On March 14, returning to the US on March 29, I will fly to Romania, where I’ll have the privilege and opportunity of leading Romanian pastors and church leaders in retreat settings. In two of these settings, Giurgiu, south of Bucharest on the Danube, and Cluj, in the northwest (or Transylvania), we will focus upon Jesus’ leadership as seen in Mark’s Gospel: we will consider His preparing His disciples for His death in Jerusalem. Such a focus will not be a “how-to seminar," but rather the stark reminder that leadership within the church is to be shaped by His cross. On the one hand, such an emphasis is uncomfortable for most of us, myself included; on the other hand, I am convinced that self-sacrificing, servant-leadership is life-giving, and is the essential characteristic of the Kingdom of God. That is, leadership within the church should reflect her Leader, who “came not to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many.”
While in Giurgiu, I will also have the opportunity to share in a more public arena, where I will seek to direct those, culturally formed by the Orthodox tradition, to consider Jesus’ interaction with a wealthy ruler, who was himself profoundly shaped by the orthodox traditions of his day (cf. Mark 10:17-27). In loving this man, Jesus commanded him to sell his many possessions, give the proceeds to the poor, and then follow Him. Upon hearing this word, and offering no response, the man left Jesus’ presence downcast, his heart and mind darkened. Without question, this was a difficult word for the ruler to receive: his obedience would have rendered him fully dependent, like a child.
In the context of Mark 10, and just prior to His encounter with the wealthy ruler, Jesus had said: “[Whoever] does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter into it.” The older I become, the more confident I am that the Kingdom of God is for “children.” It is for those who will trust, who will wonder, who will delight, who will explore, who will listen, and who will receive life now and forever as grace – not as something deserved or earned, but as a great gift, fantastic beyond definition.
I have thought about this child-like approach to life, even as I anticipate my days in Romania: What will capture my attention? What will I learn? Will I be dependent? I wonder.
Faithfully,
Stan
Ps. Using this space, I will blog my Romanian experience.