Working for the church is a lot of work but also a lot of fun. I have often said to myself over the years when growing up and in young adulthood “It would be nice if I could just get a career in talking.” It is funny how God knows us so well that He has a place and a space made for each one of us. How I became a Next Gen Pastor was through a series of God opportunities and the willingness of the people around me to invest in me, teach me what they know, and allow me to lead. I remember a time in my life where I would say to myself, “I don’t like people, kids, or dirt!” Really, I just didn’t like me and how I reacted or handled other peoples kids. They grated my soul.  Through those God opportunities, I often felt like I was fumbling around a lot trying to figure out how to do what God was asking of me. As the Lord walked me down this path of greater responsibility and becoming who he created me to be. I discovered a love for people. I found out how much I enjoy watching a young person’s “spirit light bulb” come on. I still don’t like dirt. But that’s beside the point.

Over the years, I have pondered the topic of submission and how to be better at it. I come from a long line of independent women. I don’t think there is anything wrong with that, until I use my independence as an excuse to undermine other people. That is where insubordination comes in. I am also pondering this word, insubordination, because it is in my ministry contract. I don’t hear very many people talk about insubordination. It seems to be another one of those old words nobody uses anymore. I love words. So I do crazy things like use an actual dictionary and look it up. I believe that words have meaning, and that meaning, means something in my life.

Insubordinate: NOT submitting to authority, disobedient. 

If disobedience and not submitting is insubordination. Then what is the reason for insubordination? Is it just that we don’t like people telling us what to do? Is it that ,we think, we can do better then them at directing?

The longer that I am a Christian, the more I understand that submission is a trust issue. I am not talking about trust as in “trusting people” here. I mean where do we ultimately put our trust. If we have no God, or worse, we don’t believe that God is good then we do not trust Him.

Insubordination. A law unto himself. He knows better than anyone.

– From an article called, “when a staff member becomes a detriment.” – Joe Mckeever

My husband used to work with trees. He would say, “they better get that big truck off of the roots or they will ruin the tree.”  He also has been dealing with a fungus that has affected our tomato plants at the root. It is causing the plant to shrivel and eventually die. That is how important roots are! They impact the rest of the plant. Some plants have what is called a taproot. It is a very strong root which goes far down into the ground and they are very hard to pull. A taproot is a large, central, and dominant root from which other roots sprout.

Trust is a taproot. It is foundational to our spirituality. We have to be willing to see, hear, and deal with the reality that somehow ‘heavy equipment’ like, an offense, has been parked next to our tree of life. It has tracked in some fungus of bitterness, and now, it’s poisoning our taproot and growing distrust in our hearts.  I can tell you that there is no other way to deal with it than to pull it up and expose it for what it is. Pointing fingers about the offense and sharing your bitterness with others won’t work. That kind of exposure feeds the monster. However, a heart to heart sit down with the person whom you became offended, and refusing to be bitter will allow you to mend the relationship and rebuild trust. This will successfully kill the fungus that seeks to destroy you.  We have to learn to trust God’s process and do it God’s way. It is hard, it can hurt, it is humbling and full of honor. 

Let’s go a little deeper and ask “what soil am I planted in?” I can do all the right things and still not be changed. Until I believe that Jesus the King has full authority over me, as long as I believe that I know better and I decide, then no matter how good I look to others (hoping they think I have this all figured out.) it is God who knows whether I accept His lordship over me or if I believe He wears a broken crown. – Tweet That!

What I believe will always be the dirt I am planting in.

Do I really trust Him?

I have had many opportunities not to trust people, who I know, God put over me in the ministry.

So what advice can I give?

1. Get to know your leaders: Build a real relationship with them.

2. Let them into your world, your life, and your heart: Allow them access to your soul.

3. Let them question you, your motives, and your actions.

4. Let them hear your dreams and allow them to invest in you.

5. Ask them questions then put into action what they are sharing.

When I started to do these things, it was like adding miracle grow! That is the power of submission under authority, trust that God is good, and He knows what I need to grow!

Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

Thanks for Listening,

Starla