麦老师
多年来，我们目睹了一个绵延不绝的备受瞩目的基督教领袖的“游行队列”，这些领袖因为一些严重的失误或其他原因而暴露出来，导致他们的追随者不可避免地感到巨大的痛苦和幻灭，也使得整个教会在世界面前失去了信誉，被嘲笑成一个马戏团。
只要我们拒绝面对现实、拒绝处理当前教会文化的根本功能障碍，这个“游行队列”就会继续：
- 只要我们崇尚恩赐而不是品格。这是世界的精神。世界喜欢恩赐，但上帝喜欢正直、服侍和谦卑。恩赐并不等同于成熟。仅仅因为某人有某种真正的恩赐并不一定意味着他们是成熟的。如果我们必须选择，让我们选择成熟。
- 只要我们追求“平台”、名人地位、名望、追随者和金钱。令人悲哀的现实是，如果我们能达到超级巨星的地位，就会有很多钱，但最终，这些钱会毁了我们。
- 只要金钱与事工如此紧密地相连。当然，工人是应当得工价的，但如果我们事奉上帝必须得到报酬，那么（a）我们绝对不应该拿工资，（b）我们需要与上帝和好。
- 只要我们不敢对那些有很大恩赐的人问责，因为我们害怕“触摸神的受膏者”。
- 只要我们不处理生命中的破碎，使我们贪恋人的关注和赞扬。
- 只要我们的“异象”不是来自上帝的旨意，不是真正服侍他人，而是我们服务自己的、人的野心的表达。
- 只要我们对错误的教导和不应验的预言不负责任。我们必须坦诚面对现实，停止为荒谬的事找借口或者视而不见。
- 只要我们在新兴领导者中只是专注于发展知识和技能。我们必须建立与基督的深刻合一、服侍、正直、纯粹的异象、责任感——这才是真正的领袖建立！
亲爱的基督教领袖们，我们必须停止追随那些超级明星、名流。他们并不引导我们走向敬虔之路。我们必须停止模仿他们，渴望成为他们的样子。我们必须停止延续那些光鲜亮丽的宗教表演。相反，我们必须与上帝面对面，远离聚光灯，在秘密的地方建立我们自己与祂的生活。我们不能只是重复他们的教导，复制他们“成功”的策略和形式。我们必须停止机械地传颂他们的书和说辞。我们必须亲自认识上帝。我们必须亲自在祂的话语和祷告中。然后，我们的领导将不是空洞的，而是充满生命。只有这样，我们才能给予他人真正的生命。只有这样，我们的教会才能焕发生机，茁壮成长。只有这样，我们才能结出持久的果实。
唯一被天上承认的名人是上帝的儿子。耶稣是万物的起头和终结。而教会是祂的，不是我们的。上帝允许成为牧者的人必须关心祂的百姓，而不是利用他们。让我们停止追逐名望、影响力和财富。请停止！相反，追求祂。
上帝对祂儿子的中心地位和名望是嫉邪的。祂不会让我们占据那个位置。我们的使命不是争夺名望和财富。我们唯一的使命是追随主耶稣并像祂一样。然后，出于祂内住的生命，我们必须以祂呼召我们的方式事奉祂——无论是大是小，甚至什么也不是——无论我们是否被人知道。这才是真正的基督教领导，这才是我们应该追随的真正的属神的男人和女人。 “祂也是教会全体之首。祂是元始，是从死里首先复生的，使祂可以在凡事上居首位。”（歌罗西书 1:18）
Fallen Leaders and Our Current Church Culture
Malcolm Webber
For many years we have watched a non-stop parade of high-profile Christian leaders who are exposed for one major failing or another with the inevitable and terrible pain and disillusionment for their followers, and the loss of credibility for the broader Church in the eyes of the world who mock such a circus.
And this parade will continue as long as we refuse to face reality and deal with the underlying dysfunctional characteristics of our current church culture:
- As long as we honor gifting above maturity. This is the spirit of the world. The world loves gifting, but God loves integrity, servanthood, humility. Gifting does not equal maturity. Just because someone has a genuine gifting of some kind does not necessarily mean they’re mature. If we have to choose, let’s please choose maturity.
- As long as we pursue a “platform,” celebrity status, fame, followers, influence, money. The sad reality is that there is so much money if we can hit superstar status – but, in the end, it will destroy us.
- As long as money is so closely connected to ministry. Of course, the laborer is worthy of his hire, but if we have to be paid to serve God, then (a) we should most definitely not be paid, and (b) we need to get right with God.
- As long as we don’t hold the highly gifted accountable because we’re afraid of “touching God’s anointed.”
- As long as we don’t deal with the brokenness in our lives that makes us crave man’s attention and approval.
- As long as our “vision” does not come from the will of God and genuinely serve the people, but instead is an expression of our own self-serving human ambition.
- As long as we are not held accountable for false teaching, and for prophecies that don’t come to pass. We must be honest, face reality and stop excusing and overlooking the nonsense.
- As long as we focus on building only knowledge and skills in our emerging leaders. We must build deep union with Christ, servanthood, integrity, true vision, accountability – that is real leader development!
Dear Christian leaders, we must please stop following the superstar celebrities. They are not leading us in the path of godliness. We must stop copying them and wanting to be like them. We must stop perpetuating the glittery religious show.
Instead we must get face-to-face with God ? far away from the spotlights ? and build our own lives in Him in the secret place. We must not just repeat their teachings and copy their “successful” strategies and forms. We must stop parroting their books and sayings. We must know God for ourselves. We must be in the Word and prayer for ourselves. Then our leadership will not be hollow, but it will have life. And only then will we bring true life to others. Only then will our churches come alive and thrive. Only then will we bear fruit – fruit that lasts.
The only heavenly-recognized celebrity is the Son of God. Jesus is the Beginning and the End of all things. And the Church is His – not ours. Those whom God allows to be shepherds must care for His people, not use them. Let’s please stop pursuing fame, influence and fortune. Just please stop! Instead pursue Him.
God is jealous over the centrality and the fame of His Son. He will not allow us to have that place. Our calling is not to compete for fame and fortune. Our only calling is to pursue the Lord Jesus and to be like Him. Then, out of His indwelling life, we must serve Him in whatever way He calls us – whether it’s big or little or nothing at all ? whether we’re known or not. That is true Christian leadership and those are the true men and women of God we should follow.
“And He is the Head of the Body, the Church. He is the Beginning, the Firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent.” (Colossians 1:18)
