Vision Track 3.1
Course 3: Leadership
Session 1
Being A Leader
After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in house, Jesus asked his disciples, “What were you discussing out on the road?” But they didn’t answer, because they were had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.'” Mark 9:33-35 NLT
In Mark chapter four, we find the twelve disciples arguing about which of them would be the greatest and Jesus’ response to their desire to be great was to point them towards servanthood.
J. Oswald Sanders had this to say about Jesus’ teachings on leadership in his book, Spiritual Leadership:
“Jesus was a revolutionary, not in the guerrilla warfare sense but in his teaching on leadership. He overturned an existing order. In the world’s ears, the term servant spoke everywhere of low prestige, low respect, low honor. Most people were not attracted to such a low value role. When Jesus used the term, however, it was a synonym for greatness. And that was a revolutionary idea. It still is!”
To be a leader is to be a servant. In this session we will explore the character of a leader, roles between men and women in leadership, leading in a multiethnic/generational context and how leaders help make disciples.
CHARACTER OF A LEADER
When we think about what it means to lead, the scriptures point us to three things that shape us as leaders:
Our Gifting - This is the actual ability to lead because of God’s presence in us. It’s important to understand that ability and desire are not the same thing. To desire or want to lead is different than the gifting that produces results. The Holy Spirit gifts us to lead and it typically shows up in results and how others respond. Gifting is something that we can grow in. Paul encourages Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:6 when he says, “This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift that God gave you when I laid hands on you.”
God’s Calling - Calling is the right to lead, it is the basis of our authority. God calls leaders to lead in their context. Calling isn’t typically a request from an individual, it’s not our desire to lead but calling us to achieve his purposes through leadership. Leaders are called by God to lead in a given context. The calling of God usually has little to do with the person whom he is calling and much to do with a purpose that God wants to accomplish in a people. When God wants to do something with, in or to a people, he sends them leaders.
Character - Character is the integrity or influence to lead. Leadership often hinges on the ability of leaders to inspire people to follow them. That inspiration is the result of their integrity. People follow Godly leaders because they believe in them and their message.
Gifting, calling and character will either limit and expand our leadership. They intersect and work together. It’s interesting to notice that we do not control the calling of God on our lives. He calls out to each of us to live for him, serve him and lead in some way.
We don’t control the gifting that God gives. God gives us gifts as he sees fit. We desire gifts, we develop the gifts that he gives us, but God controls these gifts and gives them based on his plan and will.
Character differs in that it’s not something that God gives but we develop. Character is the element of leadership most talked about in scripture and element of leadership that we have the most control over. So to explore the topic of leadership means for us to pay close attention to our own character. If our leadership is going to fail, it will most likely fail because of character, not gifting or skills. The bible gives us many examples of gifted leaders, called by God who failed because of their character.
Let’s look at two of them:
David: There’s no question that David is one of the Bible’s more important figures. It’s easy to be inspired by his youthful willingness to fight Goliath, his tender friendship with Jonathan, his worshipful Psalms, and his enduring patience under wicked King Saul. It’s almost hard to fathom that this beloved character who’s spoken so highly of in more than half of the Bible’s books would also be guilty of breaking half of God’s commandments. David coveted Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba (2 Sam. 11:2-3), committed adultery with her (2 Sam. 11:4) effectively stealing her from Uriah (2 Sam. 12:9), lying to him (2 Sam. 11:12-13), and eventually having him murdered (2 Sam. 12:9). David suffered consequences for his sinfulness, but his sins could have been avoided had David made choices that reflected the character of God. David’s lapse in integrity was damaging to him, his family and the entire kingdom.
Peter: The oldest of the twelve disciples and maybe the most gifted leader, the impression that we get is that Peter was a leader amongst the group. He was often the first to speak out, answer a question and declare his love for Jesus. In fact, he was the only disciple willing to try walking on the water (Matt. 14:28-29), and was the first to call Jesus the Christ and son of God. (Matt. 16:16) When Jesus predicted that Peter will deny him, Peter proudly rebuffed him. (Matt. 26:34-35) But that very night after Jesus was arrested, someone confronted Peter in the courtyard of the Sanhedrin and accused him of being a follower of Christ. And, just as Jesus predicted, Peter denied him three times-the third time cursing his accusers. In that moment Peter had a lapse in his integrity, he lied about being connected to Jesus for fear of arrest, or maybe even worse.
When we look at David, Peter and many other leaders whom God used in the scriptures, we can clearly see moments where character hindered their leadership and even had dire consequences.
WHAT DOES GODLY CHARACTER LOOK LIKE?
“This is a trustworthy saying: ‘If someone aspires to be a church leader [overseer/elder], he desires an honorable position.’ So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?
A church leader [overseer/elder] must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall. Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap.
In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money. They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience. Before they are appointed as deacons, let them be closely examined. If they pass the test, then let them serve as deacons.
In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do.
A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well. Those who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 3:1-12 NLT
These verses are typically reserved to describe the character traits of Elders and Deacons. But these traits can apply to anyone who desires to lead. They represent the Godly character that every believer should be developing in their journey with God. Yet there is a recognition that leaders should be further along in the journey of character development than others. Character development is not optional for any Christian, but it is demanded for those who serve in leadership. This list in 1 Timothy is not exhaustive but it speaks to the character traits that leaders should develop and display.
CHARACTER TRAITS FOR LEADERS TO CONSIDER
Above Reproach - Being above reproach literally means “pertinent to what cannot be criticized – ‘above criticism…'”. It is important to live in a way that doesn’t make people questions your legitimacy. If possible leaders should avoid the appearance of evil, and getting in questionable situations.
Faithful To His Wife - A leader must be a one woman man. He must be completely committed to his wife. In the context of elders we recognize that only men serve as Elders according to the scriptures while we see women leading in many other empowering ways in the church, and we will explain that more later in this session. But in terms of leadership, we understand that being faithful to your spouse (if you have one) is an important aspect of a leader’s character.
Self-Controlled - The church leader must be able to control themselves. If they can not lead themselves then how can they lead others? Leaders in the church need to make sure they are not allowing anything to master them, but instead to surrendering everything to Jesus.
Lives Wisely - If leaders are living wisely then they will be a good example to others. A person who is living wisely can be trusted to make wise decisions and be a resource for others that they serve.
Has A Good Reputation In And Out Of The Church - Not only should a leader have a good reputation in the church but also in the community. A leader should be a person of character wherever they are.
Enjoys Having Guests In His Home - This person sees the value of hospitality. A leader should not be a loner. They should be willing to open their home to people.
Able To Teach - The ability to teach God’s word accurately is important for a leader. Many leadership roles within the church do not require publicly, leaders should have a grasp of doctrine and faith. Leaders should be able to tech others the gospel and in some cases defend the faith and explain what we do and don’t believe as Christians at One Voice Church.
Not A Heavy Drinker - At OVC we choose not to go further than the scriptures in biblical practice. We recognize that the Bible does not prohibit drinking, but does prohibit “drunkenness” and over indulgence of alcohol. So the expectation is that as church leaders we will not over indulge or get drunk.
Not Violent - A violent person will be prone to explode under the pressures of leadership.
Gentle - Gentleness is the opposite of violent. A leader should be approachable and kind to the people that they lead and others.
Not Quarrelsome - If a person loves to fight they should not be a church leader. Leaders often have to play the role of peacemaker and shouldn’t be the one starting conflict.
Not Greedy - Church leaders should not be people who love money. Money itself is not evil, God uses money as a resource to advance his kingdom. Leaders are not to be motivated or influenced by money.
Manages His Family Well - Here we recognize that this character trait is more conducive to Eldership and speaks to the role of Elders who are husbands and/or fathers and how they manage or lead their family. But from the perspective of character, what does integrity look like in the role that play in your family as a church leader? How do you navigate family dynamics and relationships in a way that honors God?
His Children Respect and Obey Him - Leaders who are parents must do all in their power to parent well because it serves as an example to others. We recognize that parenting is not an exact science and children will often make decisions and stray from their parents teachings and example, but as leaders we lead and love our children in Godly ways.
Not A New Believer - Giving a new believer leadership too soon can lead them to become either arrogant or extremely discouraged. Leaders need time to develop and grow in their faith and maturity before stepping int leadership roles.
Developing Godly character is an important part in faith journey and leadership development. We must immerse ourselves in these things and practice so that people see my progress. Paul, the writer of 1 Timothy, is not looking for perfection but progress. This allows us to respond to the Grace of God and continue to grow in our character. We must deeply consider the areas in our lives where we need to further develop Godly character, allow the Holy Spirit to lead us into growth.
THE ROLES OF MEN AND WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP
“For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” — Galatians 3:26-28 NLT
These verses help us to set the framework for male and female leadership at One Voice Church. When we read them we recognize that biologically and practically there are differences between male and female. We know that Paul, the writer, is not saying males and females are exactly the same and only one sex exists. Paul is conveying the truth that ethnicity, economic status, and sex are no longer our primary identities. He teaches us that in Christ we have a new identity that is rooted in Jesus Christ. These verses lead us to eliminate racism, classism and sexism. These verses teach us to treat one another righteously and admonishes us to identify with Christ beyond the other identities that we possess.
At OVC we practice equality between men and women and don’t see men as superior or better or more qualified then women. However, we see that in scriptures, the early church, did not set in women as Elders or confirm them as Apostles. Those decisions were not the result of cultural influence or sexism, because Jesus and the early church resisted societal norms in many other ways and included women in ministry in ways that would have been frowned upon in their culture. We believe that God gave men the responsibility to lead as Apostles and Elders to protect, defend, and provide for the church similarly to the role husbands play in their households. Again, we choose not to go further than the scriptures and assume that women cannot lead in any context or that women, in the general sense, should be submitted to all men. Rather, we see women actively leading in the early church as Prophets, Evangelists, Teachers, Deacons and so many other ways. It is vital that we affirm and equip women to leadership roles within the church.
As we discuss leadership in the context of male and female dynamics we want to reference a passage of scripture that often raises controversy on the subject.
“Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews, who were in prison with me. They are highly respected among the apostles and became followers of Christ before I did.” — Romans 16:7 NLT
Here, the Apostle Paul is closing out his letter to the Church in Rome and he sends greetings to various church leaders and others whom have been helpful to the ministry. In verse seven he mentions Andronicus and Junia. Many scholars believe that Paul is naming a couple within the church whom’s service was highly respected by many of the Apostles. Verse seven, in the New Living Translation reads, “…They are highly respected among the apostles and became followers of Christ before I did.”
The New King James translation reads, “Who are of note among the Apostles, who also were in Christ before me”. The confusion lies in some interpreting the phrase, “of note” to mean they were Apostles who stood out amongst the others.
At OVC we believe that an accurate translation and understanding of this verse is that this couple was “of note” in the sense that they were well respected by the other Apostles.
LEADING IN A MULTIETHNIC CONTEXT
“But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, ‘Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions?’ You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles. Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.” Galatians 2:11-16 NLT
This story records an interesting dynamic in the early church. The Apostle Paul writes about an experience with the Apostle Peter when he visited the church in Antioch. Paul confronts Peter for changing his behavior in the presence of Jewish believers. Peter was in Antioch engaging with Gentile believers in an authentic way, until Jewish believers came to visit after which Peter distanced himself from the gentiles. Paul very directly and loving challenges Peter, whom he has tremendous respect for because he recognized that his actions threatened the unity of the body.
Although the concept of race had not yet been invented, the early church experienced challenges based on ethnicity. There were moments when bias, prejudice and discrimination showed up as people were being born again into multiethnic churches where cultures and ideals clashed. Paul was very intentional about building multiethnic churches and protecting unity amongst its members.
Leading in multiethnic churches requires us to operate with intentionality much in the way that Paul did. At OVC we build and lead with intentionality. Multiethnic churches typically don’t happen by accident and if they do, it usually means one culture dominates the church’s culture and people from other cultures have to sacrifice in order to attend.
For example, many multiethnic churches are led by an all white team and culturally behaves like an all white church. Minorities who are black, hispanic or asian will have to embrace white culture to be part of that church. Much of the time this is not done purposefully, but if you don’t build with intention, the dominant culture in that church will by default defer to how they “do Church”. We are determined to lead with intentionality and be multiethnic on purpose.
HOW ARE WE INTENTIONAL?
The obvious question becomes what does intentionality look like in the church and how do we build on purpose? We believe that these practices help us to do it.
Live multiethnic lives - Leading in a multiethnic church is a commitment to live life multi ethnically. As leaders we should be looking for opportunities to build relationships with people who are different from us. we cannot relegate multiethnic experiences to Sunday mornings.
Create multiethnic teams/leadership - Intentionality means that we work to create diverse teams at we very level in our church. We constantly look for the demographics of teams, volunteers, groups and ministries to make sure that it reflects the culture of our church.
Integrate whatever we can - As we build Church culture we consider how we can represent the diversity of the people that we serve. A practical example of this principle is in the music at OVC. We try to incorporate black and white church culture into the songs that we select as we lead worship, Our hope is to incorporate more Hispanic culture into our music as we continue to grow.
Resist colorblindness - We are intentional about naming our diversity, celebrating our differences, and honestly facing the potential challenges that come along with building unity across racial and ethnic lines.
LEADERS MAKE DISCIPLES
“I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.” John 15:15 NLT
Jesus said these words to His own disciples. He had 12 friends He spent the majority of His time with, and He taught them everything they needed to know to have a relationship with God. It is pretty amazing to think that everything Jesus learned from God the Father, He taught to His friends. From Jesus we learn that discipleship happens in the context of community. We learn that to disciple someone is to spend dedicated time with, pray for, build a friendship with and intentionally teach them how to grow in their faith. Typically, a discipling relationship will have one person who has been a Christian for a longer time mentoring someone who has been a Christian for a shorter time. Leaders should be looking for other people to teach what God has taught them.