Endtimes Indications - 1/17/8
Bird flu may be spread indirectly, WHO says*
17 Jan 2008 02:19:19 GMT
Source: Reuters
By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor
WASHINGTON, Jan 16 (Reuters) - The H5N1 bird flu virus may sometimes
stick to surfaces or get kicked up in fertilizer dust to infect
people,
according to a World Health Organization report published on
Wednesday.
The WHO team reviewed all known human cases of avian influenza, which
has infected 350 people in 14 countries and killed 217 of them since
2003, and found that 25 percent of cases have no explanation.
Most are passed directly from bird to people, they noted in their
report, published in the New England Journal of Medicine. And very
rarely one person can infect another -- always close relatives via
intimate physical contact.
"In one quarter or more of patients with influenza A (H5N1) virus
infection, the source of exposure is unclear, and environment-to-
human
transmission remains possible," the researchers, led by WHO's Dr.
Frederick Hayden, wrote.
"For some patients, the only identified risk factor was visiting a
live-poultry market."
It could be that small particles of virus-contaminated fluid stuck to
surfaces, they said. Or perhaps fertilizer made from infected bird
feces
somehow carried the virus into people's noses or mouths.
"It is unknown whether influenza A (H5N1) virus infection can begin
in
the human gastrointestinal tract," they wrote.
"In several patients, diarrheal disease preceded respiratory
symptoms,
and virus has been detected in feces."
Government and health officials have stressed that well-cooked
chicken
cannot infect people. "Drinking potable water and eating properly
cooked
foods are not considered to be risk factors, but ingestion of
virus-contaminated products or swimming or bathing in virus-
contaminated
water might pose a risk," the WHO team of bird flu experts noted.
ENDEMIC IN BIRDS
H5N1 is considered entrenched in parts of Asia, including Indonesia,
Africa and the Middle East. It pops up frequently in Europe and has
prompted the slaughter of hundreds of millions of chickens.
The researchers noted that people only rarely become infected. The
fear
is that the virus will mutate into a strain that passes easily from
one
person to another, setting off a pandemic that could kill millions of
people in the space of a few months.
"After exposure to infected poultry, the incubation period generally
appears to be 7 days or less, and in many cases this period is 2 to 5
days," the WHO team wrote.
"In clusters in which limited, human-to-human transmission has
probably
occurred, the incubation period appears to be approximately 3 to 5
days,
although in one cluster it was estimated to be 8 to 9 days."
It usually causes severe pneumonia and tests suggest that it rarely
or
never infects people without causing symptoms.
Avian flu kills on average within nine to 10 days and has killed 61
percent of victims.
Quick use of antiviral drugs can save lives, they noted, although
some
strains of the virus are more treatable than others with Tamiflu, the
drug of choice to treat influenza. It is made by Roche Holdings AG
<ROG.VX> and Gilead Sciences <GILD.O> under the generic name
oseltamivir.
1-1-6-Christian Perspective
Goals:
Recognize and articulate the value of faith in caring for needs.
Grow in understanding of how faith resources and insights work
together.
Work together on a theology of training.
Explore and deal with feelings of inadequacy as training.
Gain a deeper sense of how God meets deeply-felt spiritual needs.
Opening Prayer:
Lord God, what a wondrous treasure you have given us in our
Christianity! Forgive us for sometimes belittling its value and
potential for our Leadership. Give us the grace in understanding and
practice our own faith - orientation without stopping to the level of
cutting down others. help us always be faithful to you in all our
training interactions, in Jesus name. Amen.
Lead-In:
We desire to be caring Christians. Your participation demonstrates
this. We want to lead effectively as possible. Drawing from the
resources of Christianity is an important part of giving quality
care. Also important is the use of Christian resources God has given
us.
The Christian Trainer, using both sets of resources under God is able
to meet quite effectively the deepest needs that people have.
In this session we will look at our need for both; the secular and the
spiritual. We will see how God meets peoples deep needs. We will
grow in our understanding of the ways in which God meets our own deep
needs and gain a greater appreciation of how God meets needs through
us.
Risks
Introduction: In this Bible study, Simon Peter is invited to take the
plunge. After sharing his experience, you've got some decisions to
make.
God My talents are SO FEW
and I am SO WEAK
and there are SO MANY
with SO MUCH more to offer than me.
God I have CONCLUDED
it is BETTER for me
to do NOTHING
about ANYTHING
for fear I might do SOMETHING wrong.
I sometimes get this feeling when...
Read Mat. 14:22-33
John's unfair execution disturbed Jesus deeply, but he could not
escape either the crowds of people or his disciples. Yet, Jesus
showed compassion on the people and met their needs.
"Come on" is the invitation.
And Peter doesn't have to be told twice. It's not every day that you
walk on water through waves that are taller than you are....
The first few steps go well. But a few strides out into the water, and
he forgets to look to the One who got him there in the first place,
and down he plunges....
Peter knows better than to bite the hand that can save him. His
response may lack class - it probably wouldn't get him on the cover of
Gentleman's quarterly or even Sports Illustrated- but it gets him out
of some deep water:
"Help me!"
And since Peter would rather swallow pride than water, a hand comes
through the rain and pulls him up.
The message is clear.
As long as Jesus is ine of many options, he is no option. As long as
you can carry your burdens alone, you don't need a burden bearer. As
long as your situation brings you no grief, you will receive no
comfort. And as long as you can take him or leave him, you might as
well leave him, because he won't be taken half-heartedly.
(From The Applause of Heaven by Max Lucado)
Imitate Christ's compassion by putting the needs of others ahead of
your own. Be willing to stay up late with a disappointed friend
rather than getting your sleep. Let your schedule be interrupted to
comfort or listen to somebody else.
When it comes to risking how would you describe yourself?
Where do you feel God is inviting you to "get out of the boat" right
now?
If God could help me deal with this situation, what would he do?
Would you be more likely to stay in the boat or step out of it? Why?
What do you see in your own life that parallels Peter's attempt to
walk on water?
If God could help me deal with this decision, what would he do?
If you had been Peter how would you have responded if Jesus invited
you to "come?"
When you are apprehensive about the troubles around you and doubt
Christ's presence or ability to help, you must remember that he is the
only one who can really help. To maintain your faith when situations
are difficult, keep your eye on Jesus' power rather than on your
inadequacies. We may not walk on water, but we do walk through tough
situations. If we focus on the waves of difficult circumstances
around us without looking to Jesus for help, we too may despair and
sink.
Develop the discipline of spending time alone with God it will help
you grow spiritually and become more and more like Christ. Spending
time with God in prayer, nurtures a vital relationship and equips us
to meet life's challenges and struggles.
Read Mat. 20:1-16
Jesus traveled toward Jerusalem for the last time. He refuted the
Jewish leaders' ideas that their heritage would ensure them membership
in heaven. His disciples were also slow to learn and argued over
kingdom status for themselves.
Jesus emphasized that salvation depends on God's love, mercy, and
kindness. No one deserves it.
A certain landowner needs workers. At 6:00 A.M. he picks his crew,
they agree on a wage, and he puts them to work. At 9:00 he is back at
the unemployment agency and picks a few more. At noon he is back and
at 3:00 in the afternoon he is back and at 5:00, you guessed it. He's
back again.
Now, the punchline of the story is the anger the twelve-hour laborers
felt when the other guys got the same wage. That's a great message,
but we'll save it for another book.
I want to hone in on an often forgotten scene in the story: the
choosing. Can you see it? It happened at 9:00. It happened at noon,
it happened at 3:00. But most passionately, it happened at 5:00.
Five in the afternoon. Tell me. What is a worker still doing in the
yard at 5:00 in the afternoon? The best have long since gone. The
mediocre workers went at lunch. The last string went at 3:00. What
kind of worker is left at 5:00 p.m.?
All day they get passed by. They are unskilled. Untrained.
Uneducated. They are hanging with one hand from the bottom of the
ladder. They are absolutely dependent upon a merciful boss giving
them a chance they don't deserve.
So, by the way, were we. Lest we get a bit cocky, we might take
Paul's advice and look at what we were when God called us. Do you
remember?
Some of us were polished and sharp but paper-mache thin. Others of us
didn't even try to hide our despair. We drank it. We smelled it. We
shot it. We sold it. Life was a passion-pursuit. We were on a
treasure hunt for an empty chest in a dead-end canyon.
Do you remember how you felt? Do you remember the perspiration on
your forehead and the crack in your soul? Do you remember how you
tried to hide the loneliness until it got bigger than you and then you
just tried to survive?
Hold that picture for a moment. Now answer this. Why did he choose
you? Why did he choose me? Honestly. Why? What do we have that he
needs?
Intellect? Do we honestly think for one minute that we have - or ever
will have - a thought he hasn't had?
Willpower? I can respect that. Some of us are stubborn enough to
walk on water if we feel called to do so... but to think God's kingdom
would have done a belly-up without our determination.
How about money? We came into the kingdom with a nice little nest
egg. Perhaps that's why we where chosen. Perhaps the creator of
heaven and earth could use a little of our cash. Maybe the owner of
every breath and every person and the author of history, was getting
low on capital and he saw us and our black ink and....
Get the point?
We were chosen for the same reason the five o'clock workers were. You
and me? We are the five o'clock workers.
That's us leaning against the orchard fence sucking cigarettes we
can't afford and betting beers we'll never buy on a game of penny-
toss. Migrant workers with no jobs and no futures. The tattoo on
your arm reads "Betty." The one on my biceps is nameless but her hips
bounce when I flex. Se should have given up and gone home after the
lunch whistle but home is a one-bedroom motel with a wife whose first
question will be, "Did you get on or not?"So we wait. The too little,
too lates.
And Jesus? Well Jesus is the guy in the black pickup who owns the
hillside acreage. He's the fellow who noticed us as he drove by
leaving us in his dust. He's the one who stopped the truck, put it in
reverse, and backed up to where we were standing.
He's the one you'll tell your wife about tonight as you walk to the
grocery with a jingle in your pocket. "I'd never seen this guy
before. He just stopped, rolled down his window, and asked us if we
wanted to work. It was already near quitting time, but he said he had
some work that wouldn't wait. I swear, Marth, I only worked one hour
and he paid me for the full day."
"No, I don't know his name."
"Of course, I'm gonna find out. Too good to be true, that guy."
Why did he pick you? He wanted to. After all, you are his. He made
you. He brought you home. He owns you. And once upon a time, he
tapped you on the shoulder and reminded you of that fact. No matter
how long you'd waited or how much time you'd wasted, you are his and
he has a place for you.
(From And the Angels Were Silent by Max Lucado)
If you are a Christian ask yourself, "What are my special skills or
abilities?" List your answers: administration, technical work, or
cooking. Now that God has brought you to work in his Kingdom, how can
you use these gifts for him?
This parable speaks especially to those who feel superior because of
heritage or favored position, to those who feel superior because they
have spent so much time with Christ and to new believers are
reassurance of God's grace. Instead, of being jealous, focus on God's
gracious benefits to you, and be thankful for what you have; then
repay him by serving God.
Christian Perspective
The Advantages of Christian Leadership
All other factors being equal, Christian leaders has significant
advantages over any other method. The primary advantage is that of
depth.
Here is why. All too often, Christian leaders/trainers consider the
impact of their training to be comparatively insignificant. The
believe that they are inadequate because they are not as well trained
as secular professionals. Specifically, they think that without
extensive secular training, they cannot relate deeply to those they
train.
Not at all! Christian trainers need to feel good about their
training. They need to realize that the distinctive Christian
approach is the deepest system available. The best content and
framework on which to build is the Christian one. We have God as our
chief trainer and coach, our guide and co-trainer, our control of the
world.
In his book "The Minister as Diagnostician" Paul Pruyser notes that
church people often avoid theology, but he maintains its usefulness.
He stresses that Christian trainers should return to their own,
including grace, repentance, Christian vocation and love.
As you live a life of Christian training, you might occasionally run
into situations in which you feel as if you are in over your head.
The problems of the person you are training may be more than you can
handle alone. The individual may need the services of another trainer/
caregiver - or other trained professionals. Find the best resource
for the person in your community and make the referral.
When the trainee's problems are too deep or complex for you to handle
on your own make the referral without feeling guilty or worrying that
your faith is inadequate. There is no need to doubt your calling or
ability as a Christian trainer. The professional might offer acquired
skills which you might not have, and you offer Christian training,
caring and resources which many other professionals don't have.
Remember that the person may still need your love, support, and
Christian training. The individual needs as much love and support as
before - may be more. Furthermore, he or she still has spiritual
needs which can only be filled by a faith relationship with God, and
your Christian training enables God to speak directly and lovingly to
that need - always being careful not to compete or conflict with the
other caregiver.
In years to come theology will play an increasingly greater role,
enabling us to understand better the nature of human deficiencies,
problems, potentials, and joys. This will affect not only Christians
but also those outside Christianity.
Psychology, sociology, and medicine cannot give the entire answer to
the human condition. There is a significant gap left for theology,
and it benefits our God, not to forget His authority and to step in
and fill that gap.
Training for Relational Problems
Many of the problems which will bring people to you are the results of
their having missed the plan of God. A person traveling from San
Francisco to New York may have successfully traversed the highways for
two thousand miles (like a person with twenty-five good years of
marriage), yet if he takes a wrong turn in Chicago (perhaps betraying
his spouse). he may eventually end up in Toronto (or with a broken
home). Having taken wrong turns, having made poor choices, at times
having signed, we have to readjust our paths and take new directions.
Everything that happens within the confines of a home affects all the
members of that family because a family is an intricate pattern of
relationships. It can only follow that much of our training involves
relationships with people, especially those in our families. In a
family of four their are at least sixteen separate relationships. the
relationship of each person to the other three as well as an
individual relationships (how we feel about ourselves) which affects
our emotional health and happiness. No wonder family living is
complex.
Illnesses, career reversals, accidents, financial problems, the birth
or death of a child, even aging which changes our appearance and
outlook are part of the tapestry of relationships. These generally
have nothing to do with personal failure, nor are they the result of
individual sin; nonetheless, they are issues which often require
training and help to cope with.
The application of God's Word, though, is a very positive thing which
gives hope in a broken world. It takes away the despair of those who
see no way out of their situation. It allows a broken person to see
light at the end of a dark tunnel.
At times the people you help will have grown up in homes where a
knowledge of right and wrong is clear. They may not always do the
right thing, but at least they know what it is. A growing number of
people, though, especially those under age forty, have been raised by
permissive parents and have very fuzzy ideas about right and wrong.
Our role models and heroes today are often intividuals whose integrity
is tainted. They seem to be admired more because of what they do or
get away with rather than what they are. "Integrity," says Ted
Engstrom in his book by the same title, "simply put... is doing what
you said you would do." When it comes to marriage, it includes a
monogamous commitment. In the family, integrity includes loyalty and
trustworthiness. In friendships, it means support and acceptance.
When people don't do what they said they would do, or what the other
person thinks they said they would do, conflict results and
relationships are broken.
At times broken relationships are the result of unkept promises. At
times they are the result of wrong choices which damage relationships,
and, at other times, they are the result of misunderstandings or
different points of view, which have to be reconciled through better
communication and understanding.
Every time a person makes a statement there are three components:
What you said (the face value of the statement).
What you meant to say (which may not be what you actually said), and
What you implied (which you may not have actually said at all).
Jesus said, "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to
them..." (Matt. 7:12). This requires maintaining a keen awareness of
how our actions affect other people. Working through conflict
situations demands this.
A Framework for Christian Training
The following points are matters which you as a trainer need to
resolve firmly in your thinking before you even begin to others work
through personal problems.
God is a good God; Therefore, what He tells us in His word is His plan
for living.
Of course, this cuts across the grain of secular images of God as a
bully, or a cosmic policeman, out to get you when you are bad. Or the
Great Enforcer whose black book (The Bible) was designed to make you
miserable and is totally unrealistic and out of harmony with our world
today.
Another version of this is that the Bible may be well and good, but it
is only a lofty guide of something to shoot for, the "impossible
dream" of old men with long gray beards who wrote it long ago.
When you train in a Christian perspective, you use the Bible to
enlighten, to guide, and to encourage as well as to reprove and
censure (when necessary).
healing broken relationships instead of dissolving them is working in
harmony with God's plan.
God could not be a good God realizing that there will be conflicts in
relationships unless He had given us a means of resolving those
conflicts.
The conflicts which destroy relationships today are not new.
Infidelity, broken communication producing hostility and anger,
premarital sex, jealousy, dishonesty, and deceit - all of these are
pictured in the live of those whose stories are told in the Bible.
Those who think there should be no conflicts in our relationships are
about as realistic as expecting all Christian wives to be a
combination of Betty Crocker, Mother Teresa, and Farrah Fawcett, and
expecting every man to walk on water and leap over tall buildings in a
single bound.
When two people come together in marriage, they "become one flesh," in
the words of Scripture, but their union in marriage doesn't for a
moment mean the bounding of their emotions or personalities. Every
person is a collage of customs, emotions, family traditions,
idiosyncrasies, and personalities; there is also the baggage of
heredity which links you to your ancestors. The "becoming one" is the
weaving of all these different ingredients into the tapestry of a new
relationship forming the structure of a new family.
It is not without elements of struggle which affect relationships.
Helping to resolve these conflicts is all part of the training
ministry of Christ.
Some conflicts are not the result of personal failure but are the
result of living in a broken world.
Today there is a widespread belief which just won't go away: "If what
happens to me is good, it's obvious that God is blessing me; and it
it's bad, it's the judgement of God or the devil who did it."
An imperfect world means that we are confronted with brokenness for
which, at times, we bear no direct responsibility.
People will ask "Why did God let this happen to me? Why did He fail
me?" and you will have to answer, "God did not fail you - your husband
failed you," or "your wife failed you!"
At times even searching for an answer is futile, yet a person tells
something of his belief in God by the questions he asks of God. You
can go crazy trying to come up with adequate explanations for
situations. It is much better to help the hurting person realize God
will meet us at the point of our deepest needs.
Learning to cope with situations we cannot alter is part of the
healing process and some situations - the result of living in a broken
world - cannot be resolved. To bear anger or bitterness toward
another, or even toward God, is part of what destroys lives. Through
training, you help your trainee to forgive those who have hurt him or
her and to understand it was not God who failed. You help him or her
to see God as a stronghold in times of trouble (see Nah. 1:17). and a
hiding place in times of distress (see Pss 32:7; 61:2) In so doing we
learn to cope with what cannot be changed.
* God promised to be with us in times of difficulty, not to exempt us
from them.
When a problems confronts a couple, one of two things will happen: the
problem will either drive the two closer to the Lord and each other,
or the problem will cause division and bitterness.
Isaiah 43:2-3: "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk
through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch
you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your
Savior...."
Nahum 1:7; "The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; and
He knows those who trust in Him."
Ephesians 1:11: "In (him) also we have obtained an inheritance, being
predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things
according to the counsel of His will."
Romans 8:28: "And we know that all things work together for good to
those who love God, to those who are the called according to His
purpose."
The issue of Forgiveness
* What does God's forgiveness mean and why seek it?
Almost always when there is a broken relationship with another person,
an individual's relationship with God is affected. Harsh words
produce bitterness, and anger produces sin. In dealing with the needs
of people, great healing comes in recognizing, confessing, and
forsaking that sin.
When people pray with you, they begin to vent their emotions and a
tremendous catharsis takes place. Tears replace anger, and the
brokenness which results helps to restore fractured relationships.
Finding God's forgiveness is part of phase three; the restoration
phase of counseling.
Key Scriptures
1 John 1:9; "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Psalm 103:12, 13: As far as the east is from the west, so far has He
removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children,
so the Lord pities those who fear Him.
Isaiah 43:25; "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for
my own sake; and I will not remember your sins."
Micah 7:19: "You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea."
When people have hurt others, especially when children are involved,
they often feel that they are beyond God's forgiveness.
Insights
You could point out that Moses killed a man prior to God's calling
(see Exod. 2:11-13). Rehab the prostitute who befriended the spies
sent out by Joshua to investigate the land of Palestine, was grafted
into the lineage of Christ (see Matt. 1:5). David known as a man
after God's heart, was an adulterer and a party to murder (see 2 Sam.
11). Even the apostle Paul had a stained background prior to his
conversion, for he caused the persecution and death of many
Christians. God forgave all of them and changed their lives just as
He will forgive the trainee you are counseling.
No individual is beyond the hand of God to bring forgiveness and
healing to his troubled heart and life. In helping people understand,
I often quote Psalm 103:12, which says that our sins are far as the
east from the west, and then as, "How far is the east from the west?"
After thinking for a minute, people usually remember that the east and
the west never meet. Had the psalmist said the north from the south
(the north and south poles are some 12, 420 miles apart), our sins
would have been a measurable distance.
Again Isaiah 44:22 mentions their sins being blotted out as something
which God will never remember against us.
God's forgiveness, which was the result of Jesus' shedding His blood
and dying in our stead, means we are forgiven, brought into the family
of God.
Forgiving Each Other:
Broken relationships mean broken people, and through forgiveness we
find the grace of God which mends and heals. Like the scalpel in the
hand of a surgeon which can bring healing or harm, confrontation can
have positive healing force by observing the following:
* Choose the Time, Place, and manner of Confrontation
This gives you time to release your anger and pray about the
encounter. It gives you time to think through what you want to say
and don't want to say. Thhere are times when you need to get a handle
on your emotions before you deal with issues. It's O.K. to say,
"John , I'd like to talk with you about... after dinner this evening.
It will give me the time to get a handle on my feelings so I can say
what I'm thinking and not say the wrong thing."
* Deal with the issue: Don't attack the person with whom there is a
broken relationship.
Saying, "Your brother is a no-good bum!" will make sparks fly. After
all, your wife was related to the brother - who came to visit and has
stayed three months, eating your food, drinking your cokes, munching
potato chips in your easy chair in front of your TV - long before she
became your wife. But saying, "What can we do to help your brother
find a job?" focuses on the problem of unemployment, not hiis
personal habits.
* Express feelings in a non-threatening way
Saying, I feel that..." is better than saying, "You... (did such-and-
such." When you say, I have a problem and I need your help," the
person whom you are confronting stops being a combatant and becomes
part of the problem-solving process.
* Learn to negotiate
Another term is "compromise," but that word has a connotation we try
to avoid. Life is a matter of give and take (not "I give and you
take"), and a harsh, unbending attitude does not resolve conflicts.
Such a person may win the battle and lose the war.
Forgiveness means you surrender your right to hurt someone because
they hurt you. It means that you extend the right to be wrong to
someone else because God has done that very thing for you.
Key Scriptures
Matthew 6:14, 15: "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your
heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men
their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
Luke 17:3; "Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against
you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him."
Ephesians 4:32; "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving
one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you."
Matthew 18:; "moreover if your brother sins against you, go an tell
him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have
gained your brother."
Insights
Most of us want to avoid the confrontation necessary to go to someone
and say, "I'm sorry; forgive me." Yet Jesus said that is exactly what
we need to do, and your part as a trainer-leader is to provide the
support and encouragement to help someone do this.
Forgiving Yourself
It is often easier to seek and find the forgiveness of God than to
forgive ourselves for what we have done, especially when we feel our
mistakes have been visited on our family. In some cases our failures
do affect our family, to say nothing of the harm we inflict on
others. Yet when we have genuinely repented and found God's
forgiveness, and sought and received the forgiveness of the one we
have Hurt, we have no alternative but to forgive ourselves as well.
Loneliness
Loneliness is a common problem which has been described as "one of the
most universal sources of human suffering." It has been called an
"almost permanent condition for millions of Americans .... knowing no
limits of class, race, or age." It hits everyone periodically and may
persist for a few moments or for a lifetime.
Loneliness is the painful awareness that we lack meaningful contact
with others. It involves a feeling of inner emptiness which can be
accompanied by sadness, discouragement, a sense of isolation,
restlessness, anxiety and an intense desire to be wanted and needed by
someone. Lonely people often feel "left out," unwanted, or rejected,
even when they are surrounded by others. There is sometimes a sense
of hopelessness and a strong desire for almost any kind of a
relationship which would end the awful pain of involuntary aloneness.
It should not be surprising that many lonely people also feel a sense
of worthlessness and a conviction that "ssince nobody wants to be with
me, I guess I'm not worth anything." To avoid facing the fact that
they may be unwanted or worthless, many people deny their loneliness
and rush to bars, encounter groups, or church meetings in a vain
attempt to escape from their isolation. But such people often remain
isolated and unattached. They appear to be unable to build
significant relationships or to gain emotional satisfaction from the
relationships which they do have.
Christian psychologist Craig Ellisonn has suggested that there are
three kinds of loneliness: emotionall, social, and existential.
Emotional loneliness involves the lack or loss of a psychologically
intimate relationship with another person or persons. The emotionally
lonely person feels utterly alone and can only recover by establishing
new in-depth relationships with others. Social loneliness is the
feeling of aimlessness, anxiety and emptiness. The person feels that
he or she is "out of it" and on the margin of life. Instead of an in-
depth relationship with a specific companion, the socially lonely
person needs a supportive group of acceptingfriends and skill in
relating to others. Existential loneliness refers to the sense of
isolation which comes to the person who is separated from God and who
feels that life has no meaning or purpose. Such persons need a
committed and growing relationship with God, preferably within the
confines of a concerned community of believers.
Before continuing, it is important to distinguish solitude from
loneliness. Solitude is a voluntary withdrawal from other people;
loneliness comes when we are forced to be alone. Solitude can be
refreshing, rejuvenating and enjoyable; loneliness is painful,
draining and unpleasant. Solitude can be started and terminated at
will; loneliness sweeps over us and hangs on in spite of our best
efforts to cast it off.
The Bible and Loneliness
Shortly after God created Adam, he declared: "It is not good for the
man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him." Adam and
God had talked together in the garden, but the Creator knew that human
beings need other humans if they are to get along effectively. So God
created Eve and instructed the couple to "be fruitful and multiply and
fill the earth." In fellowship with God and with each other, Adam and
Eve were neither alone nor lonely.
When they fell into sin, Adam and Eve broke their communion with God
and a wedge was drivven between husband and wife. Selfishness and
interpersonal tension came into their relationship and feelings of
loneliness mus, at that point, have entered the human race.
Loneliness is rarely discussed in the Bible, but it is seen
repeatedly, even in the lives of such giants of the faith as Jacob,
Moses, Job, Nehemiah, Elijah and Jeremiah. David once complained that
he was lonely and afflicted. Jesus, who knows all of our
"infirmities," surely was lonely in Gethsemane. John ended his life
alone on the Isle of Patmos, and the Apostle Paul apparently spent his
last days in prison, mostly alone. Writing to Timothy, the aging Paul
noted that his friends had left, that some had forsaken him, and that
he needed his young colleague to "make every effort to come to be
soon."
The entire Bible focuses on our need for communion with God and for
people, especially Christians, to love, help, encourage, forgive, and
care for one another. A growing relationship with God and with others
becomes the basis for any solution to the problem of loneliness. But
how do individuals build a relationship with God or with others? To
begin, it is helpful to consider the causes of alienation and
loneliness.
The Causes of Loneliness
Loneliness can have a variety of causes which we might group into five
categories: social, developmental, psychological, situational and
spiritual. Any combination of these can create loneliness in an
individual.
1. Social Causes. "Loneliness," writes Paul Tournier, "results from
the spirit of our age." Most observers agree that rapid social
changes in our era of history have isolated people from close contact
with each other and have made loneliness more widespread. The social
influences which increase our loneliness include the following:
(a) Technology. As government, business and education get "bigger "
and more impersonal, people feel smaller and less needed. As
efficiency and convenience have become more important, there is less
time for developing deep, satisfying relationships. Complex
technology increases the need for specialists, and these people
sometimes have neither the time nor the ability to communicate with
nonspecialists. As a result, relationships are shallow, understanding
decreases, and loneliness becomes more prevalent.
(b) Mobility. Modern transportation which makes moving easier, the
development of large corporations, and perhaps the lure of a better
life elsewhere have contributed to widespread mobility, especially in
the United States. This tears up friendships, separates families,
eliminates neighborhood or community spirit, and causes people to
avoid close friendships which would end later in painful separations.
(c) Urbanization. As people have moved close together, especially in
cities, there apparently has been aa tendency to withdraw from
others. Often there is a fear of strangers which leads to suspicion
and withdrawal. There is a discomfort in the midst of crowded
conditions, and a desire to avoid the noise and commotion. As a
result, thousands of people can live in close proximity to each other,
but with intense isolation and loneliness.
(d) Media. These modern inventions enhances separation both by
contact habits of people who use them, seldom communicating directly
with each other. Caught up in the unreality of media, it is easy to
live one's life through the media instead of interacting with
neighbors and relatives.
The list could go on, but I hope a point has been made. Along with
many benefits, our changing, dehumanizing, technological society has
disrupted people, shattered our traditional sources of security, and
created the potential for greater isolation and loneliness.
2. Developmental Causes. In his perceptive survey of the literature
on loneliness, Ellison concluded that there are three basic
developmental needs which must be met if loneliness is to be avoided.
These are the need for attachment, acceptance, and the acquiring of
social skills.
(a) Attachment. An impressive body of literature has supported the
conclusion that people, especially children, need to feel close bonds
with other human beings. When children are separated from their
parents there is anxiety and an emotional aloofness. If one parent
remains, or if the separated parents return, the child clings to the
mother or father, apparently afraid that separation will occur again.
When we consider the increasing divorce rate and the alarming
prevalence of childd abuse, it is easy to recognize why many young
people feel alienated and unattached. These people often grow up
feeling lonely.
(b) Acceptance. Parents communicate acceptance in a variety of ways;
by touching, by spending time with their children, by listening, by
disciplining, by showing affection. When these clues are missing, or
when children are ignored or excessively criticized, they begin to
feel worthless. They conclude that they don't belong and they either
withdraw from others or force themselves onto others in a way which
brings more rejection. It becomes difficult to trust people and this
inability to trust prevents the forming of close relationships. Low
self-esteem and a feeling that one is unaccepted are at the basis of
much loneliness.
(c) Acquiring Skills. All of us know people who are social misfits.
They are insensitive to the needs or attitudes of others, and they do
not manipulate or force themselves on others but this only brings
rejection, frustration and increased loneliness. Such people have
never learned how to get along. They keep trying, fail continually,
and remain in their loneliness.
3. Psychological Causes. Closely connected with the above are
psychological tendencies within the individual which create and
maintain loneliness. These include low self-esteem, inability to
communicate, self-defeating attitudes, hostility and fear.
(a) Low self-esteem. This refers to the opinion we have of
ourselves. If it is low, we underestimate our value and withdraw or,
if it is too high, we exaggerate our value to the point of conceit.
Both reactions hinder closeness with others. When we have little
confidence in ourselves it is difficult to build friendships. The
person is unable to give love without apologizing; neither can he or
she receive love without cutting oneself down. According to one
writer, good self-esteem helps in forming close relationships which in
turn build good self-esteem and a resulting decrease in loneliness.
In contrast, low self-esteem makes the person feel weak or shy and
there is an excessive need to depend on others. When others are not
available there is intense insecurity and deep loneliness.
(b) Inability to Communicate. Communication breakdowns are at the
root of many, perhaps most, interpersonal problems. When people are
unwilling to communicate, or when they don't know how to communicate
honestly, there is a persisting isolation and loneliness even though
individuals may be surrounded by others.
(c) Self-defeatin Attitudes. Shortly after World War II, Paul
Tournier, the Swiss counselor, wrote a penetrating book on
loneliness. Its message is surprisingly relevant today. Loneliness
comes, Tournier wrote, because we have developed
- parlamentary attitudes in which we see life as a big tournament with
success as the winner's prize and competition as a way of life;
- independent attitudes which cause us to act as if we were each
rugged individualists, absolutely autonomous, indipendent of God and
of others;
- possessive attitudes by which we are driven to get what we can for
ourselves; and
- demanding attitudes which cause us to fight for our rights and
demand "fairness."
All of this implies something which has not yet been mentioned.
Loneliness, aat least to some extent, may be one's own fault. People
increase the potential for loneliness when they are caught up in
intense competition, struggling for self-sufficiency, self-centered in
a preoccupation with themselves and their success, critical or
intolerant of others, holding onto grudges or demanding attention from
others. Such attitudes often lead us to use other people to meet our
own needs or satisfy our own egos. Nothing drives others away more
quickly, and this creates loneliness.
(d) Hostility. Have you ever noticed how some people appear to be
innately angry? Even twhen they smile, there is an underlying
attitude of vengeance and hostility. The causes for this are complex
but sometimes angry people feel thwarted, frustrated or resentful
because of real or imagined injustice. On occasion the anger comes
from self-hatred which is turned outward to others. When such
thinking is accompanied by negative attitudes and constant
complaining, others are driven away and this creates both loneliness
and continuing unhappiness.
(e) Fear. There is a proverbial saying which reads, "People are
lonely because the build walls instead of bridges." Of course, this
isn't the only reason for loneliness, but sometimes individuals do
errect barriers to keep others out. Often this is done because of
fear of intimacy, fear of being known, fear of rejection or fear of
being hurt - as we may have been hurt in the past. Theloneliness is
painful but for such people it is no less painful than the fear and
insecurity of reaching out to others.
4. Situational Causes. Sometimes people are lonely because of the
special circumstances in which they find themselves. Surveys have
shown, for example, that the most lonely people of all are those who
are single or widowed, living alone, grieving, and/or elderly. People
in leadership positions are sometimes lonely because they have moved
ahead of and away from the group. University students who are away
from home, affluent people who seem to be in a financial class all by
themselves, foreigners and newcomers to an area, extremely talented
people, homosexuals - all have been identified as people who are
especially prone to loneliness. Then there are those people whose
bodies are deformed or diseased. "You're different," or "I don't know
how to act around you." As a result of this rejection, handicapped
people tend to withdraw. Their physical condition often prevents easy
access to others andd a self-centered loneliness can result.
5. Spiritual Causes. In a famous prayer Augustine once expressed our
need for God: "Thou hast formed us for Thyself and our hearts are
restless till they find rest in Thee." God created human beings for
himself, but he respected us enough to let us rebel. This, of course,
is what we have done, and ever since our hearts have been restless
because we have been cut off from our Creator. Rather than turning to
God in repentance (change), thousands of lonely people have sought
meaning in drugs, sex, encounter experiences, work, sports, or a host
of other activities which fail to remove the inner restlessness.
Loneliness, especially existential loneliness, comes because of sins
which we have not acknowledge or confessed, guilt for which we feel no
forgiveness, rebellion against God, or sometimes a convenient casual
ignoring of God's concern for us or his claims on our lives.
The Effects of Loneliness
What does loneliness do to people? What are its symptoms? How can it
be spotted by a trainer? Because of human uniqueness each person will
exhibit loneliness in a different way, but some combination of the
following is likely to be seen.
First there is the isolation from others which often, but not always,
indicates loneliness. This is often accompanied by periodic but
frequently futile attempts to reach out for contact with others.
Poor self-esteem and feelings of worthlessness can be a symptom as
well as a cause of loneliness. Failure, in relationships or in
activities, further lowers self-esteem and creates greater
loneliness. Unabele to relate to others, such lonely people sometimes
withdraw into discouragement, self-centeredness, a "poor-little-me
attitude," and a belief that no one understands.
Hopelessness, which sometimes leads to despair and even thoughts of
suicide, can all characterize loneliness. When loneliness is too
great, suicide becomes a "way out" which also gives a clear message to
the people who didn't seem to care.
Alcoholism and drug abuse often are ways of escape, and people often
turn to these in an attempt to avoid isolation or to find friends in
other drinkers.
Then there are those who lash out in violence. Backed by research
reports, one author has suggested that "further investigations will
bear out this tentative conclusion: very lonely people, who get angry
rather thaan depressed, will be prone to express their lonely
frustration in destructive ways. I do not think it is mere
coincidence that we are witnessing an unequalled rise in violence and
at the same time loneliness is so pervasive and intense." Apparently
loneliness can be expressed in violence and delinquency, which become
a release from pain and a cry for attention.
Training and Loneliness
Richard Wolff has summarized some of the suggestions which have been
given to help people deal with their loneliness:
Change jobs, join a club, be positive, become aggressive, get married,
get remarried, travel, move, have fun, never be alone, use the record
player, listen to the radio, watch television, enjoy the movies, read
a good book, take up a hobby, pursue cultural interests, expand your
horizons, play, increase leisure, develop hobbies, renew goals,
volunteer - and all of these activities may temporarily remedy the
pain of loneliness but they fail to meet the problem on the deepest
level and do not produce the desired lasting results.
How, then, do we help lonely people "meet the problems on the deeper
level" and experience "the desired lasting results"?
1. Admitting the problem. Loneliness has a somewhat negative
connotation in our society. For many people, admitting that they are
lonely is like admitting that they are social misfits, unattractive or
unable to relate to others. Trainees can be reminded, however, that
everyone is lonely at times. When people feel lonely the first steps
toward recovery are to admit the loneliness to acknowledge that it is
painful and to decide to do something about the problem.
2. Considering the Causes.. Loneliness, as we have seen can arise
from a variety of causes. if these causes can be identified (through
discussion with the trainee and through probing questions), then it is
possible to work on the source of the loneliness rather than trying to
eliminate the symptoms. Prior to training, the trainer might wish to
review the causes of loneliness listed earlier in this lesson. By
keeping this information in mind, the trainer can be alert to similar
causes in the trainee's life and thinking.
3. Accepting What Cannot be Changed. In considering the causes, it
is important to recognize that while some things can be changed (such
as a poor self-concept or self-defeating attitudes which produce
loneliness) there are other issues that are unchangeable. The lonely
widow, for example, cannot bring back her husband; neither can we
stop the modern tendency of people to move frequently - with the
alienation and loneliness that this produces.
Even when circumstances cannot be changed, however, trainees still can
be helped to change their attitudes toward loneliness. In his book
Loneliness: Understanding and Dealing with It, Harvey Potthoff
suggests that there are three major resources for dealing with
loneliness. Each of these involves the trainee's attitude, and each
could help even when loneliness-producing circumstances cannot be
changed.
People can be encouraged to develop "an inner life" of positive
interests, appreciation for what IS "Quality of Life," and a sense of
humor. This is more than an attempt to muster up the "power of
positive thinking." It involves a rejection of self-pity and a
willingness to see the bright side of life, even in the midst of
disturbing social change, loneliness and discouragement.
Potthoff emphasizes the development of "a life style of keeping in
touch." If people avoid relationships with others or withdraw into a
life of inactivity, then loneliness is intensified. In contrast work,
play, involvement in creative activities, awareness of the daily news,
worship - all these can keep trainees in contact with those people
and events which can pull them out of loneliness and a tendency to
brood.
Potthoff writes about a religious faith which helps people see life in
its wholeness (Quality of Life), which helps all of us find purpose or
meaning, and which undergirds individuals with the assurance of God's
presence and sovereignty even when surrounding circumstances seem to
be unchangeable but they can change their attitudes with God's power
and often with the trainer's gentle encouragement.
4. Altering What Can be Changed. Although some causes of loneliness
cannot be changed, other casual situations can be altered, corrected
or removed. People can, for example, watch less television, spend
more time in family activities, or move into useful church
activities. All of this involves reaching out to others, but for some
people this is very difficult because they lack the self-esteem, lack
the courage and/or lack the social and communication skills.
(a) Developing Self-esteem. Lonely people must be helped to see and
acknowledge their strengths, abilities, and spiritual gifts, as well
as their weaknesses. According to one psychologist many people go
through life talking to themselves (not out aloud) and convincing
themselves that they are not good-looking, are incompetent or disliked
by others. Often we compare ourselves with people who are more
popular or successful and in so doing, we convince ourselves of our
inferiority. As a result we develop a low self-esteem and lack the
confidence which enables us to tackle new situations. Trainees must
be reminded that in God's sight every human being is valuable and
loved, that every sin can be forgiven, that each of us has abilities
and gifts which can be developed, and that all people have weaknesses
which can be lived with and for which we can compensate. Trainees can
be helped to see that no one ever attains perfection in what he or she
does, so we should quit trying. We must learn to do the best we can
with God's supernatural help and with the abilities and circumstances
that we have been given. Self-esteem is considered more fully in a
future lesson. If this is a problem for the lonely trainee, it might
be good to work on the self-esteem problem as an important way of
tackling loneliness.
(b) Taking Risks. Even when people do have a positive self-image, it
sometimes takes great courage to reach out to others. What if others
criticize or reject us, or fail to respond? That can be embarrassing
and threatening.
It is here that a trainer can provide the encouragement and support
which the trainee needs as he or she reaches out to make contact with
others. There can be ongoing consideration of questions such as "To
whom can you reach out?" "How specifically can you reach out, to
contact others?" "What have you done (or failed to do) in the past to
prevent close contact with others?" As trainees risk "getting
involved," the trainer can give encouragement and provide
opportunities to discuss how this social outreach is working and where
it might be failing.
(c) Learning Skills. As we indicated previously, some people are
social cripples. They are insensitive to others and lack basic
communication skills. Trainers can point out social errors, teach
trainees how to relate to others, and evaluate the effectiveness of
the individual's attempts to interact. A later lesson of this course
discusses interpersonal relationships and may be of further help to
trainers who are working with lonely people who lack basic
communication skills and social finesse.
5. Meeting the Spiritual Need. A popular Christian song once began
with the words: "Why should I be lonely? I have Jesus only." As we
have seen, God himself decclared that people really need each other if
they are to avoid loneliness. Regretfully, however, some writers have
concluded that human contact is the only solution to loneliness. They
have failed to realize that loneliness never disappears completely
until, in addition to human companionship, an individual is introduced
to Jesus Christ. he loves each of us unconditionally, died for us,
makes it possible for us to come to him by confession of our sins,
welcomes us as adopted children, and becomes a friend who sticks
closer than a brother. His Holy Spirit lives inside of every
believer, helps us, prays for us, and makes us more Christlike.
God is very real and his presence can be sensed. He communicates
through his Word even though we cannot hear him with our ears. But
God also is intangible body, the church, enters the picture. The
church should be a healing, helping community which radiates love,
acceptance and support. As a member of this community and a follower
of Jesus Christ the trainer should radiate this loving acceptance and
point the trainee both to Christ himself and to the local church -
which the Bible calls the "body of Christ" here on earth.
Preventing Loneliness
The local church can and should be the best antidote to loneliness
that individuals ever encounter. But this is only one of several ways
by which the causes of loneliness can be attacked and the experience
of loneliness reduced.
Building the Local Church. To prevent loneliness, individuals can be
encouraged to worship in the church, to get involved in church
activities, and to accept the fellowship of church members.
Regretfully, not all church members are open to receiving new people
and some churches are cold and indifferent. In preventing loneliness,
therefore, the church leader must stimulate individuals to be involved
with the church, and must stimulate the church members to love,
accept, forgive, are for and welcome individuals in the fellowship.
There must be opportunity for meaningful activities, especially on
weekends, when lonely people so often rush to bars, encounter groups,
casual sexual experiences, and intimate experiences with strangers,
all in an effort to find love and companionship.
Coping with Change. In his book, We, the Lonely people, Ralph Keyes
writes that most of us wants a sense of community with others, but
there are three things which we want more - mobility, privacy, and
convenience, "which are the very sources of our lack of community."
Is it possible to be people-centered and intimate with others in an
age which prizes technology, mobility, urbanization, television, and
other dehumanizing influences? Probably the answer is "yes - with
qualifications." We can get really close to only a few people, and to
do so we must make up our minds to give the time and effort needed for
building relationships in an era where superficiality is more
convenient. Seminars, sermons, classroom presentations, and training
sessions can all be used to help people manage their time or
relationships , and thus prevent loneliness.
Instilling Acceptance and Competence. From the public platform, but
even more in family settings, people must be taught that they are
valuable, worthwhile and able to relate to others. As indicated
above, when children feel attachment and acceptance, they are less
inclined to be lonely. In like manner, when children and adults learn
social skills, communication ability, and healthy, realistic attitudes
toward life, they are better able to relate to others and avoid
loneliness. These things should be taught in the home but they also
can be taught in churches, schools, trainer's offices and through
courses, books, articles and media.
Strengthening Family Ties. Since loneliness so often begins in the
home, it is at home where the problem can be most effectively attacked
and prevented. Teaching family members to communicate openly, to
respect and care for one another, to play, worship, and eat together -
these are among the ways in which trainers and church leaders can
stimulate loneliness-prevention at home.
Training and Prevention. Loneliness, as we have seen, sometimes
arises because people are hostile, afraid, or self-defeating in their
attitudes or actions, and immobilized by a poor self-defeating in
their attitudes or actions, and immobilized by a poor self-concept.
By working on these problems, the trainer and trainee not only reduce
loneliness, they prevent its increase or reoccurrence.
Growing Spiritually. Once again we return to the basic spiritual
issue. Loneliness is reduced or prevented when individuals are helped
to build intimate relationships with God as well as with other
humans. Helping people to grow spiritually, therefore, becomes a
significant way to prevent loneliness.
Conclusions about Loneliness
It may be that we live in a loneliness-producing society where rapid
change and modern technology discourage intimacy and stimulate
loneliness. Even in homes and churches, people avoid each other, only
to throw themselves blindly into open sharing with strangers (other
students, casual sexual partners, fellow drinkers or seat-mates on
airplanes, for example) in the hope of finding closeness and escaping
their inner sense of isolation.
But human togetherness, per se, is not the solution. We need to help
people develop an intimate relationship with God and build strong
involvements with at least a few people, including family members,
where there can be mutual openness, acceptance and respect for each
other's uniqueness.
Christian Leadership
A Life That Moves Others to Follow
The predominant challenge for leaders is how to get people to follow
them. leaders without followers are not leaders. Yet many would-be
leaders fail because they cannot inspire people to follow them. We
have encountered many frustrated would-be leaders who had noble
aspirations and grandiose dreams but who could not enlist anyone to
support them or their vision. For some people, the greatest challenge
is becoming the kind of person that others want to follow.
The issue of influence is critical, especially in Christian
leadership. In people's attempts to enlist a following, some have
resorted to developing the appearance of a leader rather than
developing the character of a leader. They have image but no
substance.
Illegitimate Sources of Influence.
The catchword for leadership today is influence. But how do people
achieve influence over others? Personal influence can come from
several sources, some legitimate, others questionable. Influence in
itself is not evidence of true leadership if that influence is gained
improperly. Following are three illegitimate ways people gain
influence over others.
Position
Previous generations generally associated authority and influence with
position. In spiritual matters, people trusted their ministers
implicitly and offered them reverence as a matter of course. As a
result, would-be leaders pursued positions and offices of prominence
in order to gain the respect they desired. Each call to a larger,
more prestigious church brought greater dignity to the aspiring
minister.
This manner of gaining influence through one's station has inherent
flaws. For one, this approach lends itself to flagrant abuses.
People can achieve influential positions without developing a
character to match their assignment.
The sad truth is that many Christian organizations and churches are
led by people who sought an office for all the wrong reasons. These
people directly associated the size of their ministry with their own
self-worth. This is the age of the "knowledge worker." Knowledge is
the currency of today's workplace. To gain knowledge, one must have
an education. In previous generations, the local minister was often
the most educated person in the community. Today, average church
members often have as much or more training and experience in their
fields as pastors have in theirs. These educated church members have
access to Bibles in numerous translations, as well as software that
holds more scriptural information than traditional ministers have
typically possessed in their entire libraries. The Christian
community is inundated with information. No longer do congregations
meekly accept the minister's word unchallenged. Church members now
have the knowledge with which to critique their minister's views. In
both the secular and the religious domains, the assumption that
position guarantees respect is no longer valid.
If there are any leaders who should not rely upon their position for
their influence, it is Christian leaders. Christian Leadership is
based on the work of the Holy Spirit and on spiritual character.
Without the guiding empowering presence of the Spirit, leaders may
hold positions but they will not be Christian leaders. The Holy
Spirit will not confirm their authority with their people. For
example, gaining a position as the pastor of a church does not make
one Spirit-filled. Graduating from seminary does not make one a
Christian leader. Holding a leadership position in a Christian
organization does not automatically come with God's anointing. Many a
misguided minister started out with the mistaken assumption that
people would follow his leadership merely because he was their pastor
assumed the people were unspiritual and leaves to find a more
"spiritually responsive" church. Some leaders, realizing that
position alone doesn't automatically bring them authority, will pursue
influence over their people by using force and manipulation. Such
insidious bullying carries with it even more disastrous consequences.
Power
Christian leaders also invite rebellion when they use force to achieve
their organizational goals. The my-way-or-the-highway approach fares
no better in the church than in business. Pastors have used numerous
strong-arm tactics to get their way. Some have volatile tempers.
They are charming and cordial as long as church members submit to
their leadership. But when challenged, they become angry and lambaste
anyone who dares oppose them. Others use the pulpit as a soapbox from
which to castigate those who disagree with them. Some church leaders
lobby for support from influential church members as if they were
seeking to get a bill passed through Congress. Some are so misguided
that they ostracize their detractors, treating them as wolves rather
than as sheep in need of a shepherd. Pastors who bully their people
into submission will eventually find themselves in one of two
positions: preaching to empty seats or searching the want ads.
Incredibly, when this happens, many pastors will still stubbornly
blame the people for refusing to follow their God-appointed leader.
Christian dictatorship can be the most oppressive form of tyranny.
Some Christian leaders believe that God delegates his authority to
leaders and that followers are obligated to submit to them
unquestioningly as if they were obeying God.
Cult groups demand absolute obedience to their leaders. They denounce
independent thought by their followers. Nothing could be more
unbiblical! Christians are commanded to voluntarily submit to those
in positions of authority because God has, out of his sovereignty,
allowed those leaders to hold office (Rom. 13:1-2). Scripture is
clear that all people must give an account to Christ for everything
they have done, regardless of who told them to do it (2 Cor. 5:10).
Christ does not deed a mediator to exercise his lordship over people.
The Holy Spirit dwells within every believer, leaders and followers
alike, guiding, teaching, and convicting every Christian. When
leaders claim that God bypasses their followers and speaks directly to
them, they greatly diminish all God does through the lives of
believers. He exercises his lordship directly over his followers.
People who obey leaders as though they were responding to God are in
danger of committing idolatry.
Personality
As every child learns, there is usually more than one way to get what
you want. If it doesn't come automatically (position) and if bullying
doesn't work (power), you can always turn on the charm!
(personality)> People often follow leaders strictly because of their
charisma and winning personalities. The popularity of a leader is not
in itself a bad thing, but it cannot be the only thing. Followers
need competence and a sense of direction from their leaders. Churches
have blindly voted to follow their pastors into disastrous projects
because they loved their leader, not because they heard from God.
Numerous churches have ultimately dismissed their pastors with this
sad commentary: "We loved our pastor. He was a wonderful Christian.
He just couldn't lead!" By itself, an engaging personality is not
enough to constitute spiritual leadership.
Great leaders, build great organizations, not necessarily great
reputations. This important principle is relevant for churches
seeking new pastors. Christ said he would build his church (Matt.
16:18). In fact, choosing a pastor based solely on personality is
choosing to build a church on a person rather than on Christ. They
seldom accomplish anything of substance.
Position, power, and personality are all misconceived sources of
influence for leaders. Christian leaders should demonstrate specific
characteristics that confirm their legitimacy as Christian leaders.
Legitimate Sources of Influence
God's Authentication
There are several ways leaders can exert influence on others through
their life, but none is as powerful as when God chooses to affirm
leaders before the eyes of their people. The first and most important
test of legitimacy for spiritual leaders is God's authentication.
It is imperative for Christian leaders to evaluate their lives to
determine whether God is confirming their leadership. There should be
ample evidence of God's affirmation. For one thing, God will fulfill
his promises to the leader and the leader's organization. leaders who
continually present new ideas and visions for the future but who never
see those dreams come to fruition are clearly presenting their own
visions and not God's.
Second, when God affirms a leader, God will vindicate that person's
reputation over time. All leaders suffer criticism during the course
of their work. Criticism is not necessarily a sign of poor
leadership.
A third sign of God's presence in a leader is changed lives. When
someone leads in the Spirit's power, lives are changed. People are
moved to experience God in a new dimension. Leaders may entertain
people, or impress people, or even motivate people, but if there is no
spiritual advancement in the people they lead, their leadership
originates from the leader's talent, but not necessarily from God.
A fourth characteristic of God-inspired leadership is that others
recognize God as the driving force behind the leader's agenda. When
God chooses a leader who is willing to submit to his will and to trust
him to do what he promises, God is pleased to work powerfully through
that leader. If nothing unusual or divine is happening under a
person's leadership, the leader may be operating in his own strength
rather than by the power of the Holy Spirit. Leaders who are led by
God will be willing to lead their people to accept God-sized
assignments.
Finally, the unmistakable mark of leaders who are authenticated by God
is that they are like Christ. They function in a Christ-like manner
and those who follow them become more like Christ. A person is truly
a Christian leader when others are moved to be more like Christ.
How does one attain God's authentication? There is nothing a leader
can do that will guarantee God's affirmation. All a leader ccan do is
submit. Some spiritual leaders try to be more committed. When they
need is to be more submitted.
All Christian leaders have a point in their lives when they yield to
Christ as their LORD and Savior, but the greatest leaders also have
subsequent encounters with Christ in which they fervently,
unconditionally yield every aspect of their lives to him. The more
these people come to know God, the more they recognize their own
limitations and the more compelled they are to yield to God.
Encounters with God
People do not choose to become Christian leaders. Christian
leadership flows out of a person's vibrant, intimate relationship with
God. You cannot be a Christian leader if you are not meeting Christ
in profound life-changing ways. They need to be more yielded in faith
to trust God and to do his will. With their absolute submission to
God came a profound assurance of God's presence.
Their amazing sucess as Christian Leaders should be able to be traced
to their consummate submission to Christ. These people should be
going far deeper than the initial submission most Christians
experience at their conversion. They and many others like them,
determined that if they were to follow Christ, they would do so with
abandon. They are determined to hold nothing back from Christ's
absolute lordship over their lives. God will be pleased with their
humble submission and choose to exercise his power dramatically
through their lives. Most Christian leaders never reach this depth of
submission to God. Many make commitments; few offer absolute
submission. God continues to look for those who are radically yielded
to him in every part of life so he may reveal his power to a watching
world.
Character/Integrity
Leadership is ultimately based on trust. Since people choose to
follow leaders they trust, their confidence must have a foundation.
The foundation is honesty. Kouzes and Posner claim that "credibility
is the foundation of leadership. Period." They go on to say, "The
ultimate test of leaders' credibility is whether they do what they
say."
Christian leaders, of all people, ought to be known for their
honesty. Yet many are not. Many ministers think nothing of
embellishing the truth or misrepresenting the facts to present their
fiew to their congregation in the best possible light. When people
see their leader stretching the truth or strategically glossing over
problems, they lose confidence in that leader. Followers don't expect
their leaders to be perfect, but they do expect them to be honest.
Integrity must be paramount in the life of a leader. Integrity means
being consistent in one's behavior under every circumstance, including
those unguarded moments. If leaders are normally peaceable and well
mannered, but they throw violent temper tantrums when things go wrong,
their lives lack integrity. If leaders are honest and moral in
public, but discard those standards in private, their lives lack
integrity. When leaders have integrity, their followers always know
what to expect.
An unmistakable sense of authority accompanies leaders with
integrity. Integrity allone is not sufficient to ensure successful
leadership. A leader must also have competence. But integrity will
gain a lead the benefit of the doubt from followers who do not yet see
the vision as clearly as the leader does. Integrity is not
automatic. It is a character trait that leaders consciously cultivate
in their lives. Integrity doesn't happen by accident. It happens on
purpose.
A Successful Track Record.
Few things bring a leader more credibility than consistent, long -term
success. Success can be a sign that God is blessing a leader.
Leaders cannot demand respect. They can only earn it.
the biggest obstacles young leaders face is garnering respect among
their followers when they do not yet have previous successes to their
credit. This situation magnifies the need for small accomplishments
by leaders. New leaders are remiss if they immediately undertake
large projects with their organizations. Better to first tackle
smaller projects that can be completed successfully. When people
experience a string of small victories with their leader, they will be
more willing to attempt something larger. The first place to
demonstrate small triumphs is in the leader's self-mastery.
Leaders who are frustrated that God is not blessing their zeal to do
great things for him should examine their recent track record. Have
they been faithful in the smaller assignments (e.g., cleaning the
bathrooms, etc.)? They should also be sure they are measuring success
the way God does. "More" in God's economy does not necessarily mean
greater numbers of people, more money, or enhanced prestige. It may
mean that God entrusts them with a more difficult assignment, or
greater suffering. God's Son received the highest assignment and it
culminated in a cross. Knowing and experiencing God is a progressive
endeavor that depends on obedience. As God's servants obey him in
each stage of their lives, no matter how humble the task, they will
come to know God in a more intimate way and their faith in him will
increase, giving them the spiritual maturity to handle whatever
assignment God gives next.
Eventually, through this pattern of obedience and growth, Christian
leaders will attain a higher degree of influence among those they
lead. Followers are much more motivated to support leaders who
demonstrate faithful service to God. The evidence that God has
honored such leaders serves to solidify their credibility.
Leaders who enthusiastically invest their energies into each new
assignment God grants them will enjoy success where they are, but they
will also develop the character God looks for to use for further,
expanded service.
It is crucial for those in Christian leadership to recognize what
"success" means in God's kingdom. The measure of leaders' success is
whether or not they accomplished God's will. The accomplishment of
God's purposes is the only complete and infallible indication of
success.
Warren Bennis observes: "Leaders, like anyone else, are the sum of all
their experiences, but, unlike others, they amount to more than the
sum, because they make more of their experiences." In other words,
experience is not the end factor; it is merely an avenue to reveal and
develop character. It is character that enables a person to lead.
The Christian leader's personal growth is the accumulation of God's
activity in his or her life. Leaders who are faithful in every
assignment God gives them enjoy a tremendous sense of peace and
confidence.
Preparation
Preparation brings profound confidence to leaders. The most
successful leadrers have been the ones who did their homework
thoroughly. Preparation for leadership also involves training. Good
leaders take time to learn.
Leaders who make the effort to obtain proper training are not only
better prepared for their leadership role; they also have more
credibility with those they lead. Those who cannot carry through with
their training often prove they cannot stick with assignments and jobs
later in their careers. The way people handle their preparation for
leadership is a strong indicator of what kind of leaders they will
eventually be.
n leaders who have made a lasting difference in their society have
been those who have diligently studied the Scriptures. They have
persistently sought to know God. They have relentlessly pursued his
will for themselves and for their society. They have taken advantage
of opportunities to discipline their minds to think. These Christian
leaders have come to understand that their ways are not God's Ways
(Isa. 55:8-9). Out of their intimate relationship with Christ, God
chose to reveal to them what was on his heart for their generation.
Messages from God.
Joshua 1:5-9
Matthew 25:23
2 Corinthians 5:10
Proverbs 2:7; 10:9; 20:7; Psalm 26:1-2
2 Peter 3:14
Romans 8:29
John 15:15
Mark 6:45-52
Student Prayer
Dear heavenly Father, I so often do what I know you do not want me
to. Forgive my foolishness and disobediennce. Help me to heed your
will, and not my own. Amen
Email address:
Homework
Discussion Questions
1. Christianity claims that "Christian training has significant
advantages over any other method; the primary advantage is that of
depth." What do you understand this to mean?
2. If we are to understand our identity and be truly competent, we
must be well versed in our Christian field, just as secular trainers
are in theirs. What kind of "homework" do you think is necessary to
be a competent Christian trainer?
3. What are some basic questions of life, death, spirituality, and
meaning? Spend five minutes brainstorming and recording as many
questions and concerns in these deep areas as you can."
4. Take 10 minutes to discuss how Christian faith and insights have
provided answers to one or more of these questions for you. Share one
issue and some possible answers.
5. "Christian trainers" - whether nonprofessional, semiprofessional,
or professional - might be well-versed in their own area of
expertise. Otherwise the potential may be there, but it will never be
realized. Which leads to the following question: What is it you think
you need to know more of to be a better trainer? Write down one area
where you wish you had more knowledge, more information, more training
- whatever it would require to make you a better Christian trainer.
Take a couple of minutes or so to enter it down.
Read James 4:13-17
It is good to have goals, but goals will disappoint us if we leave God
out of them. There is no point in making plans as though God does not
exist, because the future is in his hands. How will you react if God
steps in and rearranges your plan. Put God's desires at the center of
your planning he will never disappoint you.
Don't be deceived into thinking that you have lots of remaining time
to live for Christ, or to do what you know you should. Live for God
today. Then, no matter when your life ends, you would have fulfilled
God's plan for you.
It is a sin of omission, to know the truth and not tell it. It is
also a sin of omission to avoid him or her when you know he or she
needs your friendship. We should be willing to help as the Holly
Spirit guides us. If God has directed you to do a kind act, to render
a service, or to restore a relationship, do it. You will experience a
renewed and refreshed vitality to your Christian faith.
6. Ever omit God in Your planning?
7. How do you specifically involve him?
For more information go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jeramiahs_back_again/
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