(Message title and Scripture passage taken from John Maxwell’s series, MAKE YOUR MOVE)
We are beginning a 4-part series titled, “The Dynamics of Church.” We’ll be looking at how God intends His Church to work. Again, when we talk about God’s Church, we’re talking about God’s people living and functioning in community, not as individuals.
The first message is “Let the Pastor Move Over.” Next week, we’ll have a special praise and share service. The second message in this series is “Let God’s Spirit Move In.” The third is “Let God’s People Move Up.” And the final message is “Let God’s Church Move Out.”
Now there are differing views of how the church influences the life of believers. Some view the church is like a school, preparing the people to live life as God intended in the workplace, at home, at school and in all that they do. Those who hold this view put individuals and families first. The church is a training center.
Some, on the other hand, believe that the church is the center of life, and that your work, family, school and all that you do go to support the life and work of the church. Those who hold this view put the church first. For instance, when they plant church in another state or country, their leadership team packs up their entire family and moves to a new state or country. To them, the church is the center of life.
Maybe you’re wondering how I see the church should influence the believer’s life. Frankly, I don’t have a problem with the church being the training center or the center of life. But when the church does not influence the believers’ life at all, then something is wrong with the church.
Someone described those go to church but never benefit from church. They come just as they are. They sing, “Just as I am.” And they leave just as they were. No change whatsoever.
When I first attended church, I was a junior in high school. This was the strange time when teenagers are embarrassed to be seen with their parents, not to mention to be seen shopping for groceries with their parents in San Francisco’s Chinatown. I didn’t see that as cool or a way to impress my friends.
But within a year of going to church, I offered to help carry the shopping bags for my Mom as she bought groceries for the family. I was proud, not ashamed, to be serving my family in that way. The church taught me through messages and modeling that serving one another was a measure of greatness.
On Friday night at the Membership Class, we talked about the benefits of being a member of the church. And before I got far on the list of benefits, someone shared how the church helps us become the person God intended. But allowing the church to help you become the person God intended requires work on your part. And if you are to work, then the pastor must be willing to move over.
I believe that unless you let your pastor move over, you will always be immature. You will always be the “Just as I am” Christians. Now, I’m not suggesting that you terminate me. I make a living being your pastor. So what am I saying? Let me say it with Paul’s words, Eph 4:11-16.
Paul spent the first 3 chapters of Ephesians explaining the Christians what they believe, and he continues in chapter 4, 5 and 6 explain how we are to behave. And Paul begins with how we are to behave in the church, then in the family, and then in the workplace. I believe Paul starts with the church because the church is the community God uses to shape us for every area of life. But if the church is to do that, the pastor must move over. Let’s see if you agree.
First, the pastor must move from performing to preparing. Verses 11-14.
Paul is saying the church does not determine the responsibilities of the pastor. Paul is saying the Pastor’s Search Committee or Pastor’s Relations Committee does not determine the responsibilities of the pastor. Paul is saying that the Pastor does not determine his own job description. Paul is saying Jesus Christ determines the responsibilities of His pastor. After all, Jesus Christ is the one who gave some people the role of be pastor.
But over the years, the church has changed the job description of the pastor. When the pastor is not doing what Jesus intends, at best, the pastor matures, but the church remains an infant. And at worse, the pastor burns out and the church remains an infant. Unless the church allows the pastor to move from performing for the believers to preparing the believers for service, the church will remain immature.
Most American churches evaluate their pastor’s performance. I’m not against evaluation. In fact, I evaluate myself and give my evaluation to the Elders and the Pastoral Relations Committee. But I’m against evaluating based on the wrong criteria.
It is wrong to evaluate a pastor the way you evaluate the waitress at a restaurant. It is wrong to evaluate a pastor the way you evaluate a TV show or a movie. It is wrong to evaluate a pastor the way you evaluate your employees, if you are the employer. The reason why these items for evaluation is wrong, is because the pastor is made into a performer, not a preparer. When you do this, you change Jesus’ intention for pastors.
What you should evaluate is whether the pastor has prepared you to understand and live according to God’s word. What you should evaluate is whether the pastor has prepared you to be winsome toward non-believers. What you should evaluate is whether the pastor has prepared you to bring new people to the church, to love them and to lead them to Christ. You evaluate the pastor based on how much he has prepared you to do for the kingdom of God.
I’ve lead people to Christ in this church and outside of this church. But that’s not what you should notice. I’ve lead Bible studies in my home and on the Internet. But that’s not what you should evaluate. I’ve cleaned up spills, cleaned out the trash and clean up the baptistery multiple times. But that’s no big deal.
The question is, “Have I prepared you to share your faith, to teach the Bible, to humbly serve without complaining?” And the only way you will learn is the same way you learn to swim or ride a bike, but getting in the pool or getting on the bike, not by watching someone else swim and bike.
Now, what I’m not saying is that you’ll become a spiritual giant, a loving wife, or a worker with integrity simply by serving in the church. But the church is the community where God transforms His people, not just the pastor, to become more like Christ. When we gather in Christ’s name, we drop our ego and are more teachable. When we serve in Christ’s name, we drop our ambition and are more humble. And God guides and empowers the humble.
But the pastor has to move from performing for you to preparing you to serve. You don’t become like Christ simply by singing songs and listening to messages. You become like Christ when you begin to serve in the Church and to transfer what you’ve learned to your family life and work life as well. Don’t segment your life. Allow what you do and learn in the church to transfer to every area of life.
Second, the believers must move from consuming to contributing. Verses 15-16
We must do our part, not just come to church to consume encouragement through the service of others, through songs and sermons. If you are not a believer, however, we welcome you to learn and enjoy our service as our gift to you. If you are a believer, we want you to grow by being a part of the team.
Paul J. Meyer tells about the time when he learned teamwork in the army. They lined up 20 men, shoulder to shoulder, with their backs on the ground. Then they placed heavy log across the chest of these men. Paul Meyer said that if even one of the men were to shrink back their chest, the other 19 would feel the pain created by the weight not carried by the one man.
Unless we are all doing our parts, others of us will feel the pain created by the weight you are not carrying. But not only will we feel the pain, those who are not doing their part will not mature into the fullness of Christ. They will be the “Just as I am” Christians.
I agree with John Maxwell’s observation, “When we receive without giving, we become fat. When we give without receiving, we become faint. When we receive and give, we become faithful.” Each member is called to be faithful. If each of us does our part, we will receive from others and give to others.
Some people feel that new believers should stay in the worship service to listen to the messages. I’m not so sure I agree. They can get the tape later. As long as they qualify under the criteria of the church, every believer should be serving, even if it means missing the worship service once awhile, because they’re serving in nursery or serving as a teacher to the children. To keep believers from serving is to keep believers from maturing.
I believe nursery workers can learn to pray without ceasing. When you carry a crying baby for 60 minutes, you are constantly praying, “God, when will the service end?” Kidding aside, nursery workers can shape children with God’s love and learn about God’s unconditional love through the children.
When teachers teach, they learn twice as much and remember what they learn twice as long. They learn it once in the preparation and once in the classroom teaching. God’s Spirit also impresses upon them to live what they learn. Teachers mature more quickly because they are regularly immersed in God’s truth.
Once the pastor moves from being a performer, you can move in as a contributor. I learned to serve without complaining in the church youth group. I learned to be responsible when I served in student leadership in college. I learned to preach when I taught high school Sunday school for four years at Cumberland Presbyterian Chinese Church. I learned to be merciful and not judgmental when I sat to listen to the hurts of others.
You will only grow into the fullness of Christ when you are a contributor through His church. And you will never be a contributor through His church unless your Pastor moves over. And your Pastor will move over reluctantly, unless you become a contributor. This can become an upward spiral toward our maturity, if you want it to be.
Let me ask you. How many of would go to a gym, pay someone and watch him exercise, and then expect for yourself to grow muscles and a healthy body? Yet, that’s what some do, when they think that by coming to church, putting money in the offering box and watching others serve, that they would become the person God intended them to become.
Let the pastor move over, so that you can grow into the fullness of Christ as well.
