Pensees: When Discipleship Trumps Politicking

When Discipleship Trumps Politicking

At the heart of discipleship is a devotion to the Son of God that is so crystalized that it forcibly wedges itself between you and every other living being. All the time. Everyday. Pastors and Christian leaders are often faced with critical moments of discipleship when their devotion to Christ alone is tested, but they fail in those critical moments because of an innate fear of man, the antithesis of pure discipleship.

Plainly speaking, self-denying discipleship that hates father and mother and does not fear those who can only kill the body should be the daily experience of the Christian leader. But, sadly, an unwritten interpretation of the discipleship words of Jesus has become the belief and practice of too many Christians today, particularly leaders. This “interpretation” marginalizes the piercing, real life commands of discipleship to the side lines as mere potentialities.

In other words, in the event (a potentiality) that you should have to choose between mother and father, choose Jesus. “Jesus says, ‘hate your father and mother and children,’ and if ever it should one day come to that, brothers and sisters, you should be prepared to choose Him first.”

But it “comes to that” everyday. It’s not hypothetical. It’s a reality.

Or, “Brothers, Jesus says not to fear those who can only kill the body and not the soul (Matthew 10:28), so if it ever comes to that, be strong!”

But it “comes to that” everyday. It’s not hypothetical. It’s a reality.

Jesus said in no uncertain terms that a man cannot be his disciple unless he “hates his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life” (Luke 14:26). But too many leaders cannot stand for the word of truth with their own children. They fail the discipleship test as Eli did and God asks them as He asked Eli, “Why did you honor your sons above me?” (1 Samuel 2:29). And like David toward Adonijah, they fail the discipleship test day after day because they “never at any time displeased” their children (1 Kings 1:6).

The New Testament undeniably equates discipleship with Jesus with a clear-cut fearlessness of men. “Do not fear them,” Jesus said. But many Christians, leaders particularly, relegate the ethos of fearlessness to a hypothetical potential or, more galling, they spin their bravado as fearless leadership, but it has only been done once they’ve secured the guarantee of sixteen atta-boys from significant people in their sphere of influence. The Scriptures that call for sanctifying God in their hearts above men are so marginalized to the outside of their actual daily experience because they have padded their environment with necessary reassurances from men that come in the form of friendships, ego-boosting endorsements, so-called fellowships and man-made parameters of boards and bylaws that they simply cannot take clear leadership unless someone holds their hands.

True gritty discipleship is a hypothetical situation for many Christians (and their leaders) in which they one day plan to be bold if they are ever called upon to take a stand for Christ. But taking a stand for Christ usually doesn’t come with fanfare and a glorious moment of martyrdom, a momentous event that seals our legacy as Christ-followers. Taking a stand is a moment by moment discipleship choice that literally impinges itself on all things and relationships that our natural humanity instinctively seeks to preserve.

I have been in and around ministry all my life. I have come to the conclusion that most Christian leaders are cowards. They will often not speak out against error even though the evidence is so clear that it is smacking them in the face and they will never displease their comrades and those closest to them, but always opt for the easiest way out by guising the decision as “wisdom,” “gentleness,” “patience,” “humility,” or “love.” And they will never call out names of people in their own group unless they have carefully minimized the risk factor to almost nothing.

But to love someone or a group of people is to want what is good for them at any cost, even at the cost of being perceived wrongly by them. Even at the cost of displeasing them. Even at the cost of being marginalized. Even at the cost of being snubbed. Even at the cost of friendship. And loving someone or a group of people should never come at the cost of costly discipleship. Because if it costs us costly discipleship we have lost the greatest pleasure of all, unique fellowship with Jesus reserved for those who volunteer to suffer.

I commend John MacArthur for rebuking Mark Driscoll.

Why?

While I happen to sympathize with John MacArthur’s concerns, the real effect of his rebuke is a display of discipleship that is willing to show the world that he will do as he believes he is led to do even if it means showing a rift between him and other notable leaders like C.J. Mahaney and John Piper. Read some of the comments on his blog and you know that he’s getting tons of private correspondence that is many times worse than the innuendo and accusations he is getting in public. But he doesn’t seem to mind. And this is what makes him a leader that stands out among leaders. He is a disciple that is willing to lose his other leader friends.

Pastors, fathers, and leaders who want to love will do and say what they think is best for the people they love without yielding one day, one moment, of discipleship. And they know that doing good will always get negative feedback. Always.

“Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts sanctify Christ the Lord, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason of the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame” (1 Peter 3:13-16).

Pastors tend to marginalize this text and others like it, but it relates to doing good for the cause of Christ, and “have not fear of them” relates to family, friends, and other pastors in our fellowship. There is, of course, the command that what we do ought to be done in gentleness and reverence [for God]. And, clearly, while some may be more hardwired to disobey God in the area of “gentleness,” others who censoriously preach gentleness to the zealous servant who is seeking to “do good” are often motivated more by a respect for man than for God.

Often a pastor who rebukes another pastor will be told that he is proud. Many pastors are browbeaten to silence by the threat of being perceived as proud, but this too is a lack of costly discipleship. Stop rationalizing your refusal to act on the grounds that it will be perceived as proud. “Study to show yourself approved to God” and then you will be ready to give an answer and know how to rightly handle the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). It’s God’s assessment of your pride/humility level that matters, not men’s.

I know a leader that nurtured the reputation of humility. His personality was hardwired to be laid back and calm, and he was a true Christian in many ways. But his own reputation for humility did him in. He never could confront his own children, his church shriveled under his leadership, and he always — always — chose the “peaceful” option to resolving problems which really was a way to dodge hard issues when his reputation for being a “peace lover” (preserving the “board” and “fellowship”) and a “man of humility” might have been jeopardized. He was a preservationist. He was all about preserving himself, his board, and his association. I began to realize that he had the most gracious pride I had ever seen.

But God resists the proud even when Christians call it gracious. And preservationism is often pride, especially when preserving extra-scriptural delineations and associations and traditions is done at the cost of integrity. It’s no wonder some whole movements are crumbling. God is resisting.

He gives grace to the humble even when Christians call it pride. It’s no wonder some places are truly being blessed by God even though so many Christians wag their fingers at them and accuse them of being proud merely for the offense of having trampled on their ego.

If the Church of Jesus Christ is going to be helped, if movements are going to be recovered, if “fellowships” are going to be effective, then there needs to be a revival of true discipleship on the very personal level among its pastors. We need to be pastors after God’s heart (Jeremiah 3:15).