One thing that stands out in my writing and speaking is that I am anti Hierarchy where the church is concerned. It does however beg the question: "how, in this Western-Roman culture can leaders lead?" The answer to that gets to the core of what the body of Christ was supposed to be.
Rank within organisations helps a job get done. If it's productivity you want then organisational rank is a good place to start. Many who feel evangelism is the aim of the church would never question rank within the church because it exists to 'get a job done.' I wouldn't agree that evangelism is the primary aim of 'church.' The primary aim of church is to build up and encourage believers and have them grow in maturity. Then, this being the case, they can go out into their lives and be the actual salt and light Jesus spoke about.
People who are firstly being met by a loving family go out into the world and exhibit change. Those in a program that wants to 'get people saved' exhibit a message. To be able to facilitate being the substance of the gospel instead of just being able to talk about it requires a particular leadership. It must be able to provide an environment where believers can be permeated by genuine, authentic family love. Models that have hierarchy may speak of 'love' but brothers and sisters do not have rank. "But Gary, families ideally have a Father ranked over them." True, but we have our heavenly Father over us. This is the point... no brother or sister has been tasked to be over you in their church roles and functions. It is Western society flowing from its Roman heritage that delights in rank. We don't know any better!
Can it be that the body of believers were to be so completely unique in the earth that they experienced the 'other than' where leadership was concerned? Could it be that the whole idea of leadership was to bring people into a resonance with the Lord alone? I think Paul was clear in his writings that rank was not the way forward but relationship through love was. Jesus in Mark 10 responded to a couple of disciples' ambitions comments with 'not so among you.'
Its a pretty serious thing to exist within a hierarchy when there is no Biblical command to come under anyone except the Lord where our spirituality is concerned. Yet many defend their church leadership and are mortally wounded to suggest it may be error to form spiritual oversight like the world. I think this is a more deep rooted problem than we think, having been severely dealt with about it myself.
If you want a Scriptural treatment of 'what is biblical leadership' first you have to get beyond mere verses. You need to get the story of the church right. then we can see what was being said in the Epistles to form a correct version of leadership. As the masses impose their church structure and systems onto Scripture, we can see how those the Bible tells us about slipped into error. I often wondered how 'stupid' some of those living in the Bible times were to go away from the Teachings. However a process like I'm describing was the reason - people are unwilling to offer up to the Lord that which they are personally invested in.
That, I believe will be a theme when we finally have to stand before Jesus as recipients of his free gift of Salvation.
Gary Ward
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