“In the long run, leadership effectiveness hinges on who you are rather than on what you can do. You can learn how to act like a leader, but people will not follow you for long unless you are a leader” — George Barna
Reunion Church is built upon the leadership of Elders, men dedicated to the service of Jesus through the building of the local Body of Christ. This concept is nothing new; it goes all the way back to the founding of the church, and it was the Apostle Paul who gave Timothy great insight on what kind of men should function as Elders in the local Church.
1 Timothy 3:1-7 This saying is trustworthy: “If someone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a good work.” The overseer then must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, an able teacher, not a drunkard, not violent, but gentle, not contentious, free from the love of money. He must manage his own household well and keep his children in control without losing his dignity. But if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for the church of God? He must not be a recent convert or he may become arrogant and fall into the punishment that the devil will exact. And he must be well thought of by those outside the faith, so that he may not fall into disgrace and be caught by the devil’s trap. (NET)
All too often we treat this passage as a list of “qualifications” or “works” that a man must first perform so that he may become an Elder. In reducing this list to a set of qualifying works, we fail to recognize that this passage was designed to be a mirror for the soul. In the simplest of terms, this Scripture was given as a way to measure God’s work in us, not our work for God.
Anyone can fake it and give the outward appearance of being a righteous and well qualified leader, but having the appearance of being “good” is not enough for God. The misapplication of our passage in 1 Timothy leads us toward one of the following two errors:
Error #1: “I am not good enough to be an Elder!”
This is a perfect description of the struggle which plagues my good friend Mike. Mike (not his real name), is married, has a great family, and has an incredible heart for serving Jesus. In every way you can imagine, Mike embodies the qualities set forth in 1 Timothy 3. But Mike has one big problem; his past. Mike does not think he deserves to be an Elder because in his past he was sexually abused, had a bad marriage, and is tempted with the sin of lust. Mike looks at this list in 1 Timothy 3 as a set of works, and since he has not done enough, he struggles with why God has called him to be an Elder. Guys like Mike who struggle with this error always asks themselves questions like, “What more can do?” “What if my accomplishments are not very great?” “How can God use me when I have so many faults?”
Error #2: “I am most qualified to be an Elder!”
This describes well the struggle which plagues my good friend Tim. Tim (also not his real name) is just like Mike because in every way he embodies the qualities set forth in 1 Timothy 3. Tim’s big problem is not his past, but his present. Tim is convinced he deserves the office of Elder because his present life is so together. Tim looks at 1 Timothy as a set of external works and is convinced that God would be lucky to have him at the helm of a church. Tim looks at guys like Mike and is convinced they are not yet good enough. Guys like Tim who struggle with this error make positive statements like, “Take notice of what I can do!” “Look at all the great things I have accomplished!” “I have very few faults, and I am very good at keeping the ones I have a secret!”
Okay, so maybe Tim or Mike would not say words exactly like the ones I wrote, but you know what I am getting at. Both of these errors are rooted in the idea that success comes from our works, rather than from our soul. And while neither of these errors should outright disqualify a guy from being an Elder (or any kind of leader), it is important that they gain a right perspective on what Paul taught Timothy. A right understanding of 1 Timothy 3 then leads us to the following ideas:
Idea #1: Soul leaders are not qualified for leadership, they are called to leadership.
Take a look at how your church describes its Elders. Chances are there is a section entitled “Qualifications of an Elder” and in that section you will find this passage from 1 Timothy. But good leadership knows that these items are not what “qualify” a man for leadership; rather, it is God’s calling that qualifies us. Churches, we need to stop treating this passage as a list of good works and realize it is a mirror that reflects the soul.
Idea #2: Success of the soul is the goal of every man, but not every man is called.
Next it is important to know that this list in 1 Timothy is not a special list just for leaders or Elders. This list is a description that should fit every mature man of God. Each mature man is then a potential leader, but not necessarily a leader called out by God—yet. So churches, stop trying to hold your Elders to a higher standard and start holding all your men to the same standard—soul transformation.
Idea #3: Soul leaders bring lasting health to the church.
If you want to know why Paul gave Timothy this list, it is because he knew that a man must have a healthy root, before he can produce a good seed. The church is full of guys who can do lots of amazing things, for a season, but unfortunately their season is short and their impact limited. Who are the greatest leaders in the Church today? Chances are it is not the men you read about in magazines, but give me 30 years, let me observe the fruit in the lives of their congregations, and then I will tell you.
In summary, we have covered in these first six posts the DNA of Faithful Leadership which apply to all those who are called to shepherd the local Body. While biblical Eldership is given to men, we should never forget that women too are called to the same high calling and must apply these principles to their daily life in Jesus. Leaders, men and women alike, let us work together and make sure we are Leading with Faith and moving forward toward the DNA of Integrity.
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