ETC 4420 Day 8 (7pm)
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wikicommonsA series of issues at Pergamum
The church leaders in Pergamum are facing multiple issues at the same time. They need to help the church respond well to the letter from Jesus. They need to do something about “Nico Laitan” and his supporters, within the church.
We have also imagined that there are three different cultural groups within the church. The presence of these groups mean that the leaders need to express themselves carefully, so as to be heard by each group. The groups have different cultural preferences in three key areas.
1 Responding to the letter from Jesus - Praying as a church in Pergamum
2 Responding to “Nico Laitan” and his supporters - A sermon from Nico Laitan
3 Handling cultural differences within the church - A three way split
Discussion
What do you suggest as they begin to think and pray about these issues?
Learning to be a servant leader in Pergamum
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wikicommons1 Responding to the letter from Jesus
In response to the letter from Jesus there are plenty of valuable ideas about how to pray together for wisdom from God. The church leaders have set up teams to identify which of the ideas to select from:
Praying as a church in Pergamum
2 Engaging with Nico Latian and his supporters
In response to ‘Nico Latian’ it is important to identify the common ground, as well as clarifying the differences, and to teach the truth as well as expose error. The church leaders asked someone to help them set Nico Laitan’s sermon alongside a faithful presentation of the gospel in the language of the Book of Revelation as a whole.
Here is a first draft for sharing with the wider church. The paper is called Teaching the truth.
What do you think?
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wikicommons3 We need to allocate time to thinking about sustaining unity in the church
A three way split - in response to three sharply different cultural preferences between the three groups that make up the church as a whole, the leadership team asked someone to help them with a briefing document, to help them speak respectfully to each group, as they lead them towards a united response to the words from Jesus.
The briefing document has arrived. The church leaders are checking that it is respectful to the different groups in the church, while being loyal to Christ, and likely to help them towards a unified response to the words from Jesus. They have asked you to read and comment.
Pergamum church leaders briefing note
What do you think of the document they have received?
Reflection
What have you learned through meeting the church and the church leaders at Pergamum? We have seen them wanting to respond well to the words of Jesus, who encourages them although he is not entirely pleased with them. We have listened to a voice among them that Jesus criticises them for tolerating. We have imagined that there are some challenging cultural differences among them.
What shall we say to the Risen Lord Jesus for ourselves in the churches where we serve?
Homework
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wikicommonsWrite a prayer for the church in Pergamum, thanking the Risen Jesus for his words, and asking God’s wisdom to help the church to witness faithfully, together and individually.
As you write the prayer you can see that it will not be easy to silence Nico Laitan and his followers, either by teaching the truth or by removing their authority to speak, and it will not be easy to witness clearly and boldly under such powerful imperial and commercial pressure, and it will not be easy to handle the cultural differences among them.
As you write the prayer for them to use, asking God to help them respond to their own letter from the Risen Jesus, encourage them by drawing on Revelation 6-16, describing the seven seals, seven trumpets, seven signs and seven bowls. Use some of the language or imagery from anywhere in Revelation 6-16 in your prayer to motivate the church in Pergamum to hear (and obey) what the Spirit is saying to the churches.
As you write your prayer, keep Mark 10.40-45 in mind, clarify what you are not going to do, as you serve them, whose teaching and example you are following, and where your praying is heading, as you look towards the coming of God’s new creation.
Please email your response to [email protected] by 5pm before we meet at 530pm