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Lesson 6 - Church Leadership
The leadership of the church is the single most important factor that will determine the spiritual direction of the church. The church needs to realize that "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."(Eph 6:12). Therefore the leadership of the church must therefore be spiritual in nature.
Eph 6:12 - spiritual power. Verse 11, says our enemy is the devil, not another Christian. The church is warring against spiritual forces. That is why we say our church needs spiritual leadership and not just leadership.
All the management principles, marketing principles etc all affect the temporal realm. But if we have all these but no spiritual substance or leadership, the devil will laugh at us. He knows all these principles better than us. We have to be aware that we are in a struggle in the spiritual realm. If we do not have spiritual substance, we will not have spiritual fruits. When you lead the church based on a spiritual platform, the devil trembles. We must see beyond the temporal and that there is a spiritual realm.
What makes a biblically strong church?
A strong spiritual leadership
Spiritual leadership in the context of our church would be the pastor and the board. So when we use the phrase the fish stink from the head, we are not saying only Pastor Gideon is responsible. Cell leaders, worship head, transport, ushers etc all leadership of the church is involved. The state of that spiritual leadership is the primary factor whether the church is doing well.
I do not want to use the word success because it is subjective and difficult to define. When we say a successful church, we think of growth, especially revival. Over the years there have been several movement like the holy laughter. It catches in but slowly dies off and we go back to like before.
Everyone wants to expand the kingdom of God, but if we are not careful we may lose the essence of God's purpose. One would be that lack the Word of God and the other is spiritual leadership. The spiritual leadership actually determines the spiritual direction of the church.
THE NATURE OF SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP
Mat 20:25-28 Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Jesus was talking about secular leadership. Spiritual leadership is different, it is a servanthood leadership.
Spiritual leadership is servanthood in nature.
Comparison of the characteristics of secular and spiritual leadership
Secular leadership / Spiritual leadership
Self confident / Confident in God
Knows men / Also knows God
Makes own decisions / Seek God's will
Ambitious / Humble
Creates methods / Follow God's example
Enjoys command / Delights in obedience to God
Seeks personal reward / Loves God and others
Independent / Depends on God
Spiritual leadership focuses upon the glory of God. It develops and blesses people. Secular leadership focuses upon self-glory. It exploits and manipulates people.
There was a book that I read about this and he qualify spiritual leadership as Called and secular leadership as Driven. The secular leaders is a very ambitious man while a spiritual leader is always humble. The spiritual leader is relational, people matters while the secular leader is results oriented.
In a survey in the US about church leadership, one of the area of focus is methodology. Another one is organizational structures. It becomes task orientation. Then there are management principles, marketing principles and so forth. The focus is whatever is necessary to aid church growth. Actually all these are relevant. Many of which are drawn from the bible. But the contention is that these overshadow the spiritual leadership. It is only meant to assist the spiritual leadership.
THE CHARACTER OF SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP
2 Tim 2:24-25 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,
The devil is a deceiver. In Job, the devil functioned as a destroyer. In the Garden of Eden, he came as a deceiver. He is more dangerous as a deceiver. When he comes against us, he will ask himself what is our weakness. Pride (glory), Greed (gold), Lust (girls).
The devil fell because of pride. It is a most dangerous pitfall of a leader. Why did Adam fell. The key word was "you will be like God". That was the devil's nature. When a leader says all of you are under the word of God, I am not, he is in a dangerous position.
A spiritual leader needs to have a humble spirit.
Humility is neither over-estimating oneself or under-estimating oneself. It is having a true assessment of oneself. Humility is about being God-conscious rather than self-conscious. Think more of God and think less of self. This is the picture of a humble spirit.
John 13:12-14 So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “ Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
Here Jesus is teaching humility. Some churches do this literally but all of us needs to learn this as it is a real struggle to be humble. Church divisions happens when we don't practice humility. Church politics happens.
Humility is neither over estimating or under estimating oneself. It is an accurate assessment of yourself. Humility is about being God conscious and not self conscious. Think more of God and less of self.
1 Cor 16:14 Do everything in love
A spiritual leader needs to have a loving spirit. A loving spirit is expressed by a kind and gentle disposition that is full of grace. Love enables a leader to be patient when confronted with people who are difficult to get along with, to be forgiving when he is wronged and to bless when he is badly treated.
1 Timothy 5:17 Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.
Respect your leaders. Especially the pastors and teachers. It's a double honour. The word honour - positional honour and practical honour. eg as a Cell Leader we honour his position ie the chair but he must also has to earn the honour by being an example. Positional honour is conferred by God to the church. Practical honour is earned through your spiritual maturity.
1 Timothy 5:18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”
I've heard if people who says pastors are to live by faith. But I say, we are called to actualised his faith.
1 Timothy 5:19-20 Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. 20 Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear.
I am glad it did not stop just at do not accuse as that is the OT perspective but it tells us what course of action to take if he sins.
1 Cor 13:4-7
Christian love is described positively and negatively. Its positive characteristics are patience (slow to become resentful), kindness, delight in the truth, and a protective, trusting, hopeful and persevering attitude. Is not rude may refer obliquely to the disorderly conduct at worship. Love keeps no record of wrongs, indeed for love to keep a record of wrongs violates its nature. Love does not rejoice in evil, in which it has no part, but it does rejoice with the truth, with which it does have a part. Furthermore love covers the faults of others rather than delighting in them. It is trusting, optimistic, and willing to endure persecution. In short it perseveres.
Christian humility begins with humility before God and then to men.
1Pet 5:5
Clothe yourselves is a rare word that refers to a slave putting on an apron before serving. So
Christians are to imitate their Lord, who girded himself and served.( Jn 13:4-17). The reason for humility is based on Prov 3:34(Jas 4:6) that states God's provision of grace to the submissive and God's continuing opposition to the proud.
Jn 13:12-14
lesson of love and humble service. It took the disciples a long time to begin to comprehend the intensity of Jesus' love for them and the nature of his humility in dealing with them.
Php 2:3
Believers should avoid selfish ambition and vain conceit and consider others above themselves. Paul himself experienced adverse effects from selfish ambition among some unworthy preachers at Rome(Php 1:17). Persons who seek to advance themselves usually enjoy glorying in their success. The Christian attitude should reveal itself in humility, a concept not highly regarded among Greeks. Believers should be humble towards one another, mindful of their spiritual brotherhood and their ultimate subjection to Christ. In their exercise of humility they should consider others better than themselves. This does not mean that we must have false views of our own gifts compared with those of others. Rather, our consideration for others must precede concern for ourselves (Rom 12:10)
Humility consists in lowliness of mind arising from a deep sense of one's unworthiness in the sight of God and submission to the divine will. Before honor is humility (Prov 15:33).
THE SUBSTANCE OF SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP
2Tim 3:16-17All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Matthew 4:1-11 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “ It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. ’” 5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. ’” 7 Jesus said to him, “ It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God. ’” 8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “ Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve. ’ 11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.
The devil only understands the Word of God. It represents the authority of God. "It is written". In the OT, the word of the Lord came to me... and things happen. The man who knows the Word of God has the authority.
A spiritual leader needs to be a man of the Word.
The Word of God stands as the supreme document that serves as our authoritative guide for living. A spiritual leader must be well grounded in the Word in order that he will be able to teach Christian truths, convict us of sin, correct us when we are wrong and train us in how to live righteous lives.
The adjective used here is theopneustos which is a combination of two other Greek words theos(God) and pneo(breathe). This is one of the greatest texts in the NT describing the inspiration or the God breathed aspect of the Bible. Refer 2Pet 1:21. the inerrancy and infallibity of the Bible provides the ground for it to be the sole authority for living. The leader must be well versed with the Word. He must be able to understand the word, and expound it to the people. He must also be able to select from this vast storehouse the relevant ingredients needed for specific situations.
Jesus is the living Word of God. The Bible is the written word of God. An example of the word in action: the encounter between Jesus and the Devil. Everyone must recognize his or her utter dependence on God's Word. (Mat 4:1-11).
THE POWER OF SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP
1Cor 2:4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirits power,
A spiritual leader needs to be a man full of the Spirit
Being full of the Spirit is a state that comes from prayer. It calls for a consecrated life that is centered upon Jesus Christ and surrendered to the leading of the Holy Spirit
Every spiritual leader must carry the presence of the God. when people talk with you, do they sense your godliness. A consecrated life. The power the devil is afraid of is the Holy Spirit.
Zechariah 4:6 So he answered and said to me: “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts.
The power of spiritual leadership and ministry is from the power of the Holy Spirit.
Context: Paul argues that since salvation is attained not through human wisdom or might but only through the cross, he came to Corinth in dependence on the Holy Spirit and simply preached Christ and the efficacy of his death. So Paul's message and preaching conform to own personal attitude.- he did not present his message in a way that depended on overpowering them with wise and persuasive arguments. Though he came in this simple m yet he came in a display of spiritual power because of the Holy Spirit.
Revelation 3:14-18
To the Church in Laodicea
14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm–neither hot nor cold–I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing. ’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
This is a church God is not happy with. The key word is verse 17, you are rich.
The Laodician church is a prosperous church. They are rich in a worldly sense. The bible does not teach us that wealth is wrong. The issue is that their wealth have caused them to lose focus on God. The issue is not about prosperity. They have forgotten the HD that made them rich.
Revelation 2:8-10
To the Church in Smyrna
8 “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9 I know your afflictions and your poverty–yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.
This church is poor and suffering. The key word is suffering and affliction. It is a persecuted church.
If we were to look at the churches today, which of these 7 churches relates to us.
The first people God will speak to are the leaders.
(Nature - Character - Substance - Power - Example)
There are tendencies. Not all churches are like these:
The Persecuted Church / The Prosperous Church
Spiritual leadership / Secular leadership
Nature - Servanthood / Lordship
Character - Humility and Calling / Pride and Ambition
Substance - Word of God / Human Wisdom
Power - Holy Spirit / Power of Oratory, Wealth, Talents
Example - Jesus / Rich and Famous
In Singapore, the churches are generally prosperous, some even with celebrity pastors.
If you look back over 2,000 years, the Christians have generally been seen as a persecuted people. The church has always been under some form of persecution. Even Jesus spoke about the persecution of the believers and His church.
While the NT was being written, the church went through two types of persecution. The first was persecution by the Jews. Then came emperor Nero, who persecuted the Christians. Persecution by the state, the Roman persecution.
If today's church is placed in those type of context, in that atmosphere, you will find the prosperous church with its secular leadership has a temporal perspective. Under a persecuted church, the spiritual leadership supercedes the temporal. Spiritual leadership applies to both persecuted and prosperous church.
What makes a strong church? A strong church is one that can take persecution.
Isaiah 52:52 - 53:12 depicts Jesus as the suffering servant. Sacrificial life.
True Christian life is about sacrificial living. A sacrifice life is about how you can be a blessing to others. It is no longer a transactional relationship. Love is about giving.
The Secular life is about successful living. That is why they coin the word celebrity pastor.
But for churches today, we cannot have a blanket statement for all churches. It is always on a case by case basis.
THE EXAMPLE OF SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP
Php 2:8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-even death on a cross!
Mat 7:29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
Acts 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
A spiritual leader needs to follow the example of our Lord Jesus Christ in all facets of his leadership.
The humility of Jesus in laying down the glories of heaven to become a mere earthly being, the unconditional & sacrificial love of Jesus demonstrated on the cross, the authority of Jesus in his complete understanding of the Word of God and the perfect communion of Jesus with the Holy Spirit serve as ideals of spiritual leadership.
1Cor 11:1 We are urged to follow the example of Paul as he follows Christ. The example of the Lord Jesus Christ stands as the ideal of spiritual leadership. As we look at his servanthood , his humility, his love, his command of the word, his anointing of the Holy Spirit we must learn from him. We need to go beyond that learning and to focus upon him. The disciples lived with him for 3 years. They worshipped him, knew him and had him as the center of their life. Spiritual leaders are called to no less a task.. They must have their focus upon him. To grow in christlikeness in all the facets of their life. Thus will they take on the mantle of leadership in the steps of Jesus Christ.
The Power of the Holy Spirit
2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is God- breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Teaching - what is right
Rebuking - what is not right
Correcting - how to get it right
Training In Righteousness - how to live right
We are called to live right but not to make sure everything turns out right.
The human wisdom is to complement God's word.
When God's word is primary and human wisdom is secondary, we have a sermon
When human wisdom is primary and God's word is secondary, we have a speech
The word of God transforms your life while speeches changes your mind.
The power of spiritual leadership - the presence of God.
The spiritual leader must carry the presence of God. And the presence of God is primarily the Holy Spirit.
Exodus 34:28-29
Moses was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant–the Ten Commandments. 29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.
Here we are talking about communion with God and it actually transformed Moses. What is the sign? The glory of God mirrored him.
There three ways it is manifested though not exclusive.
Zechariah 4:4-9
I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” 5 He answered, “Do you not know what these are?” “No, my lord,” I replied. 6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty. 7 “What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it! ’” 8 Then the word of the Lord came to me:9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.
He was involved with the rebuilding of the temple. He faced a lot resistance from internal strife and external opposition.
In the work of the ministry, all problems are secondary. The primary is whether it is the will of the Lord. If it is it will come to pass, not by might but by my Spirit. God's will is paramount.
Those who lead the church must use every gift (natural talent) God has given them but they must not put their confidence in them.
2 Corinthians 3:4-5
Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. 5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.
The temple is where the presence of God is manifested. But today we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. The primary task of the spiritual leadership is to build the believers. But the people needs a place to worship God so the building and resources is primary used to build the people of God and not just on the physical building of the church.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5
When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.
Paul had superior wisdom, but he put it aside. He did not depend on oratory but by the Spirit's power.
Acts 7:54-56 54 When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
He was full of the Holy Spirit that gave him the rest that he is going back to God. This can only happen with spiritual leadership.
Philippians 2:8
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death –
even death on a cross!
This is the greatest miracle. And that's humility. Being God conscious rather than self conscious.
In the OT you have the prophet, priest and king. Today, the OT offices no longer applies. Jesus today fulfills these offices but with the authority of God. As prophet, he is God to speaks, and as priest, he is the perfect sacrifice and as king, He is the King of kings.
In Jesus all the characteristics of the God is our example. That is why we are called to imitate Him even as He imitate God.
1 Corinthians 11:1
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
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