Whom does a congregation pick to be its leaders? Typically, the members of the congregation pick those whom they perceive to be the best men in the congregation. Who are “the best men”? That depends on the congregational need, the congregational concerns, and the congregational situation immediately preceding the moment of selection. If there is a congregational stress created by some aspect of funding, the congregation will likely select someone who handles money. If there is congregational stress created by a lack of organization, the congregation will select someone who possesses organizational skills. If “change” creates the stress, the congregation will likely select someone who will champion a status quo agenda. The perceived congregational need of the moment often determines who is recognized as a congregational leader in an elder selection process.

The “Basics”

(1) The basic problem: that approach to determining congregational leadership often generates difficulties because (a) the “problem” typically is short-lived while (b) the person selected will be a congregational leader for a long time. The congregational concern may be temporary, but the leadership choice endures as the person selected exerts a significant impact on the congregation’s life and future.

There is a vast difference between (a) adding a spiritual man whose gifts address a specific need and (b) increasing leadership diversity by adding a gifted man who is not a spiritual person. If the leaders do not work together to form the “team” concept of leadership, the established leadership often views the newly-selected person (or persons) as an intruder who came to “fix them.”

(2) The basic reality: the choice of leadership needs to involve (in a significant way) the congregation. Yes, congregational leadership must work together regularly. However, in our society, people will not follow someone just because of the role he occupies. No actual congregational leadership exists if the converts do not follow the leadership. “Letting the leadership do as it pleases” is significantly different from following the leadership. The leadership and the congregation must function as a team in pursuing God’s purposes.

The spiritual maturity level of a congregation’s leadership and the spiritual maturity levels of the congregation (which includes all disciples in every level from new converts to the seasoned committed) will be obviously different. This difference in maturity levels should be expected to produce some stress for those in leadership and some stress in the congregation. Functioning as leaders in a stress-free environment is never an option. Functioning in a spiritual environment that honors each other because people honor God should be a given.

(3) The basic need: to have a congregational leadership that (a) is sensitive to the congregation [not oblivious to the members’ realities] and (b) has the courage to understandably lead in the direction of God’s priorities. Congregations tend to follow sensitive leadership. Congregations need sensitive leaders who can explain biblically the “whys” of their direction. “Why do the elders want us to go in this direction? Why is it godly to go in this direction? Why is it compatible with God’s values to seek this objective?”

Explanation is more effective and less negative than “trust us”—even when the elders’ motives are good in the “trust us” style of leadership. “Trust us” may seem easy and convenient, but it is filled with opportunities for misunderstanding and misinterpretation. Commonly, the “trust us” style of leadership is taken by many in the congregation as a declaration that leadership does not “trust us.” However, leadership expects the congregation to trust them. Earned trust is effective when one trusts the other in both directions.

Certainly, a high level of trust is necessary when followers have confidence in leaders and leaders demonstrate confidence in followers. This is not a discussion of the importance of trust, but of using trust as a leadership style.

(4) The basic situation: our culture is increasingly intolerant of Christian values. The typical member of every age encounters continual conflict in daily life. These conflicts often generate temptation in some form (or forms). The guidance of Christians does not need to focus on crushing people by intensifying guilt or failure feelings. Godly guidance needs to give members biblical direction and godly hope as they live in a hostile culture. Leadership does not need to exasperate members, but to provide them godly tools as they seek to be light in darkness.

Have you read Ephesians 4:17-32 lately? These Christians lived in an idolatrous world that functioned on pagan values. They actually were doing the ungodly things mentioned in verses 25-30. Paul responded in four ways. First, he emphasized this was not what they learned from Christ. Second, he stressed transformation. Third, he contrasted the result of such living with the godly results produced by living in God’s forgiveness. Fourth, he urged them to imitate God.

Consider Hebrews 10:35-39. These Christians seriously considered abandoning Jesus Christ (not God) to reduce their continuing conflict and abandonment situations. They were so serious in their consideration of leaving Jesus Christ that they restricted assembling with Christians (Hebrews 10:25). Yet, the writer said their solution was to be found in confidence and endurance, not in abandoning Jesus Christ. He encouraged them by giving them hope instead of hammering them for being horrible! Wow!


The Consumer Society

We live in a society that stresses having “the latest and the best.” Do you want to solve your problems? The solution is found in having “the latest and the best.” Do you want to move up in social acceptance? You can change your image by acquiring “the latest and the best.” Do you feel inferior? You “deserve” to alter how you feel about yourself (for the better) simply by having “the latest and the best.” Are you concerned about your future? You can secure the future by having “the latest and the best.” The end result is that all good solutions are the product of having “the latest and the best.” Consequently, all troubles occur because the person, the unit, or the group does not have “the latest and the best.”

The issue is not that what you have is insufficient for your need. The issue is that what you have cannot possibly meet your need because “it is not the latest and the best.” The solution is to dispose of or abandon what you have and acquire “the latest and the best.” Then and only then can life become what you envision.

If you think this is a gross exaggeration, consider some examples. How many husbands or wives feel their marriage is doomed to failure because they are convinced they did not marry the correct person who is into the “now”? How many parents think their children are doomed to a horrible life because their children cannot go to the right school or be in the right program? How many Christians are convinced they are destined by God to do one thing only as they live by a specific divine focus expressed in the plan for their lives? How many people think there is one ideal job for them, and anything less than that job will result in a life of misery? It is amazing to observe the number of people who waste life by spending it searching for their mystical ideal.

The consumer society powerfully influences congregations. Ask Christians, “How do congregations grow?” Their frequent answer: “Have the latest and the best.” Our preacher is the best preacher in town! Our Sunday school program is the best you can find! Our assemblies are the most comfortable anywhere! We provide more convenient creature comforts than you can find in any other congregation! We provide the most convenient “faith in God” option you will find. Result: the “what is in this for me and my family right now” mentality becomes the prevailing mentality.

Is the point that congregations need to be unconcerned about the desires and physical needs of people? No. The point is that faith in God is not produced by having “the latest and the best.” People who come to the congregation because it offers “the latest and the best” will leave the congregation you are a part of to go to another congregation when that congregation offers “the latest and the best.”

To define spiritual growth on the basis of seeking “the latest and the best” cheapens divine forgiveness, mercy, grace, justification, and redemption. It suggests that ethical and moral commitments can be produced by things other than decisions. It rejects the value of personal commitment by subjugating it to physical desire.

Maintaining faith in God is demanding in every age of life, in every crisis, and in every period of distress. Faith in what God did in Jesus cannot be reduced to convenience. It does not exist because it is convenient, but because it is real. Trust in God is not abandoned because life becomes difficult while demanding that hard choices be made.

It takes courageous leaderships to lead congregations to that understanding! Often that is not a place Christians want to go, but it is a place Christians need to go. Those who follow a crucified Savior do not make discipleship dependent on physical convenience expressed in a physically desirable lifestyle.

Consider one thing more. Faithfulness to God is not produced by artificial difficulties. Wealthy Christians did exist in the first-century church (1 Timothy 6:17-19). We do not demonstrate faithfulness to God through avoidable, unnecessary suffering. What is an extravagance in one culture and its context may be a practical reality in another culture and its context. If you want an illustration, consider the role air conditioning serves in different cultures with those cultures’ economic realties. Faithfulness to God is a matter of priorities and motives, not a matter of having or not having.


THE Discussion

Nothing is more important to a congregation’s life and health than its selection of leadership. Its leadership commonly determines who can and cannot preach, who can and cannot teach classes, what topics can and cannot be presented in classes, and the direction of the congregation. The leadership’s “comfort zone” often determines the congregation’s “comfort zone.” To a significant extent, leaders allow the congregation to be provided its levels of encouragements and its levels of restrictions.

Ironically, as important as leadership is to a congregation, the concepts of congregational leadership expressed in the qualities of leadership and the responsibilities of leadership are rarely examined/discussed. The qualities of congregational leadership are not discussed unless (a) there is a problem that directly involves the “in-place” leadership or (b) it is time to select leadership or add to leadership.

In either situation, that is likely one of the least effective times to seek to form congregational leadership concepts, qualities, or responsibilities. Why?

(1) Most of the “opinion leaders” are in a defensive mode at those times. They are concerned with doing what is best from their perspective. (“Opinion leaders” in congregations are men or women who are instrumental in helping others form their opinions about what is correct, what is needed, and what should be done. Opinion leaders decide who should be trusted to do what needs to be done.)

“Opinion leaders” can be good spiritual forces or undesirable spiritual forces. They can cause members to think, evaluate, and pursue God’s priorities. Or, they can seek to further a personal (versus a congregational) agenda that is calculated to increase their control. Either they influence how others think, or they personally are convinced they direct the thinking of others.

(2) Usually congregations feel a sense of urgency at the times of appointing leaders. Congregations typically hear a lot of statements about the seriousness of the selection choices, discussions of what is at stake, and the obligatory series of sermons concerning the basis of the choices to be made.

Few other situations require a whole series of sermons! The only times in my memory that the leadership requested a series of lessons were (a) when there was a county-wide liquor referendum and (b) when new leadership was to be selected.

(3) The pressure sensed in the situation surrounding leadership selection is more likely to produce emotional reactions instead of insightful understandings. Because of the ways our culture handles leadership issues, the selection of congregational leadership easily can become a political contest. If that happens, nomination and selection become filled with agendas, popularity, desires, and fears rather than a genuine pursuit of God’s priorities.

Congregational leadership selection easily can be focused on present human desires rather than God’s expressed values. It easily can become about us and our priorities rather than about Jesus Christ and his priorities. It easily can be centered on our desires rather than God’s desires. It easily can emphasize what we wish to accomplish rather than what God through Jesus wishes to accomplish.


The Irony

Congregations tend to select men that (a) are spiritual men, (b) are good husbands, (c) are good fathers, and (d) are caring men. A congregation admires these traits in Christian men who are willing to lead!

Then the men we admire become elders. Quickly, congregations demand so much of these men that they have little opportunity to continue advancing personal spirituality. Congregations consider time spent in being good husbands wasted because the elders are not caring for the congregation’s needs or visiting. These men should no longer need to care for their own children. They should help the troubled in the congregation with their children. Congregations now expect these men to care to the extent that they are continually exhausted.

However, if anyone in congregational leadership has a marriage that falls apart, the congregation is astounded! The congregation rarely realizes that the husband who always included his wife now must keep confidences from his wife. If the children of leaders misbehave, the congregation is astounded. Rarely does anyone note that the man who always had time for his children before he became an elder never had time for his children after he became an elder. Somehow, leadership men are never to be tired, are to be invigorated by problems, are never to be wearied by needs, and are to be delighted when they face unreasonable demands. These men can do what no one else in the congregation attempts to do! If ever there is a superhero in today’s world, it must be a conscientious congregational leader who serves sacrificially and well!

Is it any wonder that congregational expectations are a real obstacle to good Christian men becoming congregational leaders?

Chapter Three Chapter Five

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