Pergamum church leaders briefing note
For Church Leadership Team of Pergamum
SUBJECT: Strategic Approach to Unity in Response to Christ’s Letter
1. CURRENT SITUATION ASSESSMENT
The letter received from the Risen Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 2:12-17) has created significant tension within our fellowship. Based on careful observation, the church appears divided into three distinct groups with different cultural orientations and responses to Christ’s message:
The Three Groups
- The Accommodators
- Prioritise social harmony and economic stability
- View Christ’s commands as flexible guidelines rather than absolute directives
- Seek to maintain Roman cultural integration while privately maintaining Christian identity
- Comprise approximately 30% of our fellowship, including several wealthy merchants and guild leaders
- The Conflicted
- Intellectually acknowledge the truth of Christ’s message
- Experience deep internal conflict between loyalty to Christ and fear of consequences
- Highly value existing relationships with both Accommodators and Witnesses
- Comprise approximately 45% of our fellowship, including many families with children and young adults
- The Witnesses
- Embrace Christ’s call to exclusive loyalty regardless of cost
- View persecution as an expected aspect of faithful discipleship
- Ready to separate completely from idolatrous practices
- Comprise approximately 25% of our fellowship, including relatives of Antipas and several former temple servants
2. CULTURAL UNITY AND DIFFERENCES
Our analysis reveals that despite their differing responses to Christ’s letter, all three groups share remarkably similar cultural orientations in 12 of 15 GLOBE dimensions. We can build on these shared values while addressing the three dimensions where significant differences exist.
Areas of Cultural Unity (12 Dimensions)
All three groups generally:
- Value strong family bonds and mutual support
- Respect eldership and appropriate hierarchical structures
- Appreciate clear communication and truthfulness
- Believe in divine providence and spiritual realities
- Show loyalty to those within their community
- Value wisdom and thoughtful decision-making
- Respect tradition and historical continuity
- Appreciate celebration and communal worship
- Recognise the importance of honour and avoiding shame
- Value hospitality and generosity
- Appreciate formal protocols for important matters
- Recognise the need for both male and female contributions to community
Areas of Cultural Difference (3 Critical Dimensions)
1. Uncertainty Avoidance
Accommodators:
- “When you insist on absolute rejection of all civic religious practices, it makes us think you’re being unnecessarily rigid and extreme, because the future is already uncertain enough without creating additional conflict.”
- “When you allow for flexible responses to cultural demands, it makes us feel relieved, because we believe maintaining stability helps us preserve the church long-term.”
Conflicted:
- “When you present either extreme position as the only option, it makes us think we’re being forced into an impossible choice, because we see valid concerns on both sides.”
- “When you acknowledge the legitimacy of our concerns about persecution, it makes us feel understood, because we genuinely want to follow Christ while caring for our families.”
Witnesses:
- “When you suggest compromise with idolatry, it makes us think you’ve missed the fundamental exclusivity of our faith, because Christ clearly states He will fight against such practices.”
- “When you stand firm on Scripture’s clear teaching, it makes us feel secure, because despite earthly uncertainty, we have confidence in God’s eternal promises.”
2. In-Group Collectivism vs. Societal Collectivism
Accommodators:
- “When you isolate yourselves from civic festivals and guild functions, it makes us think you’re harming our collective witness, because we believe Christians should be good citizens of Pergamum.”
- “When you find ways to maintain both Christian identity and social integration, it makes us feel hopeful, because we see paths to influence society rather than alienate it.”
Conflicted:
- “When you force us to choose between our Christian community and broader social acceptance, it makes us think we’re being torn between competing loyalties, because both relationships matter deeply to us.”
- “When you validate our struggle to navigate multiple social contexts, it makes us feel supported, because we’re genuinely trying to honour Christ while living in a complex world.”
Witnesses:
- “When you participate in idol feasts to maintain social standing, it makes us think you value human approval over divine, because Jesus explicitly condemns such accommodation.”
- “When you prioritise our Christian community over societal acceptance, it makes us feel united in true fellowship, because our primary citizenship is in heaven, not Pergamum.”
3. Performance Orientation
Accommodators:
- “When you elevate martyrdom as the ultimate witness, it makes us think you’re devaluing practical, everyday faithfulness, because we believe effective witness requires strategic engagement, not just dramatic sacrifice.”
- “When you recognise the value of our social connections and business acumen, it makes us feel our contributions matter, because we can leverage these assets for the gospel’s advance.”
Conflicted:
- “When you present faithfulness as an all-or-nothing proposition, it makes us think there’s no room for growth or progress, because we’re at different stages in our spiritual journey.”
- “When you celebrate small steps of obedience, it makes us feel encouraged, because it shows that faithfulness is a process, not just a moment of dramatic decision.”
Witnesses:
- “When you measure success by worldly standards of security and prosperity, it makes us think you’ve forgotten the example of Christ and Antipas, because true performance is measured by faithfulness, not results.”
- “When you honour costly obedience, it makes us feel aligned with the true gospel, because Jesus promises rewards to those who overcome, not those who accommodate.”
3. STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP APPROACH
Unified Message Framework
Based on these cultural insights, we recommend a leadership approach that:
- Builds on the 12 shared dimensions to reinforce unity
- Addresses the 3 difference dimensions with cultural sensitivity
- Guides each group toward faithful response while respecting their process
For Addressing the Accommodators
Recommended Approach:
- Affirm their desire for effective witness and concern for the church’s sustainability
- Challenge their understanding of effectiveness by highlighting Christ’s explicit words about the “teaching of Balaam”
- Appeal to their value of wisdom by showing how short-term accommodation undermines long-term witness
- Present compelling examples of how maintaining distinctiveness actually attracts rather than repels serious spiritual seekers
Practical Language: “We deeply appreciate your concern for the church’s continued presence in Pergamum and your desire to engage our society. Your relationships and positions provide unique opportunities for witness. However, Christ’s message calls us to reconsider what effective witness truly means. Could it be that our distinctive refusal to participate in idol worship might actually be our most powerful testimony? Let’s explore together how we might leverage your connections while maintaining the integrity Christ calls for.”
For Addressing the Conflicted
Recommended Approach:
- Validate their genuine struggle without minimising the clarity of Christ’s call
- Create safe spaces for expressing fears and asking questions without judgment
- Provide practical support systems for those who face economic or social consequences
- Emphasise progressive steps of faithfulness rather than immediate, total transformation
Practical Language: “Your desire to honour Christ while caring for your families shows the depth of your faith, not its weakness. The tension you feel is real and understandable. Rather than asking for immediate resolution of all conflicts, let’s identify one step of faithfulness you can take this week, knowing the church stands with you. What specific concerns about following Christ’s call keep you awake at night, and how might we address them together?”
For Addressing the Witnesses
Recommended Approach:
- Affirm their commitment to undivided loyalty to Christ
- Channel their zeal toward patient encouragement rather than harsh judgment of others
- Engage them in creating support systems for those who face persecution
- Remind them that Jesus addresses the whole church, not just individual believers
Practical Language: “Your readiness to stand firm regardless of cost inspires us all and embodies Christ’s call to overcome. Your clarity about our exclusive allegiance to Jesus is precisely what our church needs. We invite you to consider how your strength might best support others who struggle. Remember that Christ addresses us as a whole church—how might your witness help others take their next step toward faithfulness rather than leaving them behind?”
4. IMPLEMENTATION RECOMMENDATIONS
- Create Unified Prayer Gatherings
- Regular prayer specifically focused on responding to Christ’s letter
- Structured to include voices from all three groups
- Emphasis on spiritual warfare prayer recognising “Satan’s throne”
- Establish Practical Support Systems
- Economic assistance fund for those facing financial persecution
- Alternative trade networks among believers
- Housing assistance for displaced families
- Develop Staged Discipleship Path
- Clear, incremental steps toward full obedience to Christ’s call
- Celebration of each step of faithfulness, however small
- Mentoring relationships across group boundaries
- Institute Regular Teaching Series
- Expository teaching through Revelation’s vision of Christ
- Practical exploration of faithful witness in hostile environments
- Testimonies from those who have taken steps of obedience
- Convene Unity Conversations
- Structured discussions between representatives of all three groups
- Focus on shared values and common commitment to Christ
- Development of mutual understanding through listening exercises
5. POTENTIAL RISKS AND MITIGATIONS
| Risk | Probability | Impact | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodators leave the fellowship | Medium | High | Individual pastoral care; phased approach to change |
| Witnesses become disillusioned with slow pace | Medium | Medium | Regular celebration of progress; meaningful involvement in discipleship |
| External persecution intensifies | High | High | Preparation through teaching; practical support systems; distributed leadership |
| Division hardens into permanent factions | Medium | Critical | Intentional cross-group relationships; unified worship experiences |
6. CONCLUSION
Christ’s letter to our church presents both challenge and opportunity. By recognising our significant cultural unity while addressing our differences with sensitivity, we can guide the entire community toward faithful witness. The path forward requires not uniformity of implementation but unity of direction—all moving toward the faithfulness Christ calls for, though perhaps at different paces and through different struggles.
Our ultimate success metric is not the comfort of our congregation but our faithfulness to Christ’s call to “repent” and “overcome.” By God’s grace, and through culturally-sensitive leadership, we believe the church in Pergamum can become the faithful witness Christ calls us to be.
Respectfully submitted,
Church Leadership Council Pergamum