Organization—The New Dirty Word

Why is organization a dirty word in the church? Think about this. How many times do we demand organization to be practiced? If you are a baseball fan, you don’t want to see 7 guys playing in your team’s outfield.

What about the human body? We label someone whose mouth and brain are so chronically disorganized that he constantly utters profanity and/or obnoxious, random statements, against his conscience will, as suffering from Tourette syndrome.

So why is it that when it comes to the church, organization is a bad word? I remember when I was a kid hearing this refrain over and over again on television, on the radio, and in the print media, "Jesus yes – church, no." The idea was that Jesus is wonderful, but the church is not. This concept is making a comeback. I believe the problem is not too much organization in the church, the problem is too little organization done well.

Organization is important to God. All you have to do is go back to Genesis to see that. God fashioned the world and organized it. He organized the disbursement of light and darkness, calling the light, day, and the darkness, night. God continued to administrate the organization of his creation, finally offering to Man the privilege of being a co-administrator in this world. You see over and over, in Scripture, the exalted state God places the administrator of his purposes in the Kingdom of God.

One example is Moses who was the chief organizer and administrator for God in the household of faith that was the fledgling nation of Hebrew slaves. That's what the Hebrews' writer is referring to in chapter three:

…just as Moses was faithful in all God's house. 3Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house, testifying to what would be said in the future (Heb. 3:2b-5.)

Scripture records various stories about the challenges that Moses faced organizationally. I am sure you remember Exodus chapter 18 when Moses decides, at his father-in-law's encouragement, to designate various men to help him organize, and administrate, and lead Israel. However, it was not until I was working on my doctoral thesis that I noticed how the writer of Hebrews uses Moses as an example that foreshadows Jesus. As great as Moses was as an administrator, Jesus was even better. This passage was the first to begin to change my mindset concerning the role of overseer in the church.

Back in the New Testament days, stewards, particularly chief stewards, were men who possessed great organizational skill. They were great administrators; they managed the household for their master.

In Hebrews, Jesus is portrayed as the great steward in the household of his heavenly father. Heard of Jesus, the chief Shepherd? Probably so. How about Jesus the great administrator?
Many times in Scripture, we see Jesus practicing the art of godly, spiritual organization and administration. For example, in Matthew chapter ten, Matthew writes that Jesus sent out his 12 apostles with instructions and participating in a process that he has orchestrated.

Another example, just to give you a feel for the work of the great administrator, the great overseer, Jesus Christ, can be found in Matthew chapter 15. Jesus coordinates the feeding of 4000 men, and who knows how many more women and children. He selects the eating menu, he administrates how the food is passed out, and you'll see these disciples transporting baskets full of leftovers—all thanks to the managerial work of Jesus, the great overseer.

Now, as you know Jesus died and rose again and he left behind a body of people who are to reflect him. This body is called the church. The church has leaders who particularly demonstrate the qualities of Jesus. What we have been thinking of over the past 20 years is this picture of Jesus as the great Shepherd. And he is. However, I believe we have become extremist in our pastoral views.

20 years ago, or so, a problem that many churches were battling was this -- elders were micromanaging the supervision of the church, and the pastoral care was being done by someone else, usually the preacher. It was during this era, there was an old joke that went around like this -- the preacher is the elder, the elders are deacons, and the deacons have nothing to do. Often times elders were nothing more than board members, who met together, made decisions, but did not participate in the pastoral care of the church.

Fortunately, many began to address this need. Unfortunately, the pendulum has now swung in many churches. Now, the predominant image you hear is of elder as pastor. In many churches, that is primarily what they do. However, in many churches, you do not have elders leading as overseers.

Now, nature abhors a vacuum. We have talked about how we want organization and administration. So, when there is a void of this leadership from the elders, who fills the void? In a lot of churches, it is the preacher. He is the chief executive officer. He exclusively cast the vision; he holds everyone accountable; he signs off on all the decisions. He's like the CEO of a major corporation.

I have often joked about this being a fantasy of every preacher. And to a certain degree, I guess in the fleshly sense, this is true. Nevertheless, not only do I feel, from a human perspective, this is a perilous move, from a biblical perspective, I view this practice as being totally out of line.

Do you know who else fills the void -- the church staff. Elders provide pastoral care, so the staff supplies the administrative leadership to stand in the gap. (Of course, in truly dysfunctional churches, the elders provide neither the pastoral care nor the overseeing care.) I believe the staff should certainly serve as servants in the administration of the church, but they follow the leadership of the elders. Meanwhile, the elders follow the example of the chief administrator -- Jesus.

May I share with you three scriptures that hold up this image of Jesus as the chief Shepherd and administrator, and this ideal for the eldership?

For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls (I Peter. 2: 25).

Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood (Acts 20:28).

1To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers (I Pet. 5:1-2a).

God sees the eldership as a collection of men who serve, not only as shepherds, but as overseers. I guess what I'm saying is this, nothing can be more spiritual than the oversight of the church when it is done to serve Jesus Christ and imitate him.

Five things I think I think (a tip of the hat to Peter King for this idea)

1. My “young-buck” buddy, Keith Hayes, loaned me his book on Josh Hamilton, which I have just finished. The book is called BEYOND BELIEF and it is a terrific read if you are a baseball fan, or if you are a fan of redemption.

From the book, I told the story Sunday of when Hamilton was in a bad way. You may remember that he had been Major League Baseball's number one draft choice back in 1999. He gave in to a life of drug and alcohol addiction, and was so torn up by his addictions that he had no place to turn but to his grandmother. She took him in, but he was still hurting. The lowest point was one night when he went into her bedroom and begged her to let him sleep in her bed -- just like a little child.

Shortly thereafter, he writes, he finally went to God in surrender. He gave God his broken life. Like the master potter, God has brought beautiful pottery from re-formed clay. Last year, Hamilton became a folk hero in the MLB Home Run Derby at Yankee Stadium. Hamilton speaks often to drug addicts, young people, and church groups, including at the ballpark, after baseball games. Quite a story.


2. This week, I saw one of the great movie rip-offs of all time. The movie was called MARLEY AND ME. It should have been called JACK AND ME, because it was the story of my relationship with our yellow lab, Jack. I plan on suing the makers of this movie. If I win, I plan to change the name of my future autobiography. Instead of calling it MARK EDGE: THE STORY A POOR AND HUMBLE MAN, I will call it MONEY AND ME.

3. Last week I started to write about the racial incident involving Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Sgt. James Crowley. I held off because it seemed so difficult to sort through. I am pleased that Pres. Obama has invited the two to the White House.

Warning: I am one of those who believe in giving an elected official respect, regardless of whether or not one voted for him or her. I have tried to live my life that way. President Obama, Lord willing, will be our president for the next four years. Then we will have the opportunity to reevaluate. Until then, as with all of our other elected officials, we need to work together as best we can to see what we can accomplish for the good.

With that in mind, I see President Obama as a tremendous instrument to help to defuse racial tension in the United States, and to bring about more racial reconciliation. I hope this week's meeting between the three will make progress toward that objective.

One humorous item about this week's meeting. Larry Gilmore, of THE COMEDY CHANNEL’S THE DAILY SHOW had a great line about Gates, Crowley, and the president sharing a beer together—"Booze isn't how you resolve a racial incident, it's how you start one!"

4. Thank you, John Hill, for bringing your potter’s wheel all the way from Greenville, TX. People are still talking about the way you illustrated Jeremiah 18 during the A.M. sermon, I have even had a couple of folks who want to know if they can buy the works that they saw you make! You and your wife are true servants.

5. Congratulations and thanks to all of those who made the Shiloh Road VBS a remarkable success. May I indulge in a little parental pride? Well done, Abby Edge. By all accounts, you responded to an emergency call and portrayed well the woman who witnessed Jesus’ resurrection.

Have a great weekend!