i got a job!
wahoo.
p.s. i know that blogs are generally designed so that i write and you read...but this time i'm deviating from the norm, because i have a question, not something to expound upon.
please email me and tell me your thoughts-- olivia.munn@gmail.com
the whole idea of church leadership-- the rest of the Body submits to them, we obey them...we're permitted to express disagreements of course, but even if we disagree on a small matter, the expected response is to submit to the authority they have over us.
i never questioned this before: i'm actually quite committed to following whatever my leaders say-- they are my commanding officers, my sergeant-majors, i'm only a soldier, of course i obey.
now i am in a position of minor-leadership over the War College students...and i certainly appreciate it when they suck it up and do what i ask them to do, even when they don't like it, or don't feel comfortable.
spoke with a wise friend recently who suggested that our entire concept of church leadership is bunk. "priesthood of all believers!"
so i read scriptures that talk about submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ-- considering others better than ourselves-- having the same attitude that Christ Jesus had when He humbled Himself to death on a cross-- tricky stuff like that. i read Scriptures about submitting to governmental authorities, slaves submitting to their masters, wives submitting to their husbands, children submitting to their parents...specifics like that.
but i have yet to find much Scripture about believers submitting to one specific believer who has been placed in authority over them.
thus-- i am not sure of my opinion, yet.
so, will you please write to me and explain to me why we have set up our church system so that one person (or a team as it is in my corps) has authority over the rest?
i'd like to know. :o)
as my dear sister Cindy says-- "stay in the trenches."
9 comments:
Livi, i hope you're going to log on what you find out!
Hey livi you should go with what god wants you to do and not what other people want you to do. Well I hope you will write me back at butterfly200814@yahoo.com. Im also so sorry about not writing to you in a long time. So are you going to be going to youth councils in may? If you are hopefully I will see you there.
God bless,
Sarah Powers
Helloo, I'm Chris Hinzman. I was one of the Grace Team members that went on the missions trip to Chicago early this year. Are you the Olivia that I'm thinking?!
I tried e-mailing you about this post, but for some reason it messed up. So I will just ask on here..
I don't really understand.. This might sound stupid, but why is it expected of us to submit to our corps officer when we disagree in what they may have said? Does this mean to share your thoughts, and ask them to explain the matter? Or to just forget what you thought and follow what the the officer said..? I undertand about being a soldier, but we aren't our officer's soldiers, we are God's soldiers..right? Would you mind dropping me a comment or an email to help me understand this? My email is: CRHinzman@adelphia.net
Sorry to bother you. Oh and congrats on getting the new job!
I like how your PS is way longer than your update post. What's the job by the way? I'd like to hear about it.
Much love,
Melissa
Hi, Olivia: If our own Fearless Leader was a servant and told us to serve one another, then we must do that too! I firmly believe in the "priesthood" but also understand the need for holy order. I believe I am called to respect the authority of my corps officer, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't share what I think or sometimes even call him or her to account (in private, of course). At the same time, I find it supremely ironic that we are called to serve one another and yet we are in an Army, with ranks defining degrees of power. In my own position as leader in a department, I find that people do look to me to make decisions, and make decisions I must, but I also want to be a "servant leader" as my Lord was. There's lots more to say on this subject, I'm sure, but I'm glad you're wrestling with it. We Christians live in a world of paradox, and this is one of them. It's wonderful to read your blog and see how far you have come from that timid little girl I first met at Manchester Corps! Fight on, Sister!
humans are fallible olivia - ultimately so are leaders - sometimes they don't tell us to do exactly what the Lord wishes - Moses struck the rock instead of talking to it.
I think everything that is told of us - under leadership - should be considered in prayer before acting on it.
Leadership should also not be abused. As a leader one shouldn't use ones power just to get their way or for grunt work - as it is done SO often. Many times leaders can appear lazy if that's what they do.
But ultimately follow your leaders that God appoints - not man appointed leaders - God appointed leaders, because when Korah raised a rebelion against Moses and Aaron 16,000 people were struck dead.
I know that's jumpy but that's what I got to say.
Hey, Olivia - I have to admit I didn't read the other comments, so hopefully I'm not doubling up on opinions and wasting space.
My thoughts?
Priesthood of all believers - YES.
But also a Spiritual gift of leadership on some of them - YES.
Leadership based on service to God and man, the following of the Holy Spirit, and a deep, deep love for those over whom these leaders are responsible - YES YES.
I'm wondering if we lived in Utopia and that last one was always manifested - would this even be a topic of conversation? Possibly not. We have road to travel, all of us, leaders and followers alike. May God grant us grace.
Much, much love to you, sis,
Bakes
"Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful."
What's great when this is said is you ahve a whole community comming to God (Men, women and children) and the Spirit falls on someone. One person (at first). That person gives the instructions and command you read above.
And victory becomes both people's...and The LORD'S.
Sometimes, through the power of the Living God, people are blessed with the very words of God in their mouths. They are called "prophets" or "mouthpeices" in Hebrew. And because they act as the very mouthpiece of God and we submit to Him, we may also put of faith in those whom He speaks through.
FYI- The Salvation Army Officer's Training College was once called "School of the Prophets".
Have fun researching this one.
It's great to hear you asking such questions to the community.
SPB
une question...
when are you gonna blog again!
i mean dont get me wrong your thoughts of church leadership are ever so enlightening...
its just i enjoy reading your post so much and its been too long, im going through a "livs blog" withdrawl.
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