Jon Jordan

Last week I wrote about what kind of people we should follow in our churches.

While it didn’t stir as many comments as other posts, and didn’t involve pretty pictures, I wanted to follow up with a funny comment my friend Tyson Guthrie left and a quote from R.B. Kuiper on the same topic.

The comment (on the topic of who we should follow):

Knowing Tyson makes this comment funny because I know he is painfully joking. Unfortunately, that is not always seen as a joke. Here is some further insight by R.B. Kuiper in his book “The Glorious Body of Christ”:

It is a great American fallacy that a man who is sucessful in business or a profession is qualified for pretty nearly any position of responsibility. That accounts for it that so many churches have a decided preference for men of that type for the eldership. Seldom is a relatively poor laboring man elected to this office. And yet he may possess the qualifications for this office in a higher degree than does the president of a bank or a college.

If you’re interested in the book, which I highly recommend, hit me up and you are more than welcome to borrow it (after my final on Tuesday the 19th).

Thoughts?

The Mustache is gone, we’ll see if he’s back next year…

Then God said to me, “Jon…”

I want to start by saying that these are just some quick thoughts on a subject that I would love to explore more at some point. I have a good friend who has studied and processed this subject quite a bit and I would love to have them post their thoughts on this subject some time soon.

A certain phrase has really been rubbing me the wrong way lately. Usually when telling part of a life story or at some point during a devotion or sermon, the phrase “Then God said to me…” is used and then is usually followed by the speaker relating some truth they realized at that point in their life. Quick example:

“… and I was so upset about this kid rejecting Christ, then God said to me, ‘Jon, I am the one who saves, it is not up to you.’ ”

Now let me be clear, I believe that Scripture affirms the truth that it is God alone who saves. The problem is rarely the phrase that follows “Then God said to me …”. The problem is the phrase “Then God said to me” itself. Here are at least two quick reasons why I have problems with that phrase:

1. If it is God speaking to you, why say it so flippantly? If you truly believe that the God of the Universe verbally spoke to you, why present it as a conversation you would have with a buddy of yours?

2. If it was not God audibly speaking to you, but just a reminder from the Holy Spirit of truths from Scripture (which Scripture affirms can and does happen) … then why say it was God speaking conversationally with you?

Can we be more careful about putting words into God’s mouth? Why can’t we just teach what God has revealed in Scripture instead of trying to gain more credibility and power by saying “God said to me…”

What are your thoughts on this language?

In a class I am taking on Ecclesiology (study of the church) and the Sacraments I heard my professor, Dr. Sinclair Ferguson, say the following:

“Appointing someone to a leadership position, whether officially or unofficially, in the church based on heritage, pedigree, education level, etc is not simply a Roman way of looking at things, but a Fallen way of looking at things.”

We began with a discussion on the idea of succession in the Roman Catholic Church. The belief is held that the Apostles held additional secrets not revealed in Scripture, and those secrets have been passed down from generation to generation. This is at least part of the reason why the Pope is believed to be a direct descendant of Peter. As the quote states, however, it is not only a problem that is seen within the Catholic church. Dr. Ferguson went on to share how, throughout history and today, a majority of Protestant leaders are appointed based on family lines, degree titles and charisma.

In other arenas of life we recognize that this way of appointing leaders is wrong. In government we have, at least on paper, moved past the idea of a family line ruling a country just because of their family line. In business or education it is very clear and often protested when someone who is not qualified for a position is promoted. We don’t accept this as a legitimate way of choosing who to follow.

So in the church who should we follow?

From my time in class and studying Timothy and Titus, I will follow, and encourage others to follow a leader who:

1. Holds Right Doctrine

2. Is able to effectively teach that Right Doctrine

3. Lives a life that shows they believe that Right Doctrine