"Be not conformed to this age but be transformed..."1
We have heard how we are not to be conformed to this world, but do we really understand what this means? This word for conformed is sysxēmatízō (from sýn, "identified with" and sxēmatizō, "having outward shape") – properly, assuming a similar outward form. This word is a derivative of schema and system which English words we use today. This word for transformation is metamorphóō (from metá, "change after being with" and morphóō, "changing form in keeping with inner reality") – properly, transformed after being with; transfigured. Transformation thinking is not focused on outward shape or appearances, conformation, but on the inward growth of individuals.
"in schéma found as a man he humbled himself becoming obedient unto death, even death on a cross."2
This word for schéma is often translated as appearance, form, fashion – properly, exterior shape (form); (figuratively) the outer "shape" (manner, appearance). We use this word schema today, defined as a diagram, plan, or scheme; an underlying organizational pattern or structure; conceptual framework.2 In Computer Science we use the term often, in reference to databases a schema refers to the organization of data as a blueprint of how the database is constructed. Conformation is derived from this word schema thus it means identifying to the schema of the age. Jesus took on the outward form of man, his inward form was God.
"Be not conformed to this age..."
Society in itself is defined as a system or schema characterized by its dominant economic class or form.4 This is our age, the form of our society, this word for age, "an age, a cycle of time" is often translated as "world" but we must be careful as such associates conformation with obvious worldly things like sexual immorality and drunkenness etc... The Christian "age" is an age of a new covenant of grace and faith. Those of the old covenant "age" wanted the Church to conform to the old age, but it is a new age of not trusting in the flesh, the letter of the law, but by Spirit. In the new age we are transformed inwardly, it begins by being born again of the Spirit, inwardly transformed, and it continues as we renew our minds to be like Christ, outwardly transformed.
Conformation is having outward shape, like the Pharisee who had conformed the outward into an appearance of righteousness, but inwardly they were not changed. Such speaks to the issue of the Law and that man doesn't have the ability or power because of the sinful flesh to conform to God's righteousness. The Pharisee exchanged the schema, or image of God for that like man, of fleshly and earthly things. Jesus begins this new age with the concept of transformation by stating it is not what goes in that defiles a person but what comes from inward.
I speak of my own mind. I have become a believer later in life, maybe I am an exception. I have eighth years of college, a twenty year career as a Computer Scientist and Engineer, a twelve year military career, and five years as a business owner and CEO. I have worked with great organizations like NASA. I say this to say that my experience in church organizations, not just one, has not been encouraging. I can't really put it to words other than this, there is a focus on conformation not transformation. Instead of coming along beside men to grow them into the calling of the Lord, which is transformation, they "lord" over men to conform them.
Conforming leaders fail in basic leadership tasks like gaining trust and respect, protecting young leaders, and the welfare of its people. Men conformed to the thinking of men, not Christ, are not qualified to lead, and until men become spiritually mature they can not lead, they will be tossed to and fro by doctrines of men. And those who have no real hands on experience leading how can they lead? It does bring to mind the separation of duties we see in the early Church. That of spiritual development, improving the organization or the welfare of the people, and that of operational, the details of leadership that accomplishes the mission.
Transformation in the church is two fold leadership, spiritual and operational leadership. I have learned that God has given me the opportunity to teach some and I must have this mindset that I am training them for Jesus and that may mean I train them to go, to another organization. I believe it is the proper mindset for mentoring or disciplining men. Jesus is the teacher, I may have them for a time and a season, I teach as to Christ. When I do not focus on their personal growth then I believe I have "abused" the authority and precious time God has given. Conformation says sacrifice to serve the organization, transformation says sacrifice to serve your people, using your gift for growth, of the church, God's people.
"Leadership is influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation while operating to accomplish the mission and improving the organization."3
This is the Army's definition of leadership, the Marines define "improving the organization" as "troop welfare."4 Though I am an Army guy, I like the latter as it puts improving the organization where it belongs, on growth of its people. People fight like they train, thus untrained people do not accomplish the mission well, if at all. Sick, hungry, wounded people deplete your numbers and lack the strength to fight thus the mission potential is not full strength. The mission is important in the Church but so is the welfare of its people, Jesus said it was a principle as important if not more so than the first. Our leader said the world would know us Not by how we "accomplish the mission" but by how we love one another. Not caring for my people is therefore a failure in accomplishing the mission of Christ.
"with the view of perfecting the people for works of service, for the building up of the body of Christ, 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."4
Paul writes this knowledge is of the love of Christ. This love is of Christ who came in the fullness of Grace and Truth. We see the bond of brotherhood in the military, the Church should be known for such. The purpose of gifts is for building up, a word that means "build top of the house."5 It is fitting, as Christ is the foundation. He cares for the growth of his people thus organizations who focus on the welfare of its people focus on building up the top of the house on a strong foundation.
Some would teach obedience to authority that excuses away the necessity of gaining trust, of having vision, and they would teach a sacrifice that shuns the responsibility of the welfare of its people. Such a military leader would view his people as expendable and would easily sacrifice them for the mission, personal gain. Such is not godly leadership. The history of the church says it can conform to the age, not just "of the world" as referring to sin. The Church can adopt a schema of the world and be conformed to ungodly thinking. Teachings of authority, sacrifice, giving, etc... are thus used or misused to conform people to the growth of the organization.
Conformation expends much energy, precious energy and resources used in attempts to conform people to its way of thinking, to its traditions, to serving the organization in its mission and purpose. Transformation at its core is a focus on change, inward change and renewed thinking. Conformation is by the strength of men, it is why its focus is so much on authority. Transformation is not by human strength and might but by God's. Conformation in my experience fails in basic leadership, in building trust, and in the welfare of its people. It is performance not growth driven.
Transformation begins with change from within, being born again, and it focuses on change of the mind, deeper sanctification, deeper roots, deeper relationships. Conformation is mostly a class room experience but transformation is the additional hands on element. I have been on many mission trips, many would call them a sacrifice for the greater good, but I call such thinking an excuse for poor leadership. Good leaders have the welfare of their people in mind, because they are concerned about their transformation. Transformation thinking would see mission trips as a hands on opportunity to improve the organization, to grow and transform people as you go, into all nations...
Come Alive
We have heard how we are not to be conformed to this world, but do we really understand what this means? This word for conformed is sysxēmatízō (from sýn, "identified with" and sxēmatizō, "having outward shape") – properly, assuming a similar outward form. This word is a derivative of schema and system which English words we use today. This word for transformation is metamorphóō (from metá, "change after being with" and morphóō, "changing form in keeping with inner reality") – properly, transformed after being with; transfigured. Transformation thinking is not focused on outward shape or appearances, conformation, but on the inward growth of individuals.
"in schéma found as a man he humbled himself becoming obedient unto death, even death on a cross."2
This word for schéma is often translated as appearance, form, fashion – properly, exterior shape (form); (figuratively) the outer "shape" (manner, appearance). We use this word schema today, defined as a diagram, plan, or scheme; an underlying organizational pattern or structure; conceptual framework.2 In Computer Science we use the term often, in reference to databases a schema refers to the organization of data as a blueprint of how the database is constructed. Conformation is derived from this word schema thus it means identifying to the schema of the age. Jesus took on the outward form of man, his inward form was God.
"Be not conformed to this age..."
Society in itself is defined as a system or schema characterized by its dominant economic class or form.4 This is our age, the form of our society, this word for age, "an age, a cycle of time" is often translated as "world" but we must be careful as such associates conformation with obvious worldly things like sexual immorality and drunkenness etc... The Christian "age" is an age of a new covenant of grace and faith. Those of the old covenant "age" wanted the Church to conform to the old age, but it is a new age of not trusting in the flesh, the letter of the law, but by Spirit. In the new age we are transformed inwardly, it begins by being born again of the Spirit, inwardly transformed, and it continues as we renew our minds to be like Christ, outwardly transformed.
Conformation is having outward shape, like the Pharisee who had conformed the outward into an appearance of righteousness, but inwardly they were not changed. Such speaks to the issue of the Law and that man doesn't have the ability or power because of the sinful flesh to conform to God's righteousness. The Pharisee exchanged the schema, or image of God for that like man, of fleshly and earthly things. Jesus begins this new age with the concept of transformation by stating it is not what goes in that defiles a person but what comes from inward.
I speak of my own mind. I have become a believer later in life, maybe I am an exception. I have eighth years of college, a twenty year career as a Computer Scientist and Engineer, a twelve year military career, and five years as a business owner and CEO. I have worked with great organizations like NASA. I say this to say that my experience in church organizations, not just one, has not been encouraging. I can't really put it to words other than this, there is a focus on conformation not transformation. Instead of coming along beside men to grow them into the calling of the Lord, which is transformation, they "lord" over men to conform them.
Conforming leaders fail in basic leadership tasks like gaining trust and respect, protecting young leaders, and the welfare of its people. Men conformed to the thinking of men, not Christ, are not qualified to lead, and until men become spiritually mature they can not lead, they will be tossed to and fro by doctrines of men. And those who have no real hands on experience leading how can they lead? It does bring to mind the separation of duties we see in the early Church. That of spiritual development, improving the organization or the welfare of the people, and that of operational, the details of leadership that accomplishes the mission.
Transformation in the church is two fold leadership, spiritual and operational leadership. I have learned that God has given me the opportunity to teach some and I must have this mindset that I am training them for Jesus and that may mean I train them to go, to another organization. I believe it is the proper mindset for mentoring or disciplining men. Jesus is the teacher, I may have them for a time and a season, I teach as to Christ. When I do not focus on their personal growth then I believe I have "abused" the authority and precious time God has given. Conformation says sacrifice to serve the organization, transformation says sacrifice to serve your people, using your gift for growth, of the church, God's people.
"Leadership is influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation while operating to accomplish the mission and improving the organization."3
This is the Army's definition of leadership, the Marines define "improving the organization" as "troop welfare."4 Though I am an Army guy, I like the latter as it puts improving the organization where it belongs, on growth of its people. People fight like they train, thus untrained people do not accomplish the mission well, if at all. Sick, hungry, wounded people deplete your numbers and lack the strength to fight thus the mission potential is not full strength. The mission is important in the Church but so is the welfare of its people, Jesus said it was a principle as important if not more so than the first. Our leader said the world would know us Not by how we "accomplish the mission" but by how we love one another. Not caring for my people is therefore a failure in accomplishing the mission of Christ.
"with the view of perfecting the people for works of service, for the building up of the body of Christ, 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."4
Paul writes this knowledge is of the love of Christ. This love is of Christ who came in the fullness of Grace and Truth. We see the bond of brotherhood in the military, the Church should be known for such. The purpose of gifts is for building up, a word that means "build top of the house."5 It is fitting, as Christ is the foundation. He cares for the growth of his people thus organizations who focus on the welfare of its people focus on building up the top of the house on a strong foundation.
Some would teach obedience to authority that excuses away the necessity of gaining trust, of having vision, and they would teach a sacrifice that shuns the responsibility of the welfare of its people. Such a military leader would view his people as expendable and would easily sacrifice them for the mission, personal gain. Such is not godly leadership. The history of the church says it can conform to the age, not just "of the world" as referring to sin. The Church can adopt a schema of the world and be conformed to ungodly thinking. Teachings of authority, sacrifice, giving, etc... are thus used or misused to conform people to the growth of the organization.
Conformation expends much energy, precious energy and resources used in attempts to conform people to its way of thinking, to its traditions, to serving the organization in its mission and purpose. Transformation at its core is a focus on change, inward change and renewed thinking. Conformation is by the strength of men, it is why its focus is so much on authority. Transformation is not by human strength and might but by God's. Conformation in my experience fails in basic leadership, in building trust, and in the welfare of its people. It is performance not growth driven.
Transformation begins with change from within, being born again, and it focuses on change of the mind, deeper sanctification, deeper roots, deeper relationships. Conformation is mostly a class room experience but transformation is the additional hands on element. I have been on many mission trips, many would call them a sacrifice for the greater good, but I call such thinking an excuse for poor leadership. Good leaders have the welfare of their people in mind, because they are concerned about their transformation. Transformation thinking would see mission trips as a hands on opportunity to improve the organization, to grow and transform people as you go, into all nations...
Come Alive