My passions have been so stirred by the comments you shared in the July Daywatch that I have to reply.

I believe at this time many Christians are in a transition period, they are experiencing a personal journey of discovering that something is not quite right with church as we know it, or rather, church as we have inherited it.

I think it is a good thing to share our own experiences in order to help others with their personal transition.

Below is my current understanding:

Paul wrote to the Corinthians (4:15) For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.  Some Christian leaders want to teach the people and increase their church membership, but not all have real Fathers hearts.  We hear horrible stories about abusive church leaders who control people and build their own churchs reputation, rather than listening to Jesus definition of Christian leadership from Matt 20 - Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." I think Jesus really intended Christian leaders to be like fathers, not like rulers. Good parents want their children to develop into all their potential, whatever that may be, so Christian leaders should desire that all the people in their care will grow into their full potential in God, and of course grow more and more into the likeness of Jesus in their character.  In fact this lines up with the desire of Father God.  He has just two desires: to have as many babies born into His family as possible (evangelism) and that each one of His children will grow up to be like Jesus (discipleship).  Not just the first desire, but also the second.  This is why Jesus tells His followers to go and make disciples of all the nations, not merely to get decisions for Jesus.  Then teach them to heed all that Jesus commanded (- only 2 love commandments).

Hebrews 13:7 puts responsibility squarely on the shoulders of the believer, Remember those who led you and spoke the word of God to you, and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith. Use your own discernment and observation.  Do you really want to go where these men are going, to become like them?  Are they being transformed from one degree of glory to the next?  Paul said imitate me as I imitate Christ (1 Cor 11:1) and Brethren join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us (Phil 3:17)

But in Hebrews 13:17 almost all translations in English and German say obey your leaders.  I know that many church leaders have used this one verse to control their people, who, in turn, believe they are being obedient to God by doing everything their leader tells them to do.

-In the NT Greek there is a word for obey, which is 5219 Gr  hupakouo  used when Jesus cast out demons and they obeyed at His command; and where in a storm Jesus commanded the wind and the waves to be still and they obeyed Him, and it is used for children obeying parents.

But in Hebrews 13:17 the word translated as obey is not really obey at all it is 3983 Gr  peitho persuade cf Act 28:24 Acts 27:11  Acts 21:14  Acts 19:26  Acts 17:4  Luke 16:31  Matt 27:20  Acts 19:8  Acts 18:4  Acts 26:28  Acts 28:23  2 Cor 5:11  and 3982 Gr   convince cf 2 Tim 1:12  Heb 6:9  Phil 1:25  Romans 15:14  Rom 14:14  Rom 8:37  Luke 20:6 

to persuade vt  

1.  to successfully urge somebody to perform a particular action, especially by reasoning, pleading, or coaxing  

2.  to make somebody believe something, especially by giving good reasons for doing so

Fatherhood leaders in the Kingdom of God are not people who want power, nor do they want people to obey them without question, but they are like good fathers.  They should try to convince others of everything they feel passionately about not so these people bow to their superior wisdom and learning, but so that they will be able to say  Yes, I agree because I now know for myself this is true.  Fatherhood leaders want to convince others and persuade them of all the wonderful things they have discovered about God and His amazing goodness.  So when we read in Hebrews Obey your leaders and submit for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account.  The word obey in Hebrews 13:17 is actually peitho, and it is in the passive voice, so it means Let yourself be persuaded by your leaders. We have a choice. With 'obey' we do not have a choice. God gives discernment and wants us to use it.

-Our duty as royal priests is to take personal responsibility and check whether we really want to go in the direction people in leadership positions are going.

The Eph 4:10-12 tells us the reason there are 5 ministries (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers) is to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.  There we are again, Father Gods desire that all His children get more and more like Jesus.  This is where fatherhood leadership leads us it is about going on a journey together, and some have been on the journey longer than others, so they can help us on the way.  Christianity was originally called the way for this very reason.

All God's blessings

Janet Lock