House Church Talk - Questions concerning leadership

[jim pierceall]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Anderson" <david at housechurch.org>



d' Avid writes concerning :  Ezekiel - that the
> heavens were opened, and I saw VISIONS of God.
> (I always wondered if "Journey" received their inspiration for "Wheel in
> the Sky Keeps on Turning" from Ezekiel 1.)
>
> I don't question the authority of the book nor it's author but I am
> uncertain as how to interpret much of it. Much of the imagery sounds like
> that of an LSD tripper.


For one that runs circles in trucks or in trucking circles - Day Tripper is
interesting lyric...

I'm a Day Tripper - one way ticket - yeah!  laid down my life, to find out
.. I've found out!  ha!

----------------

And I can't figure out where the literal ends and
> the symbolic begins. Ditto for the time-line of events.
>

Ditto to a point!  Got to have legs to be a tripper.. ha!



> Take this verse, for instance, from the same "shepherding" passage: Ezek.
> 34:13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the
> countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the
> mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the
> country.
>
> "Gathering of them from the countries" opens up a lot of possibilities.
> Past, present, future? All the above? 2 of 3? It's cryptic to me. LOL.


As you say..  Yet I sorta see Jesus as the Good Shepherd, that came to
complete that picture and time frame - His sheep hear his voice - they
came/come/shall come to completion - and headed off for the green pastures
of Life

That silly fellow that wrote to the Ephesians years ago - said that some
hear, obey, followed him, are already be seated w/ Him there...  I kind of
figure ya gotta believe what he said, needs to be seen by faith, not by
sight...  other's might write him off quickly as a little too idealistic, if
not outright looney...

>
> Like yourself, I am concerned about what "church leadership" has morphed
> into and how that many house churches are little more than institutional
> churches in a small box. That's a shame because house churches have the
> opportunity to objectively view the traditions of the past and casting
> off those which do not check out.

There are so many good things to share concerning this - each giving there
imputes and experiences..  We just need to remember not to shoot the
messenger, even though a message could indeed be lame...

Take Ole Peter - Who would doubt he was called, was part of the 3
inner-circle of the 12 - singled out for direct ministry when Jesus spoke to
him - Feed My Sheep..  who among us would contest that?

Peter stands up on day of Pentecost - proclaiming this is fulfillment of
Joel - God pouring out Himself/His Spirit on ALL flesh..  even the
gentiles/slaves/females..

But Peter the leader - needed additional ministry - and Acts 10 tells
plainly the preparation needed that "don't call unclean, what God calls
clean" - and Peter is prepared to go w/ those that came for him, to go to
Cornelius & household, and the Holy Spirit is now given plainly to some of
that "all flesh".. gentiles...  Now they will argue whether "water is proper
or fitting" for gentiles..  sheesh!  Those that thought they were leaders,
were gonna withhold water, as if that was anything, as compared to Holy
Spirit given???  Go figure that leadership mindset...  cause they thought
they were leaders too!

Again - Peter tells Acts 2 - Peter tells Acts 10 - No doubt Peter is
leader!!!

But strangely Peter who had been eating w/ the gentiles, when men came down
from Jerusalem - Peter separated!  Should we have followed God's leader that
day?  or should we have just "shot Peter" the messenger of that message?
ha!

Takes another brother - to remind Peter - he still had pork on his breath...
Where did this other brother come from, and who in the "sam hill" does he
think he is, correcting Peter that way?...  Where did he come up w/ his
doctrine/teaching?  Well, I think a good case could be offered, he'd been
out eating on "high mountain of the Lord, his Shepherd"... Ezek 34

Was Peter still a leader?  Yeah!  Believe he was!  But I think this might be
expressed likewise concerning leaders today - They may be leaders - but are
they made leaders in ALL things?.. and that seems to be a problem today..
Once one stands up, he becomes the "authority" in all things - at least
that's how he sees his role too often...

But I tell ya something I oft' see also..  Take a good brother who is right
in 99% of his walk...  1% he might be horribly deranged.. Guess what he
becomes labeled with.. O:>(     Yet to consider this one, that walks rightly
99% - when confronted about that strange 1% - will he see himself as simply
a
brother - or by Pride does he defend himself, as leaderships that are held
as "offices" often creates?


>
> Jim, it was real joy for me to meet you in person several years ago. You
> reminded me of other friendly KY folks. I used to drive over to Grundy,
> VA near Pikeville, KY. Folks came in to VA from KY to work in the mines.
> They were hard workers, transparent, and very devoted to you once you got
> to know 'um. One unforgettable thing was to see how unaffected many of
> them were when they became very wealthy. Huge fortunes were made during
> the coal boom of the late 70's but the new millionaires just acted and
> dressed as they had always done.

Interestingly Eastern Kentucky seemed to get all the pretty ones, the smart
and the wealthy ones too...  We in the West seem to be the "poor yet humble
ones"... O;>)



>
> My elder brother Andrew has devoted mucho hours to the family genealogy.
> One distant ancestor created the KY Long Rifle, another founded the
> Kentucky Derby. The problem with Andy is that he exaggerates sometimes...

Kentucky Long Rifle was known for accuracy, depending on whose hands held
it... unfortunately, as my posts often express, I never mastered that long
rifle characteristic..

But doesn't restrict me w/ the "ole scatter gun"...
we just continue to "spray and pray"... hoping we hit something...
sometime...


>
> The Lord is using your words, brother - that I know. Sorry if I
> misrepresented them in any way.

As they say in "round ball" around here - "no harm, no foul - play on!"...
BUT thanking you seriously... considering in "rebounding" elbows and bodies
clashing goes w/ the enthusiasm for the sport...  and winning the prize of
our mutual high calling...

Praying everyone has a fruit filled week-end...

JimP - in the humble part of kentucky.. O;>)