PERPETUATION

I Was Just Thinking About – PERPETUATION.

There is some truth to the old saying: ‘The more things change the more they remain the same.” That’s the basic meaning of perpetuation. It means: “to cause or continue to prevail.” This is obviously true in politics where term limits of Senators or Congressman are talked about but rejected. A negative result is that things of importance become institutionalized and entrenched in bureaucracy.

The same is true in the Church where Deacons or Elders are elected by congregations and become entrenched in a peculiar bureaucracy. Many times it is also more secular than spiritual. How we arrived at this place no one can adequately affirm. All that can be said is that it is what it is. A person in a leadership role in a Church has a need and requirement to meet God’s minimum standard. We get a clear idea of this as Paul addresses the servant of the Lord with the words recorded in Titus 1:4-9, “To Titus, my true child in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. The reason I left you in Crete was that you would set in order what was unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. An elder must be blameless, the husband of one wife, having children who are believers and are not open to accusation of indiscretion or insubordination. As God’s steward, an overseer must be above reproach—not self-absorbed, not quick tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money. Instead, he must be hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it was taught, so that by sound teaching he will be able to encourage others and refute those who contradict this message.”

Do the words of Titus 1:4-9 describe and define those in leadership roles in the Church you attend? If not, why not? It is not a position where anyone should be chosen but only those who meet and comply with God’s requirements. If we don’t follow God’s standard and requirement, then we have become secular rather than spiritual. It also means that if we continue this practice we are perpetuating wrong choices from the past and bogging down the possibilities of ministry in the present.

Prayerfully – consider these things with me!