Be sure to read the previous posts in the series here, here, and here.
In our discussions about Modern and Post-modern, the topics and subjects have come from relatively recent experience or something God has walked me through. I really do feel like the Holy Spirit is giving me things to write about. So, while I may have plans for subject matter, I’m trying to be open to the Spirit’s guidance for this communication. And today is no different. This post is aimed to be constructive towards both younger worship leaders and worship leaders who may find themselves in a new context after years of leadership. In any case, hopefully this is seen as a primer or a good refresher.
In most cases, one could assume that most readers of the Church Collective would consider themselves a Post-modern minded worship leader. And as such, it may be safe to assume that a majority find themselves in the under-30 demographic. Let’s be clear, that can be a hard place to find oneself, most notably if this Post-modern worship leader serves under a Modern minded leadership. Education in theological and musical training, along with little bit of experience can lend one to begin to believe they “know it all.” And that can be dangerous. A sense of pride and lack of teach-ability begins to grow, and very soon that pride begins to destroy what could be fruitful ministry.
I’m not sure I can call this a hard-and-fast rule, but I think every generation before us has seen the next generation as rebellious and disrespectful. And to be clear, there is a tendency for every generation to have moments that border on outright rebellion, or they may actually be rebellious. Modern may have even been called rebellious when he was young in ministry. And here’s the tension. Most likely, his leadership chastised him during his formative ministry years as acting like “he knows everything.” His chastisement was likely not pleasant, and he sees that as a good thing now. It stopped a dangerous pride from growing within him. He is grateful for what might have been a “heavy hand of correction.” So, he now sees it his job to be that heavy hand in other young minister’s lives. I remember my father telling me all the time; “I don’t have to listen to you until you turn 30!” And as crappy as it can be, there are church leaderships that are incredibly skeptical of any young leaders within the church; and maybe rightly so. But, what is our recourse? How do we overcome this tension, this part of the war?
Respect is a great qualifier in any battle. Believing an “opponent” to be your equal, or at least formidable, lends itself to guiding how we prepare. A basketball team with a #4 seed will enter a contest with a #2 seed with a different mindset than a game with a #13 seed. It just happens. Right, wrong, or indifferent, when a guitarist walks in carrying a Matchless combo, boutique pedal board and Dusenberg I begin to form an opinion of them. People who don’t have guitar chops just don’t invest that much in gear. So then, how do we earn respect from Modern? How do we get him to see Post-modern as an equal? Not that we’re in a war, but if we aren’t seen as equals we can’t possibly make any headway together. How do we show him that we carry the appropriate tools for the job?
Students of scripture will be familiar with 1 Timothy 4, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” That’s all great and good, but sometimes it feels like that Modern-minded leadership does look down on Post-modern. Do we just chalk it up to “how-it-is” or do we fight to change minds?
I think we fight to change minds, and I think we do it be walking through 1 Timothy 4. Hopefully, this will speak to someone specifically because I firmly believe that God has placed this on my heart, as much for me as anyone else. When I read this verse, I see 5 things listed as qualifiers to the part that we generally love to recite. They are: speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. While these aren’t the end all, be all for us. Scripturally, we can’t find much better.
Speech: What comes from our mouth, as Jesus educates, is an extension or expression of the heart contained within us. So what does our speech say about our heart? Are we encouraging? Do we complain? Are our words used to edify (build up) the body? When we speak, are our sentences full of first person pronouns? Is it a lot of “I,” “me” and “my?”
Or is our speech consumed with the grace, mercy and encouragement that flows from a heart redeemed (made new) by the presence of Jesus? Do we follow through with what we say? James knew what he was talking about when he referenced the tongue and it’s power. (James 3)
Conduct: How do we carry ourselves? Most specifically, how do we go about our work? Does our conduct (the way we go about things) show a compassion that can only come through learning the heart of Jesus?
The command to set the example in speech is important, but I see the command to set the example in conduct as an even higher exhortation. Our culture, both inside and outside the church, is more than aware of quick talking church members. We can disarm the skeptics though, by living a life that cannot be questioned. I find it no coincidence that there are only four letters written to specific individuals and not communities found in scripture. Two of those letters are guidance to a young pastor (Timothy). And then there are the portions of scripture directed at wives with unbelieving husbands (1 Peter 3). And on and on and on it goes. The conduct of our lives is deafeningly loud when compared with the words we speak. When our conduct exhibits the heart of Christ, our youth is not a problem.
Love: Do we honestly care about the people who are a part of our fellowship? It is painfully evident to Modern when fail to engage in life with the members of or churches, and that upsets him (and Jesus… I think). The church is about the people within; we all know that. They will know we are Christians by our love. I don’t need to beat this one into the ground.
When we love our fellowships the way Christ loves His church, our youth will not be a problem.
Faith: If there are any readers out there who have not experienced hardship through or within ministry, then you must consider yourselves lucky. There are only a few promises attached to giving our lives over to Jesus, one of them is hardship. (John 16:33). We will have negative things happen to us either directly because of our ministry or from an external point while we are in ministry. And our church is watching, Modern is watching; he’s waiting to see how we’ll react. C.S. Lewis said, “Surely what a man does when he is taken off his guard is the best evidence for what sort of man he is…” (We can quote Lewis… right?)
In no way do I want to limit the ability for faith to be demonstrated to our suffering, one can certainly show faith without suffering. I do know, however, that faith through suffering is one of the most powerful witness tools we have.
When we stand firm in our faith Jesus, especially when it isn’t easy, our youth will not be a problem.
Purity: It. Just. Got. Real. Most of our minds went to one very specific place, and for good reason. But to relegate the meaning of this word to merely sexual is to miss the whole point. I like to believe that Jesus, through Paul’s pen, chose to leave purity at the end of this list for it’s all encompassing definition.
The English language has limitations when trying to pull in the original scriptural language (it wasn’t KJV). The word used in the Greek is translated purity, but it literally means to live life in a completely sinless manner. Hard to do, but can be strived for. (Almost like singing Tomlin songs in the original key).
When we live a life that is pure, our youth will not be a problem.
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