LEADERS ARE FOLLOWERS
The
spiritual leader: one under authority
BY LORNE SANNY
One of seven authority relationships spoken of in the
Bible (others: God and man; man and nature, husband and wife; governors and
governed; employer and employee) is the relationship between
spiritual leaders and followers.
Perhaps the simplest definition of leadership is that
leadership is influence. Influencing the attitudes and actions of others
Spiritual leadership, then, is influencing the attitudes
and actions of others toward God, toward things of the Spirit – faith, hope and
love. It is helping others come to know Christ and to grow in His knowledge. It
is serving one another by love. The appropriate title for a true spiritual
leader is servant. Another is helper.
Who is a Spiritual Leader?
How can we identify a spiritual leader? Paul described
some of them in
And some in Thessalonica: “Now we ask you, brothers, to
respect those who work hard among you,
who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest
regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.”
The writer to the Hebrews identified spiritual leaders
this way: “Remember your leaders, who
spoke the Word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life
and imitate their faith. Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must
give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for
that would be of no advantage to you.”
A spiritual leader is recognized by his character; that is
the main qualification, for instance, for the office of elder in the church. He
is also known by his fidelity to the Scriptures. The Bereans “received the
message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what
Paul said was true.”
Another mark of a spiritual leader is the result of his
ministry. Paul could confidently say to the Corinthians, “You yourselves are
our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that
you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink
but with the Spirit of the living God.
Every Christian is both a spiritual follower and a
spiritual leader. There are those who influence the spiritual direction of our
lives. And there are those who are influenced by us.
A question we might ask ourselves is: Is my influence on
others good or bad? Does it help others or hinder them?
The Spiritual Leader under
Authority
Every Christian leader must be under authority. He is
first under the authority of Christ. “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’”
Jesus said, “for you have only one Master and you are all brothers.” They were
all on the same level; they were all learners. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and
‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.” Later He said, “All authority
in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore
go…” His authority is exercised in love, but it is absolute.
Second, the Christian leader is under the authority of the
Scriptures. “All 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.” “The Word of God is living and
active…; it judges the thoughts
and attitudes of the heart.”
To me it is remarkable that Jesus after He was raised from
the dead and stood before His disciples as proof of His resurrection, still
took them back to the Scriptures to teach them from the Word itself what had
happened! Any spiritual experience should also be grounded in the Scriptures.
Peter affirmed this when he told of his experience on the Mount of
Transfiguration, adding that all this had been foretold in Scripture which had
its origin in God. So the spiritual leader must place himself under the
authority of the Word of God.
I once attended a meeting in the company of a friend, a
respected Anglican clergyman, where we heard a speaker give a beautifully
outlined message which he based on a passage of Scripture. His outline,
however, in no way fit the passage or the primary teaching of that Scripture.
My clergyman friend was disturbed by this. After we left the meeting, he said,
“You can’t do that with the Bible.”
The Bible is not under my authority to use as my hammer or
sword; it is the sword of the Spirit, and I am under its authority. Rather than
make it serve my preconceived purposes, I must faithfully impart its message
and submit myself to what it says.
Third, the Christian leader is under the authority of the
Holy Spirit. All through the Book of Acts we see the Holy Spirit sending some
to certain places to minister, forbidding them to go some places, directing
their ministries. The Holy Spirit is the General of the Army who decided where
to send His troops to do battle. He also equips them by His sovereign
distribution of the various ministry gifts which enable them to function.
Not Position but Function
Spiritual leadership is exercised through function and not
through position. But we seem to feel innately that we cannot function unless
we have a certain position. When Jesus told the apostles not to be called
Rabbi, He was saying in effect that it doesn’t matter what you are called, just
do the job I gave you to do. Go ahead and function in the ministry, regardless
of your position or title.
It is interesting to note that Jesus did not give the
apostles authority over one another. He told them they were all brothers, and
rather than give them positions of authority He taught them that spiritual
leadership is exercised through function. He 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
a ransom for many.
Your function is more important than your title. The title
is simply the shorthand to identify you. The function of hearing is more
important to the physical body than that the ear have the title Ear. And your
spiritual function of teaching or administering or serving the body of Christ
in whatever your responsibility is more important than that you be called a
deacon or teacher or pastor or Bible study leader. The title provides handy
identification, but the function is all-important.
Perhaps you are in a position where you feel you have
limited opportunity for spiritual leadership. Forget your position –your
position does not inhibit your opportunity for spiritual influence. Realize
that you can function in the area of spiritual influence, which is leadership
of the highest sort. Influencing people toward faith in
Christ and toward love of their brothers. Influencing
their attitudes and actions toward God.
Our functions are limited, true. One can do one thing,
someone else another. We cannot do everything. An eye cannot throw a ball. An
ear can’t walk, nor should it be envious of the feet. But our own unique
function is that action or contribution or purpose for which we are especially
fitted, equipped or suited. Therefore we should not punish ourselves for not
doing what the other fellow is doing.
To Serve the Body
But what we can do we should do well, for God has given us
each our awn function for a special purpose – to serve the Body of Christ in
specific ways. The direction of Scripture is: “Each one should use whatever
spiritual gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s
grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the
very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God
provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.
The Body thrives and grows when each member is functioning
in dedicated service to others. Thus true spiritual leadership is
demonstrated.
The essence of spiritual leadership is summarized by Paul:
“For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as
your servants for Jesus’ sake.” This is one of the basic ideals of the
Christian ministry. However imperfectly, it’s an ideal we strive continually
to reach.
Scriptures quoted or referred to in this article:
1 Corinthians 16:15, 16; 1 Thessalonians 5:12, 13;
Hebrews 13:7, 17; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Acts 17:11; 2 Corinthians 3:2, 3; Matthew
23:8; John 13:13; Matthew 28:18, 19; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17; Hebrews 4:12; Luke
24:36-47; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Ephesians 6:17; Acts 26:22; Acts 8:29; Acts 13:4:
Acts 16:6, 7; 1 Corinthians 12:11; Matthew 20:25-28; Hebrews 10:24; 1
Corinthians 12:15-17; 1 Peter 4:10, 11; Ephesians 4:16; 2 Corinthians 4:5. From the New International Version.
NAVLOG / May 1976