Good leaders feed the sheep, watch over their souls, and mature the saints for more ministry and for growth into being like Jesus.
Most pastors in regular churches strive to develop a stable sheep base, so they have money for their infrastructure. Sure, many hope to actually teach some Bible along the way. But this pattern makes ministry really about placating people’s flesh, so they don’t stop giving. This model wastes a lot of time, hoping to do ministry somewhere sometime hopefully.
By contrast, we hope to develop more shepherds. If one is developing leadership in others, then one must deliver loving correction some times. One must always watch to see if lessons are learned, if tests are passed. One must rigorously lead by doing the best, hearing the best, teaching the best one can. Without this, people are not maturing and not being made ready for leadership. If the people don’t want this, they are not ready to prepare for leadership. They are not really even walking the Christian walk.
Tests for leadership don’t always come in the same order, but here are some very basic ones.
1. Work. You get to lead, or even have a say, only if you are working for the group.
2. Fulfilling the commitments you made. If you can’t do this, you are not reliable. You are not a leader. This goes along with telling the truth.
3. Being coordinative rather than rebellious. There is a place for leadership, so there is a place for respect and working with others, especially in the agreement upon direction.
4. Being civil, respectful, honoring.
5. Learning. How much should a teacher lavish attention on a student who refuses to learn?
This includes just plain being lazy lazy lazy. You were not meant for decoration.
This includes the full cup syndrome, that is, thinking you a lot, but showing you don’t.
This is related to avoiding the demons of division and strife — who often manifest as religious spirits and often get all caught up in nonsensical details.
Everything is a lesson. Everything is a test. Just because no one says anything to you, doesn’t mean they don’t know what you did; it doesn’t mean you got away with it.
We have already seen an amazing amount of spiritual warfare for such a little group. Just because you are the one scandalized, doesn’t mean you are the most right, the most holy. Often it means you are the most demonized. Don’t be scandalized; instead, be delivered, be healed, and be taught.
We know that given our mission and design, we will attract those who want to be leaders, but haven’t been in the past. This can be a place that will heal the wounds, fill in the holes, and cast out the demons. I hope this will help. Only you can make the decisions.
