MINISTERING
Proverbs 19:10, “Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes.”
Matthew 20:25-28, “But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion oer them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
Every Leader is a Second Man
Every leader is in essence a second man for Jesus is the head. A pastor for example is not the number one man of the local church for Jesus is the head of the local church. The pastor is an assistant to Jesus Christ and in every area of our lives God has installed what Dr. John R. Rice calls “God’s deputies.” We are stewards of God and the responsibilities are God given.
No one has a right to lead as he or she sees fit for God gave us our opportunity and also our guidelines for each area where we are “God’s deputies.” I did not use the kind of music I liked rather I allowed in the two churches I pastored the kind of music God likes. The standards were never my standards for they were God’s standards. The organization or church polity was not what I preferred rather it was what God mandated from his word.
The same is true of the family unit. I had and have no right to lead my family into anything that is harmful to them according to the word of God. The restrictions I have are those imposed by the “boss” or “Lord.”
Whether it is a matter of finances, child rearing, or education we have to realize our position is that of a second man and allow God to run these areas of life for he certainly knows better how to run that which he created.
Leaders come from Followers
No one has ever trained any one to be a leader, for leaders come from followers. Those who have a passion and employ those passions and direct them to succeed usually rise out of the crowd and provide passionate initiative and garner the admiration of the rest of the crowd to follow. His confidence is not cockiness but confidence, for it is hard work that produces that which others desire to emulate
Followers can be trained to do what is right to do and to do it well. Passion comes from the inside and fueled by the outside. Doing things well fuels passion that is inward resulting in visible works.
Real Leaders do not Relish Leading
I knew and preached with several great men of God who accomplished the greatest things in history. These were all quiet men who did not enjoy leadership such as Dr. John R. Rice, Evangelist Lester Roloff, Dr. Lee Roberson, Dr. Tom Malone, Evangelist Carl Hatch, Dr. Jack Hutson, Dr. Curtis Hudson, and Dr. Jack Hyles. These men were not seeking spotlighted roles for they were too busy doing to be seeking.
I had the honor of traveling and preaching with Dr. Jack Hyles for 22 years. Interesting that he was always home in his own pulpit every Wednesday night. I made it a policy to make sure I was home in my own pulpit every Wednesday night and there for Church-wide soul winning on Thursday night. No one can neglect their own vineyard and expect folks to follow who are working that same vineyard.
Leaders are Pushed up from the Bottom
Dr. Hyles said to me one time there are five kinds of people: followers of leaders, leaders of followers, leaders of leaders, follower of followers (church splits), and followers of leaders of leaders (TV preachers).
Real dynamic leaders who accomplished the impossible were not concerned with the spotlight for they were too busy reaching one person at a time back home in order to be flattered into a role they were not comfortable with. The truth is they were comfortable in their own skin doing what God commanded them to do and not what the crowds demanded of them.
The reason these men and others were pushed up from the bottom was because they had no desire for personal compensation for they were wrapped up in winning souls and building their ministries to win more souls. Today we have everyone running to the spotlight and neglecting personal soul winning.
Dr. Shelton Smith, Editor of THE SWORD OF THE LORD paper, said to me recently that he was sick of pastors coming up to him and asking, “What is thelatest thing?” This is a day of wanting a big church rather than ministering to the individual.
Leaders lead more by Example than by Exhortation
A pastor of a great church one time said to me he almost lost everything because his church was so organized that he was preaching out more and quit going soul winning himself. Then the church began to slow down in her aggressiveness to win the lost because like begets like. Sooner or later the leader will find himself being reflected in his church member for they are nothing more than a reflection of him. God’s men and all leaders must lead much more by example than exhortation.
One Comment on “THE LEADERSHIP FALACY OF EXERCISING AUTHORITY”
I never stop learning from you. Although I’ve never met you (don’t think I ever will – until Heaven!), your wisdom helps me in every area of life. Thanks for sharing it!