What a thing it is to be both wise and simple even though life is often baffling and sometimes very complicated! Two truths confront us:

• 1. We are called to live perfectly (You must therefore be perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect - Matthew 5:48, NRSVA.)
• 2. We none of us live life perfectly - we mess up, but that should never prevent us from trying.

• a. We preferentially choose the easiest things to live because we can live them mostly...nearly... perfectly
• b. We are called to live the difficult things too even though we do so less than perfectly and often make terrible messes. We are to persist, even if we fail again and again, until we live them mostly...nearly...perfectly.

When I first became a pastor in Norway I told the congregation that we would start with the difficult and do the impossible later. They thought I was talking about witnessing meaty doctrines to other Christians. What they didn't realise was that I was also talking about them.

When visiting a new congregation in Norway in 1987 before moving to that land to lead the mission there, the whole assembly stood in a circle around me and prayed for me. As the spokesman prayed over me, a vision opened to me, and I saw each of the persons turn into a white pillar. One by one the pillars turned black leaving only three white ones. Over the course of the following 9 years all apostasised except three. I knew what I was in for.

Over the course of time, challenged by the true implications of what the 'straight and narrow way' of the Gospel actually consisted of, one very influential family in another Norwegian congregation, misreading a passage of scripture from Jeremiah which said that the day would come when we wouldn't need any teachers, got it into their heads to challenge my leadership. They insisted that Christians not only didn't need leaders but shouldn't have them at all! While I was away visiting my family in the UK, the husband and father of this family, who was the newly appointed pastor, staged what amounted to a 'coup d'etat', unilaterally leaving our ministry without consulting anyone else. Nearly all the family left the congregation, which was reduced to a handful, and started their own house church. It didn't last long as everyone went their own way and in the end either came under the influence of New Age thinking or became atheists. The husband and wife subsequently divorced.

It's hard to be a leader - whether of a congregation or a family - because much is expected of pastors and fathers. It can be a lonely walk at times. The pressure on them is enormous. Many are called but few are chosen, the Saviour once said. But try we must. Most, typically, most either make mistakes and make course corrections or go off the rails altogether. Look at the kings of Israel and Judah, starting with Saul. Look at Diotrephes (3 John 9) who declared independence and turned the apostles away. Look at our political leaders. Leaders and the led alike all make mistakes because we are all human and fallible, being disposed by our carnal nature which, if left uncrucified, predisposes us to sinning. Many, leaders and laity alike, break under the strain of persecution. Nevertheless Father Yahweh has set up structures for our well-being even if we may abuse them by going to extremes (lawless anarchy or tyrant worship).

It isn't easy down here. Many years ago I belonged to a German missionary organisation called 'Friedenstimme' that supported unregistered Baptist churches in the Soviet Union who were heavily persecuted and their leaders imprisoned. Their families often faced starvation and homelessness. I will always remember one account in particular.

A group of Russian Baptists were secretly meeting in a member's home when two Soviet soldiers burst into the house and threatened the little group with their machine guns. "All those who are not Christians may leave", one said, and several, not wishing to be arrested, denied the faith and scurried off into the night. The rest awaited their fate. The two soldiers put down their weapons, smiled, and said they were Christians and needed to know for sure who were true believers and who were not before they risked joining in worship.

I have known a lot of false brethren like this both as a pastor and as a husband and father. The Saviour told us to expect this. Westerners have no idea what it was like in communist East Europe and China but they are slowly discovering it as our nations become more and more totalitarian. Many, like those false Russian believers, will not only flee but betray their brethren too. And the Saviour prophesied, did he not, that some of our worst enemies would come from our own families. We are none of us perfect but we are to strive for perfection. But those closest to us won't necessarily follow suite and we will often be blamed for their behaviour. Look at today's cancel culture. This is to be expected, horrible though it is. So don't let anyone discourage you. If at first you don't succeed, try, try and try again.

Trust in Yah'shua/Jesus, obey the commandments. Bear your burdens cheerfully until Messiah relieves you. Your example will inspire others!

Comments from Readers

[1] "I agree 100% Chris. Strive for perfection and serve the One who makes it possible" (SG, USA, 6 March 2025)

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