Collective Church Interest
One of the greatest misconceptions in many churches is that membership is equal to salvation or being saved. While many churchgoers are saved, being saved does not guarantee the quality of the church. Quality of life and the quality of the church is generally interpreted based on a personal commitment made by those who have a vested interest in and are willing to make great sacrifices to make their vested interest become a reality. Rarely do we interpret the quality of life in a church based on common interest and shared values; this creates an invisible void that systematically drains the life out of the church. Therefore, personal self-interest must give way to communal and collective interest in order for the church to remain effective and vital.
Frequently, persons will express great dissatisfaction with their church. Usually this dissatisfaction stems from a personal self-interest and a disconnect between their personal vision for the church and how the church actually functions. Dissatisfaction usually spells trouble for the local church causing a loss in momentum, reduced spiritual vitality, stagnant financial resources and most importantly, the absent of faithful members. When this occurs, a critical question to be raised among dissatisfied members is "Did You See Jesus." If not, maybe it's because you're coming to church for the wrong reason. Let’s not forget, self-interest is a powerful phenomenon in our lives. And when self-interest is unmet, it's easy to displace our frustration on events, persons and institutions, which in most cases, are not the underlying problem. Again, personal self-interest must give way to communal interest if the church is to reach its fullest potential and quality of life.
This is where leadership is essential. Effective church leaders should always model Jesus for the congregation. Leadership in the church is not about self-interest but about a collective understanding of leading the congregation toward a shared vision. When church leaders model a Jesus-like character, it makes it easier for others to "See Jesus." It is when leaders are not lead by love or by a Jesus-like spirit that individual self-interest will give way to selfishness causing chaos, disharmony and a lack of mutuality and trust. While none of us are perfect, all of us are called to be church leaders. Therefore, we must be willing to submit to the authority of the Lord and guided by God's spirit. We must be able to answer the question, "Do We See Jesus," with "Yes We Do." I hope you see Jesus in the lives of all our members, especially our leaders.
