General Superintendent
Max Edwards
March 26, 2024
The fifth of seven thoughts I’d love the church to hear is this:
“In a church world with far too many ‘Lone Rangers,’ Accountable relationships are absolutely crucial.”
Friends, it breaks my heart, but I’ve seen far too much disrespect and narcissistic behavior in our time, and I’m not just talking about outside the church. That makes sense - - it should not surprise us that people who do not claim to be followers of Christ behave selfishly. But what is surprising is the callous and brazen behavior of those who DO claim Christ as King.
3 John 1:9-10: I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.
I don’t know who this Diotrephes character was, but it sends shivers up my spine when I read that he absolutely refused to welcome the Apostle John. THE APOSTLE JOHN! But when you’re sure that you are the sharpest knife in the drawer, I guess everyone else can be dismissed as lesser than you. But this is not the way of the King and His Kingdom. Jesus not only modeled humility for us, but He explicitly commanded the same for His followers.
It sure seems that some have missed that memo.
And don’t think for a minute that my focus on this precept is because I am currently in a position of some authority. I have lived my Christian life knowing that the only safe leaders are those who have proven themselves to be good fellows and good followers.
Hebrews 13:17: “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.”
Proverbs 27:17: “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”
If you don’t have an accountability relationship with a peer, you need to establish one. Now! I have more than one, and they point out my blind spots to me all the time, and I am grateful that they do. We were not created to operate independently. Please - - NO LONE RANGERS in here.