Here is a Brazil nut tree in the middle of a passion-fruit orchard.

Harold and Joan Hansen, Deanna’s parents, celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary this week with Chinese food at the Capital Hotel in Chilliwack.

At the table with them are Doug and Marianne, and Jim and Vicky Nyssen, all significant long-term partners in this Brazilian church-planting project.

What is our leadership responsibility toward our people?

Role-Playing Questions

Imagine you and your spouse are alone in the Garden of Eden. Your spouse ate the forbidden fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil? You decide not to join your spouse in eating the forbidden fruit.

1. How do you imagine your spouse would feel?

2. How would you react to your spouse’s emotions?

3. How would you approach God about what happened without partaking in the same fruit? How would you discuss the situation with God without judging good and evil?

The Second Story about Humans

In the second Bible story about humans, the oldest brother has a fine idea to offer God a sacrifice. His little brother copies him and also gives God a sacrifice. God only accepts the younger brother’s sacrifice, making the older brother furious. God patiently gives the older brother another chance to not fall into temptation. This time sin is portrayed as something that crouches in front of the entrance to that place where God rules.

“‘Why are you so angry?’ the LORD asked Cain. ‘Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master’” (NLT, Gen. 4:6-7).

Cain pondered God’s suggestion for a while, but one day he invited his brother to go for a walk (Gen 4:8). Cain decided to take matters into his own hands to set things right with a power-over solution. This did not end Cain’s relationship with God but immeasurably complicated his life.

Abel decides not to judge Cain back, to be negatively influenced by Cain’s angry emotions, and even to accept an invitation to go out together. Abel’s exemplary behavior is mentioned in the same breath as Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice. The author of Hebrews explained.

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel (Heb. 12:22-24).

“By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks” (Heb. 11:4).

God is more interested in our attitude, character, and behavior than in the short-term results of our ministry.

A Different Kind of Leadership

But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mt 20:25-28).

Embrace Servant Leadership Responsibility

Notice that Jesus does not suggest His people avoid leadership. In 1987, I flew from the Norther Yukon to Dallas, Texas, to attend Bible School. Two months into the semester, the school authorities asked me if I would be a student leader. I declined, stating I was used to the headaches of leadership from the road crews in the North, and I wanted to focus on prayer and study. Soon willing-but-immature student leaders demanded I participate in meetings at inconvenient-to-me hours; it felt unreasonable. To release my frustration, I ran so far and hard that I hurt my hip. That took years to heal. Sometime into that experience, I promised God I would not run from His call to leadership. I always felt my biggest learning at Bible School was an introduction to living and working with Christians. God’s goal is to teach us to lead as Servant Leaders, where He carries the weight and responsibility, and we serve those we influence.

Jesus invites us into the puzzle of influencing our people by staying close to them while not using our power-over advantage to get results. Or how do you think that works with servants when they enforce a power-over decision on their masters? Consider Apostle Paul’s list of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Fruit of the Tree of Life to understand the nature of your leadership decisions (Gal 5:18-24). 

A Suggestion

Ask the Holy Spirit to orchestrate a servant-leader training program specifically for you, so you can experience how it works. It might take a few years for God to get the players in place, but I would love to hear your story.

Question

When has a power-over leadership decision produced the long-term results you hoped for?

“You can count the apples in a tree, but you cannot count the trees in an apple.” We do not know, at these events, who will become the influential Christian sevant-leaders.

Sometimes our desire to protect the people we love doesn’t turn out as we hoped. I see many marital, parental, and pastoral power struggles and wonder about the best way forward. Reflecting on my experiences, assuming a power-over solution to other adults and the opposite behavior avoidance are often unhelpful. Engaging in awkward conversations with a calm, curious, thoughtful attitude, on the other hand, is often powerful and helpful.

Jesus explained that both salt and light change their surroundings because of their presence, simply by being what they are. There is no sense of power struggles or being triggered, but there is a sense of a calm, felt presence that radiates outward.

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Mt. 5:13-16).

Three Biblical Examples

1. David’s questions about Goliath triggered his older brother. Rather than responding thoughtfully to his younger brother, Eliab employed a power-over attitude. Eliab’s response to David may have eased his own anxiety, but it did not dissuade David or even slow him down.

“Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, ‘Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle’” (NKJV, 1 Sam. 17:28).

2. Gideon’s dad didn’t punish Gideon, nor did he rescue him. He took the thoughtful attitude of, “Let’s see how this works out.”

The people said to each other, “Who did this?” And after asking around and making a careful search, they learned that it was Gideon, the son of Joash. “Bring out your son,” the men of the town demanded of Joash. “He must die for destroying the altar of Baal and for cutting down the Asherah pole.” 
But Joash shouted to the mob that confronted him, “Why are you defending Baal? Will you argue his case? Whoever pleads his case will be put to death by morning! If Baal truly is a god, let him defend himself and destroy the one who broke down his altar!” (NLT, Jdg 6:29-31).

3. The Apostle Paul – The Apostle Paul was a crucial person in the formation of the Corinthian church (1 Cor. 4). The Corinthians asked Paul for advice (1 Cor. 7:1). Experienced founding pastors often have culturally relevant advice based on a deep love for the individuals involved, and wise leaders wait until their experience and council is requested. Peter wrote that Paul’s teachings were sometimes hard to understand and easy to take out of context (2 Pet. 3:14-16). When asked, Paul encouraged the Corinthian believers not to pick their favorite leaders, which leads to power struggles, that they not wink at blatant sin in their midst, and that they all learn to encourage one another in church (1 Cor. 14:31).

Three Personal Examples

1. When I was 14, mom told me it was time to go to the dentist again. As usual, I kicked up a fuss. Mom paused, looked at me thoughtfully, and said, “OK, the decision is yours. I’ll take you if you want.” I opted not to go. My choice resulted in an absessed tooth pulled, a bridge, and a plant, costing significant pain and money.

2. When I was 15 I started chewing tobacco at work, something our family and church culture despised. I carried a container of Skoal in my back pocket. One day, dad asked me in front of others what the round container I always had in my back pocket was. I don’t think anyone else knew what it was, but he did. Even so, he never pushed it. I always appreciated that moment.

3. When my parents found pot in my room, they took it to the police. Then they decided corporal punishment would help me and set a good example for my siblings. They were anxious and triggered by my evasive and contrary behavior, and I do not remember any thoughtful discussions around controversial topics. Not long after their power-over behavior, I quit high school and left home.

What is Helpful?

While I am grateful my parents protected me and provided for me as a young child, I am also grateful we developed an adult, mutually-respectful, peer relationship.

How About You?

Would you rather be protected by your spouse, parent, pastor, or community leader, or engage in thoughtful discussions and take your chances with your best choice? And along these lines, how do you treat those under your leadership?

Cleury, one of the pastors at the retreat, cooked deep-fried chicken for one of the meals. Someone converted a disk from a cultivator into a deep-fryer.

The chicken was as good as it looks. Cleury and her husband Ricardo are ranchers and the pastors of the church hosting this youth retreat.

Everyone slept in hammocks at the retreat. This is one of four buildings, and the roofs were big enough to keep out most of the torrential seasonal rain.

Most of these people come from challenging situations. All the people in my small group were raised by single moms. I think eight people made a decision to follow Jesus, and a few more reconciled from a backslidden state.

Have a great week!

Rick and Deanna.

From 1996 to 2006, the mission fleet grew to seven boats and an airplane. Over time we started more churches along the roads. Motorcycles and pickups are less expensive to maintain. Still, there is a vast river basin that millions call home. Last month Clenildo went out to this remote region and restarted three churches using the more-sustainable Discovery Group model. Sustainable, ever-expanding, church planting is our dream.

Here is the Mission Fleet, back in 2002. The largest boat is 20m and sleeps 60. The next one is 15m and sleeps 45. The smallest boat belonged to a buffalo rancher who is now with Jesus.

After this storm, when four of our boats sank, I stopped praying for more adventures… for a season. Now I do my best to enjoy each day, whether calm, stressful, or off-the-charts. We are living on a pale blue dot spinning a complete rotation each day, plus we are traveling around the sun each year, predictably tilting slightly so we can enjoy seasons, and God is feeding all the birds. I want to enjoy the ride.

All four of these boats sank due to an unexpected storm. When the wind blows off the land, it is manageable. The storm occasionally comes from across the 10 km wide river, creating enormous waves. The airplane was not at the site during the big storm.

After that big storm, we anchored our boats offshore. It was more hassle getting back and forth on canoes, but the boats will bob up and down in the water if it is deep enough, compared to getting slammed into the beach for hours.

This is how it looks when the water comes over your vehicle’s hood. Our truck does not have a snorkel. That bump in our hood is the air intake. Three times the water came over our hood on this trip, and the last time it came ten cm up onto our windshield, creating that satisfying feeling when you get to use your 4×4 like a 4×4.

We are heading into a hole on the driver’s side. Can you see the truck sliding into a hole of unknown depth?

On the way to Santarem, Deanna kept scrunching her eyes shut through the good parts while holding on to my phone, so I couldn’t take photos either. On the way back, though, she caught some of the good moments. All these photos are thanks to Deanna. Even so, it is hard to capture the emotion. As you can see in this photo, we are just coming through a big hole, and the water is running off the hood of our vehicle. If you visit us in the rainy season, I’ll see if I can work in a trip.

Sometimes we drove right into a sheet of heavy rain, which was the best the wipers could do on high speak. That is a motorcycle in front of us, pulled off to the side.

When I was younger, I longed for adventure. Then, after a wild storm that sank four of our boats on the Xingu River while we were at a remote retreat, I started praying for no more adventures, or at least less. Now I do my best to enjoy each moment God gives us fully,  the awesome boring days, the awesome white-knuckle days, and everything in between.