Below is a completely hypothetical and fictional situation about a church volunteer named Joe. I ask for your comments regarding the principle expressed and not whether you agree with the leader in the story or Joe. It’s not about who is right or has the better idea (because that’s all opinion) but what you think is Biblical and wise for Joe to do in the situation.
Joe is a graphics volunteer at a medium sized local church in the Pacific Northwest. He’s designing a brochure for his church. The brochure is supposed to communicate what the church is about (the atmosphere, enviroment, etc.) to those who don’t go to church but aren’t necessarily opposed to the idea. For the sake of using church words…we’ll call this audience “seeker” in nature.
The staff person he volunteers for at his church gives him direction on how the brochure should look as far as appearance and content. The direction his leader provides doesn’t sit well with Joe. Both the leader and Joe think the piece needs to reflect a variety of people interacting, but the leader thinks the brochure should show more what the service looks like (people worshipping, singing or listening to the speaker, maybe using stock photos of people praying) but Joe thinks that the piece should connect with the audience in a not so “churchy” manner. Not because Joe wants to hide anything, but he feels as if the piece intially connects with the audience, they are more apt to visit and experience what the service is like so they can make up their own mind. He also thinks that using photos of people praying kind of adulterates what prayer truly is.
Joe is confused. He wonders if he is overreacting. He knows he should respect the authority placed over him, but at the same time, he feels very strongly that this brochure shouldn’t be “set up.” Even after thinking about it for a while, his spirit is still red-flagging him about doing the piece. He’s afraid if he talks to his leader about it, the leader will think he doesn’t support the vision of the church or that specific area and he’ll be asked to find another place to serve in the church. But he also feels that he could not, with a clear conscious, design this piece.
What should Joe do? Why?
Comments
21 responses to “Weekend Thought…Authority & Your Beliefs”
i wonder if it is possible or practical for joe to design both brochures (even if both are rough drafts). perhaps the leader isn’t “seeing” joe’s vision and so therefore is unable to imagine that it could be equally effective in conveying a message.
when it comes down to it though i believe joe would have to respect the authority placed above him and do it the way his boss wants it. there are no life and death consequences associated with it, it may be ineffective, but perhaps God’s mission in it is simply to teach joe to respect authority, even when you don’t agree.
just my two cents.
I was going to say the two brochures thing! Technically, Joe is getting paid to do a job, and that job is the brochure requested of him. But that doesn’t mean he can’t offer what he envisioned and let the leader make his choice.
Joe sounds an awful lot like somebody I know ;-). That said, I think Joe should run for his life before it gets zapped out of him. It’s like his boss is just trying to use his skills and deny the person behind them. Sorry sir, no can do. As for the boss let’s hope he finds someone who agrees with his religious vision. In the end the effectives of the piece will either affirm it or hopefully give him a clue. People are not seeking religion, they are seeking life, hope and love. As for conforming, cookie cutter, traditional religion, I just can’t imagine how people find freedom there but hey to each his own. Different strokes for different folks. All I know it’s not for me.
i agree with a mix between dawn & kate. joe WAS given an assignment and is paid to the job he is told to do. if he didn’t do the job in the way the leader asked then i don’t think it was wrong for them to expect what they asked for.
i don’t however believe that joe’s opinion didn’t matter but it ultimately comes down to respecting authority and doing the project in the way they desired.
Joe and I are both idealistic if that’s what you mean. I can relate to him. Well, if he existed! :) And, not that it matters, but Joe is a volunteer and is not getting paid.
Bad vibes. I’d suggest moving to an area of the country with a major theme park where one can heal from such an ordeal in the warmth of the sun, powderlike sandy beaches, and among an empowering community of visionaries!
I say give Joe some coffee and chocolate…that mixture always makes things better.
Joe should make the piece the way the staffer wants it.
Why?
I heard Andy Stanley say once, (as close as I can remember), “Unless an issue of salvation is at hand, we share ideas, only to ultimately yield to the authority placed over us.”
I agree. Jesus even yielded to authority.
If he doesn’t want to make the piece the way the staffer wants it, then back out, but understand he is losing a bit of trust the next time a project comes up. God knows our hearts, but the question is, “Do we know His?”
He’s very clear that we yield to authority placed over us, unless it goes against Him. A brochure that lacks vision and is too churchy, isn’t against Him, it just lacks vision on how to be for Him.
(My two cents)
You asked for the Biblical. That’s what I feel like my first comment is. My response if it were me (if I were Joe) would probably differ, but I don’t think that would change what is Biblically, the right thing to do.
I’ve been the volunteer under authority that had to suck it up and take the crap. I didn’t care for it, I rebelled and now I speak of those times in the past tense. But was God happy with my response…..probably not. Was I “right” or did I have a better vision? I still think so, but that doesn’t mean I handled it correctly.
All I can say to Joe is, “Try being from Jacksonville and then Orlando (cities) then move to Paris Crossing, Indiana (not city) and be a youth minister for three years among those that are born to lack vision. Those that are born to believe that Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night were just left out, but were supposed to be in 1 Corinthians as commandments from Jesus Himself. Those that are born with one hand on a hymnal and one finger over their mouth to remind them to be reverant while in “God’s house.” Those that wouldn’t try a new idea or way of doing anything if the Apostle Paul himself showed up and told them it was from God Himself.”
Yeah, try that Joe. Then come back and whine over your little brochure, you little wussy…..LOL
There is authority and there is authority. Though Jesus may have yielded to authority, He never once yielded the the religious authority widely recognized among the Jews at the time, namely the Pharisees, He followed the Father by the Spirit.
So if Joe is a Christ-follower with a real open-communication relationship with Jesus, and this is the connection (as implied) the prevents him from wanting to concede to the leadership, then he should find a shepherd who’s voice he recognizes.
Hey Joe, where you goin’ with that gun in yer hand….
Sorry, I could not resist.
i initially wrote out a really long comment about what i see as two outcomes to avoid in this situation (without being sure of what’s going on): 1) the possibility that someone may not get to operate within his talents and design (the entire body of Christ misses out when that happens). 2) the possibility that joe may be so focused on his own interests (the need to be serving in a way that feels good, the need to be doing what he thinks is right without listening to input from someone else, etc.).
my initial solution was to go ahead and complete this assignment but to be on the lookout for a pattern that might indicate, at most damaging, controlling, abusive leadership, or at least damaging, leadership that doesn’t really value what supporting team members have to offer. in the event of such a pattern, i wouldn’t worry about being asked to serve elsewhere, i’d be looking for a place where i could serve with a little more freedom…
and it was when i got to this point in the comment that i looked back over the entry and realized that hypothetical graphic designer joe hasn’t even talked to his hypothetical staff contact yet. we don’t even know what this ministry leader would think. joe should definitely talk to the leader about it (quickly, before too much time is lost on the design/print process–which will only add to the stress of such a conversation, trust me, i know :) ). for all we know, the leader is more open-minded than joe thinks. or maybe together they could come up with a better approach to the design, some sort of compromise. or maybe the ministry leader really is the sort of controlling jerk that would get bent out of shape because someone challenged his ideas. at least then joe would know and would no longer have to fret about it…
you know what they say about a little english verb we call ‘assume’… :) never more true and never more tragic than when it happens in the church. it’s just not what Jesus had in mind for how His body would work.
this is from Rory Noland, isn’t it?
Levi – No….I have that blasted book in my bag and I’ve been attempting to read it for a few weeks. I suck at reading. Maybe this is a clue I should! :)
i think that joe should discuss it with the person over him. you never know if you don’t try. but his mannor and body language in doing so are so very important. there is a chance that there could be a compromise that could be a perfect balance that leaves them both comfortable. maybe his leader just hasn’t thought about joes direction.
just thoughts
Lots of questions remain in the hypothesis but I believe God will not give two people on the same team, different visions for ministry. With each team having multiple person gifted with leadership, there are bound to be many amazing ideas causing conflicting opinions. If it comes down to the bottom line and the leader of the team *and* subject is not central to salvation or sin, Joe submits to the vision cast by leadership and decides to get on the team or Joe realizes this is God telling him he’s in an inauthentic situation and find another job. Something about murmuring and disputing…
i should never post before coffee. what i meant was GOD will not cast two visions for the same team. Either we trust that God has cast the vision to the team leader, (even though we believe our idea to be better) and we get on board or we don’t trust our team leader and find a different place to serve.
i didnt read anyone else’s comments, so this might have already been said…..
It’s the leader’s ministry.
If Joe has a difference of opinion on that matter, than there will be others in the future.
Joe shouldn’t serve under that leader.
Join the worship team, they’ll take anyone
B
Okay, I have to admit that I didn’t read all the comments before mine, but here’s my initial reacftion, having been in both those people’s places before. One, Joe needs to talk with the leader.. speak the truth in love, explain why he feels the way he does, but yet affirming the worth of the leader’s ideas as well (collaboration & workign to preserve unity). Secondly, he has to go on ready to submit to the authority placed over him regardless of how that authority decides (Hebrews 13:17). Having been a leader who had someone volunteering for me just simply bail because they disagreed with me HURT, because they didn’t feel that they could talk to me, or that I would be open to honoring their giftings and sensitivities – plus it left me in the lurch. But keeping silent as Joe just hurts his own heart. How can we have honest, authentic relationships in community if we’re not willing to talk?