DESPERATE MEASURES. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE - Mark 11:15-17

On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: " 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.'"

OBSERVATION
The system of the temple after years of religious activity lost its purpose and mission. Rather than being a house of prayer, the temple became a money exchange floor. The religious authorities were blind to that fact because of their greed and love for power. That's why Jesus does something radical. He breaks the protocol imposed by men rather than the law given by God. He overturned the tables of money changers and created panic. But he left people thinking about what matters the most. For some people Jesus became a hero, and for others he became a menace. Very sad that the temple system was so broken that Jesus had to do something that dramatic to make a point.

APPLICATION
Recently I found out about the radical actions of another pastor in our denomination. For several years, he work hard trying to make our denomination more effective in accomplishing its mission. The work was difficult and exhausting. He felt ignored as his recommendations were not taken seriously. When a recent negative report about the effectiveness of the denomination became public, he had enough. After 33 years of faithful compliance to the denomination, he challenged one of the instructions given in our bylaws and consciously made a decision to not follow through with it in some way. This is a common practice by many pastors in our denomination, but nobody really speaks openly about it. But this pastor did something different. He informed a large group of peers about his decision and explained his reasoning for it. Great controversy was created in the group listening. Some people considered him a courageous leader, others considered him impetuous, and even others considered him borderline rebellious.

What saddens me the most about this episode is not that this pastor made this decision, but that our systems can become so difficult to work with that causes good people to take desperate measures to create positive change. While many others just heard the part the he was not following through with a bylaw, others were listening to his plea for a better system, where the house of the Lord becomes what it is supposed to be.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, I'm not a judge to determine this pastor's actions as sinful or righteous. All I know is that I don't want the systems I'm involved with, our denomination, our networks, church, and other ministries, to become so religious and difficult to correct that I have to make drastic and desperate measures to bring positive change. Please save us to become that way. Give me endurance and wisdom to bring your will into our movement and to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. This will be an uphill battle, but I want to fight honorably all the way to the finish line. Many pastors in my denomination are tired of trying for decades and they are taking desperate measures. Please help the new generation of leaders to never consider those options because my generation takes responsibility to fix it and make it effectively missional again. Amen!