Does Jesus First Have a
"Party Spirit"?
In anticipation of the 2010
Convention of the LCMS, Jesus First has already distributed
several statements and a newsletter. These brought some
accusations that we exhibit a “party spirit” that has no
place in the church.
Naturally this raises the
question of what a “party spirit” is and what makes it
wrong. When not used in its more obvious meaning, the word
sounds like church talk. Indeed it appears in the RSV
translation of Galatians 5:20, in the listing of works of
the flesh to be countered by the fruit of the Spirit. The
NIV translation is “factions.” The Greek for these
translations gives us “heresies,” in its original meaning as
a dissenting sect or party. Church historian Geoffrey
Bromiley defines the offense of heresy, besides diverging
from basic teaching, as “repudiating the very being of the
church as one body of the one Lord.”
That’s heavy stuff. Is that
what Jesus First has been doing? If so, then we deserve the
treatment Paul tells Titus to give to those who are
quarrelsome: Warn once, then a second time; after that have
nothing to do with him. Far from that, we see ourselves
fully supporting the LCMS theme of One Mission, One Message,
One People.
Yet none of us in this life
can claim to live fully by the fruit of the Spirit. We
still have to contend with “the flesh.” Leaders in the LCMS,
even the best, remain clay pots trying to carry forward the
treasure of the Gospel. This is the reality we have to live
with. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the Holy Spirit would
move so forcefully among us that we would find our church
body in the full unity we all want?
Meanwhile, how do we get on
with the practical affairs of selecting leaders and planning
church-wide efforts? We at Jesus First are responding to
the challenge to exercise a ministry of influence.
“Ministry of Influence” is
the name of a position paper adopted by the LCMS Council of
Presidents in 1988. It can be found at
http://www.ministryofinfluence.org/moi-sohns.pdf.
This site is maintained by a Texas-based group of LCMS
pastors who are eager to explain their attempts at a
Ministry of Influence in Synod.
According to the 1988
position paper, “politics” is the art of influencing others,
the art of sharing or promoting an idea, philosophy,
candidate, or opinion. It can be a wholesome responsibility
to offer solutions for problems and to seek the support of
and for others. The art of influencing in a Christian way
is to be encouraged. But it needs to be carried out in a
God-pleasing way and according to agreed upon processes and
structures (done decently and in order).
On the platform of honoring
one another above oneself, responsible influence will bless
and not curse and will seek to live in harmony. It must
strive to possess and communicate the truth. We are not to
abuse this ministry by acts of covetousness, by sins against
the 4th
and 8th
Commandments. We cannot attempt to gain desired ends
through destroying, controlling, hating, promoting one at
the expense of the other or appealing to base human nature.
The ministry of influence in
the church is to be under the influence of the Word, which
shapes our own influence into a loving and caring exercise
that is both responsible in itself and seeks to lead others
to be responsible both to God and to one another. The
position paper concludes that any other influence needs to
be resisted and uprooted in the Church.
Those are very high
standards, especially for clay pots. We at work in that
ministry within the LCMS try to live up to them. Jesus
First has an eleven-year track record by which we can be
judged.
Our values are clearly
stated. We want to promote Gospel-centered, mission–driven,
future-oriented leadership in The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod. To that end, in our newsletters we seek to clarify
issues facing the Synod, and we urge all to participate in
every step of the by-law-prescribed process for organizing
the business of the Synod convention. Part of the business
is to elect about 100 national officers and committee
members. We coordinate efforts to gather information about
process-determined nominees according to their likely
commitment to Gospel-centered, mission–driven,
future-oriented church leadership. With their permission,
we recommend nominees to the convention delegates.
Is this political work?
Yes, this is politics in the best sense of trying to
influence institutional decision making in the direction of
strongly held values. We do so while wholeheartedly
embracing the standards of a faithful Ministry of Influence.
Does
organized politics have any place in a church body? Until
high agreement on values and ministry practices has emerged,
we think so. But we do look forward to the day when it is
no longer necessary.
Jesus
First Publication Team
