As a young Christian leader I've felt that I've been around many of my beloved peers who have an unbelievable amount of angst towards the Church. I have to admit there are many reasons why one would find themselves a little frustrated about certain realities of the condition of the Church. But what has become increasingly worrisome for myself is that those who live with such angst usually resort to one of two options to resolve it: leave the church (the institution) or go plant a church. It's almost like when you went to a friend's house and you brought the cool toy and whenever you weren't able to play with it as much as you wanted--you'd rip the toy out of your friend's hands and you'd take your toy and go home. It's almost as if the angst has taken many of my dear friends to a place of "I'm taking my toy and going home" and I may never come back. Or they resort to planting a church. Out of the many conversations I've had with friends who want to plant a church--there is only one individual who actually desired to plant a church due to the leading of God to do so. All of the others flowed out of their frustration with their local church and their great desire to find a good reason to leave. Scary you ask--very much so.
So what's up with the angst? When is it healthy? When is it lethal? Where is the line when it gets very close to resulting in bitterness?
Let's talk about the evolution of angst amonst young leaders.
Jeff
10 comments:
I suppose it is ok to have some angst over the state of the church. There are certainly a lot of challenges we must face. I agree with you that angst should not overwhelm us to the point of despair. When we abandon the Church or divide it, we have lost the mission and the vision. That is not to say that there are not reasons to leave an individual church but most of the young men (most of the anxious ones are men) whom I know that are upset are not upset because of apostasy or heresy or immorality, but because of style or strategy.
There must be a difference between working for change and growth in the church and tearing down the church. Jeff, I know you love to use Moses as a model of leadership. Just look at the people he led. They were horrible! Idolators, grumblers, unfaithful, immoral. Yet he served them by leading them. We have plenty of people in our churches who just don't "get it" ("it" might be missionality, postmodernity, shared leadership...sobriety even). Our mission is to serve by leading. No giving up...no turning back...no breaking into factions.
Sometimes I think it's more complacency compounded by the angst that drives people away from the church. From my experience at my current church, as well as the interaction I had with churches while I was in seminary, I've seen that people get fed up with something (filled with angst), and rather than effect change, they leave.
I think it's shortsighted and selfish. If we were meant to get fed up and leave, the church would have died along time ago. this is one of my biggest frustrations is the people that say, I just got fed up with it and left the church. Well what in the world did you do to be an agent for positive change? Well it's not my place. The hell it's not. Who cares if you're not a staff member, if something needs to be changed, then be a change agent. I seem to remember that we're all a part of the body of Christ, and that no one part is more important than another. That's my two cents, take it for what it's worth.
Z
Coming from an occasionally "angsty" young leader, I would have to say my frustration does not lie within the congregation of the church, but in the leadership. I love Josh's illustration of Moses leading a bunch of idolators and grumblers. There are tons of people who don't "get it" in our churches, and that is okay. We are called to serve, to love, to teach, to learn together. Whatever.
And here comes the angst: My frustration lies when the leadership doesn't "get it". When there are people who put themselves in a place of authority over others, but are biblically illiterate. Leaders who are not leading moral lives, and are offering horrible, "unChristly" advice to new and curious believers. My frustration comes when leader serve coffee at our churches that marginalize our bothers and sisters in developing nations, as our country continues to pay less for coffee products than it costs the farmers to make it. When we, as leaders, don't get these things, and refuse to listen to other leaders because of their age, or who just simply look down on young leaders because they 'don't understand this generation', well, from an angsty young leader, is pisses me off. HAHA
Aside from the angst, I think we all have a lot to learn from each other. As I young leader, I feel privileged to soak up the wisdom of people who have been in a a leadership role for years. It's the best thing ever. Sometimes I just wish the more experienced leaders would realize there are things we can teach them too. We are all a part of the body and that is what makes the church so beautiful. Sometimes I think it is easy for both generations to forget that. Maybe the younger generation just does a better job at losing their cool over the matter.
Those are the extremes of the matter-- does that make sense?
I appreciate everyone's honesty and input. I think is a major difference in an attitude that seeks to be an agent of change for Christ in the church and someone who see themselves as an agent of agitation. I think God puts within us the "holy discontent", but what we do with it is what's debatable. Every leader will have things that they know need to be changed, but in my opinion its the good leaders who are able to make change happen with joy, integrity, and encouraging unity.
Angst... what the? I don't know if i'm going to say anything that hasn't been said but here goes. I personally wouldn't plant a church unless it was one of those burning bush type moments. It kind of like one of those "I can't not do it." type things. Therefore, a person could have zero "angst" and still be burdened to plant. I would think this would be the best route because that way you know God is in it. So when it comes to church planting less angst more calling.
If angst is causing people to leave the church (not THAT church, but THE church) we need to point accusing fingers at people, not the church.
Is the church frustrating? Yes, it can be. Is leaving the church for a "me and Jesus" relationship with God acceptable? No. It's actually sin. Let's not be shy in calling it that.
Here's a hypothetical:
If you got to know me and determined that you really thought I was an awesome guy. You even determined that you loved me...and trust me you would.:) However, after getting to know my wife you determined that you didn't like her. You think that she is bossy, and she dresses funny. You really liked me, but you confessed to not wanting anything to do with my wife. Well guess what...if you came to to a place where you really like me, but couldn't stand my wife we would not have a good relationship.
So it goes with Christ and the church. Can you love Christ, and not his bride, and expect to be on good terms? Probably not.
have come with one purpose
to capture for myself a bride
by my life she is lovely
by my death she’s justified
i have always been her husband
though many lovers she has known
so with water i will wash her
and by my word alone
so when you hear the sound of the water
you will know you’re not alone
chorus
‘cause i haven’t come for only you
but for my people to pursue
you cannot care for me with no regard for her
if you love me you will love the church
i have long pursued her
as a harlot and a whore
but she will feast upon me
she will drink and thirst no more
so when you taste my flesh and my blood
you will know you’re not alone
chorus
there is none that can replace her
though there are many who will try
and though some may be her bridesmaids
they can never be my bride
....Derek Webb
This goes back to what mike talked about during the roundtable discussions last year. I'm paraphrasing him. He said, We must love the church. God wants us to love it, failures and all. God's plan is for the church to bring the gospel, not governments and non-profits.
As far as planting new churches out of angst, we must do the work that we have been commissioned to do, and that becomes increasingly more difficult when parts of the body fall away.
A hand may still be operating as a hand, and a foot a foot, but when they are operating on their own they cannot achieve the same things a full body could.
To end with another Augustine quote, "Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are anger and courage; anger at the way things are, and courage to see that they do not remain the way they are."
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