In the last post we talked about our need to embrace discomfort and discussed two suggestions to help us embrace discomfort, which are identity and personal awakening.
The other suggestion was the shaping of the environment.
Environment is just so important to a person’s life. If you are born into a family that is rich in resources or a family that focuses on education, then your chances of receiving a high level of education are much higher than a child in the ghetto. Perhaps there is no difference in IQ between the two, but the direction of life is already very different.
You are much more likely to become pig-headed if you are in a group of drunken friends. If you are in a lewd environment, then the likelihood of you committing adultery is everywhere. If you are with friends who like sweets, then your addiction to sweets is almost inevitable, and obesity and three-highs are a sure thing.
All people know that environment shaping is very important, except for pastors, strange you say. Many pastors are still unclear about what a church is, so how can they shape the environment that a church should have?
Instructors in a disciplined force know what a disciplined force is, and therefore know the importance of moulding discipline, and therefore even unreasonable orders must be obeyed by their subordinates, or else they get out.
In a company, the top management knows the company’s philosophy and will therefore ask their staff to work according to the culture and values set by the company, and those who do not like it can find another job.
Even a customer-focused restaurant has an environment that customers must abide by. If that restaurant has a counter to order from, you behave yourself and order from the counter, if you don’t like it, go to another restaurant.
What is the church? Why does the church exist? What kind of environment should the church have? Are we clear on all this?
Should the church member-first to make them happy? Should the church provide whatever the members like? If we serve the members, if they are happy, if we have more people attending our services, then we are a good pastor. Crazy, isn’t it? But this is the perception of a lot of Christians today.
If we are not shaping the environment for discipleship, how can believers wake up to the fact that they are Christ’s disciples?
If we want to shape the discipleship environment, many members will be unhappy and complain, as a pastor, can you stand it?