My Success I Give You: Taking Jesus Seriously

Different Definitions

I am a pastor.  Before that, though, I am a Christian – not just in name (my last name happens to be “Christian”), but in testimony.  This means I have made certain choices about the direction my life will go: my family values, my vocation, and my definitions.  All three of these are important, but the definition change has been the hardest.  Many people have a high view of family – even people with little or no faith background.  Many people make sacrifices in their vocational choices, not just those who have felt a call to vocational ministry as I have for the past 22 years of my life.  

But the part about changing definitions may be the most distinctive aspect of the Christian life when applied to everyday living.  Following Jesus Christ entails a theological venture in which even familiar words take on entirely different meanings than before following Christ.  This is perhaps among the most radical change that occurs when one seeks to follow Christ.  Examples of this kind of calling are found throughout the New Testament, especially in the Gospels.  We find Jesus changing the definition of “peace,” for instance: “My peace I give you; not as the world gives,” Jesus states in John 14:27 (emphasis mine).  Here Jesus is fully aware of the Pax Romana (the “peace of Rome”) that was pervasive in His day:

·         Rome built roads so that business people and soldiers could promote “peace and prosperity.” 

·         They raised the biggest armies to put down any threats to their version of “peace” (which really just meant keeping themselves in control so they would rest easy)

·         They retaliated with “shock and awe” methods – like mass crucifixion, for instance – if any group or village under their domain posed a threat to their “peace”

·         They gave favor and additional freedoms to the “successful” among the conquered peoples in their domain in order to provide a sort of bridge between themselves and the “common people” who, in their minds, would at least rest easy knowing they have some sort of representation to Rome.  Rome would of course rest easy knowing that they had paid insiders to help them “keep the peace.”

This is the kind of peace that Jesus came to oppose and replace!  His earthly life and ministry actually fell victim to this Roman definition of “peace”, and Jesus was crucified.  Thankfully, though, Jesus’ definition of peace proved to be the stronger and more lasting one, which brings us back to the importance of theology.  More specifically, it reminds us that we should probably take a closer look at theological definitions, rather than those promoted among governments and popular culture.  Too often we as Christians settle for lesser – and by lesser I mean those doomed to ultimate failure in God’s eyes – definitions.  In American Christianity, the most disturbing example of this has come in our definition of “success.”

We Change the Definition of “Success”

Speaking as a participant in a Christian denomination (the Church of the Nazarene) as one of its ordained ministers for nearly half of my life and as student of American religious movements, I can say that in many of our American contexts (including my own) the de-emphasis upon theological study has at times seen a reversion to more secular definitions of “success.”  Popular (secular) definitions of “success” include financial prosperity, personal charisma, and amassing a great number of followers and/or employees.  While there is no doubt that it takes talented people to amass such things, as Christians, we are confronted with a decidedly different definition. 

For Jesus, who amassed relatively few followers during his earthly ministry, faithfulness, integrity, honesty, humility, and even suffering for what is right (see the Sermon on the Mount) are things that are identified with “success.”  In the example of Scripture, sometimes these qualities result in financial prosperity and even amassing great numbers.  Sometimes, however, they do not!  Indeed, sometimes Jesus is most critical of big money, big charisma, and big numbers in and of themselves (see Jesus’ encounter with the rich young ruler or with those who are selling in the outer court of the Temple in Jerusalem!).  When a theological examination – a Christ-centered one – is missing from words like “success”, the default option becomes to simply measure success the way everyone else does.  Unfortunately, “everyone else’s” definition falls short of the longer lasting and more ethical definition of Jesus.

The results in church settings in America have been devastating at times.  People who meet secular standards of “success” have gained more influence in leadership, and shortcuts are taken.  These shortcuts conveniently avoid key elements of the teachings and example of Christ and substitute these for methods that fall short of God’s ideals for His people.  

Consequently, sermons become self-help tools or emotionally charged reflections on the “good old days” instead of prophetic challenges to live out the Gospel of Christ.  Churches become tools for the promotion of political agendas (and candidates!), rather than vehicles of the voice of God to all aspects of those in political power.  Church leaders become more interested in hearing from the latest business guru instead of digging deeper into the rich theological depths of the Bible and of the history of the people of God.  We pastors begin buying books on being better CEOs instead of books on being better at discerning the mind of Christ.  We begin going to conferences on “breaking the 200 (or 1000!) barrier” instead of conferences that help us become better intercessors and incarnational ministers of the good news of Jesus.  We appoint and elect leaders who will look and sound more like the CEO of Microsoft or Apple, so that we can appear relevant and vibrant, instead of selecting leaders who will speak the truth in love, regardless of the short term cost. 

The Rabbi in the Back of the Class

Recently I read an excerpt of a book by a professor who is also an ordained minister.  He said that in his teaching, preaching, and writing, he always imagines an orthodox Jewish rabbi in the back of the room either nodding or frowning.  In his mind, this professor envisions this image of the rabbi as how Jesus himself may have looked, and he says that he carries this image with him to remind him that ultimately the goal is for the rabbi in the back of the room to be nodding in approval, even if the others in the crowd are scowling.  Perhaps we need to carry around a picture of Jesus to place in our conferences, our meetings, our classrooms, and our places of worship.  Perhaps seeing Him smile and nod in approval will provoke some major changes in personnel and in approach for most of our denominations, Christian organizations, and churches.  Just as Jesus replaced the “peace of Rome” with a more lasting and fulfilling peace.  Perhaps we can listen for Jesus saying, “Though I know you are familiar with the ‘success of America,’ and you have functioned under that definition for a long time, MY success I give to you, NOT as the world has given….”