Presence Weekly 9/02/2024, "Character and Unity"

Now in these days, when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. Acts 6:1-7

Last week, we began a series focusing on three keys to maintaining unity in the midst of growth and diversity. We underscored the fact that unity is a critical component that allows the Church to fulfill its missional purpose. In order to maintain and strengthen unity, the Church must practice service, develop and display character; and embrace diversity.

Service and Leadership

To maintain unity, the Church must practice service. We looked at that in detail last week. But that is not all. The Church must also develop and display character in service and leadership. How does the Church do this? 

What are the qualifications for serving tables? One might expect the apostles to place administration or multi-tasking at the top of the required skill set list. Those familiar with how Washington typically operates could easily imagine this task falling to an intern. Not because no one else could or should do it but because no one else wants to do it. 

Yet, the primary concern of the Apostles lies elsewhere.

“And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.” 

Regarding the role of men versus women in service to the Church, we could discuss whether it is proper to take this passage as descriptive rather than prescriptive. That is a valuable conversation but it is not central to our point. What is? The verse is absolutely prescriptive regarding two things: the need to address the issue and the role of character in doing so. 

As we discussed last week, this passage in Acts is a critical moment for the Church. In their growth, potential fissures are forming. Christ made welcoming the Samaritans (John 4), sinners and tax collectors (Matthew 9:10-17, Mark 2:15-22, Luke 5:29-39), sexually promiscuous (John 4), disabled (Mark 10:54 and many others), poor (Luke 14:16-24), and Gentiles (Mark 7:24-30, Luke 7:1-10) a prominent part of his ministry. After gathering this diverse coalition, Jesus’s death and resurrection now required that the responsibility of maintaining its unity fell to the Apostles. If the Church is going to hold together, then everyone’s needs will have to be addressed on the same level. This is about ensuring equality of opportunity for everyone. This is about flourishing. This is about justice. This is about declaring the implications of the gospel through table fellowship. 

Why impose character qualifications upon those who were “only” serving tables? Because they were doing far more than that. In their service, they helped to facilitate the unity of the Church. Therefore, character was crucial.

The Character of Servants and Leaders

Look at the way the problem is handled by the disciples. It starts with the character of the leaders, who are also called to serve. They do not pick the ones who will serve; they ask the Church (the full number of disciples) to pick who will serve in these roles. Peter, James, and John, the “leaders” of the disciples, had learned the lesson of service well.

Acts 6 provides an early application of Jesus’s character-building rebuke of James and John in Mark 10 when they asked for positions of power. 

⁴² And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. ⁴³ But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, ⁴⁴ and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. ⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:42–45.

Of course, “the many” for whom Jesus gave his life include the Hellenist widows. The Gentiles were used to having leaders lord it over them, which would certainly have included a pecking order in situations like this. Perhaps some were there who even expected to have the Hellenist widows at the back of the line. But if there are neither Jews nor Greeks in Christ (Gal. 3:28), then addressing this issue becomes one of existential weight. As such, appointing men of character and wisdom was paramount. If the Son of man came to serve, not to be served, then those placed in positions of service must understand the full weight of the mission. 

And now they are leading, and leading well. Look at the response of the Church to their suggestion, it says in verse 5 that “what they said pleased the whole congregation.”

Some might ask, “Well, why don’t the Apostles serve the tables?” That’s a great question! The answer is, “They are.” Not physically, of course, but the character of their leadership ensures that the tasks they could and should do are being done so that they can do the tasks that only they are able to do. 

The Character of the Church

The unity of the Church here is not just being maintained by the character of the Apostles or the seven chosen to serve, but the Church itself. Look at how they responded to the issue. Despite the initial grumbling, they react with character. They say, “We will take this problem to the leaders; they will address it.” No special meetings, lunches, private emails, or text threads are sowing discord and division. They ask the Church to address their needs. In this passage, the character of the congregation is just as responsible for maintaining unity as is that of the leadership.

This moment says a great deal about the character development of the “full number of the disciples.” They understood that equality of opportunity, flourishing, and justice are the real-world implications of the gospel. They also concluded that all of these issues matter as much to the concern over table service as they do to the broader witness and mission of the Church – including the public square. 

Sometimes, it’s just easier to get mad and pout and cause division than it is to seek a resolution. This is where Satan loves to work. He exploits our fallenness and our character flaws to try and divide the Church. He tries to keep us grumbling about problems rather than working with servants and leaders of character to find solutions. Satan also works to encourage our leaders to respond poorly to requests when they are made. Responding poorly is always easier when character is under-developed. This is why we must realize the importance of developing and displaying character in maintaining the unity of the Church.

One of my favorite books is Bring ‘Em Back Alive, by Dave Burchett. It is full of painful stories of folks who have been really hurt by the Church. So hurt that they left. But it is also full of helpful advice on how the Church and those wounded can move forward together and begin the healing process. We move forward together by repenting for where we have wronged others, by stopping our continuous grumbling, which just encourages division, and by making people aware when we need help rather than hoping they just figure it out themselves. In other words – developing and displaying character is critical in maintaining the unity of the Church.

Servants and Leaders of Character in the Public Square

I think everyone realizes that political party infighting and factions harm flourishing. We have come to expect it, even though we should not have to endure it. Political divisions are, however, less damaging than divisions within the Church.

As servants and leaders in the public square, our character and the character of those we choose to lead us is a “proclaiming of the excellencies of the one who called us out of darkness and into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:10). By displaying character in our service and leadership of the local church and in our vocations (both are acts of worship), we promote the truth that equality of opportunity, flourishing, and justice are the full implications of the gospel. Through this, we experience and extend the foretastes of the coming kingdom throughout the city (and nation) where our Lord has called us to serve (Jer. 29). 

Application questions:

How can developing and displaying the character of servants and leaders in the public square help navigate the political polarization that is occurring in our country?

What role does wisdom play in the display and development of character? In what ways are you seeking to not just grow in wisdom, but incorporate that wisdom into your character?

Reading Psalm 1, what connection is there between our community and our character? How is your community forming your character? What can this Psalm teach us about maintaining unity?

As we approach an election, what role does character play in your consideration of candidates?

• Monday: Morning: Jeremiah 28, Ephesians 6:1-9, Psalm 9, 10, 11 // Evening: Jeremiah 29:1-20, John 8:31-59, Psalm 9, 10, 11
• Tuesday: Morning: Jeremiah 32:1-15, Ephesians 6:10-24, Psalm 15, 16, 17 // Evening: Jeremiah 32:16-35, John 9, Psalm 15, 16, 17
• Wednesday: Morning: Jeremiah 32: 36-44, Philippians 1:1-11, Psalm 19, 20, 21// Evening: Jeremiah 33:1-13, John 10:1-21, Psalm 19, 20, 21
• Thursday: Morning: Jeremiah 33:14-26, Philippians 1:12-30, Psalm 24, 25, 26// Evening: Jeremiah 34:1-22, John 10:22-42, Psalm 24, 25, 26
• Friday: Morning: Jeremiah 36 & 37, Philippians 2:1-11, Psalm 30, 31/ Evening: Jeremiah 38:1-13, John 11:1-44, Psalm 30, 31
• Saturday: Morning: Jeremiah 38:14-39, Philippians 2:12-30, Psalm 35, 36 // Evening: Jeremiah 40 & 41, John 11:45-57, Psalm 35, 36
• Sunday: Morning: Ezekiel 18:1-4; 19-32, luke 9:46-62, Psalm 38, 39, 40// Evening: Daniel 6:1-28, Matthew 7:15-29, Psalm 38, 39, 40

• Cabinet Agency: The National Labor Relations Board members and staff, an independent federal agency vested with the power to safeguard employees’ rights to organize and determine whether to have unions as their bargaining representative. The agency also acts to prevent and remedy unfair labor practices committed by private-sector employers and unions.
• Think Tank, Lobby group, NGO: The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), a labor union and aviation safety organization representing nearly 20,000 highly skilled air traffic controllers, engineers, and other aviation safety-related professionals - many of whom worked over Labor Day weekend. 
• Weekly delegation: For the congressional delegation of the state of Oregon
• News: For Hill staff who are gearing up for the return of Congressional members this week. For Congressional members splitting time between their Washington responsibilities and campaigning (425 House Members/ 33 Senators). 
• Personal requests: For a couple mourning a painful anniversary. For a couple dealing with a deliberately defiant child. For those coming back from a long weekend vacation. For a couple dealing with a church in conflict. For someone unsure of their job security. For someone considering a potential appointment to a Cabinet agency.

• *Read this first → The New York Times has a report that is as in-depth as it is disturbing on how efforts at responsible recycling of waste have led to forever-chemicals contaminating millions of acres and threatening aspects of our agricultural markets. 
• *Watch/Listen to this first → Soft White Underbelly has a lengthy, heart-wrenching, and essential interview with former multi-platinum Contemporary Christian recording artist Russ Taff on his struggle with addiction, perfectionism, shame, and child abuse. 
• The Center for American Progress offers “Practical Steps to Build Strong Political Norms and Stop Political Violence.”
• The Rabbit Room reminds readers that “Hospitality is More Than Entertaining.”
• The Gospel Coalition has a review of ‘The Widening of God’s Mercy’ by Christopher and Richard Hays, which highlights the importance of one’s hermeneutical approach in relationship to cultural application.
• USA Today had a compelling opinion piece regarding Caitlin Clark’s quest for the WNBA Rookie of the Year.

• Thursday, September 5, 10:00 - 11:00 am The Hudson Institute hosts The Supreme Court’s Other Administrative Law Blockbuster: Corner Post in discussing the implications and signals that may come from their recent Loper-Bright decision. 
• Thursday, September 5, 11:30am-12:30 pm, The Brookings Institute is hosting: Lessons in leadership at home and abroad: A conversation with Susan Rice, as part of the inaugural Jeffrey A. Bader Memorial Lecture
• Friday, September 6, The Trinity forum hosts an online event, Ending Persecution: An Online Conversation with Nichole Bibbins Sedaca and Knox Thames to discuss pathways towards diminishing religious persecution worldwide. 
• Weekdays 12:00 - 1:00 pm, LIVE! CONCERT SERIES ON THE PLAZA at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center’s Wilson Plaza. On stage this week,
• • Tues. 9/3 - DC Mariachi, Mariachi
  • Wed. 9/4 - SIRIUS COMPANY, Go-Go
  • Thurs. 9/5 - Wil Gravatt Band, Country
  • Fri. 9/6 - Mystic Bowie's Talking Dread, Reggae
• Saturday, September 7, is the DC Bike Ride – with a family-friendly course, the event is one of the biggest cycling celebrations in DC and offers a unique experience to its participants, winding riders 20 miles through city streets and by monuments and memorials. 
• Sunday, September 8, is Adams Morgan Day “The longest-running neighborhood festival in the District has been around for more than 40 years. The lively 18th Street buzzes with music, food vendors, for-sale artwork, and family-friendly activities.”

On Friday, the "faithful minions dispatched by The Rabbit Room" delivered a much-anticipated package to my front door – the pocket edition of Every Moment Holy, Volume III. Imagine combining the Puritan classic, Valley of Vision, with the Book of Common Prayer, and then directing it towards everyday situations and work and you'll have a good picture of this wonderful work. This volume focuses on "The Work of the People" with liturgies of: Labor and Vocation, Creations and Recreation, Blessing & Celebrations, Petition and Provision, Sorrow and Lament, and The Moment.

The liturgies (prayers) include: For Town Planning, Before Playing a Board Game, Before Hosting, For a Single Person Going to Church, When Breastfeeding Isn't Going as Planned, For Contemplating the Empty Bedroom of the Child Who has Left Home, Suffering Long Emotional Pain.

This volume, along with the others, is helpful for developing wisdom, emotional awareness, and the character needed to live in a posture of faithful presence.