2 Kings 15-16 | John 3:1-18
“Christ Himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up…” Ephesians 4:12
Some of us reading this devotion are leaders in the workplace, the community, the church or our family. If we want to know whether we are a leader, just look over our shoulder and see if anybody is following. By definition, a leader is someone that people are following.
As we consider the church, what should the leadership structure be like? From Scripture, we learn that Jesus Christ is the head of the Church and He raises up leaders to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers—these are people recognized by the gifts that God gave them, by the work that they do and by the evidence of the blessing of God and the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon them. While God has placed people in leadership, their primary task is not to act in a dictatorial fashion. Why? Because the church is not monarchic, nor is it to act in a democratic fashion, where they find out what the majority want to do and follow it. The church is designed to be theocratic, where those God called to leadership are to listen to God, discern His mind and lead the people in doing His will.
The church leadership is not to think of things to do just to keep the people busy or to keep them off the streets. Rather, they are to seek the mind and the will of God. From Scripture, we know that God promises to guide us and we are to listen and respond by following Him. The late Henry Blackaby and his son, Richard Blackaby, wrote an excellent book on leadership entitled Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God’s Agenda. They said, “Spiritual leaders do not try to satisfy the goals and ambitions of the people they lead but those of the God they serve.” Later, they added, “Jesus did not develop a plan, nor did He cast a vision. Jesus sought His Father’s will. Jesus’ vision for Himself and His disciples came from His Father….The key to Jesus’ leadership was the relationship He had with His Father! Because He knew His Father’s will, Jesus did not allow people’s opinions to sidetrack Him from His mission (Mark 1:37-38).” Ultimately the Blackabys drive home the point, “The key for spiritual leaders is NOT the development of vision and the setting of direction. Rather, the key for spiritual leadership is to obey everything the Father reveals...the Father is the leader!”
May we take some time today and pray for those that God placed in leadership, especially for those in church leadership, that they will seek God’s will rather than their own agendas, vision or goals.
PRAYER
Lord Heavenly Father, I lift those You have placed in church leadership into Your hands. May You incline their ears to listen closely to Your will over their own agendas, vision or goals. Thank You, Lord.