“Take the fight to them!” That seems to be the ubiquitous mantra of our generation. Assertion has morphed into Aggression. Discussion and Debate have descended into Demeaning Demagoguery. Afterall it’s easier to defeat an enemy with vitriolic criticism, than civil critical reasoning. Perhaps unknowingly, such attitudes and actions have crept into the church. Pulpit enthusiasm is increasingly peppered with caustic sarcasm, gaslighting and emotion laden taunts. All of which seem to fly in the face of Jesus’s manner of life…
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven…”
The manner in which we “fight the good fight” has tremendous bearing on the type of fruit that will be borne. Our battle is not in the seen realm but rather the unseen realm. Consequently, worldly, fleshly mechanisms of battling are utterly useless in the cause of Christ…
“..we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Most of our Pastors & Ministry Leaders arrive at the Bible Institute with another gospel, another Jesus…and impotent way of engaging the enemy. Through the ministry of the Word of God, we begin to set things before them that most never heard before. As they quickly get rooted and grounded in the Biblical Jesus, the true Gospel and the Word of God, the transformations are exhilarating. Many see their faith with “new eyes”. They are cleansed of doctrines of demons and deeds of the flesh. All of which is righteous, good, and glorious. They get very excited to reach others. To “convince, rebuke, exhort.” But they leave out the rest of that verse: “with all longsuffering and teaching.” (2 Tim 4.2) Let us beware! Untempered, unrooted enthusiasm can yield unintended and ungodly consequences…
“Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear…So, Jesus said to Peter, ‘Put your sword into the sheath.’ ”
A little less sword… and a bit more discernment, wisdom, maturity, and self-control would do us all well. Consequently, much of the instruction and discipling in the Bible School focuses on Servanthood. Becoming humble representatives who plead, rather than pontificate; foot washers rather than finger pointers…
“Now all things are of God, who has Reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the Ministry of Reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ Reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of Reconciliation. Now then, we are Ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be Reconciled to God.”
This is not to promote a “seeker friendly” or “toothless” gospel. Much to the contrary. Engaging the ungodly is a battle of epic proportions. But just how do we do that? Peter’s impulsive swing of the sword may have been gratifying…but it was a page out of the enemy’s playbook. Peter had taken the bait. And how about us?
The rising Christian nationalism has a tinge of Peter-ism in it. More militant, self-assured, temporal, and unkind than we might admit. Just ask the average unbeliever, “What do you think of Christians?” Make sure your seatbelt is on. This is not a condemnation. It’s a perspective to consider. Afterall, our influence in the current generation is anemic at best. Forget reaching the Unreached. We’ve can’t even hold onto our own. Church participation has been in a precipitous fall for decades. Many stay away because of “church hurt”.
What’s to be done? Get back to the Basics. Elevate the Ministry of the Word of God. Disciple the flock…legitimately, not in rhetoric. Reintroduce Biblical Counseling…inside the church (stop subcontracting it out). Lead by Example: if we want to develop servants, then those in leadership need to exhibit sincere Servant Leadership. It can’t simply be a slogan…it must be seen, felt, and touched…
“…Jesus rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet…”
Make no mistake, Jesus’s simple act was replete with gracious Rebuke. The disciples needed a Reorientation. A stark Spiritual Reset. It was not time for another exposition of Scripture. The stunningly simplicity of the exemplary act magnified the impact. We strive to do much the same with our Pastors and Ministry Leaders. Simple examples beget prompt imitation: our Bible Teachers are the first to arrive and last to leave. They dress simply but reverently. They are approachable, available, inviting, and sincere. Just like Jesus. We expect our students to be the same. Everyone is admonished to leave their title at the gate before coming in. We are simply “brothers and sisters” of the Lord…no honorific titles needed. Students are given “mandatory volunteering duties” every week. A model to imitate...and then adopt. A Bishop will be assigned alongside a young deacon to clean the pit latrines. This is not indoctrination through humiliation. This is Christianity 101. Within one semester, every new student is transformed. Sometimes from the Inside out. Others by the Outside in. Either way, the fruit eventually comes out. And it’s glorious.
The fruit is counted in lives Reconciled to the Lord… and one another. We have more Pastors and Ministry Leaders coming every semester than we can handle. Our historical enrollment of 225 exploded to 335 in 2022. Last year it topped 400. This semester we stopped enrollment at 455 Pastors & Ministry Leaders! And, unfortunately, had to turn away 60 qualified applicants. We simply don’t have the resources or staff to handle any more.
Last December we graduated 56 Pastors and Ministry Leaders out of the program. They had participated in the Bible School & Discipleship program for a minimum of 2 years. Many took 3 years or more to complete. We have a deliberate strategy to disciple them slowly…over a long period of time. Discipleship is done in a slow cooker…not a microwave. One thing is certain: they go out very different than they came in.
And so, we send them forth. Reformed. Transformed. Ambassadors of Reconciliation. Servants, not lords. We send them back into the Valley. Where they will continue to be tempted…enticed to rise in self-righteous indignation, legislating righteousness and despising the ungodly. But now they know better. They understand who the real Enemy is. And how to combat him in the Spiritual realm…and on the Practical level of everyday life. Right there in the slums.
