MondayMorningInsight - Leadership & Encouragement for Church Leaders

What Bono Taught Bill Hybels

Posted by: Todd
Posted on: Fri, August 28, 2009
Viewed 168
(44) comments so far

According to an article in the US News and World Report, Bill Hybels has learned a lot about church effectiveness... from Bono...

Hybels writes:

The evangelical church has taken a lot of justifiable heat in recent years for being vocal about the things we hate while staying silent about some of the most pressing needs in our world. There are times when I believe the church should be the conscience of our culture, but to Bono's point, a reframing must occur, one where the divisiveness that once defined us as people of faith gets edged out by a unity around great societal causes. And what has to unite us in this day and age is the fight against poverty and disease. Faith leaders the world over expected this day would come. What we didn't expect was that it would take an Irish rock star to demand the dawn.

As leaders, there are so many things we must get better at: casting vision, building teams, solving problems, enforcing values, and building the next generation of leaders. But if we excel in those areas and still neglect to use our leadership octane to address God's clear mandate to serve the poor, what have we really gained?

Since Bono's clarion call three years ago, well-resourced churches have banded together to take a bite out of poverty, pouring vast amounts of resources into building orphanages, clinics, schools, and sports fields through partnerships with underresourced churches around the globe. Not that the ultimate judge comes in the form of a leather-clad superstar in shades, but still it was gratifying to hear Bono's assessment of progress to date: "I knew [the church] was a sleeping giant, but I didn't know the giant could run so fast."

What do you think? Is your church more active in social justice issues now than in 2006? And what effect does Bono or Bill Hybels have on your church? Bono's 2006 address was huge... but was it the catalyst for change or was something else behind it?

Todd

Comments

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Peter Hamm on Fri, August 28, 2009

We’re not active enough, but we’re getting there.

Thanks, Bono, for always working to wake us up…
CS on Fri, August 28, 2009

“...but to Bono’s point, a reframing must occur, one where the divisiveness that once defined us as people of faith gets edged out by a unity around great societal causes.”

This would be the same Bono who, under this same kind of mindset, at one of his concerts, had the crowd chanting, “Jesus, Mohammed, Jew, it’s all true,” or something to that effect.

I’ve noticed recently that Warren, Hybels, and others have been linking arms with groups of people in the name of doing good things who stand against the Christian faith. They will partner with people in such a way that the important things like sharing Jesus Christ get pushed to the side. And this is wrong.

We must never compromise the Gospel and the foundation of the Christian faith as we go to do goodwill and care for people around the world. If this gets labeled as, “divisiveness,” that’s fine with me, but I will not make concessions in my faith.

—
CS
Peter Hamm on Fri, August 28, 2009

CS,

That is a misquote. Bono did not say that… So your conclusion is not valid. What he did say, in a plea for peace in that region, is that jews Christians and Muslims all call themselves sons of Abraham. Not that all those religions are true. It is a misquote that continues to be spread in certain circles on the internet. (I’m frankly sick of reading it.) It is not what he said…

Bono is also on record in his book-length interview from 4o r 5 years ago that he believes in Jesus as the unique Son of God and savior of humanity.
CS on Fri, August 28, 2009

Peter:

Okay, even if the quote from Bono is incorrect, the rest of my statement has merit. To engage in actions with others under the name of social causes where it reduces or compromises the Gospel is wrong.

—
CS
Peter Hamm on Fri, August 28, 2009

I can give money to an organization that is not overtly Christian (even if it’s of a faith I thin is wrong) to do great good and it is not wrong. And I think that too many people use this train of thought as an excuse to do no good with the incredible wealth they have been given. (We are richer in America than we’ll ever know.)

I have no idea (and don’t care) about the religious ideology behind the people at keepachildalive. I give 30 bucks a month, and I keep a kid alive. That is right and good. The guy on the road didn’t care about the Samaritan and his views either.

I am absolutely not compromising the Gospel by helping someone who’s dying or starving or working with an organization that does.

Sorry, I just can’t go where you’re going.
CS on Fri, August 28, 2009

Peter:

This is different than a Christian giving to an independent agency or a Christian caring for someone who has been hurt or in a one-on-one scenario (a la the Samaritan). This is partnering together as a church, or as a larger group of believers in Christ, with people who do not have the same god as our God.

For example, say that your church decides to help out with a local homeless shelter. And, for some reason, your church partnered with a local mosque in this work. As you go to do the work, you’re expressly told that you cannot mention anything about your God, and the Muslims are given the same instruction.

Here are some questions related to this conundrum:

1. What does it say to the community about your God and the god of the Muslim faith?

2. What does it say about your motives versus their motives?

3. Most importantly, what has happened to the soul-saving message of Christ that could be given along the way? How has it been compromised?

Remember, in Warren’s PEACE Plan, the Gospel is never a part of his social endeavors. And I have to wonder if the same would be true here in Hybel’s and in Bono’s plans.

—
CS
Peter Hamm on Fri, August 28, 2009

1. What does it say to the community about your God and the god of the Muslim faith? It says I have enough faith in my God that I don’t have to shove him down peoples’ throats.

2. What does it say about your motives versus their motives? If I don’t partner with them it says that they care more about the homeless than those who have been commanded by Christ to care about them.

3. Most importantly, what has happened to the soul-saving message of Christ that could be given along the way? How has it been compromised? In no way whatsoever imho…
Fred on Sun, August 30, 2009

One thing that I have seen in the church is a problem of motives. The good Samaritan neighbor gave and served and we don’t read where he went about broadcast to everyone about his good deed. Today we have to do our serving as a church group. We have to all show up in our color coordinated “logo” shirts and pass out our church business cards. Everyone involved gets a pat on the back at church and a write-up in the bulletin and on the website. We call it “outreach.” It’s usually reaches out to draw attention to “our” church and to draw money from new members wallets and purses to service our debt.
We are blowing the trumpet ahead of ourselves as we give our alms.
Wendi Hammond on Tue, September 01, 2009

Hey Todd �V nice new format, but I need to set aside some time to learn how to navigate.

Have been a little busy lately, partnering with Muslims and Buddhists to try and affect some kind of social change in my community ��, but this conversation is dear to my heart so I wanted to find time to jump in (although I should probably resist, because Peter��s last post responding to CS��s questions articulates my feelings perfectly).

There is no difference between an organized church or an individual believer partnering to do good with another individual or organization that might now be ��Christian.�� The church is the people.

That said, my question is why would a believer do anything like; give blood, join the PTA, coach soccer, volunteer at a local hospital, on and on and on? We do so because it is right, and completely biblical to do good works (Matt 5:16). Jesus makes it clear that the good works of one of His followers points to the Father. No where does scripture imply that we (individuals or churches) should, when compelled to do some good, pause to see who might be in the game doing good with us.

CS �V you are shrinking the gospel again. You are making it into nothing more than a proclamation of 4 or 5 particular truths. The Gospel includes (as Francis of Assisi said), doing good. It is also affecting social change through a commitment to justice.

Linking arms in ��doing good�� opens relational doors that nothing else can open.

And finally �V I am sooooooo grateful to Bono, Hybels and Warren for leveraging their considerable influence to focus the eyes of western Christians on the terrible plight of Africa. These men are examples of stewardship that we would all do well to make note of.

Wendi
Gino on Tue, September 01, 2009

Wow! I’m not sure I could disagree with Peter more. How does your view fit with 2 Corinthians 6:14? Are there no Christian organizations doing those things? You don’t want to shove God down their throats - I’m so glad that Peter did not listetn to that in Acts 2-4 or Paul at Mars Hills or anywhere else.

As for the article - some megachurches woke up but many evangelical Christians have been awake for quite some time. How long has a Samaritan’s Purse been around anyway? What about Compassion Internation etc?
Ben on Tue, September 01, 2009

Is it possible, Wendi, you are guilty of what you accuse CS, of “shrinking the gospel”? It appears you are dangerously close to reducing it to a soup kitchen or a food pantry.

I generally agree, withouut knowing the full context, that the gospel is more than four or five simple truths, but it is certainly not less than those truths. It is built on a foundation of truth, truths so magnificent we will never get to the bottom of them, and which should not be dismissively waved off as “simple truths”.

I feel sorry for the poor. They’re the pawn in everyone’s game to prove how spiritual we are. And about those “relational doors”.

I know my own depravity enough that in a past life, when I said the same things, I never once used those “relational doors” to proclaim the gospel to a poor person (or my friend or neighbor, for that matter), nor can I recall anyone else in our merry band of world-changing do-gooders doing so.

Do we love the poor, the rich, our neighbor enough to tell them the truth - that they are on their way to an everlasting hell unless they repent of their sins and believe on Christ alone to save them?

Yes, the poor need blankets and shoes and food and houses. And like the rest of us, they need the truth that will save them. It doesn’t bode well for the future of Christianity that the truth can be so easily drowned out by the clanging bell of a soup wagon.
Peter Hamm on Tue, September 01, 2009

Gino,

Being unequally yoked would be, imho, akin to serving in an organization that was unbelieving, not partnering with one.

Bottom line is that we who are Christian have made a lot of excuses for a long time as to why we can’t help the insanely poor. And we’re doing less of that now, largely due to efforts by people like Bono (who is a Christ-follower anyway, and imho, that belief seems to be what fuels his passion for this kind of thing).

And Ben, it’s awful hard to preach to people who are starving so bad they’re dying. Perhaps they’ll listen if we who are insanely rich can manage to give them some bread and medicine.
ben on Tue, September 01, 2009

I respect what you’re saying Peter, but it follows neither logically, biblically, or, in my observation, experientially.

Your argument seems to be this; “if we were just nicer, people would be instantly ready to receive the gospel”. It ignores what the Bible clearly teaches about rich and poor, brown, black and white, every human being - the heart is desperately sick, we are dead in trespasses and sins, there is none who does good, not even one.

You have to ask yourself a painful question - is it true that poor people are as equally depraved and damned as us wicked, wretched Westerners? There is a theology afloat that casts poor people and others as saved simply by virtue of their “victim” status.

Conrad Mbewe, one of the most powerful indigenous preachers on the continent of Africa, tells of Westerners coming over to do mission work, the crowds coming, hands being raised, professions made - then when the jet flies back over the Atlantic, the Westerners pat themselves on the back and dive back into their materialism, and the pastors left behind can’t find all these supposed converts.

Let’s do good works as a joyous overflow of the change in our hearts - it helps not to romanticize the people we minister too. Am I a self-centered, greedy, pleasure loving Western wretch without Christ? Yes, and everyone else without Christ is a wretch wherever they live.

Praise God for the gospel of grace in Christ Jesus!
Peter Hamm on Tue, September 01, 2009

Ben,

You seem to be having a different discussion than I am.

Are you suggesting that we shouldn’t respond, in practical ways (like the early church did for the poor in Jerusalem), to the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time? HIV/AIDS and extreme poverty in Africa and elsewhere?
Gino on Tue, September 01, 2009

Peter, I disagree completely again with your view of 2 Cor. 6:14. Do you be unequally yolked or bound together - how is that not “partnering” with them?

Do you believe that organizations that openly do not believe the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ are okay to support, partner with, or join together? Is that the witness of the early church? What if they “preach” a different gospel - say one of works?

I don’t think Christians should use as an excuse - I have no idea what they believe. We are called to be good stewards of God’s money.

Again, are there not Christian organizations already doing the very thing that you support? I understand your dismay at many Christians in not engaging but do you really think that we have been silent? I do not.

All this has caused me to once again wonder why Christians seems to love the lost more than their own brothers and sisters in Christ