How Are We to Lead?
I have registered for a leadership class for the spring term and just started reading one of the books. Then, I read today’s Scripture Reading:
“Turn Back to the Lord
Listen, nation of Israel,
to my mournful message:
You, dearest Israel, have fallen,
never to rise again—
you lie deserted in your own land,
with no one to help you up.
The Lord God has warned,
“From every ten soldiers
only one will be left;
from a thousand troops,
only a hundred will survive.”
The Lord keeps saying,
“Israel, turn back to me
and you will live!
Don’t go to Gilgal or Bethel
or even to Beersheba.
Gilgal will be dragged away,
and Bethel will end up
as nothing.”
Turn back to the Lord,
you descendants of Joseph,
and you will live.
If you don’t, the Lord
will attack like fire.
Bethel will burn to the ground,
and no one can save it.
You people are doomed!
You twist the truth
and stomp on justice.
But the Lord created the stars
and put them in place.
He turns darkness to dawn
and daylight to darkness;
he scoops up the ocean
and empties it on the earth.
God destroys mighty soldiers
and strong fortresses.
Choose Good Instead of Evil!
The Lord said:
You people hate judges
and honest witnesses;
you abuse the poor and demand
heavy taxes from them.
You have built expensive homes,
but you won’t enjoy them;
you have planted vineyards,
but you will get no wine.
I am the Lord, and I know
your terrible sins.
You cheat honest people
and take bribes;
you rob the poor of justice.
Times are so evil
that anyone with good sense
will keep quiet.
”
In Grace to Lead by Kenneth L. Carder & LaCeye C. Warner, they said something very interesting right at the beginning of the book:
“Christian leadership is a gift, not an achievement! It is grateful participation in the triune God’s own life and mission in the world. Christian leadership begins, continues, and ends in fellowship, as we respond persistently through the power of the Holy Spirit to Jesus’ invitation, “Come follow me.””
“Gift”, “grateful”, and “follow” are not the usual words people associate with “leadership” or even “Christian leadership”. “Assertive”, “strong”, and “lead” are the usual suspects. When we look for leaders in the church we also usually look for those who are commanding and instill “awe” into people. In turn, we often ignore or downplay those who fail to fill those kinds of shoes.
That, unfortunately, is not the Biblical way. We need to remember that God has, from the beginning of “time”, been counter-culture. It’s not about us, and it’s all about Him. Having those traits are often NOT who will lead people to God but to themselves. I think that’s why there are so many failures in pastors and church leaders lately.
A pastor went as far as having a suspected sexual relationship with a Muslim girl, while he was selling this imagine that he is a friend of the lost….celebrities…. When their fellowship is all about those who will “sell” who he is than who God is. When a leader presents an image of “look at me” (like having multiple multi-million dollar jet planes as something they deserve to use to travel instead of travelling on commercial flight beside the peasants)…. When pastors demand his church be exempted so that thousands can gather at his church to listen to him preach when people are getting sick and dying all around them….
Be missional without being the mission giver; be grateful for the opportunity, not the fame and gain the opportunity will bring; and, be a follower in order to lead, not be the centre of whom people are to follow. That’s what Christian Leadership is all about. Are we, the leaders of God people Christian leaders, or just leaders?
