Saturday, August 4, 2018
Credentials

Philippians 3:7
But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.

I was asked to participate in a National Faith Leaders Consultation later this week to talk about the church and its role in fighting for justice and against stigma and discrimination as it relates to persons affected or afflicted by HIV and AIDS.

The organisers just asked me to submit a brief biographical not so that I could be properly introduced at the event. It is standard that when events are being promoted the credentials of the speakers are put forward so that persons would think that they are worth coming to listen to. Additionally, just before the presentation, the bio is used to give participants some frame through which to view and receive the speaker.

I am usually reluctant to give extensive biographical information because I believe that sometimes, as my views and work advances, I am about to say things that are contradictory to what people might assume from the outlined résumé. I prefer just a short statement on my role now and what I am working on.

I just watched someone’s detailed résumé online and I was struck by how past experiences and roles are used to bolster an image of that person regardless of the outcome of any of those former engagements. We can all curate an image of ourselves in order to achieve a particular objective or to create a specific expectation in the mind of others.

In the church today, credentials are everything. I cannot remember a time when credentials were so important as they are now. Every preacher is rushing to mount more and more certificates and the alphabet will soon run out of letters for the prefixes and suffixes that must the added to their names.

I have noticed that, in my own denomination, the additional credential has nothing to do with ministry growth, or performance measures, it is merely that you have been around long and remember a few things under questioning or examination. Nothing really changes after in terms of role, responsibilities, or expected performance.

It is very interesting how our use of credentials in the church today differs from that of the first disciples and apostles. The first thing that commended these ministers to people, or caused an uproar of other response was not the readout bio but the consequence and effect of the activity of the Holy Spirit in their ministry. “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13.

Paul addressed this issue of the work of the Holy Spirit in and through a minister versus much talk and other credentials when he was admonishing some of the brothers at the church in Corinth. “Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.” 1 Corinthians 4:18-20.

This matter of people leading with their credentials is not a new one. In the church, it has been around from the inception. Again, Paul confronted this in ways that are very contrary to our contemporary approach.

At Philippi, there were some Jewish converts to Christianity who were pressing their Jewish credentials and using it as a basis to establish superiority and demand that the new Christians follow the Jewish customs and traditions.

Paul lashed out at them and called them “dogs.” Then he went on to build a case of his own Jewish credentials. “If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” Philippians 3:4-6

It is from here that Paul really puts credentials in perspective for every Christian, but especially the Christian minister. Credentials, both inherent and attained, have their place and purpose but are nothing when compared to growth in grace and knowledge of God.

Not only that, the Christian minister should be deliberate in downplaying and discounting those credentials when it comes to ministry and service. Paul said, as recorded in today’s key verse, “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.” Philippians 3:7. This is an active discounting of the things that other people count.

Paul added, “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ” Philippians 3:8.

For the Christian it must never come down to credentials, it must always be a celebration of what God did through the power of His Holy Spirit. Even when the Holy Spirit works in and through us it must be a celebration of His Spirit.

“And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. … And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:1,4,5.

Think on these things:

1. How much weight do you give to your faith versus the weight you give to your academic and professional accomplishments?
2. How could one balance their academic and professional success with growth in grace and knowledge of God?
3. Think about how people are valued at your church. Do you think that more weight is given to academic, professional, and political achievements than to spiritual?

Prayer focus:

Let us pray today that we would mature to maintain a right perspective and not place our qualifications and promotions over and above our status in Christ.

In His Grace
Pastor Alex