We had a church meeting last night, believe it or not, in our home. After being cooped up indoors because of the 20+ inches of snow I think everyone was longing for company. It was nice. We just kept things very light. Had dinner, discussed the timing of opening up new homes for church meetings, shared a few stories of our lives, and then we watched Brian Regan on Comedy Central stand-up. The night was concluded by going over to Maria, Amy, and Lindsay’s apartment and helping them dig out their vehicles and arrange them so they could get out and go to work this morning.
Lately I have been studying and pondering the issue of leadership, and I have been asking myself the question, How does leadership function among people who are embracing simple church, relational Christianity? Just by asking a question like that causes me to wonder… perhaps our concepts of what church is and is supposed to be has been SO dependent upon human leadership that it is hard to imagine how to function without it. I’m not suggesting we shouldn’t have it, nor questioning whether or not it’s biblical to have it. Absolutely… God has gifted people with certain gifts that function in leading and strengthening the church. My question revolves more around concern for where our primary dependency is. Hopefully it is Jesus.
As one who has been entrusted by God with gifts that are used to lead, I do not want to use them to manage, or control, or even to have a title among the flock of believers. The leadership of the church serves an entirely different function than the leadership of the world. And I desire to embody that way of leading.
Wayne Jacobsen says: “Our perception of leadership is so embedded in managing or controlling institutions, that we cannot recognize it without titles and positions.”
Let that sink in for a second. I am.
This means that people all around us could have gifts to be used in leadership in the church, but we may never recognize them or notice them as such until they have been given a title, or placed in a “position” of leadership.
One of the best things I have ever heard spoken concerning the role of a leader in the body of Christ is this: Whatever gift we have in the body, it is only to supplement His working in people, not to become a substitute for it. At best, the touch of a leader is only temporary, helping people along the way, then quickly returning to the more enduring place of brother or sister (Jacobsen).
This type of leadership puts so less focus on the leader, and so much more focus on the Holy Spirit’s working in and through a life submitted to Jesus. The dependency of the church body becomes remains on Jesus… not the one leading them. Yes, it is very important... even vital… to have those there who are gifted to lead. But they must be careful to not create a dependency on themselves by embracing titles and positions and recognizing themselves among the body as having those titles and positions.
I write all of this for a purpose. One, it helps me to sort out my thoughts. I can go back and read them again and again as I pray for our local fellowship of believers. And two, I desire to gather some folks, who have leadership gifts, for advisory and accountability purposes, as more and more decisions are needing to be made for our fellowship of believers. And I want to be sure I do it for the right reasons, and that I understand how to communicate to everyone the importance of understanding, and how to understand, leadership in Christ’s body.
+ + + God, thank you for the journey You have taken me on in the last couple of weeks. Open my mind to understand You more and more. Help me understand how You, the Perfect Father, leads His children. I want to be faithful with everything You have given me. I may not have all the right answers. In fact, I am certain I do not. But whatever I hear from You, with an honest, pure, and open heart I want to pass on to those I love and call friends. Keep me in a humble position. Let others see me for my gifts, not my title or position. As always… I am Yours, God. + + +
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