“WINNING OVER” WITH THE WORD OF GOD

I will flat out state it – I find many authority figures troubling.

Wait, let me qualify that statement – I find it difficult to muster respect for those in authority who wield their power at all costs, just because they can.

The truth is, because I have worked under leaders who have led as Jesus did, powerfully but respectfully, never too busy to affirm and support, I have trouble reconciling why those who operate on the opposite end of the spectrum should be in leadership. I have seen all too often the corruption power brings: at work, in families, and, yes, in the Christian community at large.

I wasn’t always this way. I was pretty quiet and very trusting growing up. Looking back, I can’t quite put my finger on what event may have triggered such a radical change in my attitude. Likely it accumulated as a result of a series of encounters over many years.

Sometimes my decision to take a stance against authority figures has resulted in consequences that have hurt me rather than accomplish my purposes for standing up in the first place. Yet I continued to operate like this for many years.

The Bible tells us this: “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority.”  (Hebrews 13:17) I have struggled with this passage and how to implement it for a large part of my adult life. But the Lord has been moving mightily in helping me understand this Scripture from a spiritual perspective, especially over the last year and a half while I have had the space and time to do a lot of thinking and praying about my life.

Recently, the manager of a large Christian radio station sent out a request for stories about musicians. Never one to ignore an opportunity for marketing, I responded with a brief email outlining my background and accomplishments. I think I have an interesting story – certainly not typical – and was hoping he would agree.

This was the response I received: “I’ve never heard of you.” And that was it.

I was taken aback. I felt like I was being pushed down before I was even given a chance. Those awful feelings of powerlessness started to rise. But as I prayed about this situation, I was convicted not to revert to my old ways of responding, which historically would have been sending back an email pointing out how inappropriate the response was; or just as damaging, not saying anything and stuffing it down, where unhealthy resentment would fester – a strategy I have adopted on occasion in situations when I realized that saying anything would just make things worse.

Instead, I saw it as an opportunity to grow – both for me and for him – in a way that aligned with Jesus’s exhortations about dealing with conflict in the Book of Matthew (see 18:15), which I happened to be studying this week.

So I sent back an email encouraging him to see this as an opportunity to help out a sister in Christ. I shared a couple of Scriptures with him. And I told him I would pray for him. That’s it.

I was pleasantly surprised when he responded back. That led to a dialogue via email over the course of the afternoon, resulting in his encouragement for me to send my Christmas CD Red & White for airplay on his radio station next holiday season.

Fantastic!

I am convinced that it was the Scriptures I forwarded to him that changed what could have been an uneasy outcome. I didn’t have to say anything more than point straight to the Word of God.

I will have to remember to do this more often. Thank you Lord for this revelation!

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." (Hebrews 10:24)

In Communications: from Military to Ministry (Peter Black)

The Berlin Wall hadn’t yet fallen and the Cold War was still in effect, and his military role wasn’t something he could talk about. However, I know he was in communications and learned to speak Russian and that he spent some time each year at the Canadian Forces Station at Alert, in the Arctic. This is the world’s northernmost permanently inhabited place – although the population is mostly comprised of rotating military and scientific personnel.

My wife and I came to know Levi Samson Beardy, an Aboriginal Canadian, in the early 1980s during our time in Kingston, Ontario. He was newly posted at the Canadian Forces Base there.  He and his family fitted right in, from the first service they attended at our church.

Eager to learn and willing to participate, it soon became evident that Levi was the ‘real deal.’  His commitment to his family, to Jesus Christ and our church fellowship proved solid, and he took on significant roles, such as teaching an adult Bible class, leading segments in worship services, serving on the church board and occasionally filling in for me in preaching.

What brought Levi and his family to mind today was that May recently came across an old photo featuring him with me and two other men from the congregation. She posted it on Facebook; Levi saw it on a mutual friend’s Facebook wall and connected with May.

Perhaps you have certain internet social networking connections that you’d rather be without, while others you appreciate and enjoy. Levi’s one we are glad to have. He has updated us on what he’s doing nowadays. Since his retirement from the armed forces he studied at Bible college and seminary.

For several years he taught at an aboriginal college, and then in 2008 he became co-founder and President of North American Aboriginal Bible College (NAABC) – a role he still fulfils. He is also a co-pastor at an Aboriginal church in Toronto.

NAABC is “an interdenominational Bible College with the mission of preparing Aboriginal (First Nations, Metis, Inuit) people and non-Aboriginal people for ministry.” Levi is an equipper – training others and helping them succeed. He understands authority, for his military training taught him how authority structures operate. He knows that in order to develop strong and equitable, honest and balanced leadership, one must be given responsibilities incrementally, with accountability.

I’m grateful to God for the small role our lay leaders and I were privileged to play in allowing this fine man’s natural and spiritual gifts for Christian leadership and teaching to grow and flourish. These abilities are still being used to elevate lives and bless North American Aboriginal communities with faith and hope and love, through the grace of our Lord Jesus.

My thanks is due those leaders who, in my youth, allowed me to share talents and spiritual gifts with others, and entrusted me with levels of responsibility, even when I felt inadequate to bear them. They took risks, and I made mistakes, but they were patient and helped me grow through them.

Levi expressed that his time in our Kingston congregation was a period of growth personally and for the church. With his military career far behind him, he continues “in communications,” teaching and investing in the lives of young leaders who will help others come to know the love and peace of God.

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Peter A. Black is a freelance writer in Southwestern Ontario, and is author of “Parables from the Pond” – a children's / family book (mildly educational, inspirational in orientation, character reinforcing).

(Finalist -- Word Alive Press ISBN 1897373-21-X)

His inspirational column, P-Pep! appears weekly in The Guide-Advocate. His articles have appeared in 50 Plus Contact and testimony, and several newspapers in Ontario. Peter’s current book project comprises a collection of 52 column articles.  The post above has been slightly modified from a P-Pep! column article, published Sep. 19, 2013.

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