Just Jesus

I am asked to teach on leadership periodically. I have read many books on the subject. Yet, I always come back to the gospels for my favorite leadership lessons. Jesus was the greatest leader ever. So, let’s learn leadership from Jesus.

On Amazon.com I found titles such as: Artist’s Way, Toyota Way, Wilderness Way, Way of the Turtle, The Way—Using the Wisdom of Kabala, and The Jesus Way. Let’s examine The Jesus Way.

Very often people outside of the church express great admiration for Jesus, while despising the church. They love Jesus, but not the church. The church to them is organized religion with various rules, conformity, and narrow-mindedness. They loathe the political agendas, both internal and external. They don’t like the holier-than-thou attitudes of some Christians.

So, I am not much interested in telling you what our church believes. I don’t want you to conform into our image of following Christ. You won’t hear much from me about the rules or religious ritual. You won’t hear much of my personal political leanings. You aren’t likely to hear condemnation of pet sins. We all sin. All sin is egregious, and should be repented of.

Hopefully, what you will hear from me is much teaching the Way of Jesus, the Jesus Way. I believe all of us, myself included, have some warped views concerning Jesus. These ideas, perhaps, have come from the opinions of others. Some misconceptions are of our own making. We put our mask over the “real Jesus.” The church, at times, has presented an angry, judgmental, narrow Jesus to the world. I am afraid people hear, “rules”, “religion”, or “politics.”

Christianity has been about achievement and retention of certain facts, like some academic endeavor. The Jesus Way is not concerned so much with accomplishment as with lifestyle and relationship, NOT rules, NOT religion, NOT politics—JUST JESUS! Jesus continually challenged individuals with this phrase, "Follow Me." Jesus' kingdom is relationship. We hang out with Jesus when we hang out with Jesus people, fellowship around His Word (The Bible), and talk with Him (prayer).

Jesus came to start a revolution. A revolution is a sudden, radical, or complete change, epecially the overthrow of a ruler and substitution of another by the governed. A revolution is a rebellion, a mutiny. I willingly choose to overthrow my selfish ambitions and replace them with Jesus. I believe we are living in a time and place where Christ followers are more interested in the kingdom of God than the kingdoms of this world. In previous generations these seasons where called revivals. To reach this condition requires rebellion and change. The question is, “Who’s going to rule my life?” Jesus said, “Follow me.” When I follow Jesus, I am going to become absorbed into what is important and priority to Him.

People are Jesus' priority. So, I need to value other people more than myself. People must believe that I like them. "Others" are not the enemy. People are hurting. Donald Miller wrote, "People are hurting. We need to take Jesus to people's wounds." Let's do church a new way, the Jesus Way.

Peace,

Stan