninterested because that's the only thing that really works for them.

I think Jesus gives us a perfect picture of the balance. Ask yourself, "What Will Jesus Do?"(WWJD) when you look at your church - the interested, uninterested, the good, the bad and the ugly and oh, that includes you too :)

*Parishioner = another term for Church member, churchgoer