Bible Students

Reflections on “Biblical Leadership” by Forrest (chapters 25-28)

There are many kinds of leaders in the ancient church. These include popular figures such as Apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors. There is a small group of Apostles which founded the church, and the prophets confirmed their message. There are also the congregational titles such as pastor, elder, and shepherd. All of the positions of the church are called to do their job with humility, pointing the people under them to Christ. The term for elder and overseer seem to be used interchangeably. Additionally, there is a deacon, which is a servant of the church, not necessarily a director. 

There are serious qualifications for elders, which are expected for all Christians. However, those who are called to be leaders in the church should be of proper Christian character. The pastor is also given the title teacher. Acts 6 does model the kind of office of a deacon. The deacons are needed in order to allow the pastors of the church to preach and pray for others. The deacons take care of many needs of the flock while the pastor directs them. The deacon also must have excellent character, being a model for the character. The difference between deacons and elders is in calling, not character. 

Leaders in the church should be submitted to by God’s people. This is because the leaders of the church spend their time for the sake of those who they are leading. Now, leaders should not be acknowledged because of their title, but because of their efforts to serve. Leaders of the church must have good reputation and background, in addition to gifting and proper theology. Leaders should be accountable, and should not be quickly put into a position of power in the church, lest either of these things cause them to harm the sheep of the flock. There should be other leaders in the church who are able to confront each other.

Somoene should not be made an elder if they are not able to teach the Scriptures to those under them in the church. Now, when I say under them, I do not mean ontologically that the leaders are greater than the followers. Rather, there are not followers and leaders, but directors and doers. There are many gifts in the church, and those gifts are directed and encouraged by all believers, but specifically by the elders of the church who seek to direct the body to serve Christ well. The elders spend their time and devotion in learning to lead well and knowing the Scriptures, while other positions in the church seek to do their jobs the best they can as well. Therefore, there should not be a dichotomy of leader and follower in the church, but rather gifted doers and directors. There are salesmen, plumbers, architects, scientists, directors, fathers, managers, and dishwashers in the body of Christ. All of them serve the Lord with their positions. However, the directors are another one of the flock who help to direct the efforts and giftings of the body to do what they do best for the Lord and for the edification of others. Leaders are to be acknowledged because they help to give an essential part of the mission of the body. Other jobs, likewise, should be acknowledged as doing what they do well. However, the congregation is to submit to the elders because the elders care for them and want to direct them well in their giftings. 

Problems of leadership should be resolved with a multitude of individuals. Counsel must be sought by all people in the church, including the leaders. In fact, especially the leaders. Leaders must seek wisdom and understanding in teaching the Bible and directing the gifts of the body. This is the reason they should be submitted to by the congregation: Directors in the body should be acknowledged and financially supported so that they can do the best they can in learning to lead well. For example, they may attend seminary or other classes to learn to teach the Bible well and learn to lead the congregation well. 

Directors in the body of Christ must be sure to listen to the workings of the Spirit, both in their own life and the life of the congregation. If they do not, they risk going against the will of the Lord. The voice of the Lord especially must be listened to in conflict, when two parties disagree on what the Lord would have them do. Directors in conflict must seek to attain all of the information they can on the issue at hand. Christians must give other parties the benefit of the doubt. 

James in one of the difficulties of the early church believed that the church could not be constrained by ethnic issues. The church must view itself as bigger than any individual community, but as big as the whole world. The church is not a community separate from the rest of the world, but is the true world. The whole world belongs to the church, and all people groups do as well. They belong in the body. There is no spacial, racial, age, gender, freedom, or any other type of restraint on the true church. 

Jesus is the example of humility, especially in Philippians 2. Jesus, though being God, took the form of a slave and chose to suffer for those He would save. Paul did the same thing in Philippi, and did not use his Roman citizenship in order to claim benefits, but rather ignored them and suffered beatings and imprisonment. Giving away the ministry is the heart of ministry. Getting rid of a reserved parking spot and sharing the pulpit with another pastor as great ways to humble oneself as a leader. 

Many pastors step down because of authority abuses. The pastors should view themselves as spiritual parents. They must not be given space to be adult children in places of authority in the church. The feeding of the flock should be a shared task. Genuine Christian community will be costly to those who want to hold authority over other people. 

Congregations in the New Testament are led by groups of elders. There is not an overseeing pastor, but a group of elders who are working together. There is a difficulty in bringing one church’s vision to another church setting. Each church culturally should have a single patriarch in the house they meet, but this does not seem to be the case. Formal training used to happen in the church, not in seminaries far away. Churches must be sure to teach seminary-like classes for their leaders and congregations. This is one point I especially resonate with. After doing 40+ undergrad classes in living biblically and however many graduate classes I end up doing, I feel I have a huge amount of information I can share with others, especially through teaching a class. However, I could also use lectures and books, and grade “homework” for an undergraduate or graduate level class for the leaders and congregation. Allowing all of this information to trickle down to other people is one thing I am very excited for in ministry.