Crossroads At the Way and Churchianity

by Jesse Steele

they don’t know how to continue after the founder leaves.

  Hank: So, being a good role model for my family requires that I pause to think about my own actions, then take the time to explain it all to my kids?

  William: Exactly, and the same goes with your ministry and your business. Figure out what it is that you’re really doing. My grandmother used to remind me to think about my younger cousin, “There’s a little shadow following you, watching everything you say and do.”

  Hank: That’s a lot of pressure...

  William: Writing something down doesn’t make it true. The dirty little secret is… If most organizations actually wrote their true mission and values, they’d realize that they are not fully honest with themselves.

  Hank: Is that for ministries or companies?

  William: Both. A church may say they want to fulfill the Great Commission while it’s obvious that they just want to impress people. A company may have a sign that says “Adapt” above every door, but their employees know that the leadership hates change. The key to crafting a good mission statement isn’t hiring a consultant or reading a book—you have to want the truth.

  Hank: So, don’t surround ourselves with “yes men”.

  William: You should know that already. I’m saying that you shouldn’t be a “yes man” to yourself. Psalm 15 talks about being a man who, “speaks the truth in his heart.”

  Hank: People are afraid of truth, even though it sets us free.

  William: Giving words to our actions helps us break through the glass ceiling, so we can reach our full potential.

  Hank: Glass ceiling…kind of how being good keeps people from becoming great?

  William: Yeah.

  Hank: It’s funny. My father always said, “Now, son, don’t let a little success get in your way.”

  William: Many times, a company succeeds, but they never find a good explanation as to why. And they think that, because they succeeded, they are the experts. They don’t need to ask why they had success. The organization starts to fail a few years later. That’s because their team found unity and success on accident, still not knowing the words to describe their unspoken mission and vision. It’s not easy to know… to truly know what your mission is.

  Hank: Where did you learn this? From a business class?

  William: No way! School is a place to learn theory. Putting actions into words requires knowledge of reality. I learned this from my father and other mentors in my life.

  Hank: Now you’re starting to sound like a businessman I met earlier.

  William: The Bible carries the same truth for all of us—if we would just pause to think past the mere words and listen to the meaning behind them…

  Hank: And now you’re starting to sound like the Apostle Paul.

  William: Paul was both a businessman as well as a leader among many local churches. He was also a public speaker and I have tried my best to learn from his example. It would have been great to meet him.

  Hank: I actually did meet him.

  William: You’re a trip. I like you.

  Hank: So, how do you help people see the connection between business and Bible? I mean, a lot of people think the two are in conflict.

  William: My father was a businessman. Besides, as a Dutchman, my doctor once told me that my blood cells have little dollar signs on them. I asked him for clinical evidence.

  Hank: You’re a “show me” kinda’ guy. That’s probably why seekers like you.

  William: But, in all seriousness, everyone’s a businessman. We just don’t like to admit it with our words. You sell yourself to your employer. A father must constantly re-evaluate his relationship with his family so he doesn’t get buried in a rut. And I always have to sell myself to my wife every day or love will grow cold… and it’s a tough sell, believe me.

  Hank: It’s probably not as tough of a sell as it is with my wife.

  William: Things aren’t goin’ so well?

  Hank: It’s the church board. I feel like I have to either compromise the truth or else sacrifice food for my family. The congregation doesn’t want to hear what they need to hear.

  William: What makes a leader effective?

  Hank: Diligent work ethic… and keep people from killing each other in the organization?

  William: [chuckle] Sometimes I think that’s what it is, but it all begins with something.

  Hank: What? Belief? The books I read?

  William: Maybe you can understand leadership by knowing what kinds of leaders fail.

  Hank: Tell me.

  William: It goes back to vision. Don’t just articulate it, but stick to it. Actions-to-words… but then don’t change your actions. Stay consistent.

  Hank: What about getting along with people?

  William: Sure, we need to cooperate with each other, but that comes from seeing the common goal. God didn’t create us just so we can get along with each other.

  Hank: So, get rid of the non-team-players?

  William: No. Make the truth crystal clear so people can understand it—and keep your actions and words in agreement. Then, the people who don’t want your goal will identify themselves.

  Hank: It almost sounds like you want to make enemies. You’re just being friendly about it.

  William: No. Just we just make sure people understand us.

  Hank: So how do you make them like Jesus?

  William: We can’t “make” people like Jesus—that’s their choice.

  Hank: That sounds offensive.

  William: Christ can be offensive to people who don’t want to hear the truth.

  Hank: So, how do you make sure you don’t offend the wrong people?

  William: If you use big words that normal people don’t understand, they may get offended—at you instead of the truth.

  Hank: That sounds great and all, but as a leader, I have trouble making it happen.

  William: Teach a few mechanical how-to’s. Few things are as inspiring as seeing an actual way to make your goals happen.

  Hank: But how do I do that in my own church?

  William: If you want to know the how-to’s, you can’t just read books. You must be involved... In seminary, they call that field work.

  Hank: Speaking of that… I have a question.

  William: You mean you haven’t asked your question yet?

  Hank: You said so much good stuff, I wanted to let you finish.

  William: Am I going to get a bill for these complements?

  Hank: You’d be a good comedian.

  William: No, someone writes my jokes for me.

  Hank: Does he need more clients? My congregation says I’m as bland as a French fry.

  William: Is that what’s on your mind? Your church? Is that your question?

  Hank: I recently met a businessman who said that I could do well in business and lead the Church better, but that it started with me seeing that pastors aren’t necessary.

  William: What? Some of that makes sense, but the last part threw me.

  Hank: And, Paul seems to say the way we do “pastors” and Church leaders today isn’t what he and Timothy did in the New Testament.

  William: Well, I’ll have to look into that a little more. I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but we always want to check back with the Bible. We are prone to trying things our own way rather than God’s way. Maybe I missed something. But, now you’ve got me curious… “Pastors aren’t necessary?”

  Hank: It makes sense, sort of. I’m starting to see a distinction between pastors and clergy.

  William: But, God called some to be pastors.

  Hank: God called some people to be pastors, yes, but the New Testament never does show a paid pastor leading over the elders.

  William: But what about “pastors” described in Ephesians 4?

  Hank: “Pastors” aren’t described—“pastor” is the description.

  William: Huh?

  Hank: Pastors are never defined as clergy. Look at the Greek words Paul uses: shepherds and teachers
.

  William: That’s a good point. Ken Taylor once told me about the purposes of different Bible translations, “If we want to study the words, we have to have the words.”

  Hank: Keep it simple. And make sure people understand.

  William: That’s what we do here at Mitchell-Williams Creek.

  Hank: You named the church after yourself?

  William: No. That name came from the auditorium we first met in. The name just stuck. It’s a pure coincidence.

  Hank: It’s some coincidence. But I guess it makes sense to name the Church after the location.

  William: That’s how the New Testament Church did things.

  Hank: Both in naming the Local Church, but also in its administration. So, I’m starting to think that pastors shouldn’t be at the top of its leadership structure…

  William: Well, you’ve got me convinced to look into it a little. No one’s brought this to me before.

  Hank: I’m not trying to convince you of anything. I’m still wondering what to do with all this myself. Paul was hard to “read” that day.

  William: Paul is always hard to read. I can only wonder what a conversation with him would have been like… probably all over the map…

  Hank: Oh! You have no idea.

  William: But if you’re asking my opinion about this pastor v clergy thing, I really can’t say now. I need to see more from Scripture and then it needs to be tested. We know something is Biblical only if it has Biblical results. Do you think it’s practical? I mean, can it work?

  Hank: I talked to one guy who says that he’s seen it working for quite a long time, especially in China.

  William: Really? Well, research and testing are important. We’ve got to try our theories before we truly know if they produce good fruit.

  Hank: He says their Church fellowship keeps records also.

  William: That’s good. We did our own