Chuck Ryor

“If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” – Romans 8:31-32

This is one of those posts I’ve been writing for some time but haven’t had the intangible impetus to complete.  I am reading George Bush’s Presidential memoirs, “Decision Points,” so it’s on my mind.  As well, recently I spoke with a good friend whose church is in the midst of a season of divisive conflict; conflict which he directly attributes to the young church’s perspective on church governance.

At breakfast recently I was watching the news, and conservatives were finding fault with the way President Obama handled the situation in Libya.  While it’s no surprise that he has critics on the political right, I’m always befuddled when the extreme flank of a President’s own party is in opposition, too.  As I watched the critics opportunistically score political points, I looked over at my wife and remarked, “Obama couldn’t blow his nose the right way for some of these people.”  Honestly, it makes me sad.  That’s why I have always loathed politics.

Ugly battles for control are what make the politically minded crazy whenever their opponents pass legislation or win an election.  As I read “Decision Points,” I am convinced that control is ultimately what made the political left accuse President Bush of intentionally deceiving the country so he could be a wartime President.

People fear the lack of control, love power and hate change – especially if it will require any sacrifice on their part.  That’s usually what ugly politics is about.  In order to rationalize an irrational response, people will attack those whom they fear and cast doubt on their character.   The ad hominem argument – “attack the person” – is always the weakest and exposes the often-unsubstantial nature of the objection being raised.

I find politics in the church particularly distasteful.  I once had a mentor say, “There is always going to be politics in the church.”  That distressed me.  I want none of it, but I know what causes it.  Fear.  Selfishness.  Lust for power.  Churches are unfortunately infamous for their ugly political struggles for control.

Once manipulation, deception and hysteria are the characteristics of a church community – or more specifically its leadership core of Elders, Deacons & Staff – that church is no longer functioning in step with the Holy Spirit.  When fear of losing control makes so-called “leaders” in the church personally attack those with whom they disagree, a Christian organization’s best days could be, apart from some serious repentance, behind it.

Let me be really clear:  I think Christian leaders should be held accountable.  Pastors and staff are to be held accountable by the Elders of their church.  A local church’s Elders should be held accountable for their theological and moral lives by the associations/denominations of which their churches are a part (Prism Church is part of the Acts 29 Network.).  However, if a church body wants to follow God’s mission (for that Church body as a whole), its people will have to follow the leaders through whom the Scriptures say God’s guidance will flow – the Elders.  If church people aren’t willing to follow their Elders regarding the church’s direction, the church won’t go anywhere.  Well, at least not on purpose.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28

At the heart of our struggle is the sinful need for control.  We fear that what we like will no longer be the way it was.  Perhaps we’re scared that what we want to happen won’t if things aren’t done the way we think they should be done.  We don’t want to have to rest in God’s control.  And when things don’t go our way, we have difficultly believing that God has something better planned and that we really should be grateful for not getting what we want.  We quote Romans 8:28, but we don’t really believe it.  “God works all things together for good?”  What about things that don’t go our way?  What about situations where those in charge don’t have my 100% confidence and trust?

In response to those fears we can become critics, fear mongers and/or people who play loose with the truth (or twist it all together) in order to attack the objects of our fear and anger.  So, when a person or a faction of a church opposes its leadership’s decision to do go a certain direction, you have to ask yourself, “Why is he or she so angry about it?  Is it really about what is ‘Biblical’ or ‘right’?  Or is it about their fears and their need for control?”

“What causes fights and quarrels among you?  Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?  You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.  When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” – James 4:1-3

I have more to say on the subject.  I’ll save it for next week’s post.

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”  – John 4:13-14

Every now and again I get to see what life would look like for me if I were good looking, talented, famous, wealthy…and without Jesus.  I’d be a mess.  I’d be a delusional, narcissistic, substance abuser who used people as a means of satisfying that gnawing sense that I was valueless apart from the approval of others.

And but by the grace of God, I could today be the low-end version of Charlie Sheen.  In my case, I would be the average looking, semi-gifted, obscure and middle class form of what we see splashed across the television this month – as the Charlie Sheen “Life Implosion World Tour” is ubiquitously broadcast.

Even with Jesus in our lives, we run the risk of becoming so self-obsessed that we’ll damage the ones we love in our pursuit of what we perceive to be the highest good – our pleasure.  This past week I was apprised of a situation in my network of churches where a lead pastor turned his back on his thriving congregation(s), his family, his reputation (and Lord only knows what else) to run off with an attractive single woman from his church.

You see, the gospel isn’t just fire insurance.  “Avoid the torments of hell and accept Jesus as your Savior!” While our eternal standing before our Heavenly Father is of preeminent importance in the grand scheme of things (what good is a purpose driven life if you won’t spend eternity with Jesus), Jesus is looking to fill our hearts today.  Apart from our continual trek back to the well of His presence, we will always attempt to slake our thirst with things that will drain us of life in the end.

It was Martin Luther who originally said, “We must preach the gospel to ourselves each day.”  Why?  Because we forget that God loves us and that through His daily presence we can satisfy our souls with living water.  If we cease resting in the gospel, we will most certainly look elsewhere for our heart’s delight.  To our own demise.

Pray for Charlie Sheen.  He has been cursed with a net worth of $85 million dollars, good looks, talent, a Hollywood family name, and fame.  I say cursed because these things are preventing him from finding true joy through the one thing you can’t buy.

What he needs is Jesus.

So do I.  Every day.  So do you.

So sorry for your troubles, Charlie.