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Matthew Road Baptist Church functions as an autonomous gathering of Christians, committed to God and each other, in a covenant relationship.  As such, in our thirty-six years of existence as a church, we have been guided by some basic principles.  These principles include both theological and practical aspects of church life.  These foundational principles are articulated in our church’s constitution and by-laws.  The initial constitution and by-laws was enacted at the inception of the congregation over thirty years ago.  In the 1990s, the church issued a new constitution and by-laws, revising the original document.  Now, almost twenty years later, we are at the point of needing to revise our constitution and by-laws again.  This is no small matter. 

For the past ten months the deacon body has undergone the arduous process of rewriting this document.  Several months ago, the deacons appointed a subcommittee to undertake this process.  The subcommittee included the pastor, the associate pastor, the chair of the deacon body, and three other deacons as nominated and approved by the deacon body.  The six members of the subcommittee are Daniel Sweet, Phil McGlothlin, Steve Hines, Bruce Andree, Chris deWolfe and William Sullenger.  This group of six men spent hours meeting together, discussing the content of the existing constitution line by line, comparing our constitution with other church constitutions, reading legal advice from representatives of Baptist conventions, and reading legal advice from other experts on church constitutions and bylaws.  The committee reported back to the deacon body at various times over the last several months including the presentation of an initial draft in the summer of 2015.  Additionally, the ministerial staff also gave input to the subcommittee. Comments from both the deacons and the church staff were instrumental in revisions that were incorporated into the initial draft.  In January, the deacons and the staff were asked if they could affirm the new document.  Both groups unanimously voted to support the new document and to present the new constitution and bylaws to the church for approval. 

We are now in the next phase of this process.  At the quarterly business meeting in February, we presented the draft of the document to the congregation, thus beginning a new step in the process of receiving feedback for the purposes of revising the language in the document.  We are hosting four town hall meetings, two on Wednesday evenings and two on Sunday afternoons.  These meetings provide opportunities for each person attending Matthew Road Baptist Church to ask questions, seek clarification, make suggestions and to express any concerns.  We have already hosted one of these events.  The subcommittee of the deacon body that has been tasked with the crafting of this document will reconvene our meetings after the completion of the four town hall meetings.  With the public comments and suggestions, we will make adjustments to the constitution and bylaws and present a final document to the deacon body and staff for approval.  After both groups approve this final document, the church will have a final opportunity to discuss and vote at the quarterly business meeting in April. 

The most significant changes include a more extensive statement of faith and covenant.  For some time now, I have wanted to have a more detailed statement of faith in our constitution.  For the months of March and April, on Sunday mornings we will be preaching through the basic tenets of our faith as outlined in the new constitution.  This will allow us to present this statement of faith in a systematic way, using biblical texts as our guide.

This document is meant as a guide to the faith and practices of our church.  However, it is not a replacement for the Bible.  Nor do we hold this document as having the same authority as the Bible.  The church ultimately answers to Christ.  Christ exercises His authority over the church through the written word of the Bible and the Holy Spirit’s leading of the church as we apply the Bible to our lives.  But the church needs the administrative tools of the constitution and bylaws in order to function in a way that maximizes our kingdom impact and minimizes distractions from our calling.  You can help us in this process by reading the new constitution, asking questions and seeking corrections in order to help the church produce the best governing document possible.

Serving Others Like Jesus Served Us

“⁴²Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. ⁴³But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; ⁴⁴and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. ⁴⁵For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:42-45

Serving Others Like Jesus Served Us

What is the attitude of the typical boss, political leader or religious leader?  According to Jesus it is typical of rulers to “lord it over them.”  Far too often leaders approach those under their charge with arrogance.  Greatness from this perspective is defined by how many people have to answer to your commands, how much they tremble at your threats, how much they envy your control, and how helpless they are compared to your authority. 

“But it is not this way among you.”  Followers of Christ embrace a counter-cultural approach to leadership.  If we are looking for greatness, we must embrace humility.  For followers of Christ the mark of leadership is service.  Our best example of greatness demonstrated in humble service is Jesus Christ.  He is the very “Son of Man,” a divine reference (see Daniel chapter 7:11-14), and He serves others to the point of giving His life.  He is the greatest person to ever walk the planet yet lived humbly.  Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve…”  The emphasis in this statement is the extreme contrast.  The Son of Man refers to Daniel 7 where we read, “And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming… And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and people of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.”  The prophecy in Daniel 7 depicts the dramatic scene when Jesus Christ, the Son of God, comes before God the Father.  In that moment, at the end of time, the Son of God, Son of Man, is presented with an everlasting kingdom where all nations and all peoples will serve Him.  And yet, despite the lauded status of the Son of Man’s future, for His first appearing among us He will be a servant. 

Furthering the contrast by juxtaposing the lofty Son of God with His mission, Jesus says that the “Son of Man” will pay for the release of others by laying down His life.  He will serve them to the very end and to the ultimate end.  As Paul described in Philippians 2:5-8, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”  Paul encouraged the church to have the same servant attitude of Christ Jesus.  Not only does the Son of God take on the humble status of a human, He is a servant to the point of death, even a crucifixion type death.  While mere humans seek for power and prestige over one another, the creator of all people and all things, humbled Himself to the ultimate very end and to the ultimate end, death on a cross.  The death of Christ provides a means for us to be in right relationship with God.  Jesus Christ bears our sin so that we can know the Father.  This is the primary message of the cross of Christ.  However, the cross also provides for us a significant departure from the world’s standards of leadership.  If God’s own Son, the Creator of heaven and earth, the Eternal One, would step out of eternity and take on a human body, and serve all the way to the point of humiliation, suffering and death, surely we can follow His example in our service of one another.

Jesus, the last night before His crucifixion, accentuated this model of leadership.  The disciples had debated on more than one occasion which of them was the greatest and which of them should receive the most honor in the heavenly kingdom.  The disciples even discussed this the very day of the betrayal of Jesus into the hands of the religious authorities.  Jesus, on His part, takes the position of greatest humility by washing His disciples’ feet.  He tells them as the watch in shock, He said to them in John 13:12-15, “Do you know what I have done to you?  You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.”  If God’s Son, the Creator of everything, came into this world to serve others then surely we can serve one another. 

The Great Declaration

 “¹³Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” ¹⁴And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” ¹⁵He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” ¹⁶Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:13-17

The Great Declaration

Caesarea Philippi was known as a center of pagan celebrations and worship.  A natural waterfall and associated pool provided the setting for Greco-Roman styled carousing.  Jesus withdrew from the Jewish areas, giving an opportunity to prepare Himself and the disciples for His triumphant entry, crucifixion and resurrection.  In this pagan setting, on the verge of the most important moment in human and eternal history, Jesus tests the disciples by posing this question, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”  As with many theological debates, the prevailing winds of the day reflect a variety of possibilities:   “John, Elijah, Jeremiah or some other Old Testament prophet.”  Jesus’ initial question and the disciples’ answers follow a more academic approach, a sort of polling to determine the mood of the culture about the Son of Man.  The second question is far more personal.  In the first He refers to Himself in a distant, third-person manner – “the Son of Man” and He refers to the opinions of others in a distant, third-person manner – “people.”  The second question gets intensely personal on two fronts.  Jesus refers to Himself in the first-person as “I am” and to the disciples in the direct and second-person manner as “you.”  This is the natural progression when it comes to the person of Christ.  Every person on the planet must grapple with His identity.  It often begins in a rather academic manner.  The individual hears about Christianity through a friend or radio program or through a book or maybe they attend a church.  They begin to contemplate the nature of religion in general, and the claims of Jesus in particular.  However, no one can remain at a distance.  Jesus does not intend for us to function in this third-person manner. Ultimately the identity of Jesus Christ is intensely personal.  It is impossible to be a Christian from a distance.  Christ calls us in close.  He calls us personally.  He calls us to a commitment of thought and life.  “But who do you say that I am?”  Simon Peter’s response is especially striking in light of the location of their discussion – walking among the idolatrous statutes representing dead religions and dead gods in Caesarea Philippi.  “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  This is the defining issue of our day.  Religious debates will rage.  What religion best represents humanity before God?  This question will rage but it misses the point.  The question is not “what is the best way for us to reach God?”  The question is “what has God done to reach down to us?”  Religion pursues God on our terms.  Jesus Christ pursues us on God’s terms.  That is why Simon’s confession must become the confession of each and every person.  This confession goes beyond a mere intellectual ascent.  This confession goes beyond religious posturing.  The implication is clear.  Our only means to a relationship with the living God is through His resurrected Son.  The relationship God makes with us through Christ creates a natural response on our part.  If Jesus really is the Christ, the Son of the living God, our intense, personal loyalty must follow that confession.  Jesus Christ is the living Son of God, crucified and risen again from the dead.  He demands my unending worship and loyalty.