Inevitably, a congregation must “choose” the persons it places in the
“role” of congregational leaders. Through some process, the congregation will
select those people it wishes to guide them closer to God and to represent them
when legal agreements or compliances are required.
Most societies demand to know “who speaks for these people” before the societies
recognize the group’s right to exist. For example, missionaries in other
countries often are required by the government of that country to register the
group before the missionaries have the right to obtain visas, privately teach,
publicly preach, or conduct assemblies.
Let’s begin this consideration by acknowledging the obvious. The persons
recognized by a congregation as its leaders should be committed Christians who
surrender their lives to God. These persons should fit the profiles in 1 Timothy
3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9; should be people of faith in God and the resurrected
Jesus; should love God, the resurrected Jesus, and their people; should be
compassionate and merciful; should have God’s balance between justice and mercy;
should be devoted to producing the fruit of the Spirit; and should be committed
to allowing the Christian graces to characterize their lifestyles.
Congregations Have Many Forms of Leadership
Practically speaking, may we as Christians proceed beyond the obvious
qualifications. As Christians, all of us lead in some capacity. When Christians
speak of personal influence, they acknowledge the capacity in every Christian to
lead. Christians allow Jesus Christ to transform the way they live their daily
lives by changing the values for which they live. As people who are not
Christians observe the obvious spiritual formation occurring in Christians, some
who are not Christians are attracted to the power source that makes Christian
transformation possible.
Christians lead by encouraging others to enter Christ. They lead when they
encourage those in Christ. They lead when they teach classes. They lead when
they teach individuals. They lead when they serve needs in the congregation.
They lead when they apply their Christian values to community existence.
In every situation, some are excellent followers. Such Christians have the gifts
expressed through good following. All these Christians need is a sense of
direction, a sense of organization, a sense of purpose, and a sense of
usefulness. They know how to “do.” They just need someone they can trust for
guidance in their sense of “doing.” It is very frustrating to work sacrificially
in “doing” only to discover you “did” for nothing—you exerted great effort to no
end, no usefulness, no meaning.
There are Christians who have the gifts of directing, of organizing, of
recognizing, of communicating purpose, and of helping others feel useful. Read
Ephesians 4:11-16. Christ is the head. The values, the purposes, the objective,
and the destination are determined by Jesus Christ.
There are people under the head that direct Jesus Christ’s body (the ekklesia)
to achieve Christ’s values, purposes, objectives, and destinations (both in this
world and the world after death). Their gifts do not lie in the “doing” but in
giving others a proper sense of direction as they “do” (consider Acts 6:2-4). It
is not that “doing” is inferior to “guiding.” It is merely a use of gifts.
Guidance is a matter of desire and ability.
Some have the desire to lead as an elder (the willingness), but not the ability
to lead as an elder. Consider an example. Both a healthy heart and a
fibrillating heart live and move. However, life and movement are not the issue.
A living, healthy heart moves in a way that pumps blood throughout the body, and
it makes possible useful body function and continued body life. An unhealthy,
fibrillating heart does not pump blood. Instead, its erratic movement warns the
body that it could face sudden death.
Both hearts move. Both hearts are alive. Yet, the fibrillating heart threatens
the existence of the body.
When Selecting a Leader
When selecting a leader in a congregation, select a person who is leading
others. Select a person who is involved with others. Select a person who is
respected, appreciated, and provides leadership on other levels. Select a person
who cares for the congregation, who encourages the saved, who has compassion for
people who do not know Christ, and who loves both people and the Lord.
Why?
The task of providing leadership for a congregation often is overwhelming. More
than once I have known men who were certain that when they became elders that
(a) they quickly could address obvious congregational problems, and (b) they
quickly could get things “moving in the right direction.” In less than six
months, the “new” men discovered that working with people was far more complex
than they imagined. Situations were not as easily addressed as they previously
thought! The “new” men developed an appreciation for those before them: men who
patiently worked on problems, who did not get discouraged with people, and who
spiritually endured even in the most trying hours. There is a lot to learn when
a man becomes an elder!
Applying leadership skills is often a challenge! What an elder sees clearly in
scripture, some others do not see at all. What to an elder is sound logic is to
some others purely personal opinion. What to an elder is godly emotion is to
some silly sentimentality. Often differences in definitions and concepts of
entertainment, unity (or oneness), church, or spiritual mission mystify.
Elders quickly discover that communication is a continuing challenge, quickly
discover that it is easier to be misunderstood than to promote understanding,
and quickly discover that some attack motives when they do not understand the
person or his actions.
At times Christians whom an elder patiently, compassionately loves see that
elder with question marks. When the elder seeks to promote healing, some think
he is championing division. To some, faithfulness is expressed in championing
200-year-old thoughts (not first-century thoughts). To some, faithfulness is
expressed in demanding immediate change. To some, faithfulness is expressed in
defending local traditions and perspectives. Faithfulness is often found in
devotion to a cause rather than devotion to our Savior.
Before one becomes an elder, “church politics” is the basis of jokes. After one
becomes an elder, “church politics” is no joking matter. “Church politics” too
frequently is an attack on those for whom Christ died.
In a climate such as this, congregational leaders can find themselves in a
constant “putting out fires” mode rather than a guiding to the next level of
spirituality mode. That seems to be one of Satan’s favorite tactics—to get those
dedicated to guiding to God’s higher level of good so involved with current
problems that there is neither time nor energy to be concerned with God’s good.
The point: leadership in the eldership is not a place for “on the job training”
to acquire leadership skills. The demand for applying leadership skills is so
great in congregational leadership that the eldership role is not the place to
learn what leadership is. (Certainly one learns the scope of congregational
leadership, but not the skills necessary to be a leader.) There is so much that
must be learned in “shepherding the flock” that one does not need to learn what
a “shepherd” is or does.
Congregational leadership at its highest level is not a position. It is a work
dedicated to serving! Those who know how to serve as leaders need to be selected
for the work of congregational leadership.
Leadership skills that should be considered by the congregation when selecting
an elder: