Path of Light Ministries Principals of Leadership
What does the Bible say foremost about the qualifications of leaders for the church?
1 Timothy 3
3 It is a true saying that if someone wants to be an elder, he desires an honorable responsibility. 2 For an elder must be a man whose life cannot be spoken against. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exhibit self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home and must be able to teach. 3 He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, peace loving, and not one who loves money. 4 He must manage his own family well, with children who respect and obey him. 5 For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?
6 An elder must not be a new Christian, because he might be proud of being chosen so soon, and the Devil will use that pride to make him fall. 7 Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not fall into the Devil’s trap and be disgraced.
8 In the same way, deacons must be people who are respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers and must not be greedy for money. 9 They must be committed to the revealed truths of the Christian faith and must live with a clear conscience. 10 Before they are appointed as deacons, they should be given other responsibilities in the church as a test of their character and ability. If they do well, then they may serve as deacons.
11 In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not speak evil of others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do.
12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well. 13 Those who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.(NLT)
What is “Leadership”
Some say that leadership is “influence”. Leaders must make a difference in someones life, not just influence them. Instead of being true leaders some people try to become experts and judges. They must only exert their influence according to Gods will for those they are leading. Spiritual leaders depend upon the Holy Spirit to lead people to change and move too Gods purpose. A true leader is measured by results. You will be held accountable to God if you are a leader. You will be judged more sternly than others.
Leaders must believe and be committed to the vision of the church.
Vision is what leads the church.
Everything must rise to the next level of excellence to further the vision
(Praise, Worship, Evangelism, Values). Leaders are instrumental in expressing and helping the vision move forward. You must lead by example.
Vision is what fuels and drives the Church
There should be no difference between who and what you are at church and who and what you are at your home. A leader not only sets and shows and example in the church but also in the community and his home.
Vision is what grows the Church.
The larger a church is, the stronger the leadership has to be. The success of any church is dependent on its leadership to grow and improve the Church.
(Mega Churches)
What do good Spiritual Leaders do?
Good Spiritual Leaders take people and lead them to Gods purpose for them.
A leader should be able to recognize and encourage people in their talents or spiritual gifts for the benefit of the kingdom. A leader should never be selfish in the use of a persons gifts or talents. Do not encourage someone to be part of your ministry if they can be used more greatly by God in another ministry. This applies to within your own congregation as well as others.
Good leaders can even lead unspiritual people.
It is very easy to lead the willing. Leading the unsaved is a different matter. You yourself were once “unwise” to God, but a person showed you the way and helped lead
you to God. Through their example and influence they were able to show you a better vision of what was available to you through Jesus Christ. With firm Biblical knowledge you can minister to that unsaved person with a soft heart and gentle, inspiring words.
1 Cor1:26
26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes, or powerful, or wealthy when God called you.
People will follow leaders who offer a chance for change and for hope. This has been seen in history in both good and bad examples
(FDR, Hitler, Winston Churchill, Stalin, Ghandi, Martin Luther, JFK)
A true spiritual leader is first concerned with his own integrity. Integrity happens on purpose. A leader with integrity gains respect, he does not command it
There is no such thing as a self-made spiritual leader. Your ability to lead comes from God and God alone.
Zechariah 4:6
............... It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.
Good leaders stay with people until they reach Gods purpose.
A good leader does not simply get someone saved or see them in a new position and leave them to “figure it out”. A person needs leadership at all stages of their journey and in any position they serve in the church. A good leader will continue to guide and educate them until they fulfill Gods purpose for them.
What is the difference between a leader and a follower?
A follower just gains experiences. A leader learns from his experiences. Experiences build character and character is what enables a person to lead. God sets the agenda. Is he going to bring character out of your situation? It is up to you how much you learn and grow from your experiences.
Exercise caution in offering marriage counseling. Couples will misuse this offer to vent anger, accuse you of taking sides, think you are telling them what to do, and if you suggest the wrong thing they will blame you. Couples should first be encouraged through prayer for their marriage. Any couple experiencing trouble should always be prayed for and listened to when they come to you for help.
Second they should be directed to a professional counselor.
Do not loan money to people. This will make them depend on you for help rather than their faith in God for help. You are not obligated to give money to every person who comes into your ministry. You are only obligated to love them, pray for them, and teach them the word of God. If someone has a need you can help them in 2 ways.
1. Pray for the need to be met.
2. Direct them to resources/internal ministry for help.
Leaders must sometimes exercise discipline for the benefit of the church.
Leaders are responsible for communication with the congregation sometimes more than the Pastors themselves. It is their responsibility to always direct members to the vision of the church. Leaders often hear about problems or needs before the Pastors.
Member-”I have been coming here for 6 months and I want to be a prayer leader”
Leader-”Thats great! Lets get you signed up for the new members class so you are familiar with our prayer vision”
Member-”I’m battling drug addiction”
Leader-”God intends for you to be set free from this. Lets pray for you right now, or let the Pastor pray for you”
Member-”I need money”
Leader-”The church is unable to lend money. I can either pray for you or get you in touch with resources to help you”
Member-”I don’t like what the Pastor said about _____ in his sermon”
Leader-”All of what is preached here is based on the Bible. He would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about that subject”
Don’t bring a problem to the Pastor unless you have 3 suggestions of solutions
A leader must not violate relationship laws or abuse his position for any gain from a member of the congregation. If this happens that leader should immediately be counseled about his violation.
How should a leaders position be determined?
Leadership comes form a personal, intimate relationship with God. You must seek God and personally meet God for him to raise you up to fulfill this role. In order to be a leader for God you must first be a follower yourself so that you can be used.
Jeremiah 15:19
19 The Lord replied, “If you return to me, I will restore you so you can continue to serve me. If you speak words that are worthy, you will be my spokesman. You are to influence them; do not let them influence you!
3 factors determine a persons leadership capabilities.
1. Relationship with God and Jesus Christ
2.Trusting God
3.Obedience to God
Leaders should have a track record of success in their faith. Be wary of potential without a track record of success in their relationship with God.
A mans gift will make room for itself in the church. A “position” should not be given to someone just for the sake of giving them a position. To often, positions are given to people just to make them feel wanted or keep them interested.
A position should never be given to new believer or a brand new member. You know nothing about their integrity or their intentions at your church.
A position should only be given after a member has had time to grow firm in their faith.
Only after you have seen spiritual growth in a person should they be considered for a leadership position.
How do you determine a persons spiritual growth?
There is a 4 stage model to determine and measure growth
1. Inner Life Growth Stage-When you are first saved you are transformed into a new person who begins to think and act like Jesus.
2. Maturity Stage-Who you are in The Body becomes clear to you. The mistakes you have made in your life are forgotten and you realize you are a brand new creature.
3. Convergence Stage-All your life experiences converge into a specific job role or ministry desire in which to use your spiritual gifts. Once a person reaches this stage, they should begin to receive training or individual education from the Pastor or ministry leader in order to best educate them for their ministry plan or vision.
4. Celebration Stage-After you have let God begin his will in your life you begin to experience true joy and happiness. You want to share your joy with others and begin to lead them to it.
How do I understand my leadership assignment?
Gods assignment for you may not always be to meet every need you see in your community. Jesus did not conduct his ministry on what people wanted or thought they needed but according to Gods work and plan for them.
When you are given a position, the first thing you should ask is “What is the vision or purpose of the ministry?” Once leaders understand the vision and purpose, leaders must understand 2 things
Where does the vision come from? God and the Pastor
How do I communicate the vision of the Ministry? Individual talents and spiritual giftings.
Keys to understanding and fulfilling Gods will and plan for your role.
1. Understand that God will give you your assignment. Understand that a need expressed is not the same thing as “The call of God upon your life” to that ministry or that position.
2. Don’t seek positions but seek Gods will for you and wait upon his assignment to to be revealed(through prayer) to you. There is more to fulfilling Gods will than assuming that every open door for you is his assignment for you. Be patient and wait for Gods assignment to be revealed to you.
3. Understand the key is not for God to bless your plans and agenda, but to fulfill his agenda.
4. Understand that the greater your assignment, the greater the need for your character.
Gods assignments are always based on your character.
What are the leadership needs of a church or ministry?
Pastoral
The overall leader of the church or ministry. Responsible for the overall vision of the church or ministry.
Administrative
Responsible for overseeing the day to day business operations of the church.
Prayer/Counseling
Responsible for leading others in or praying for others.
Worship Leader/Team
Responsible for the selection and performance of music. Responsible for helping others enter into worship in conjunction with the pastor.
Youth/Children’s Ministry
Responsible for ministering to children and youth in a way that helps them relate to and experience God.
Usher Leader/Team
Responsable for the order of the sanctuary and the safety of the congregation.
Greeters/Follow Up
Responsible for greeting all who enter the Church and for follow calls to all new visitors or people who desire information about the Church.
Some of these roles are often handled by a single person. All of these roles are vital to the mission, vision, and success of any church or ministry.
