Foundations of Christian Leadership, Mentor's Guide, MG07

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F O U N D A T I O N S O F C H R I S T I A N L E A D E R S H I P

That Message Won’t Work Here

Many in the city are attracted to a kind of Christian image and vision that emphasizes victory, triumph, and success. Arguably the most popular teachers of the Bible in the city emphasize the promise of abundance, prosperity, and health for the obedient disciple of Jesus. The tonic of servanthood, sacrifice, and self-forgetful care has never been a popular message, and it appears, in many urban situations, to be equally difficult to accept. Why would we emphasize such a message among those whose entire lives have been known by being the proverbial last in society, the most ignored and from the least adored neighborhoods on earth? Many preachers would say that such a message, in the face of ongoing trouble and need is pouring the proverbial salt on the wounds of the needy. Amessage that focuses on self-death and being the last will not work here, they would suggest. What do you think of this emphasis on servanthood and its implications for neighborhoods which have always been on the bottom? In response to the biblical teaching with its emphasis on the lowliness and humility of Christ, and that as a model for Christian leaders, some have suggested that this has been used historically to silence opposition and relegate the poor to the bottom. For instance, the ethic of submission was a popular ethical topic of instruction during the American slavery era, and for those slaves who responded favorably to the Gospel, they were often exhorted to follow the example of Christ in lowly submission, along with the Pauline instruction to remain in the position in which you came into the faith, even if, in fact, it were slavery. Unfortunately, the Bible has been interpreted to mean that women, minorities, and others on the bottom must embrace the ethic of servanthood and submission, and find ways to live peacefully in their status. The ethic of Jesus and his standard for servanthood was made the foundation for a kind of social conservatism that allowed neither protest, self-assertion, or any attempt at self-determination, even in the midst of real oppression. Is the ethic of Jesus passé (that is, over and unworkable for the poor), or is his teaching the most revolutionary vision for leaders among the poor? A Way of Controlling Those on the Bottom

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