Paper presentation during JCCF EC Retreat holding at
Don Adum Retreat Center Rumuokoro
on Thursday 16th March 2017 with the theme:
"The LAST RACERS"
Module:
1.
Introduction
2.
Definitions
3.
The
Christian Leader
4.
Styles of leadership
5.
The
Christain Leadership Commission
6.
Christian Leadership And
Ethics
Text:
1st Timothy 3:1-5
"Here is a
trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be
above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable,
hospitable, able to teach, not given
to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.
He must manage his own family well and see that his children
obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect.
(If anyone
does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s
church?)"
INTRODUCTION
Being a leader does not
come from:
·
Being
appointed to a leadership position because of family or friendship connections.
·
Looking
like a leader by being tall or well dressed, having a powerful voice, or an
impressive office
·
Always
looking busy.
·
Being
a good manager
All leaders have two BASIC
characteristics:
1.
They
have a sense of direction and attract people to them.
2.
They
are like both a compass and a magnet.
Christian leaders
combine these two characteristics with a relationship with God fuelled by
abiding in Him.
DEFINITIONS
Christian leaders are Godly people of integrity and passion, who take
people from where they are, to a place which God has envisioned the
leader to take them, through empowering church members to become what
God has gifted them to be'
Christian
leadership is a dynamic relational process in which people, under the influence of the Holy Spirit,
partner to achieve a common goal. It is simply, serving others by leading and
leading others by serving.
A basic description of
leadership is the duty and call of the person who is in charge to take charge
with courage and character, and to
risk leading his/her people where they need to go and how they need to be led.
It is a position that seeks vision,
opportunities, and needs and then motivates others to get it done through
the resources, talents, and time they can contribute.
THE CHRISTIAN LEADER:
There is no finer example
for Christian leadership than our Lord Jesus Christ. He declared, “I am the
good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” [John 10:11]. It is within this verse that we see the perfect
description of a Christian leader who has a sense of godly character. He is one
who acts as a shepherd to those “sheep” in his care.
When Jesus referred to us
as “sheep,”
He was not speaking in affectionate terms. In truth, sheep rank among the
dumbest animals in creation. A stray sheep, still within earshot of the herd,
becomes disoriented, confused, frightened, and incapable of finding its way
back to the flock. Unable to ward off hungry predators, the stray is perhaps
the most helpless of all creatures.
STYLES OF LEADERSHIP
Christian leaders
have different personalities and will have a natural way in which they prefer
to lead. Three different ways include:
Ø Leaders who focus on the task at hand (Pioneering
Leaders)
Ø Leaders who focus on building up teams (Team
Leaders).
Ø Leaders who focus on meeting the needs
of individuals in their place of worship (Pastoral
Leaders)
Now, an effective
leader will seek to balance these three styles of leadership in their
ministry:
Ø Achieving the task
Ø Team building
Ø Meeting individual needs
If the leader lacks
the capacity to offer a balanced leadership style, the leader needs to work
with other leaders who have the skills they are lacking.
THE CHRISTAIN LEADERSHIP COMMISSION
The Christain leader is
chosen by God for definite and specific reasons, hence he must:
Understands His Role:
The shepherd is one who has
several roles in regard to his sheep. He leads, feeds, nurtures, comforts,
corrects and protects. The shepherd of the Lord’s flock leads by modeling
godliness and righteousness in his own life and encouraging others to follow
his example. The Apostle Paul understood this: “Follow my example, as I follow
the example of Christ” [1 Corinthians 11:1]. The Christian leader is one who follows Christ and
inspires others to follow Him as well.
A Feeder And A Nourisher:
The Christian leader is
also a feeder and a nourisher of the sheep, and the ultimate “sheep
food” is the Word of God. Just as the shepherd leads his flock to the
most flourishing pasture so they will grow and flourish, so the Christian
leader nourishes his flock with the only food which will produce strong,
vibrant Christians. The Bible, not psychology or the world’s wisdom is the only
diet that can produce healthy Christians. “Man
does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the
LORD” [Deut. 8:3].
Comforter
The Christian leader also
comforts the sheep, binding up their wounds and applying the balm of compassion
and love. God promised to “bind up the injured and strengthen the weak” [Ezekiel 34:16]. As Christians in the world today, we suffer many injuries
to our spirits, and we need compassionate leaders who will bear our burdens
with us, sympathize with our circumstances, exhibit patience toward us,
encourage us in the Word, and bring our concerns before the Father’s throne.
Uses His Crook
Just as the shepherd used
his crook to pull a wandering sheep back into the fold, so the Christian leader
corrects and disciplines those in his care when they go astray. Without rancor
or an overbearing spirit, but with a “spirit
of gentleness” [Galatians 6:2], those in leadership must correct
according to scriptural principles. Correction or discipline is never a
pleasant experience for either party, but the Christian leader who fails in
this area is not exhibiting love for those in his care. “The LORD disciplines those he loves” [Proverbs 3:12], and the Christian leader must follow His example.
Protector
The final role of the
Christian leader is that of a protector. The shepherd who was negligent in this
area soon found that he regularly lost sheep to the predators who hang around his
flock. The predators today are those who try to lure the sheep away with false
doctrine, dismissing the Bible as quaint and old fashioned, insufficient,
unclear, or unknowable. These lies are spread by those against whom Jesus
warned us: “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing,
but inwardly they are ferocious wolves” [Matthew 7:15]. Our leaders must protect us from the false teachings of
those who would lead us astray from the truth of the Scripture and the fact
that Christ alone is the way of salvation: “I am the way, the truth, and the
life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” [John 14:6].
CHRISTIAN
LEADERSHIP AND ETHICS
The ethical standards
below flow out of the two greatest commandments in Scripture: to love God with
all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves
(Matthew 22:26-40). They are guidelines and principles to make the commandment
more concrete even as leading the flock
of Christ becomes paramount.
Christian
ethics is a branch of Christian
theology that defines righteous and worthy behaviors and wrong behavior
from a Christian perspective.
Systematic theological study of Christian ethics is called moral
theology. Christian virtues are often divided into four cardinal virtues
and three theological virtues
Christian leaders are
to…
1. Attend first and foremost to your own
relationship with God, through regular exercise of prayer, Scripture, worship,
and communal life in the Body of Christ.
2. Seek to follow God’s leading in your
ministry relationships, for God is the Shepherd, constantly and actively
tending to the needs of those under your care.
3. Remember that you are a limited
creature and not yourself "God". You must be aware
of and responsive to your own physical, relational, spiritual, and emotional
needs. How you model self-care sets an example in your ministry.
4. Be aware of when a need or question exceeds
your capacity as a leader, and have ready a referral list of others who are
specially trained to handle these situations.
5. Respect the brethren as made in God’s
image and treat each person with appropriate dignity and care, especially by
practicing regular intercessory prayer on their behalf.
6. Honor the experience of your
congregation by preparing mindfully, setting a loving atmosphere, promoting
consideration, serving with care, and maintaining healthy boundaries.
7. Uphold confidentiality, being faithful
to the trust your people have placed in you. Only share specifics about others
for the purpose of your own private consultation. Know whether you are a mandatory
reporter in cases of domestic abuse or suicidal intent.
8. Keep appropriate physical boundaries
with each person and do not engage in any sexualizing, abusive, manipulative,
or coercive behavior, explicit or implied, in your language or actions.
9. Maintain charitable relationships with
all people in the church by refraining from disparaging other persons or
congregations.
10. Dignify all persons in society
regardless of age, race, ethnicity, color, nationality, gender, sexual
orientation, religion, disability, marital status, political belief, or any
personal characteristic, attribute, condition, or status.
This Code of Ethics provides a vision of how love can direct
you as a Christian leader. Because there are times when we fall short of these
high standards, let us all return again and again to the throne of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ, where we will find grace and mercy to receive us and guide
us in His ministry of love (Hebrews 4:14-16).