Restoring the Beauty of Fatherhood 2.
Dystressed[1]
Few believers seem to be aware of the level of stress levels currently pressing on the people of God; surprisingly in recent days centred on our city of Perth. First we had local Christian identity Tony Overhue smashing a pie into Qantas CEO Alan Joyce’s face; then Margaret Court announced her boycott of Qantas for its same sex marriage (SSM) advocacy. These are simply two high profile examples of sincere Christian people being pressured into making decisions that are counterproductive to the cause of the kingdom of God. Why do I believe this? Because from within their own worldview unbelievers can only understand these actions as retaliation! Contrast this with the acute observation of one of my mentorees, “MC’s Biblical view was not incorrect…. but Jesus decreed in Matt 5:44 “ love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you””. All around us the reactions caused by dystress at the thought of SSM is gifting Satan with opportunities to confuse the perception of the gospel in the public mind with moralism. The perceived gap between Church and community grows ever larger (as if child abuse scandals weren’t sufficient) and Jesus is rarely mentioned in public discussion. A new form of leadership is needed in our city.
Named and Nameless
Over recent months I have been hearing the names of Riverview, Margaret Court, Peter Lyndon James, Hillsong….again and again and…. Such lifting up is generally a crowd craving for importance by association, but in our day the stirring of controversy by media manipulation is also a huge factor (John 6:1-15). The Church’s present love for “Christian celebrities” is a dangerous wave to ride; who recalls the fall of born again S. African cricket captain Hansie Cronje and the backsliding of Australian Idol’s Guy Sebastian! We are a long way from the nameless and faceless leaders of past great revivals. Here are two examples, one from the Evangelical track and one from the Pentecostal.
At the height of his famed preaching career George Whitfield earnestly prayed, “Let the name of George Whitefield perish so long as Christ is exalted…. Let my name die everywhere, let even my friends forget me, if by that means the cause of the blessed Jesus may be promoted””. Whitfield was a fantastic orator, but this was not hyperbole. Whoever would have heard of the one eyed black preacher, padlocked out of his first church, without an unprecedented outpouring of the Spirit that spread the Pentecostal movement! William J Seymour often put his head in an empty shoe back during public prayer in Azusa St. Where are such nameless and faceless leaders today? Here is a deeper biblical warrant for my distress.
No other Name
When Paul encountered a possessed slave girl constantly crying out; ““These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the/a way of salvation.””, he did not see this as a gospel opportunity but cast out the evil spirit in her (16:17). Not blinded by our Western pragmatism Paul knew “the Most High God” would sound to pagans like the deity at the top of their hierarchy of gods and “salvation” meant for them wholeness and healing rather than forgiveness of sin. Paul had no tolerance for any message that would obscure “the name that is above every name…the name of Jesus” (Phil 2:9-10 cf. Acts 4:12). When the immature Corinthian believers were parading party names, ““I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or, “I am of Cephas”” this genuine apostle took everyone back to the cross (1 Cor 1:12ff.). Today the names competing for space in the Christian consciousness are different, but it matters not, any other name than the name of Jesus which occupies a centre space is a hindrance to work of God in our city. We desperately need a new generation of spiritual fathers/mothers to re-father Perth. This will require a much deeper sharing in the life of God.
Other-centred Leaders are Fathers
“God, the Father” is the most misunderstood Person in the Trinity (1 Cor 8:6). Far from being at the top of a hierarchy he places Jesus at the centre of creation; “all things were created through the Son and for him (by the Father)” (Col 1:16). It was not the Father who was made visible, audible, gazeable and touchable in the Incarnation; the Father made his Son the focus of our comprehension of everything to do with life and ministry. Real spiritual fathers/mothers are burning with this paternal/maternal passion and so always place others at the centre of their ministries (2 Cor 11:29 NIV). Their own name, reputation, status or profile means nothing to them. This is perfectly reflected in Paul’s personal testimony, “And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)…. I am the very least of all the saints” (Gal 2:6; Eph 3:8). These are not abstract spiritual concepts but genuine apostolic realities key to re-fathering a city.
If prophetically “The Father wants his city back.” (Nick Scott) this will require a form of leadership that supports all others but sees the sole centre in the person of Jesus. In the Spirit this is the only form of leadership through which the Church may be matured and grow beyond the generations long curse of not knowing God deeply as, “Abba! Father!” (Mark 14:36). Like the Son in Gethsemane this rising band of true fathers/mothers will be misunderstood malignant and rejected by many. However, they will see Christ’s word come true in the “religious mountain” and in every domain of life and culture; ““You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden….let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matt 5:14, 16). This is the heart passion of the Son of his love.
May we all pray that the Lord raise up a band of nameless and faceless men and women who can lead the Church of this city into a spiritual and relational maturity and unity like we have never seen before. Then the glory will go to God alone.
“In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of theHoly Spirit. Amen.”