Get your own wisdom

I have shared on this several times. There are two main areas where church leaders fall down on the one subject.

1, seeking advice!
2, giving advice!

It follows a pattern doesn't it? I have noticed that a lot of trendy would be mega church pastors become mega church tourists. They seek out someone who has done what they want to do and buy their books and even visit their church. Years ago, Bill Hybels was the guy, Willow Creek was the place. Everyone wanted to be like him, he had such a successful church.

I heard about Bill that his secretary always buys him 4 new books every time he goes on a plane. I wonder how many of his wannabes copy that as well! The point is Bill is Bill, people want to copy what he did but they often fail because they aren't Bill. They can't make every decision the way he would, no matter how many of his books they read, because they are not him.

The other side of this is in giving advice. When a person from the congregation of a pastor comes to him with a problem, many pastors have the answer right there for them. I have been guilty of this too. Is is a crime and it is theft. I need to change my policy.

In a church meeting once I read out the verse in James 1:5, "If anyone lacks wisdom let him ask the pastor." And the people nodded, I then laughed, it doesn't say that. It says, "If anyone lacks wisdom let them ask God!"

I am glad that this has come to a head in my life and that I have realised early enough. Pastors make people pastor dependant. They have them hanging on their every word. People like Joyce Meyer, make people Joyce dependent in the same way.

So let's re examine this. A pastor looks at a church and thinks in his own mind "That's what I want to do for God." So, he sets about doing it. Two things, 1 does God want that? Did Bill go to God for the blue print or was it his understanding he was leaning on? (Watch the bible church videos below under "Wahoo" to see what God's word says about church blueprint). 2, if it was what God wanted and Bill got it from God then wouldn't it be better to build a relationship with God and get it from the same source, or at least get exactly what God wants for you from him?

When a congregation member comes to the pastor, wouldn't it be better for the pastor to teach the people to be "God dependant" rather than "pastor dependant?" No matter what the problem, tell them to first ask God.

Not only did James not tell us to ask the pastor, he also didn't say to read the bible, get the concordance out or google it! The solution is very simple, ask God.

Faith to me is living according to the word. Many Christians today believe they have great faith because they tithe and have a daily quiet time, yet they get anxious, Jesus said don't so how much do they trust him? We are not condemned yet people fell condemned so how much do we trust him. We are told that when we lack wisdom we should ask God, yet we read books, ask people and go to anyone we can find rather than simply ask God. So how much do we trust him? It is easy to build up that relationship and trust, basically ask Him when you lack wisdom!

The next part of what James says is that God gives to everyone that asks. So it isn't a case of a quick "What should I do Lord?" Followed by, "I think God wants me to ask the pastor!"

And clearly we need to test everything against scripture, so if you hear God saying, "Get a divorce" "Kill him" or whatever, then your wires are crossed somewhere. It is about learning to build the relationship by pushing through. We need to get past our own wishful thinking and imagination to the place where we hear from God.