Some preliminary information. Mike is one of the pastors in Grace Christian Church and leader of the club for primary school aged children which is ridiculously named Godzilla.* (There is much debate on why; theory 1. Godzilla has the word God in it, theory 2. the kids will think Godzilla is cool so by extension they will think Godzilla club is cool, theory 3. Mike thought it was 'cool', theory 4. neither of the other theories are correct and it just IS Godzilla.)
*I have never cared enough about the name to actually delve into it's history and deeper, hidden, meanings (or lack thereof)
Anyway, Godzilla starts at 7:30pm and Grace CC have this fascinating mentality, that would be unlikely to hold up in court, that the children are not our responsibility before 7:30 or after 9:00pm. This means they get to do whatever they like before and after those times.
This particular Friday the kids were going insane with the various balls (of basket, soccer, football and soft varieties) when Michael made a comment to me something to this effect; "If we just left them like this some of them would be happy out."
That thought, and the sight of the assorted chaos unfolding before me got my mind to a-wandering. As I watched the kids playing I was reminded of the Christian story in general (well at least a specific aspect of the general Christian story). As the children took and played with the equipment before the leaders started anything there was freedom there: like in small churches (or in house churches). There was also a lot of chaos, as I have said before, with fighting, hoarding of equipment, unfair treatment of fellows etc.
There was even a guy smuggling a ball (he had it up his top and looked remarkably comical). This particular kid reminded me of Brother Andrew who used to smuggle Bibles into parts of the world in which it was/is illegal to believe in Jesus and read about God in His Word. As the children played, in leaderless freedom, little groups sprung up and one group with take on another in a Baptist versus Pentecostal style simile.
Eventually 7:30 came around and Michael and I took over the chaos (more so Michael than me though). Then there was organisation; then there was a little more fairness, then there was sharing. There was regulation and conformity (and that sentence may have changed the entire feel of this piece). However, with the benefits there was also some changes to the previous structure which could be viewed as negative. There was less freedom of expression.
This all got me thinking of leadership in the Church in general. There is a good and important place and role for individual freedom and conformity under a leader appointed 'above'/'below' you by the Lord. Though leaders can, and will, stifle some of your freedom; they are also appointed by God to lead, direct, guide, teach, rebuke, instruct, feed and bless the Church.
Freedom in Christ is not leaderless chaos, freedom in Christ is freedom from the power of sin and the death it brings. It is freedom to change to be more like Jesus Christ, assisted by the appointed leaders of the Church in its local expression.
"Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith." (Hebrews 13:7- ESV)
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