Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Disciples make Disciples







Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

If you love Me, keep My commandments.

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him. (NKJ)

 Jesus was the most brilliant man who ever walked the earth. Although He never took an Intelligence Test there is no doubt that His ability to think clearly was exceptional. Yet he said it was better that He should go away. How can that be?

The bell shaped curve is designed to indicate the statistical point that 50% of all humans are above the center point or Mean and 50% are below it on many attributes. There is supposedly a balance of rich and poor, pretty and ugly, motivated and unmotivated and also when it comes to intelligence.  Look around and you will see that Garrison Keiler’s weekly comment about Lake Woebegone is incorrect.  It is statistically impossible that all the children are above average.  According to the bell shaped curve, exactly 50% are above average and 50% are below average. Only about 1% of all people are at the highest level of the IQ scale so the number of certified geniuses among us is quite small. 

Unfortunately, in America a high IQ means one thing: An ability to remember book knowledge or theoretical knowledge. In the church we sometimes say a person is so “Heavenly minded they are no earthly good”. I attended graduate school with several persons who were brilliant in the theories of counseling and working with people. However, many of them had little if any practical ability to work with people in need. Theory without experience will always remain in the realm of doubt. More on this later.

What about Jesus? Where would he have fit into the world of intellect and the ability to remember essential information? What would have been his IQ score? Jesus would have blown the top off of the test and the bell would need to be expanded to include his abilities, gifts and talents. 

People who lead the churches of Jesus Christ need an average IQ. They need to think clearly and handle a lot of information.  All pastoral candidates need to be above average in IQ. We must know something about scripture, church history, the names and history of the congregation and its people as well as numerous other facts.  Knowledge about delivering good talks is essential as is the ability to motivate individuals to grow and change.  Perhaps no career has a higher demand for leaders who know how to develop, motivate and shape groups. This makes a high IQ important. No professional position I have been in requires as much mental power as the professional ministry.

Jesus was the greatest teacher, leader, motivator, change agent, caregiver, healer, and friend. Yet, He said that it was better if He went away.  He also said that if we believe in Him we would do greater things than He.  How can that be?

What a strange approach to genius.  Most brilliant leaders seem irreplaceable, but not Jesus. Instead of causing others to become dependent he did everything he could to delegate information, power and ministry.  As the world’s greatest leader he did not develop dependent followers but other leaders. Just imagine; Leaders making leaders! What a novel idea. 

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