Therefore, there is a need for the restructuring of the present church model if she desires to project Christ's government and leadership to the world. There must be an all-inclusive, team spirit, true unity, and a three-but a single-level model built upon the membership, stewardship, and leadership in a mutual unity.
The bottom line is that leadership is more about stewardship with a vertical and horizontal projection than a top-down model of singularity. Where dedication is first to the Lord who is the Head of the church and had called all to the ministry than to a personal advancement of an agenda.
In addition, leaders in the mold of stewards rest only on believers with spiritual knowledge and understanding, who refuse to look at leadership as a role, and trophy to grasp and embraced. But as a humble calling that resembles the earthly manner of the Lord of Glory who emptied Himself and made Himself of no reputation, importance, and consequences. Who even refused to Use His God-given right as God, and equality to God. Philippian 2:3–11.
Christ Jesus was born Lord, a Leader-King, Commander, and Servant of Jehovah God. He came to serve, and not served as a master by man. He came as a servant, but the Lord of all. By His example, He showed the world what true leadership entails. He appointed Apostles that worked closely with Him to serve and not to dominate the body of other servants. He had dedicated women who served taking daily care of His needs. This is the new model of leadership that the church should study and practice in truth.
This means leadership is no longer the prime focus of those in authority but services and stewardship. Because in the church organization, believers are first stewards before stepping into the shoes of leaders. Hence, making a three-structure model of believers, stewards, and leaders that combines as one unity. In that sense, stewardship is both forward-looking in service to all in and out of the ministry, but more involved with the family of believers that with the world.
While stewardship is the outcome of a believer personal faith services, and commitment to the Lord Jesus. This thrives more in truthfulness, humility, righteousness, and the love of the faith and fellowship. Without stewardship, leadership is a mere show in the flesh without any substantial value to the growth of the fellowship of believers.
Throughout the Scriptures, we understand the important role stewardship plays in the kingdom of God. No doubt, our Lord shall judge our services based on our stewardship at the judgment seat of Christ. On that seat of judgment, the Lord shall not much look at our leadership than our stewardship to receive a reward. Hence, believers need to first be stewards before assuming the role of leaders. Therefore, the steward must let the Lord Jesus lead in any leadership role in life.
In addition, it is important that leaders lead under the power of the Holy Spirit who calls as well as equips for the office. Therefore, before any leader of believers leads the children of God, they must lead themselves, family, and others in harmony with the grace of God.
Therefore, the Biblical Pastors and Bishop appointed the shepherd of God's flock is required first to serve the house of the Lord before leading to any degree. The word Bishop is Shepherd in the Greek language. Therefore good shepherds are leaders who lead the sheep at all times, in good or bad times. They are open to learning and being teachable. They have the ability to engage with other members of the Church. They are visionaries and decisive.
Good church leaders know the importance of raising up other leaders who can lead in actualizing the vision of the ministry. The different departments in the Church need to groom leaders as Paul raised up Timothy. Because there is always, a need for new leaders to function in different departments of the church.
Leaders must not consider themselves as being in competition with others, but give helping hands strengthening those called into the ministry. They are addicted to expanding the kingdom of God. That is why today, in our world, Christian leadership is the most important subject among believers. It is so because believers shall reign and govern in the rule of Christ in the next dispensation and the future to come.
In fact, a good number of believers shy away, not wanting the hard part of doing the talking about the role of leadership of the Church in the world, and the kingdom of God.
It is very easy to note that different denominations have different ideas on what stewardship and invariably leadership means in today's dispensation of the gospel. Hence, this is an area of our spiritual growth greatly misunderstood among believers because of the poor teachings offered in place of the truth.
The effect of such beliefs has created a conflicted atmosphere in the Church with different meanings and stances on leadership. This became obvious at the height of the coronavirus pandemic because the church did not play a clear leadership role in forcing a decisive response to calm the fear of the people worldwide.
Until this moment, the majority of believers still hold on to that view that leadership is a role best suited for those with a strong personality in the community of believers. At the same time, some still hold on to the belief that leadership, belongs in the world and not in the Church structure. This kind of unscriptural belief has caused the fellowship to suffer much in the hands of abusive leaders.
Also stemming from fear, timidity, many strange and false beliefs have caused many to back out of the truth of their calling to lead in the Church. It is strange how believers in this century still believe that holding and playing a leadership role in the faith is un-Christianly.
Thus, believers with such thought limit leadership to the secular world and the places where citizens socialize, political establishments, corporate business, sporting activities, and professional gatherings in society. The price of having such an idea is the low and unworkable leadership structure in the body of Christ.
These beliefs have robbed the Church of having the true spirit-filled leaders needed in moving the gathering of believers to a new level of spirituality. For that reason, many have not believed the good news of their call to lead and serve as well.
Nevertheless, it is time to step forward and act, to you who know that every believer is a leader and a steward serving the Lord. However very few would yet believe they are leaders in Christ Jesus in all circumstances. As well as those, having a false sense of humility, believing it is presumptuous to think like a leader. It is good to have the mindset of a leader in exercising our Christian obligations in services.
The new dispensation of grace has changed the landscape by introducing solid enablement of the Holy Spirit on those who had received the love of God. Thus showing us that real leaders marked by meekness, humility, and dedication are the work of God.
The gift of leadership bestowed on believers in the kingdom of the Lord is always hidden until displayed. The Lord of glory has released the spiritual equipment desired in any Christian service.
