Leadership development is key to the growth of the local church and ultimately the kingdom of God. The principle of reproducibility in evangelism depends on first reproducing leaders, shepherds of God’s people. These leaders, or church elders, should be equipped to in turn train others to reach out to those who are still outside God’s kingdom. This is how the Church will effectively live out the mandate of the Great Commission of churches planting churches and bringing the lost into a relationship with God.
Leadership development is key to the growth of the local church.
Ezekiel 34 provides a great lesson on God’s mind concerning the lost and the manner in which he reaches out, feeds, protects, and matures them through both his under-shepherds and the local church. In this article I’m going to consider three requirements for church leaders.
1. Full of Christian Character
1 Timothy 3:2-7 and Titus 2:6-8, among other passages, list the qualities of those who qualify to be shepherds of God’s people. Elders of the church are described as those above reproach; able to teach; with a good reputation outside the church; and not selfish or overly independent. Paul says elders must be above reproach in their marital, social, business and spiritual life. All of this will enable them to be a model of godliness for the church community.
Elders ought to serve with humility, not thinking too highly of themselves or their office.
Peter, likewise, implores elders of the church not to act as CEOs, but to be first and foremost shepherds of God’s flock. He further reminds them that they are not the ultimate Shepherd. They’re merely under-shepherds, looking up to the leadership of the Chief Shepherd, Christ. Thus they ought to serve with humility, not thinking too highly of themselves or their office.
The core motivation for ministry, as Peter puts it, should focus on the reward at Christ’s second coming, not on the benefits of the flesh. He writes: “So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory” (1 Peter 5:1-4).
2. Happy to Serve
Prior to training, candidates may need to be oriented to the common purpose and mission of the specific local church. But they should not be identified merely by their skills and abilities. Rather, what matters is that they’re godly, prayerful, faithful, and well thought of by outsiders. Furthermore, they should be pointed to our Lord’s own demonstration of servanthood in John 13.
In spite of his esteemed status as the Son of God, Jesus was comfortable with lowliness.
In spite of his esteemed status as the Son of God, Jesus was comfortable with lowliness; to the extent that he washed his disciples’ feet, including those of Judas. Shepherd leaders should recognise that good leaders are not motivated by anything else but by the love of God and the desire to serve others.
The gospel is profoundly counter-cultural when it comes to leadership. It exhorts Christian leaders to do things that make them seem foolish in the eyes of the world. Leaders in the world ask: “What is in it for me in doing this?” But shepherd leaders serve without any thought of gain. They seek the glory of God in others. Listen to Paul. “I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24).
3. A Commitment to Mission
Finally, all of God’s mission is centred on God’s desire, “that all people be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Thus Jesus commissioned all believers to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). In setting up a church eldership team, potential leaders must understand this core goal, and have a good grasp of the vision for achieving it in the local church.
A comprehensive grasp of the church’s mission leads to a communal vision for ministry.
Crucially, this commission isn’t carried out by individuals. Elders need to develop a team spirit, sharing the common goal of advancing the spread of the gospel. Thus they must possess a willingness to learn, a passion to work alongside others. A comprehensive grasp of the church’s mission almost always leads to a communal vision for church life and ministry. Church leaders are instruments that complement and depend on one another. Together, they can hold each other accountable to the essence and demand for evangelism.
Men Moulded After Christ Not the World
It’s vital that potential elders understand the servant leadership that Jesus modelled.
In our generation, where power and prestige are the symbols of success, it is vital that trainee and potential elders understand the servant leadership that Jesus modelled. Such leadership is costly. But it benefits both those that leaders serve as well as other leaders. In training elders for shepherd leadership they must be helped to resist the desires of secular leaders, who want to be worshipped and treated like kings.
