Leadership in the Church, part 2.

Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 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. Heb 13:7,17 ESV

These two verses speak of specific duties that God has placed upon the leadership of the church. In order of appearance: leaders speak the Word of God to the people and they live a life, with faith, that is to be imitated. Leaders are to be obeyed and submitted to. Thus we conclude that they are in a place of some authority so than the giving of orders or at least the giving of good advice is in order. However, the context does not allow for arbitrary bossiness. The ministry of God's word is ultimately the foundation for this call to obedience. As the leaders are setting an example with their own lives of a life submitted to God's Word, the reader ought not to be able to charge the leadership with hypocrisy, rather the life of the leadership ought to stimulate respect because of its godliness. This statement to submit is connected to two others: the leaders keep watch over your souls, and they do so, administer this charge, as being held accountable. The verse ends with a charge to the reader, one under the authority of the church leadership, to let the leaders do this job of soul protecting with joy, not with groaning, for it does you no good to cause trouble for your leaders.

A calling into church leadership is fearsome. We are watching over souls. The teaching, as well as our lives, is not just to be about teaching the Word because it is so wonderful, or the teaching itself is a intellectual stimulating exercise. A connection must be established between the teaching of the Word and the souls who are being watched over. The Word is to be aimed at these souls.

Truly, the leadership can not know the whole congregation so well as to have every sermon or every conversation arranged to meet all the needs of each soul. We are after all very human ourselves. However, with the blessing of the Spirit of God souls will find all that they need in the ministry of God's Word.

In saying this I am emphasizing the likelihood of these verses finding fulfillment, it can be done, just not in and of ourselves. Yet, the care, not just to some vague group of souls, but to specific individuals, ought to influence what I teach and how I live my life, for God has placed these souls in my hands.

According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw- each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

1Co 3:10-15 (ESV)

Leadership in the Church.

^ESV 1 Corinthians 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. ²⁸ And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰ Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹ But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.

In three and a half weeks I shall become the pastor of a church. Does this mean that I will become the leader of the church? And just what do we mean by leader?

The Princeton Baptist Church has been without a pastor for only six month or so. Not a very long time. In this time the church has not fallen apart. The deacons continue to lead the church along with the interim pastor. The church continues to worship, to serve the Lord and to serve each other.

After I arrive on the church staff (the only paid staff member as far as I am aware) the present deacons will continue to lead the church. The interim pastor and his wife have now joined the church and will be a regular part of its fellowship during the nice, warm months of the year. He will be active with the leadership and the teaching in the church.

On my part I look forward to working with these men. They are godly. They have various gifts. I see the potential of a wonderful working relationship as we seek to service the Lord together. We are rich, and greatly blessed.

My desire is not to push these men out of leadership or move them to the back burner, out of the sight of the church. Rather, I hope to keep them before the church as the leadership that the church has confidence in, with the hope that, in the Lord, we will lead God's people in love and truth. Two of several benefits of having multiple people in leadership is that, if the major decisions are made as a group, than the pastor can not be seen as the one running the church. Also, the collective wisdom of the body of leaders may counter some of the short-sightedness, sinfulness, and other failures of the pastor.

All those in leadership and otherwise, must place ourselves under Christ's authority for we all must give an account unto him. As the pastor I have chiefly accountable to the Great Shepherd for my shepherding. Thus I praise God for a wise and godly group of advisers who desire that Christ might be glorified as the Lord and Head of His Body.

May Christ be praised for his wonderful gifts.