April 24, 2024 • 26 mins
Have you ever heard the one about the chicken that lived without a head? It's not just a quirky anecdote; it's the real-life story of Mike, a chicken who survived 18 months post-decapitation back in 1945. On the latest episode of Renewed Mindsets, we take you on a journey to explore how Mike's unusual tale casts a fresh lens on the dynamics of community and the power of unity within the Body of Christ. We'll chuckle together over this extraordinary piece of history while unpacking the profound spiritual parallels it presents. Especially for you Gen Xers and Millennials, this episode promises to resonate, showing how every one of us can make a vital contribution to our faith communities, just like every part of the body plays a crucial role in our overall well-being.
As we commemorate Mike's undying spirit, we also delve into the lasting impact of unity and the way a small Colorado town continues to celebrate his legacy. Their collective memory mirrors the interconnectedness that strengthens the church and broadens Christ's message of love and redemption. But beware, for this episode also tackles the slippery slope of pastor-centric congregations, reminding us that while leadership is key, the church must orbit around Christ, not charismatic figures. With references to scriptures like 1 Corinthians 12:12 and Matthew 6:24, I encourage listeners to nurture a vibrant, Christ-centered community that's brimming with love, grace, and truth. Tune in for an episode that's as heartwarming as it is thought-provoking, where faith meets fowl in the most unexpected ways.
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SEE YA!
Rick
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Rick (00:00):
What does a headless chicken, the body of Christ and
me, rick, from Renewed Mindsets,have in common?
I'll answer that question rightnow.
Let's go, boys.
Hey, welcome to RenewedMindsets, where we study the
(00:24):
basics of the faith through thelens of our middle-aged
experiences.
I'm Rick.
Welcome to the show where Ihelp you, Gen Xers and
Millennials, navigatespiritually through a world that
looks nothing like we expectedback, when cars were square and
mullets were totally awesome.
I am so glad you're here.
Awesome, I am so glad you'rehere.
(00:49):
As I was flipping around onFacebook this week, I saw a
story about the world's mostfamous chicken.
Some of you may have seen it,others may not.
I'd heard the story before, butit really caught my attention
this time.
The story of the world's mostfamous chicken took place in
1945 in the wacky world of afamily farm in Colorado, and on
(01:15):
that farm there lived a chickenE-I-O named Mike.
Now, mike wasn't just anyordinary chicken.
He had a crazy, bizarre,extraordinary life, but the most
peculiar part of his life washis stint, where he was known as
(01:36):
Mike the Headless Chicken.
And we're not talking aboutsome kind of farmer superhero,
but a chicken who defied all theodds and captured the hearts of
the country, and it startedwith Mike's owner.
Mike's owner was a farmer namedLloyd Olson.
(01:57):
He was a chicken farmer and hewould raise chickens for the
market and, just like anydedicated farmer, he'd behead
these chickens when it came timeto sell them.
So one day he's out choppingheads and near the end of the
(02:20):
day he's picking up all thesechickens and putting them in
boxes for the morning.
Now you know, you've heardrunning around like a chicken
with his head cut off.
So quite a few of thesechickens were still moving and
flapping and maybe some of themwere even running, but that
usually lasts just a minute orso and then they calm down and
(02:40):
of course they're dead.
But farmer Olson went to bedand got up the next morning to
get these boxes ready to beshipped and there was a chicken
in the box that was stillkicking and flapping around the
next morning, who didn't have ahead.
Now, farmer olsen well, I'dhave probably screamed and ran,
(03:01):
but but that old farmer Olson,he was just confused, like what
in the world is wrong with Mike?
I guess by this time he'dalready named him Mike.
Was he possessed by somedemonic chicken spirit, a
poultry geist?
Did he somehow become infectedwith some type of zombie virus.
(03:22):
A Night of the chicken deadscenario?
Nope, none of these stupidludicrous possibilities were
true.
Science stepped in and providedan explanation.
Turns out that after Mike'sbeheading, a tiny part of his
brainstem, responsible forcontrolling his vital functions,
(03:43):
remained intact.
And it's just the way that thepositioning of the brain in a
chicken's head is, and thechopping off was just perfect.
And instead of bleeding todeath, there was a blood clot
and it kept him alive.
Now, he didn't have a face, hecouldn't peck, he couldn't buck
(04:07):
buck, buck, buck, but what hecould do is travel the country
with Farmer Olson, who had himstrutting his headless stuff all
over town, just like Wilbur thePig from Charlotte's Web Now,
that headless chicken moviewould have been a great cartoon
(04:28):
as a kid.
Pig from Charlotte's Web Nowthat Headless Chicken movie
would have been a great cartoonas a kid.
But he took Mike to differentshows and people took
photographs of him and I'mguessing they sold t-shirts and
Yeti cups.
I don't know, this was in the40s.
What did I say?
It was the 40s, yeah, 1945.
(04:49):
They didn't have Yeti cups then.
So, just like all stories, thisone had a bittersweet ending.
They were out traveling thecountry and they were in Arizona
and Farmer Olson woke up hereand here I promise I'm not
laughing he heard he heard oldMike choking.
(05:13):
So in a panic he jumped up andhe was looking for the syringe
that they used to have to use to, uh, to kind of clear his,
clear his throat.
You know, kind of like, uh, youdo a baby when they get all
stopped up.
But he couldn't find it so hejust had to sit there and watch
(05:35):
old Mike die.
And I bet it was sad for a lotof reasons, because former Olson
was making money and hewouldn't have him to get up at
four o'clock in the morning andtend to his field.
So I'm sure it was horror tohim in more ways than one in a
tacky motel room in Phoenix,arizona.
I mean, how many lives does aheadless chicken have anyway?
(06:00):
I mean, in the wild world offarms in Colorado, where
extraordinary becomes theeveryday, strange tales of
headless chickens capture ourimaginations and keep us
clucking with laughter.
But Mike's survival is atestament to the resilience and
(06:22):
the adaptability that's found innature and another way of
looking at it.
In a similar manner, the unityof the church showcases human
beings' ability to come together, despite their differences, for
a common purpose.
The church is described as thebody of Christ, with Christ
(06:43):
being the head.
Just as the different parts ofa physical body have functions
and have to work together, theindividuals in church possess
different gifts and abilitiesthat contribute to the overall
mission of the church.
The Apostle Paul, in his letterto the Corinthians, emphasizes
the importance of unity withinthe church.
(07:04):
The Apostle Paul, in his letterto the Corinthians, emphasizes
the importance of unity withinthe church and he wrote for just
as the body is one and has manymembers and all the members of
the body, though many, are onebody, so it is with Christ.
That's 1 Corinthians 12.12.
And Paul uses the analogy ofthe body to symbolize the church
(07:27):
.
He highlights theinterconnectedness and the
interdependence of all itsmembers.
Each person's contribution, nomatter how small or how
different, is valuable andnecessary for the church to
fulfill its mission.
(07:48):
Now, one part of maintainingunity in the church is humility.
Just like no part of the bodycan claim that it's more
important than any other part ofthe body, no individual in the
church should considerthemselves more important than
other people, individual in thechurch should consider
themselves more important thanother people.
(08:08):
Humility allows for therecognition of people's gifts
and talents while acknowledgingthe significance of someone
else's.
You know the different roles inthe church, whether it's
apostle or prophet or evangelistor pastor or teacher.
They're all designed to worktogether for the growth and
edification of the body inChrist's name, and unity in
(08:35):
church implies that the membersshare each other's joy and
suffering.
You know just like the bodyfeels pain when I smash my hand
with a hammer it hurts.
The church is called toempathize and support each other
when things get difficult.
(08:55):
It's kind of aninterconnectedness and it
creates a sense of community andsolidarity where the
individuals can rely on eachother for encouragement and
accountability and support.
You know, as the body of Christ, the church represents God's
love and mercy to the world, andthe unity that's displayed
(09:16):
among its members is powerful.
It's a witness to thetransforming power of Christ's
love.
It's a witness to thetransforming power of Christ's
love.
So this story of Mike theHeadless Chicken it just serves
as a reminder of the incrediblepower of unity.
Despite the absence of a head,mike survived and thrived due to
(09:39):
the cooperation and resilienceof his remaining body.
And just like that, the churchcan overcome obstacles and
thrive and impact the lives whenits members come together and
function as one body underChrist's headship, sometimes
even without a pastor.
Now the story of Mikeencourages us to recognize the
(10:07):
legacy that's created throughUnity.
You know that little town inColorado.
They still celebrate Mike'smemory every year.
I mean that's an impact of aunified community.
After all, this time 1945, I'mpretty sure just about everybody
(10:31):
that remembers Mike is dead orclose to it.
I mean, you know, I guess ifyou were born, if you were an
adult, then you were in WorldWar II, right?
So there's not many of themleft Now.
(10:53):
A little kid, maybe born in 46,47, might have heard about Mike
, but I don't think he onlylived 18 months, so I don't know
.
But they're still celebratinghim in Colorado.
In the same way, when the churchoperates with unity, it leaves
a lasting impact on theindividuals and the families and
(11:14):
communities and through all thecombined efforts the church can
spread the message of love andhope and redemption to a broken
world and that contributes tothe building of God's kingdom.
Now it's important to rememberthat the unity in the church
(11:35):
requires effort and commitmentfrom every member of the church.
There's going to bedisagreements and conflicts, but
the goal of bringing glory toGod and expanding his kingdom
should always be the priority.
And when we recognize the giftsand the abilities that are
(11:58):
present in each individual inthe church, and encourage
humility and support each other,the church can exemplify the
unity that Christ desires forhis followers.
Ephesians 4, 11, and 12 saysand he gave the apostles, the
prophets, the evangelists, theshepherds and teachers to equip
(12:21):
the saints for the work ofministry, for building up the
body of Christ, for building upthe body of Christ.
And we need to acknowledge therole of pastor as shepherds and
teachers within the community.
But this verse also highlightsthat their purpose is to equip
(12:41):
the saints for ministry ratherthan being the ultimate
authority.
Sadly, in today's society it'sbecome an unfortunate reality
that some churches tend tooverlook the teachings of Christ
and instead follow theirpastors without question.
Now, this is a dangerous shiftin focus and it can, over time,
(13:06):
erode the essence of the churchand it leads to spiritual
stagnancy and division and thedemise of the church's mission
or, just like Mike the HeadlessChicken, it'll result in death.
A church starts with a corefocus on Christ and his
(13:28):
teachings and the Bible, butover time the influence and the
charisma of the pastor canovershadow the true message of
Christ and the people in thechurch may become enamored with
their preacher's personality ortheir eloquence or his
persuasiveness, and it graduallyshifts their attention from
Christ over to the pastor.
(13:48):
Now, this happens over time.
I mean very rarely does ithappen quickly, but it's very
subtle and it can occur withoutthe members even realizing it
and as they become more and moreloyal to the leader, rather to
the teachings of Christ.
The consequences of that arenot only stagnancy, like when a
(14:11):
church becomes toopastor-dependent.
There's a risk of spiritualgrowth coming to a standstill
and instead of seeking apersonal relationship with
Christ, people in the churchrely solely on the pastor's
interpretations and teachingsand they miss out on the
transformative power of faith ofan individual.
(14:34):
And there's a lot of peoplethat'll say well, those churches
are spirit-filled and I'mtelling you, people, of that I
do not dispute there isdefinitely a spirit in those
churches, but it ain't HolySpirit.
A spirit in those churches, butit ain't Holy Spirit.
Matthew 6 24 says no one canserve two masters, for either he
(14:55):
will hate one and love theother, or he'll be devoted to
one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and money.
And this verse emphasizes theimportance of not idolizing or
becoming devoted to any otherfigure or entity apart from God,
and it warns people thatserving two masters including
the danger of placing too muchemphasis on leaders in the
(15:20):
church, and it says you cannotserve God and money.
A lot of times that's thereason that the pastor is so
flamboyantly attractive.
It's money, but that's a wholeother podcast.
The other problem with a churchthat does that is loss of
(15:42):
accountability.
I mean, when a preacher becomesthe central authority figure,
the church is going to becomesusceptible to the pastor's
personal views and biases andwithout a strong foundations in
Christ's teachings there's noobjective reference point for
evaluating the pastor's words oractions to misguided
(16:11):
decision-making and moralmisconduct within the church by
appointed leaders or so-calledleaders.
You know, division in thecongregation is another problem.
In a pastor-centered church,dissenting voices are going to
be silenced.
Healthy discussions concerningdoctrines or practices are going
(16:34):
to be discouraged.
There's usually a small littlecircle of people that are making
decisions and the rest of thepeople are just kind of along
for the ride.
For the ride, and that can leadto a lack of varying
(16:58):
perspectives and can harm theunity and the vitality of a
group of people.
You start hearing things likeif you don't like it, here,
there's the door.
Well, I mean, that's nothelpful.
Where's the door?
Well, I mean, that's nothelpful.
Eventually the church is justgoing to go away and over time
(17:21):
these pastor-centered churchesbecome deeply ingrained in that
church's culture.
The original mission andpurpose of the church can become
diluted or even just forgotten.
The church is ultimately goingto lose its relevance and it's
going to ineffectively spreadthe message of Christ.
It's just going to beirrelevant or, at worst, the
(17:43):
church is just going to die off.
And what happens to the peoplein that church?
So it's natural for people in achurch to admire and respect
their pastors.
It's important.
It's important for them toremember that the ultimate
source of authority and guidancein the church is in Jesus
(18:05):
Christ.
A pastor-centered approach cangradually erode the church's
mission and hinder spiritualgrowth, and it just creates
divisions.
If we want vibrant andspirit-filled churches, it's
(18:26):
crucial for both pastors and thebody of the church to
consistently align their focuswith Christ's teaching and then
promote a community centered onhis love and grace and truth.
You know, the story of Mike theHeadless Chicken is just a
thought-provoking parallel tothe unity of the church.
(18:48):
And just like Mike's,resilience and adaptability
allowed him to survive without ahead, the church can thrive and
impact lives when its memberscome together, selflessly
utilizing gifts and embracinghumility, because they function
as one body under Christ'sleadership.
(19:08):
And the church can spread amessage of love and hope and
redemption to the world,ultimately fulfilling its
purpose and building a kingdomof God.
But it's also a cautionary tale, mike the chicken.
We got so much to learn fromold Mike.
It highlights the importance ofremaining connected to the head
(19:30):
of the church, jesus Christ,because without Jesus, without
his guidance and his leadership,the church is like a body
without a head, doomed to decayand death.
Right, it'll live for a littlewhile, just like Mike's did, and
(19:52):
somebody's going to make somemoney off of it, but eventually
that body's going to die.
It's through unity with Christand with one another that the
church can truly flourish andthen fulfill its divine mission.
I want to leave you with onelast thing here the importance
(20:13):
of community.
It comes from 1 Corinthians, 12, 27.
Now you are the body of Christand individually members of it,
and this verse just emphasizesthat the church is a collective
body of believers with Christ atits center.
It highlights the importance ofall its members playing their
(20:37):
part.
Each has their own gifts andcontributions to offer for the
growth and the edification ofthe church.
Hebrews 10, 24, and 25 says andlet us consider how to stir up
one another to love and goodworks, not neglecting to meet
(20:59):
together, as is the habit ofsome, but encouraging one
another, and all the more as yousee the day drawing near.
Community is so important, nearCommunity is so important, and
(21:25):
meeting together every week asbelievers it encourages you and
supportive church community.
Find you a church.
You think you don't need it but, man, when you find the right
one, it's the best thing ever.
(21:47):
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Find us at wisdomforthedayorg.
Well, that's all for thisweek's show.
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(22:31):
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renewal of your mind that bytesting, you may discern what is
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(22:52):
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(23:58):
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(25:02):
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Look for the membership link inthe show notes and have a great
rest of your week, see ya.
What does a headless chicken, the body of Christ and
me, rick, from Renewed Mindsets,have in common?
I'll answer that question rightnow.
Let's go, boys.
Hey, welcome to RenewedMindsets, where we study the
(00:24):
basics of the faith through thelens of our middle-aged
experiences.
I'm Rick.
Welcome to the show where Ihelp you, Gen Xers and
Millennials, navigatespiritually through a world that
looks nothing like we expectedback, when cars were square and
mullets were totally awesome.
I am so glad you're here.
Awesome, I am so glad you'rehere.
(00:49):
As I was flipping around onFacebook this week, I saw a
story about the world's mostfamous chicken.
Some of you may have seen it,others may not.
I'd heard the story before, butit really caught my attention
this time.
The story of the world's mostfamous chicken took place in
1945 in the wacky world of afamily farm in Colorado, and on
(01:15):
that farm there lived a chickenE-I-O named Mike.
Now, mike wasn't just anyordinary chicken.
He had a crazy, bizarre,extraordinary life, but the most
peculiar part of his life washis stint, where he was known as
(01:36):
Mike the Headless Chicken.
And we're not talking aboutsome kind of farmer superhero,
but a chicken who defied all theodds and captured the hearts of
the country, and it startedwith Mike's owner.
Mike's owner was a farmer namedLloyd Olson.
(01:57):
He was a chicken farmer and hewould raise chickens for the
market and, just like anydedicated farmer, he'd behead
these chickens when it came timeto sell them.
So one day he's out choppingheads and near the end of the
(02:20):
day he's picking up all thesechickens and putting them in
boxes for the morning.
Now you know, you've heardrunning around like a chicken
with his head cut off.
So quite a few of thesechickens were still moving and
flapping and maybe some of themwere even running, but that
usually lasts just a minute orso and then they calm down and
(02:40):
of course they're dead.
But farmer Olson went to bedand got up the next morning to
get these boxes ready to beshipped and there was a chicken
in the box that was stillkicking and flapping around the
next morning, who didn't have ahead.
Now, farmer olsen well, I'dhave probably screamed and ran,
(03:01):
but but that old farmer Olson,he was just confused, like what
in the world is wrong with Mike?
I guess by this time he'dalready named him Mike.
Was he possessed by somedemonic chicken spirit, a
poultry geist?
Did he somehow become infectedwith some type of zombie virus.
(03:22):
A Night of the chicken deadscenario?
Nope, none of these stupidludicrous possibilities were
true.
Science stepped in and providedan explanation.
Turns out that after Mike'sbeheading, a tiny part of his
brainstem, responsible forcontrolling his vital functions,
(03:43):
remained intact.
And it's just the way that thepositioning of the brain in a
chicken's head is, and thechopping off was just perfect.
And instead of bleeding todeath, there was a blood clot
and it kept him alive.
Now, he didn't have a face, hecouldn't peck, he couldn't buck
(04:07):
buck, buck, buck, but what hecould do is travel the country
with Farmer Olson, who had himstrutting his headless stuff all
over town, just like Wilbur thePig from Charlotte's Web Now,
that headless chicken moviewould have been a great cartoon
(04:28):
as a kid.
Pig from Charlotte's Web Nowthat Headless Chicken movie
would have been a great cartoonas a kid.
But he took Mike to differentshows and people took
photographs of him and I'mguessing they sold t-shirts and
Yeti cups.
I don't know, this was in the40s.
What did I say?
It was the 40s, yeah, 1945.
(04:49):
They didn't have Yeti cups then.
So, just like all stories, thisone had a bittersweet ending.
They were out traveling thecountry and they were in Arizona
and Farmer Olson woke up hereand here I promise I'm not
laughing he heard he heard oldMike choking.
(05:13):
So in a panic he jumped up andhe was looking for the syringe
that they used to have to use to, uh, to kind of clear his,
clear his throat.
You know, kind of like, uh, youdo a baby when they get all
stopped up.
But he couldn't find it so hejust had to sit there and watch
(05:35):
old Mike die.
And I bet it was sad for a lotof reasons, because former Olson
was making money and hewouldn't have him to get up at
four o'clock in the morning andtend to his field.
So I'm sure it was horror tohim in more ways than one in a
tacky motel room in Phoenix,arizona.
I mean, how many lives does aheadless chicken have anyway?
(06:00):
I mean, in the wild world offarms in Colorado, where
extraordinary becomes theeveryday, strange tales of
headless chickens capture ourimaginations and keep us
clucking with laughter.
But Mike's survival is atestament to the resilience and
(06:22):
the adaptability that's found innature and another way of
looking at it.
In a similar manner, the unityof the church showcases human
beings' ability to come together, despite their differences, for
a common purpose.
The church is described as thebody of Christ, with Christ
(06:43):
being the head.
Just as the different parts ofa physical body have functions
and have to work together, theindividuals in church possess
different gifts and abilitiesthat contribute to the overall
mission of the church.
The Apostle Paul, in his letterto the Corinthians, emphasizes
the importance of unity withinthe church.
(07:04):
The Apostle Paul, in his letterto the Corinthians, emphasizes
the importance of unity withinthe church and he wrote for just
as the body is one and has manymembers and all the members of
the body, though many, are onebody, so it is with Christ.
That's 1 Corinthians 12.12.
And Paul uses the analogy ofthe body to symbolize the church
(07:27):
.
He highlights theinterconnectedness and the
interdependence of all itsmembers.
Each person's contribution, nomatter how small or how
different, is valuable andnecessary for the church to
fulfill its mission.
(07:48):
Now, one part of maintainingunity in the church is humility.
Just like no part of the bodycan claim that it's more
important than any other part ofthe body, no individual in the
church should considerthemselves more important than
other people, individual in thechurch should consider
themselves more important thanother people.
(08:08):
Humility allows for therecognition of people's gifts
and talents while acknowledgingthe significance of someone
else's.
You know the different roles inthe church, whether it's
apostle or prophet or evangelistor pastor or teacher.
They're all designed to worktogether for the growth and
edification of the body inChrist's name, and unity in
(08:35):
church implies that the membersshare each other's joy and
suffering.
You know just like the bodyfeels pain when I smash my hand
with a hammer it hurts.
The church is called toempathize and support each other
when things get difficult.
(08:55):
It's kind of aninterconnectedness and it
creates a sense of community andsolidarity where the
individuals can rely on eachother for encouragement and
accountability and support.
You know, as the body of Christ, the church represents God's
love and mercy to the world, andthe unity that's displayed
(09:16):
among its members is powerful.
It's a witness to thetransforming power of Christ's
love.
It's a witness to thetransforming power of Christ's
love.
So this story of Mike theHeadless Chicken it just serves
as a reminder of the incrediblepower of unity.
Despite the absence of a head,mike survived and thrived due to
(09:39):
the cooperation and resilienceof his remaining body.
And just like that, the churchcan overcome obstacles and
thrive and impact the lives whenits members come together and
function as one body underChrist's headship, sometimes
even without a pastor.
Now the story of Mikeencourages us to recognize the
(10:07):
legacy that's created throughUnity.
You know that little town inColorado.
They still celebrate Mike'smemory every year.
I mean that's an impact of aunified community.
After all, this time 1945, I'mpretty sure just about everybody
(10:31):
that remembers Mike is dead orclose to it.
I mean, you know, I guess ifyou were born, if you were an
adult, then you were in WorldWar II, right?
So there's not many of themleft Now.
(10:53):
A little kid, maybe born in 46,47, might have heard about Mike
, but I don't think he onlylived 18 months, so I don't know
.
But they're still celebratinghim in Colorado.
In the same way, when the churchoperates with unity, it leaves
a lasting impact on theindividuals and the families and
(11:14):
communities and through all thecombined efforts the church can
spread the message of love andhope and redemption to a broken
world and that contributes tothe building of God's kingdom.
Now it's important to rememberthat the unity in the church
(11:35):
requires effort and commitmentfrom every member of the church.
There's going to bedisagreements and conflicts, but
the goal of bringing glory toGod and expanding his kingdom
should always be the priority.
And when we recognize the giftsand the abilities that are
(11:58):
present in each individual inthe church, and encourage
humility and support each other,the church can exemplify the
unity that Christ desires forhis followers.
Ephesians 4, 11, and 12 saysand he gave the apostles, the
prophets, the evangelists, theshepherds and teachers to equip
(12:21):
the saints for the work ofministry, for building up the
body of Christ, for building upthe body of Christ.
And we need to acknowledge therole of pastor as shepherds and
teachers within the community.
But this verse also highlightsthat their purpose is to equip
(12:41):
the saints for ministry ratherthan being the ultimate
authority.
Sadly, in today's society it'sbecome an unfortunate reality
that some churches tend tooverlook the teachings of Christ
and instead follow theirpastors without question.
Now, this is a dangerous shiftin focus and it can, over time,
(13:06):
erode the essence of the churchand it leads to spiritual
stagnancy and division and thedemise of the church's mission
or, just like Mike the HeadlessChicken, it'll result in death.
A church starts with a corefocus on Christ and his
(13:28):
teachings and the Bible, butover time the influence and the
charisma of the pastor canovershadow the true message of
Christ and the people in thechurch may become enamored with
their preacher's personality ortheir eloquence or his
persuasiveness, and it graduallyshifts their attention from
Christ over to the pastor.
(13:48):
Now, this happens over time.
I mean very rarely does ithappen quickly, but it's very
subtle and it can occur withoutthe members even realizing it
and as they become more and moreloyal to the leader, rather to
the teachings of Christ.
The consequences of that arenot only stagnancy, like when a
(14:11):
church becomes toopastor-dependent.
There's a risk of spiritualgrowth coming to a standstill
and instead of seeking apersonal relationship with
Christ, people in the churchrely solely on the pastor's
interpretations and teachingsand they miss out on the
transformative power of faith ofan individual.
(14:34):
And there's a lot of peoplethat'll say well, those churches
are spirit-filled and I'mtelling you, people, of that I
do not dispute there isdefinitely a spirit in those
churches, but it ain't HolySpirit.
A spirit in those churches, butit ain't Holy Spirit.
Matthew 6 24 says no one canserve two masters, for either he
(14:55):
will hate one and love theother, or he'll be devoted to
one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and money.
And this verse emphasizes theimportance of not idolizing or
becoming devoted to any otherfigure or entity apart from God,
and it warns people thatserving two masters including
the danger of placing too muchemphasis on leaders in the
(15:20):
church, and it says you cannotserve God and money.
A lot of times that's thereason that the pastor is so
flamboyantly attractive.
It's money, but that's a wholeother podcast.
The other problem with a churchthat does that is loss of
(15:42):
accountability.
I mean, when a preacher becomesthe central authority figure,
the church is going to becomesusceptible to the pastor's
personal views and biases andwithout a strong foundations in
Christ's teachings there's noobjective reference point for
evaluating the pastor's words oractions to misguided
(16:11):
decision-making and moralmisconduct within the church by
appointed leaders or so-calledleaders.
You know, division in thecongregation is another problem.
In a pastor-centered church,dissenting voices are going to
be silenced.
Healthy discussions concerningdoctrines or practices are going
(16:34):
to be discouraged.
There's usually a small littlecircle of people that are making
decisions and the rest of thepeople are just kind of along
for the ride.
For the ride, and that can leadto a lack of varying
(16:58):
perspectives and can harm theunity and the vitality of a
group of people.
You start hearing things likeif you don't like it, here,
there's the door.
Well, I mean, that's nothelpful.
Where's the door?
Well, I mean, that's nothelpful.
Eventually the church is justgoing to go away and over time
(17:21):
these pastor-centered churchesbecome deeply ingrained in that
church's culture.
The original mission andpurpose of the church can become
diluted or even just forgotten.
The church is ultimately goingto lose its relevance and it's
going to ineffectively spreadthe message of Christ.
It's just going to beirrelevant or, at worst, the
(17:43):
church is just going to die off.
And what happens to the peoplein that church?
So it's natural for people in achurch to admire and respect
their pastors.
It's important.
It's important for them toremember that the ultimate
source of authority and guidancein the church is in Jesus
(18:05):
Christ.
A pastor-centered approach cangradually erode the church's
mission and hinder spiritualgrowth, and it just creates
divisions.
If we want vibrant andspirit-filled churches, it's
(18:26):
crucial for both pastors and thebody of the church to
consistently align their focuswith Christ's teaching and then
promote a community centered onhis love and grace and truth.
You know, the story of Mike theHeadless Chicken is just a
thought-provoking parallel tothe unity of the church.
(18:48):
And just like Mike's,resilience and adaptability
allowed him to survive without ahead, the church can thrive and
impact lives when its memberscome together, selflessly
utilizing gifts and embracinghumility, because they function
as one body under Christ'sleadership.
(19:08):
And the church can spread amessage of love and hope and
redemption to the world,ultimately fulfilling its
purpose and building a kingdomof God.
But it's also a cautionary tale, mike the chicken.
We got so much to learn fromold Mike.
It highlights the importance ofremaining connected to the head
(19:30):
of the church, jesus Christ,because without Jesus, without
his guidance and his leadership,the church is like a body
without a head, doomed to decayand death.
Right, it'll live for a littlewhile, just like Mike's did, and
(19:52):
somebody's going to make somemoney off of it, but eventually
that body's going to die.
It's through unity with Christand with one another that the
church can truly flourish andthen fulfill its divine mission.
I want to leave you with onelast thing here the importance
(20:13):
of community.
It comes from 1 Corinthians, 12, 27.
Now you are the body of Christand individually members of it,
and this verse just emphasizesthat the church is a collective
body of believers with Christ atits center.
It highlights the importance ofall its members playing their
(20:37):
part.
Each has their own gifts andcontributions to offer for the
growth and the edification ofthe church.
Hebrews 10, 24, and 25 says andlet us consider how to stir up
one another to love and goodworks, not neglecting to meet
(20:59):
together, as is the habit ofsome, but encouraging one
another, and all the more as yousee the day drawing near.
Community is so important, nearCommunity is so important, and
(21:25):
meeting together every week asbelievers it encourages you and
supportive church community.
Find you a church.
You think you don't need it but, man, when you find the right
one, it's the best thing ever.
(21:47):
Welcome to Wisdom for the Day,the podcast where we unpack the
timeless wisdom of the book ofProverbs, one bite-sized nugget
at a time.
Join us daily as we journeythrough this ancient treasure,
trove of insight offeringpractical wisdom for modern
living.
Get ready to start your daywith clarity, purpose and a
deeper understanding of life'sgreatest lessons.
(22:09):
This is Wisdom for the Day,your daily dose of Proverbs
wisdom.
Find us at wisdomforthedayorg.
Well, that's all for thisweek's show.
You know, the name of this showspeaks my hope for you.
It's taken from the words ofRomans, chapter 12, verse 2.
(22:31):
Do not be conformed to thisworld, but be transformed by the
renewal of your mind that bytesting, you may discern what is
the will of God, what is goodand acceptable and perfect.
If you enjoyed what you heard,do me a favor, please, and tell
(22:52):
someone you know about it.
Send them a link in a text youknow.
You may even need to downloadit to their phone and show them
what a podcast is.
If it was valuable to you, itwill be to them.
Visit renewedmindsetscom tohear past episodes.
Read the blog and check out thenew merch.
Setscom to hear past episodes.
Read the blog and check out thenew merch.
(23:12):
And, as always, while you'rethere, send me a voicemail by
clicking the button at thebottom right corner of the main
page.
Tell me what you think aboutthis show.
I just might play it on afuture episode until next week.
I'm Rick.
I love you.
(23:35):
See ya Drop it, hey.
I hope you're enjoying theseshows as much as I do, providing
value in the way ofconversations, interviews and
(23:58):
content.
So many of you have asked me howyou can be a part of the show.
Well, let me tell you, you canbecome a member of the Renewed
Mindsets community.
Just go to buymeacoffeecom,slash renewed mindsets.
You can support this ministrywith a one-time gift or you may
(24:19):
choose to send a recurring giftevery month.
We have several levels tochoose from starting at $2, all
with extra benefits from beinglisted on the website, cool
merch from the Renewed Mindsetstore and even two top tier
spots, the Gabriel and Michaellevels, where one of you will be
(24:40):
mentioned at the end of everyepisode as a producer of the
show.
How cool would it be to haveyour name heard around the world
.
Your support of this show helpsme get God's message out to
people who might not hear itsomewhere else.
This just helps me with podcastrelated expenses, the websites
and all the subscriptions, aswell as supporting an
(25:02):
alternative school option forthe kids at my church.
Look for the membership link inthe show notes and have a great
rest of your week, see ya.
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