STOP making worship leaders and thought leaders the most influential people in Christendom.

Vă recomand să citiți acest articol.Este exact ceea ce se întâmplă în multe Biserici din America, iar acest model este preluat, din păcate, de Biserici românești.
„We must STOP making worship leaders and thought leaders or influencers or cool people or „relevant” people the most influential people in Christendom. (And yes that includes people like me!) I’ve been saying for 20 years (and seemed probably quite judgmental to some of my peers) that we are in a dangerous place when the church is looking to 20 year old worship singers as our source of truth. We now have a church culture that learns who God is from singing modern praise songs rather than from the teachings of the Word…”

https://www.charismanews.com/culture/77596-skillet-lead-singer-stop-making-worship-leaders-thought-leaders-the-most-influential-people-in-christendom

The Most Important Aspect of Leadership: Passing It On | Dr. Myles Munroe

„The greatest act of leadership is mentoring…”

„What is leadership? Leadership is the capacity to influence others through inspiration, generated by a passion, motivated by a vision, birth by a conviction, produce by a purpose.”

„Leaders never seek to be leader. Every true leader in history was a reactive person, they didn’t want to be a leader.”

„Most of the leaders that you call leaders in my definition could be professional manipulators. They manipulate your fears, your need for approval, your need for recognition and they play with your feelings …” True leaders never manipulate, they inspire.”

 

The Priority of Character in Leadership – Dr. Myles Munroe

Shocking Evangelism Statistics!

https://bible.org/illustration/evangelism-statistics

„Ninety-five percent of all Christians have never won a soul to Christ.
Eighty percent of all Christians do not consistently witness for Christ.
Less than two percent are involved in the ministry of evangelism.
Seventy-one percent do not give toward the financing of the great Commission.

One particular denomination did a survey on its leadership ministries. The results are as follows:

• 63% of the leadership in this denomination, including deacons and elders, have not led one stranger to Jesus in the last two years through the method of “Go Ye” evangelism.
• 49% of the leadership ministries spend zero time in an average week ministering outside of the church.
• 89% of the leadership ministries have zero time reserved on their list of weekly priorities for going out to evangelize.
• 99% of the leadership ministries believe that every Christian, including leadership, has been commanded to preach the gospel to a lost world.
• 97% believe that if the leadership had a greater conviction and involvement in evangelism, that it would be an example for the church to follow.
• 96% of the leadership believe their churches would have grown faster if they would have been more involved in evangelism.

Because of this, our results in evangelism have been mediocre, at best.

“Street Level Evangelism, Where is the Space for the Local Evangelist,” by Michael Parrott, Acts Evangelism, Spokane, WA, 1993, pp. 9-11.”

9 Marks of an Unhealthy Church

By  Kevin DeYoung

April 11, 2018

„Thanks to Mark Dever, many of us have become well acquainted with the 9 Marks of a Healthy Church. While these were never meant to be the last word on everything a church should be or do, the nine marks have been helpful in reminding Christians (and pastors especially) of the necessary substance we often forget in an age fixated on style…”

1. The more peripheral the sermon topic, the more excited the people become.

2. The church staff does not enjoy coming to work.

3. The pastor and his wife do not get along.

4. Almost no one knows where the money goes.

5. The leadership team never changes or always changes.

6. No one is ever raised up from the church for pastoral ministry or sent from the church into missionary service

7. There is a bottle neck in decision making.

8. The preaching has become erratic.

9. There are issues everyone knows about but no one talks about openly. 

Leaders accountability

„Good leaders know that power can be seductive, and they understand their own fallibility. To be a leader and deny this is to put yourself in danger. Over the years, I’ve read about many leaders who failed ethically in their leadership. Can you guess what they had in common? They all thought it could never happen to them. There was a false sence of security…” 

John C. Maxwell, Leadership Gold, p15, 16

8 Commitments Leaders Owe Their Teams

„A leader can’t exist without people to lead—treat them well.”

David Staal, president, Kids Hope USA

„Leadership is like parenting in that you can’t truly understand much until you actually do it…

1. To provide clear answers whenever possible instead of peppering people with question after question until they arrive at your answer…

2. To provide no answer when you don’t know how to respond or don’t have adequate time to think through the situation…

3. To appreciate a job well done regardless of the results…” Read more

Source: Christianity Today

Read more

Ravi Zacharias: Who Is NOT Fit to Lead

” We must value and preserve accountability”

”

In 2007 Mars Hill changed its bylaws to limit power to a very small group, effectively giving Driscoll unfettered free reign over the church. When two pastors objected to this structure, they were fired and subjected to a church trial where members were encouraged to shun one of them. For many, this move marked “the beginning of the end” of Mars Hill Church as Driscoll faced little accountability in his decision-making.

While churches associated with denominations often have structures in place to hold pastors accountable, non-denominational evangelical churches sometimes do not. Preserving some form of accountability is absolutely crucial to maintaining a healthy, non-abusive church, so I would urge all churchgoers to become familiar with how your church leadership is structured and to watch out for authoritarian leaders who seek to consolidate power to their office. If your pastor has little to no accountability, and if your questions about accountability are met with hostility, leave.   Groups that organize national pastor conferences should consider not inviting as speakers pastors who refuse accountability.  Christian media, too, must do a better job of reporting on the organization structure and finances of evangelical mega-churches. Christian reporters are not obligated to paint rosy pictures of churches; they’re obligated to paint accurate ones.  (See also: “Why Mark Driscoll Needs A Bishop” by Erik Parker.) …” Read more>>

Source : Rachel Held Evans

Note : I have to mention that I do not agree  with  in all opinions  of this author.

Uniunea… in deriva? (1)

Ca si in  primul articol, imi pun din nou aceeasi intrebare : Este Uniunea in deriva? Vom vedea. Spuneam anul trecut ca daca va continua in acelasi mod si cu aceeasi oameni, nu prea ii vad un viitor prea luminos. Daca se vor face schimbari, ele trebuie sa fie radicale . Schimbarile facute doar pentru ” a drege busuiocul” nu vor ajuta la nimic. Nici cosmetizarile de dragul imaginii nu se vor vinde prea usor pentru ca oamenii au inceput sa citeasca printre randuri.

Suntem la un an de la „Congresul Uniunii” ce a avut loc in Ypsilanti,  statul Michigan si m-am gandit sa reevaluez situatia Uniunii, mai ales din perspectiva  schimbarilor propuse la al „IV-lea Congress”. Iata cateva concluzii:

1) Interesul scazut.  Atat la „Congresul” de anul  trecut cat si la Conferinta pastorala  de anul acesta au fost prezenti doar aproximativ  20% din membrii Uniunii. Putin pentru „pretentiile” enuntate de” vice-est” in seminarul  Identitatea și Prerogativele Uniunii. Totusi, ca  sa dea o alta impresie organizeaza acele „servicii de evanghelizare” la Biserici afiliate care au fost „unionizate” fara consimtamantul membrilor. Binentele ca aceste servicii au fost ” excelent organizate cu participarea corului unit al bisericilor din Detroit, fanfarele bisericilor Bethezda, First Romanian și Aleluia, corul de tineri al Bisericii Betania și corul de fete al Bisericii Elim, ultimele două din Chicago” dupa cum ne raporta „vice-est” aici. Tot aici trebuie mentionat faptul ca  numarul membrilor este in cadere libera. Dupa „pierderile colaterale” din Spania, a venit randul unor lucratori ordinati dintr-o Biserica de pe Coasta de est a Americii  sa se retraga din Uniune in frunte cu pastorul lor la  cererea membrilor si in urma refuzului „prelatilor ” din Uniune de a modifica articolele din statutul lor care descriu  afilierea fortata a Bisericilor. O alta Biserica din statul Michigan s-a inchis.
2) Exclusivismul ordinatilor.  Membrii Bisericilor ‘afiliate” care nu sunt ordinati  nu au nici o putere de decizie in Uniune. Alegerile se fac intre cei ordinati, dar numai pastorii principali au voie sa candideze pentru posturile din  conducere.  Se creaza astfel o „enclava ecleziastica”, adica  un grup de elita care se „izoleaza” din anumite interese in mijlocul masei de credinciosi dar care vrea sa aiba putere decizionala peste acea masa. Ciudata tendinta. Urmeaza „canonizarea” lor  si organizarea sinodala, dupa modelul  Bisericii Ortodoxe?

3) Rezistenta la schimbare. Se pare ca „mai marii” acestei organizatii refuza sa renunte la „unionizarea” fortata a Bisericilor ( asa cum consemnam aici) si au hotarat sa nu mai schimbe nici un articol din statut, desi  unii din pastori au venit cu propuneri concrete de modificare a Statutului.  Probabil ca sunt” temeri in privinta  competenței și a capacității personale de a performa într-un nou mediu” sau poate e o acuta criza de idei. Oricum, va fi foarte greu de schimbat ceva in aceasta organizatie in care „sefii ecleziastici” pot fi alesi cu 21 de voturi din care 10 sunt a celor din conducere.

4) „Demonizarea”  si izolarea celor care vad altfel.  Spuneam ca unii lucratori au venit cu propuneri concrete de modificare a statutului si cu nemultumiri fata de modul in care lucreaza aceasta organizatie. In loc de raspuns la criticile si propunerilor lor au primit tratamentul care ti-l oferea comunistii si orice sistem totalitar, adica „demonizarea” si incercarea de izolare a lor.  Este trist ca astfel de lucruri se intampla printre cei care ar trebui sa ne fie exemple in toate lucrurile. Vor putea ei sa zica precum apostolul Pavel: „Călcaţi pe urmele mele, întrucît şi eu calc pe urmele lui Hristos.”

In ce ma priveste, chiar daca am ajuns sa fiu „demonizat” de unii, nu voi renunta sa imi exprim opinia  si sa ofer solutii la problemele cu care ne confruntam adesea. Iar pe cei care imi fabrica imagini care nu sunt conforme cu realitatea, il rog pe bunul Dumnezeu sa ii ierte si sa le dea o alta preocupare si o alta perspectiva a lucrurilor.

„Invata-ma sa fac voia Ta, caci Tu esti Dumnezeul meu. Duhul Tau cel bun sa ma calauzeasca pe calea cea dreapta!”

Alte articole pe aceeasi tema :
Cogresul Uniunii cosmetizat
Uniunea … in deriva?
Corporatia “Uniunea Penticostala…sub acoperire
Amestecul Uniunii Penticostale In “treburile interne” ale Bisericilor locale
Unionizarea fortata a Bisericilor Penticostale Independente din America
De unde a aparut un “cult penticostal” In Statele Unite ale Americii si Canada?
Incredibil! Uniunea Penticostala afiliaza Biserici fara acordul lor?!…”Cutremur” in Bisericile Penticostale din America
Practici comuniste in “bisericile noastre”