Quorum of High Priests Newsletter

2nd Quarter 2007

William M. Barnhard, president
Jane M. Gardner and Gary Logan, counselors
Jane Watkins, secretary

High Priests As Leaders of Mission by James E. Slauter

Throughout the church numerous books, articles, courses, and seminars have been used to help define and emphasize the importance of leadership. Much of what has been written, discussed, and taught relates to the dynamic trends in leadership philosophy that have emerged in response to the constantly changing contexts where leaders are called to serve. Evaluation and assessment of these trends have produced a variety of leadership approaches. This wide array of leadership approaches sometimes causes confusion and even a reluctance to accept the role of leader. Church leaders who understand the congregation’s role in mission must be missionally focused, spiritually discerning, and contextually aware.

Eddie Gibbs in his book Leadership Next, Changing Leaders in a Changing Culture, suggests that the absence of leadership is often more easily identified and understood than the presence of good leadership. He characterizes the numbing effects of the absence of leadership as “unfilled expectations, unprocessed pain, unfinished grieving, unresolved conflict, and repetitive disappointment.”1 The presence of good leadership in the church does not eliminate these conditions. Good leadership addresses them from a framework of sound Christian values which are scripturally based, theologically sound, and historically grounded in the Christian tradition. High priests are called to be Christian leaders of vision who reflect these values in lives of humble servant ministry and in their roles as spiritual leaders in helping the church live out its mission in today’s world. This is an important call and role!

Church’s Mission
The church has been again challenged to embrace its mission of sharing the peace of Jesus Christ and engaging in ministries of the peaceable Kingdom:
 

Share . . . share peace . . . share the peace of Jesus Christ! That’s it! No new programs, no new goals, no new themes, no new logos . . . just being faithful. Being faithful to God, being faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and being faithful to the central mission of the Restoration.

The scriptures proclaim that the ultimate will of God for creation is wholeness, balance, and peace. God’s shalom integrates a whole range of concepts that point the way to ultimate redemption of creation, including reconciliation, justice, well being, stewardship, generosity, righteousness, the worth of all people, and true community. This is the peaceable kingdom of God.2

The challenge to experience and share the peace of Jesus Christ, to enter and receive God’s peaceable Kingdom, is not new to Christian disciples. It is the very heart of the Christian faith and mission. Jesus was a peacemaker whose message was the “good news” of God’s peace (shalom). It is the central theme of Jesus’ proclamation of mission as recorded in the Gospel of Luke:

God’s spirit is upon me; he’s chosen me to preach the Message of good news to the poor, Sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the burdened and battered free, to announce, This is God’s year to act!” (Luke 4:18-19)

Jesus’ mission was to share God’s peace and the message that all persons were welcome to receive and enter into God’s peaceable kingdom. Jesus’ mission is the church’s mission.

“Transformative” Missional Leadership
J. Robert Clinton reminds us of the role and capacity of leaders to influence mission: “A Christian leader is a person with a God-given capacity and the God-given responsibility to influence a group of God’s people toward God’s purpose for the group.”3 Our calling as high priests and role as visionary leaders in the church is one of helping congregations understand their God-given capacity for mission and apostolic witness in the communities where they exist.
Darrel L. Guder, contemporary professor of evangelism at Columbia Theological Seminary, shares these thoughts related to the role of Christian leadership and congregational mission.

The key to the formation of missional communities is their leadership. The Spirit empowers the church for mission through the gifts of people. Leadership is a critical gift, provided by the Spirit because, as the Scriptures demonstrate, fundamental change in any body of people requires leaders capable of transforming its life and being transformed themselves. . . . The purpose of leadership is to form and equip a people who demonstrate and announce the purpose and direction of God through Jesus Christ. Such leadership, through the agency of the Holy Spirit, works to create a people whose life is a witness of Jesus Christ. These ministries of leadership are given to enable the church to carry out its fundamentally missiological purpose in the world: to announce and demonstrate the new creation of Jesus Christ.4

“Missional leadership” is transformative leadership that equips congregations for discerning God’s call for mission in the places where they participate in the ministries of the peaceable kingdom. This is critical for the church to fulfill its God-given role. “Missional leadership” is empowered by the Holy Spirit and shaped by the scriptural revelation of Jesus Christ as the incarnation of God’s peace in our world. Jesus was the incarnational presence of God’s peace in our world. Congregational leaders of mission must see their presence in congregations and in the communities where they serve as an extension of Jesus’ incarnational ministry. Guder states this basic leadership principle this way:

In calling and sending out disciples, in his prayer for those who followed him that they would, in their love and unity, be the new people of who belong to God (John 17), Jesus indicated that his mission was the formation, fulfillment, and empower-ment of a new community, a new people created and sent by God. By implication, leadership finds its most significant definition in the same mission.5
High priests are called to be leaders of mission whose testimony of the gift of God’s grace and the peace of Jesus Christ in their lives is witnessed and generously shared with those around them. They are willing to share their God-given gifts of leadership in humility as they also share their vulnerability and need for forgiveness and reconciliation in their ongoing journey of growth as disciples of Jesus. Congregations seeking to understand their apostolic role as transformative agents of God’s peaceable kingdom will be blessed by the leadership ministry of high priests who seek to understand and demonstrate the missional vocation of the church in their lives of servant ministry.

Spiritual Leadership
“Missional leadership is shaped by the determinative action of the Spirit in the formation of the church for the sake of the world.”6 Leaders of mission understand and freely acknowledge their reliance on the Holy Spirit. The same Spirit (Acts 2) that empowered and shaped the mission of the post-Pentecost community empowers and shapes our mission in the world today. Guder again informs this basic principle of Christian leadership with these thoughts:
No matter what specific forms leadership must take at any one point in time, the Spirit guides leadership in order to bring into reality a future-present messianic community of the reign of God, and the Spirit equips that leadership to lead the community into missional engagement with the context in which they live.7
President Veazey challenged the church to go deeper in their spirituality, to be a discerning people, a people who trust first in the Spirit and from their shared spiritual understandings respond by generously sharing their witness and their resources in mission.

We are called to share the peace of Jesus Christ, through our vibrant witness and particularly through our pursuit of the cause of Zion, the peaceable kingdom… So what will it take to be successful in this mission? We must start with ourselves… Discipleship must be grounded in intentional spiritual formation that centers us in the presence of God, where we find inner peace. It is out of the depth and overflow of this peace that we find the capacity to cope with life and to extend ourselves in the ministry of Jesus Christ in the world.8

Ministry of the high priest is needed to assist congregations with understanding the importance of deepening their spirituality and discerning together what is that God is calling them to be and do in their communities. We must model this in our lives as we practice spiritual disciplines that open ourselves to the Spirit. Our dependence on the Spirit for guidance acknowledges the importance of prayer, scripture study, worship, and the wisdom that comes from the lessons of life’s experience. Discerning together what it is that God is already doing in our midst, in our communities, and in our world, and what God can empower us to do as messengers of peace is the calling of each congregation. High priests are called to support and assist congregational leadership with the ongoing need for discerning where God is calling the congregation to participate in the ministries of the peaceable kingdom.

Contextual Awareness
In discerning God’s call for mission, congregations must also be aware of the context in which they are called to participate. The ongoing “dance” between being “in the world, but not of the world” cannot be ignored. Guder describes this interactive “dance” between gospel and culture in this way:

On the one hand, the church understands that under the power of God, the gospel shapes the culture of a society—its assumptions, its perspectives, its choices. The church knows this because the Gospel is always doing that to the very culture that is its own… On the other hand, because the church is incarnational, it also knows that it will always be called to express the Gospel within the terms, styles, and perspectives of its social context. It will be shaped by that context, just as it will constantly challenge and shape that context… The interaction between the gospel and all human cultures is a dynamic one, and it always lies at the heart of what it means to be the church.9

One of the biggest challenges facing the church today is understanding the tension created by the dynamic interaction between Gospel, church, and context. It is in this tension that opportunities for mission exist and where both church and context are shaped by the Gospel message of peace. The Gospel is always communicated and interpreted by the culture in which it is expressed. We also believe that the Spirit and the Gospel message provoke an “alternative consciousness” that points us in the direction of God’s peace and helps shape us into missional communities of the peaceable kingdom. High priests must be aware of this tension, understand its dynamic nature, and be willing to fully embrace its challenges as leaders of vision and mission. This requires attentiveness to the world around us and the political, social, and economic powers that exist in it. The church’s mission is to stand against the destructive powers that marginalize, oppress, and divide our world. High priests must help lead our congregations in understanding these forces and challenge them to share in ministries of peace and justice to overcome these destructive forces.

In Summary
Leadership is critically important for the church to be faithful to its mission of sharing the peace of Jesus Christ and to participate in ministries of God’s peaceable kingdom in our world. Leadership skills can be learned, and there are many good resources available to assist us with the development of these competencies. However, we must not forget that the basics of good Christian leadership begin with our understandings of God’s gift of grace, our continuing discernment of God’s presence in our lives and world, and our willingness to understand and embrace the context for mission that exists for sharing the peace of Jesus Christ in our congregations and in the communities where they are located. High priests are called to share in transformative ministries of leadership that assist congregations with discerning and understanding their mission as disciples of Jesus Christ. This is a relational leadership ministry that comes from deepening our own spirituality and understanding of God’s peace. The church is being challenged to more fully understand and embrace its missional vocation. High Priests as leaders have an important role to play in this exciting journey with God, Jesus Christ, and all those who will join us in mission.
≈≈≈≈
James E. Slauter is President of the Council of Twelve Apostles and Director of Field Ministries.

References

1. Eddie Gibbs, Leadership Next, Changing Leaders in a Changing Culture, (InterVarsity Press, 2005), 22.
2. President Stephen M. Veazey, June 2005, World Conference Sermon.
3. Gibbs, 25.
4. Missional Church, A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America, edited by Darrell L. Guder, (William B. Erdmans Publishing Company, 1998), 183-185.
5. Guder, 185.
6. Guder, 187.
7. Guder, 187.
8. Veazey, ibid.
9. Guder, 14.

World Conference Draws Near!

This spring promises to be an exciting and inspiring time in the life of the church as well as the quorum. We look forward to seeing many of you in quorum sessions and in other worship and fellowship opportunities as we share together in carrying on the work and life of the church.

A schedule has been set for quorum meetings. Plans for the opening quorum session on Monday include the announcement to the quorum of a new president to follow the leadership of Brother Bill Barnhard who will be retiring in 2007. There will be opportunity to share testimonies and hopes for the future of the quorum. This promises to be a high point in our week!

Sessions will be held as follows:

Monday, March 26, 10:30 a.m. to Noon
Worship; announcement of quorum president-elect; testimonies and statements of support for president-elect; vote to sustain president-elect; new business.

Tuesday, March 27, 8:00-10:00 a.m.
Worship; continuation of quorum business; introduction of quorum counselors and secretary; closing statement by President Barnhard.

Wednesday, March 28, 8:00-10:00 a.m.
Worship; setting apart of quorum officers; address to quorum from member of world church leadership council; quorum report to world conference; recognition of educational facilitators; address by new quorum president.

If you are a seasoned “veteran” of past conference quorum sessions, you will certainly note that this an abbreviated schedule. Yet it is full of exciting and challenging moments for our members. Your quorum leadership looks forward to seeing you there and sharing together as we continue to deepen our discipleship and learn more about our unique and visionary call to share the peace of Jesus Christ.

May God bless you as to travel to this world conference. And may those of you who are unable to attend, continue to uphold our leadership in prayer and blessing. We will be together in spirit!
 

Surprise! by Jane Watkins, Quorum Secretary

Life is full of surprises. I’ll bet I can surprise you right now. Did you know that you sent me flowers? Hmmm. Just as I thought. That surprised you, didn’t it?
As I completed the “business” necessary to prepare this newsletter, I found myself in a peculiar place that happens occasionally: a woman with an empty page sitting in front of her. Normally I would be beating the bushes for a contribution or looking in my files for a worthy piece to fill in this awkward page. Since I’m running late on time and feeling too sheepish to ask for help at this late date, I’m going to jump in and offer some high priestly perspectives on surprise.
Yes, back to those flowers. Two days ago a kindly florist knocked on my door and handed over a beautiful bouquet of flowers sent to me from “The Quorum of High Priests.” The cheery flowers are sitting within view of my perch on the end of a reclining sofa. It seems that this perch will be my resting place for about 12 weeks as I recover from a broken leg that occurred from a fall in my shower on Valentine’s Day (US holiday, February 14). My romantic holiday was spent tucked under a bath towel in the emergency room from 1:00 p.m. until leg surgery at 9:00 p.m. to repair a broken femur and shattered kneecap. Friends warn me that I’ll never fly in an airplane again without detailed affidavits about all those bionic parts now neatly encapsulated within my leg. This was quite a surprise.
It has only been 12 days since this life-changing event, but oh! The things I have learned in 12 days! The voice of my kindly mother echoes in my distant past. “Janie, if you could just learn to be more patient. [Here she would sigh.] Lack of patience! That is your fatal flaw.” I heard these words loud and clear in the emergency room, recovery bay, my hospital room, and now in my bedroom in the wee hours of the morning. And so I see again God’s plan for my life unfolding before me. As a person who cherishes life-long learning, I can certainly attest to my current enrollment in Boot Camp for the Impatient.

So, what have I learned? Let me count the ways!

1. The power of prayer is real! Never in my 60 years has this power been unleashed in a more tangible or profound way. The prayers, thoughts, and good wishes of so many friends and family have covered me like a down blanket. They have lessened my pain. They have given me hope. They fill me with the sense that I am a loved and cherished child of God . . . a child with siblings all around the world who truly care! I am surprised! I am blessed.

2. Family and friends are priceless gifts. My total dependency on my family for the most humbling and routine aspects of daily living has been met with cheer and nearly boisterous camaraderie. After 8 days of homebound care, they seem tireless. Friends seem to know just when to call, e-mail, send prayers, homilies, notes, and jokes. There is a conspiracy to keep me happy. I am surprised! I am blessed.

3. I can sit still for twelve days and not go bonkers. I have learned to sit quietly and listen to sounds coming in through my sliding doors: the warble of birds, the wind moving through palm fronds, the distant bustle of a highway, and the laughter of children in the meadow behind my home. Why had I not noticed these things before? I am surprised! I am blessed.

4. Life really only exists one day at a time. Oh how I love to plan ahead! I love to organize and plot my life in day-timers and folders with my Mapquested trips laid out before me. Although I still peek ahead at what may be 12 weeks from now, I am learning a certain peace and rest in just doing the things I can do for today. No one asks any more of me than that. I guess that was me all along pushing me! I am surprised! I am blessed.

5. Patience IS a virtue. I’m working very hard on this one. Maybe at the end of this experience I will have this conquered. Learning how to use a walker and crutches is hard! Who would have thought? It looks so easy when experienced and patient folks glide by on them. Did their wrists ache? Did they discover new muscles? Is there such a thing as Walker Olympics? (I’d like to be able to put this skill to use!) I am surprised! I am blessed.

I will not be at conference this year. I will probably be on my perch . . . learning just what numbers 6 through 10 may be! May you be blessed with surprise in your life. It can be life-changing . . . and positive.


Quorum of High Priests
Community of Christ International Headquarters
1001 W. Walnut Street
Independence MO 64051