Thursday 4 February 2016

Maybe The System, Itself, Is The Problem...

I came across this quote today and I couldn't help but think of the 'church' system I've encountered:

"Life is full of examples of systems that work. When you find yourself in a situation where you can't make headway towards solving a problem, consider whether you're addressing the problem at its origin... What part of the system isn't working? ...

Too often we see a bad result and we mistake it for the problem. The result may be just a byproduct of a system that's not functioning, a flashing error warning to let you know that something has to change." - Henry Cloud

And I thought about the many christian leaders who are responding to the mass exodus of people from the institutional church by simply trying to plug the leak, instead of seeing it as a "flashing error warning" - seeing the loss of people as the problem, not a symptom of it.

Maybe it would be good if these people stopped to consider whether the system itself is the problem!

Maybe addressing the rampant abuse might help.

Maybe being honest and authentic (not 'pretend nice') might help.

Maybe dealing with conflict instead of silencing people might help.

Maybe changing the culture of arrogance and privilege might help.

Maybe embracing diversity might help.

Maybe 'leaders' living what they sell might help.

Maybe disabling the hierarchical structures might help.

Maybe abandoning the 'one man show' might help.

Maybe displaying the power of love rather than the love of power might help.


Maybe treating others like people not projects might help.

Maybe asking questions instead of enforcing answers might help.

Maybe dealing with our crap instead of blaming others might help.

Maybe representing Jesus accurately might help.

Maybe giving up the religious system and simply following Jesus might help.


Maybe...

5 comments:

  1. Living Liminal

    Yes - Absolutely...
    “Maybe The System, Itself, Is The Problem...”

    And “The System” has been “The Problem,” for 1700 years.
    I now call it, “The Corrupt Religious System,” of today.

    Here’s - Corrupt - Dictionary...
    1) - showing a willingness to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain.
    2) - debased or made unreliable by errors or alterations.
    3) - in a state of decay; rotten or putrid.

    Seems The Whole Religious System, for 1,700 years, been *Totally Corrupt.*
    With...
    1 - Elder/Overseers who do NOT meet the qualifications found in the Bible?
    .....(1. Must be Blameless. 2. Holy? 3. Just? 4. Rule well their own house? etc.)
    2 - Multiple thousands of denominations - NOT found in the Bible?
    .....(Baptist, Presbyterian., Catholic, Lutheran, Assembly of God. etc.)
    3 - Multiple Movements - NOT found in the Bible?
    .....(Reformed, Evangelical, Pentecostal, Emergent, etc.)
    4 - Abusive Heirarchy - Abusive Authoritarians - NOT found in the Bible?
    .....(Who Exercise Authority like the gentiles and lord it over God’s heritage.)
    5 - Traditions of men - NOT found in the Bible?
    .....(Money as a Tithe, Go to church, Join a church, church membership. etc).
    6 - Titles/Positions - NOT found in the Bible? (Pastor/Leader/Reverend?)
    .....(Clergy, Doctor, Right Reverend, Cardinal, Senior Pastor, Lead Pastor. etc.)

    Isn’t “The System” filled with those having “a willingness to act dishonestly?”
    And are after...
    1) - “money and personal gain?”
    ..... (Celebrity Pastors, Authors, Confrence speakers, and everyone KNOWS my name.)
    ..... (He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory... John 7:18)
    2) - and make “Today’s System” “unreliable by errors or alterations,” to the Bible?
    ...... (How the Bible describes “His Church.”) (Taking “titles” NOT in the Bible.)
    ...... (How elders “Ignore” Qualifications for Overseer?)
    And because of these errors and alterations to the Bible
    3) - The Corrupt Religious System is in a state of decay; rotten and putrid?

    Yes - Absolutely...
    “Maybe giving up the religious system and simply following Jesus might help.”

    And The Good News is...
    Folks are leaving “The System” by the millions...
    And turning to Jesus.
    ----------

    Jer 50:6
    “My people” hath been “lost sheep:”
    **THEIR shepherds** have caused them to *go astray,*

    1 Pet 2:25
    For ye were as *sheep going astray;*
    BUT are now returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

    {{{{{{ Jesus }}}}}}


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    1. It's very encouraging that there are so many who see the system for what it is and are responding with truth - shining a light in the dark places :)

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  3. Think about it this way:

    When God created the nation of Israel, it was intended that He would be Lord and King over them all. That wasn't good enough, so they demanded that God give them a human king to rule over them... and they largely suffered for that. So, Jesus did not die so that we could have a new hierarchical system for men to lord over us. Jesus died so that God (He) could once again act as King over His people.

    The Law was given, largely, to rein in the wickedness of the hearts of the people of Israel. Jesus did not die for another legalistic system, but that we would have new hearts, that rather than desiring to follow the fleshly nature, would desire to follow, love, and please God.

    The system is THE problem because Jesus did not die and raise again for a system, he came, lived among us, died, and those again because He loves and desires us as people... His people. When you plug people into a system, they tend to disappear, and the system becomes paramount.

    "Come out of her, my people."

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    Replies
    1. "When you plug people into a system, they tend to disappear, and the system becomes paramount."

      So very true! Jesus offers us life in him... not a system!

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