Notes From the Conference
If you read this blog, you’ve read about my trip last week to Portland to attend a simulcast of the Willow Creek Leadership Summit. I went with 2 guys I work with and we had a blast together.
I didn’t head up with any expectations. Only to listen and soak it in. I was blown away. By the quality of the speakers. By the focus of the event. And, by the things God continues to reveal to me through everything I took in.
Instead of pouring into all my thoughts, I though I would highlight some of the quotes I’ve put together, from the conference. These are just a fraction of the notes I took.
I would love to hear what they mean to you.
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-Injustice in the bible is a particular sin. It is about the abuse of power, to take from other people the good things God intended for them. Ecc 4:1
-God wants people to know He is good. People need to know the goodness of God. The Lord loves justice.
-So why isn’t God doing anything about? Because we aren’t doing anything about it. The plan is for us to seek justice and rescue the oppressed. There is no doubt God has given us the work of justice in this world
-If we find ourselves saying “justice is not our thing” than God will find Himself saying, “you are not my thing”.
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-What are you doing that you need to stop doing?
-What is God trying to show me through my greatest limitation?
-What has God called you to do that you are afraid to attempt…and when are you going to do it?
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-Should we answer God with just a fraction of ourselves?
-If I were God for a day, would I pick myself to be used for His desires?
-Have I been shoveling stuff into my own wheel barrow all my life? What if I continue to shovel but only into others wheel barrows?
-Gods plan for us is greater than anything we could ever create.
“-What has God called you to do that you are afraid to attempt…and when are you going to do it?”
um….amazing. I’m scared to answer this!
JudiFree’s last blog post…This Is The Sign of My Covenant
It scares me too. I am realizing though, that I am too scared to not answer it.
The idea of injustice within the church has been on my mind a lot lately. I think of people who have walked away from God and the church because someone abused their power as a pastor, teacher or leader.
Also the question “What has God called you to do that you are afraid to attempt…and when are you going to do it?” is one that I’ve asked myself a lot this past year.
Then my back gets a break….
I assume the —–’s between quotes means they were different speakers? In any event though, it would seem God is bringing them all to your attention together.
Is it safe to summarize the categories as ‘injustice’, ‘fear’, and ’surrender’?
Amy brought the idea of ‘injustice’ within the church into play, and that is reasonable to propose considering it was a church leadership conference. It does seem though that whenever the subject of justice is brought up, we too easily look at all the injustices ‘out there’(world) and then jump on a band wagon of societal involvement. As I see it though, God’s word focuses more on His people’s injustice to one another, i.e. ‘abuse of power’.
I don’t know what scripture references might have come up at the conference, but ones I see applying in that way are Ezekiel 34; Amos 5:21-28; Micah 3; Mt. 20:25-28; & 1 Peter 5:1-4.
It’s pretty easy to see the connection between ‘abuse of power’(i.e. ‘injustice’) and fear as its motive because those ‘in control’ tend to fear losing it, and the enemy’s always right there to assist us in keeping it by whatever means necessary. It’s a huge temptation for anyone entrusted with power, but it’s not God’s way as evidenced by Jesus’ words and example.
Since God clearly doesn’t approve ‘power monging’, if I were guilty of it, I’d be more afraid of HIM than people I might feel threatened by (Prov. 16:1-12 & 29:25).
That’s where ’surrender’ comes in– giving complete control to HIM, obeying HIS directives to stop taking it back, and then, if possible, righting whatever ‘injustices’ were already commited. He will clearly direct in how that can happen if we are seriously surrendered and listening, I believe.
‘Hope this made sense and wasn’t off on a totally irrelevant tangent =}.
D-
Amy, I think there is much injustice in the church. I also believe that god will hold those in power in the church to a higher standard when they stand before Him.
BuddyO, but you’d still be shoveling…So how does your back get a break
D, good tangent. I think it was still on subject with the thoughts I laid out here.
You alluded to the fact that although there is injustice in the church, the injustice Jesus speaks of is much larger or more encompassing. If that was the case, I agree.
Gary Haugen was the speaker who spoke to injustice. He is the President and CEO of the International Justice Mission. An amazing organization of lawyers who go throughout the world fighting against injustice. Things like slave trade, sex rings and child endangerment. Mostly in 3rd world countries, but not exclusively. Incredible ministry and mission.
When I listened to Gary speak, it was easy to see the difference between injustice and fairness. I think often we cry injustice, when in fact, something was just no fair. Gary sees heavy oppression and slavery and is a part of it daily, so his take on injustice comes from that angle.
Fear has a huge part in it I am sure. Both in the abusing and in the abused. That speaks volumes to injustice on both sides.
Someone else gets to haul all my crap…
We’ve recently dealt with a huge abuse of power within our own church, so that is why it is on the forefront of my mind. Thanks for the reminder that those who pastor and teach will be held accountable for how they lead the flock.
Buddy, I see where your coming from now…Haha!
Amy, it’s awful to be in the middle of it. Sorry you’ve had to deal with that.
In the Matthew passage, Jesus was definitely speaking only to His disciples, and I could only find another couple of passages where He spoke directly re: justice. Maybe someone else can find more by keying off other related words(??).
One was Luke 11:42 where He is addressing the Pharisees for professing one thing, doing another, and so abusing their authority. The other is Lk. 18:1-8 where Jesus presents the story of the unjust judge and widow who was finally granted justice because she persistently pursued it. That definitely deals with injustices propagated by the world (it says the judge didn’t ‘fear God or man’), but God was the One who ultimately delivered her:
“Then the Lord said, ‘Learn a lesson from this evil judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end, so don’t you think God will surely give justice to His chosen people who plead with Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, He will grant justice to them quickly! But when I, the Son of Man, return, how many will I find who have faith?’” (Luke 18:6-8) NLT
That’s sure not to say that we should ignore injustices ANYWHERE, but should instead support(and participate with)those who have influence in stopping them. Yet ultimately, we must ‘entrust ourselves (and others) to the One who judges justly’(1 Peter 2:23)and persistently cry out to HIM to stop the oppression. At the same time though, we must also be aware of our own responsibility to deal justly with any under OUR authority (especially within His Body).
D- (36)
The justice spoken of in this conference had more to do with abuse when it comes from taking away from people what God has intended for them. This then falls inline with what you are saying regarding God, being the ultimate deliverer of this kind of justice.
Gary spoke strongly to the fact that we have an opportunity to be a light for God to the people of this world. To give them a glimpse of the goodness that He intends for all of us. I think he was right on in saying that God’s plan for goodness, here on earth, is us. People to often wonder where God is in the midst of problems. When they have to wonder where God is, it means that one of us has not stepped up to show them who God is.
People like you and I, as we face injustice or oppression, absolutely need to, as you have said, “‘entrust ourselves (and others) to the One who judges justly’(1 Peter 2:23)and persistently cry out to HIM to stop the oppression.” But there are so many in this world that don’t know Him and need to see Him for who He really is. And, I am not sure we should expect them to know as you or I would know.
The kind of oppression that Gary spoke of and works with daily is nothing like anything I have ever experienced. and doesn’t have much to do with general abuse of power. It has to do with the literal stripping away of basic human rights. That is intense.