Essentials Of The Faith / Adult Sunday School Class / Christian Leadership

Chosen or Developed?

SECTION THREE: How Are leaders chosen and developed?

I. Personal Ambition or Divine Selection?

ACTION: Read 1 Tim. 3:1 and   Jeremiah 45:5

QUESTION: Is it right for a person to want to be a leader in the church?  Is ambition wrong?

 ACTION: Read: 1 Tim. 3:1

         Leadership is hard and it is not easy to meet the qualification. To seek such a position in the church is an honorable task.

 ACTION: Read: Jer. 45:5

        The prophet is not condemning all ambition as sinful, but he was pointing to selfish motivation that makes ambition wrong.

       Few attitudes cause more reaction among Christians than ambition. This is because many  people think of ambition as a self-centered seeking for more power and authority. There is no place for this attitude in any kind of leadership, least of all in Christian leadership. But ambition is a desirable attribute when  properly understood and exercised.  Ambition is    essential in a leader because it provides the drive and the desire necessary to carry the burdens    and responsibilities of leadership; ambition is the fuel of leadership. There is no problem with    ambition in itself; the problem with ambition lies in its aim, not in its presence.

       All Christians are to develop their God given talents, to make the most of their lives, to develop to the fullest their God given abilities. But Jesus taught that ambition that centers on self is wrong.  Ambition that centers on the glory of God and the welfare of the church is a mighty force for good.

QUESTION: Define ambition.

DEF: Ambition comes from the Latin word meaning 'campaigning for promotion'.

        Notice the self centeredness of this: social visibility, approval of others, popularity, peer recognition, exercise of authority over others. Ambitious people, in this sense, enjoy the power that comes with money and authority.     the true spiritual leader in the church will never campaign for promotion.

ACTION: Read Mark 10:35-42

QUESTION: How is  ambition and leadership viewed according to this text?

       This passage shows ambition at its worst and its best. In James, John, and the other disciples, all of whom sought the highest position for themselves, ambition is seen as self-centered, competitive, assertive, thoughtless, arrogant, proud, and blind.

ACTION: Read Mk. 10:42-44

QUESTION: What is ambition and leadership according to Jesus in this text?

       Jesus' response to these attitudes could not have been more surprising. He did not attack them for being ambitious, nor did He reject them for having drive and desire. Instead He redefined ambition and turned it

   -Into service for others without taking away any of its drive for achievement.
   -Into a humility directed toward serving others rather than a proud serving of self.
   -From self-service to self-sacrifice.
   -He included the  instruction in how to be first.
   -It is accomplished through the holy ambition of slavery in accord with the model of the Lord Jesus Christ  Himself.
   -He demonstrated ambition at its best as the One who willingly sacrificed Himself for the sake of others.

       True leadership is found in giving yourself in service to others, not in coaxing or inducing them to serve you.

ILL: Sam Brengle, a Salvation Army preacher, once said 'The final estimate of men shoes that history cares not one iota for the rank or title a man has born, or the office he has held, but only the quality of his deeds and the character of his mind and heart.'

ILL:  Count Nikolas von Zinzendorf (1700-1760) was tempted by rank and riches  but his attitude toward ambition is summed up in one simple statement . 'I have one passion; it is He, He alone.' He was the founder of the Moravian church. He has also said .

'Because we children of Adam want to become great, He became small.
Because we will not stoop, He humbled Himself.
 Because we want to rule, He came to serve.'

Working Def: Christian ambition: the burning, even driving, desire to make a name for Christ, not self, which results in a constructive rather than destructive impact. It is in contrast to the selfish ambition that is earthly, fleshly, and devilish. There is no place for    such ambition in spiritual leadership.

QUESTION: Can there be spiritual leadership w/o ambition?

       No. There must be a place for proper ambition in Christian leadership or there will be no leadership. Christian leadership must be marked by ambition: redeemed, redirected, self-sacrificing  ambition, but ambition nonetheless. Without it, no leadership will occur.

QUESTION: How can we know the difference between Christian and selfish ambition?

       The key to determining whether the ambition being expressed is Christian or not lies in the answer to the question raised by Fred Smith when he states, "We must ask, What is my  purpose? Am I satisfying my ego through this ministry or sacrificing my ego to it?" To those already in leadership or to those desiring to be used in leadership, this is a question  that must be continually asked of ourselves and honestly answered.

II. Natural vs Spiritual Leadership
       The Bible shows that when God finds a person who is ready to lead, to commit to full discipleship and take on responsibility for others, that person is used by God to their fullest.

QUESTION: What is 'natural' leadership?

    Natural leadership:
        -naturally gifted with intellect, personal forcefulness and enthusiasm
        -these enhance leadership potential but do not define the spiritual leader.

QUESTION: What is spiritual leadership?

    Spiritual leadership:
       -Authoritative: Know where they are going and how they are going to get there.
       -Spiritual: W/o a strong relationship with God, even the most attractive and competent person can not lead people to God
       -Sacrificial: Follows the model of Jesus who gave Himself for us.

QUESTION: Are these two terms ;natural' and 'spiritual' mutually exclusive?

       Natural                                                Spiritual
    Self-confident                                      Confident in God
      Knows men                                         Also knows God
Makes own decisions                                 Seeks God's will
Selfishly ambitious                                            Humble
  Creates methods                                   Follows God's example
  Enjoys command                             Delights in obedience to God
  Seeks personal reward                          Loves God and others
  Independent                                           Dependent on God

QUESTION: How can the two be joined?

       By refocusing. By placing the emphasis and focus on God and not self.  These natural tendencies can be transformed to spiritual qualities. The implications of this are great.
          -Spiritual leaders are not elected, appointed or created by a congregational  vote.
          -Spiritual leaders are not made by filling an office or taking a course.
         -Spiritual leaders are made by God alone. When God's eye finds a person qualified to lead, God anoints that person
           with the HS and calls them to a special ministry. (Acts 9:17;   22:21)

       We can lead others only as far along the road as we ourselves have traveled. Merely pointing the way is not enough. If we are not walking then no one can be following and  we can not be leading.

III. Are Leaders Made or Born?

QUESTION: With all this in mind, are leaders made or born? Explain.

       -Both.
       -On the one hand, leadership is an elusive and electric quality that comes directly from God.
       -On the other hand, leadership skills are distributed widely among every church and should be cultivated and developed.

        Jesus selected leaders to follow Him who would not be the first choice of the people in His day... or ours. He chose the humble, those who were workers, those with little education, those who  were devoted and had fierce loyalty. The fruit of the Spirit is the mark of the mature Christian. The gifts of the Spirit are the mark of   a  leader being used by God. God wants the balance. His approach is to work IN you then THROUGH you.

ACTION: Read Romans 12:6-8

QUESTION: Is leadership a Spiritual gift?

       There can be little doubt about the source of the raw materials for Christian leadership ability. Christian leadership is a gift from the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote that "he who leads" should do so "with diligence" (v. 8).  Therefor, leadership is more than a skill to be learned, though it includes this. Unless the basic capacity to lead is present as a gift from the Holy Spirit, one cannot be a Christian  leader.

EXAMPLE:

QUESTION: How did Moses become a leader of the Israelites?

       In Ex. 3:1-10,  Moses was called by God to be a leader to God's people.

QUESTION: By man's standards, was Moses a good choice to lead the Israelites? Why or why not?

       By man's standards Moses was a most unlikely leader. He was a murderer (Ex. 2:11-12). Moses, himself was a reluctant leader and tried on a number of occasions to refuse God's call to leadership over the people of God. (Ex. 3:11; 4:1, 10)

ACTION: Read Ex. 4:19-20

QUESTION: What is the sign of a true Spiritual leader according to this text?

       A  true spiritual leader obeys God.

QUESTION: From the following texts determine whether Spiritual leaders are made or born.

        -In Num. 11: 1-25 Moses learned  from God that it was necessary to delegate leadership.
        -He chose leaders who were already known to be leaders in the tribes.
        -He chose these men and they stood together to lead Israel.
        -Moses acknowledged in the lives of these leaders, what was already present, leadership
             -potential given from God and displayed in their lives.

Made or Born?

  -Moses was not a reluctant trainer of leaders. He took this responsibility very seriously.
  -Moses encouraged his potential leaders. (Deut. 1:37)
  -Moses built up his potential leaders by strengthening them, by challenging them and by preparing them to take the lead in his
    place. (Deut. 3:28; 31:7)

Made or Born?

 -Moses' leadership style can be seen in his relationship with Joshua, son of Nun.
 -Joshua was Moses' servant from a very early point in his life. ( Num. 11:28)

Made or Born?

 -God had called Joshua to leadership (Num. 27:18).

Made or Born?

 -The leadership of both Moses and Joshua show a remarkably similar style.
 -Joshua did as Moses did. (Joshua 3:5)

Made or Born?

 -God was with Joshua as He was with Moses. (Joshua 3:9).

Made or Born?

 -Moses spent time with Joshua. Joshua was there to see what Moses did as a leader.
 -Moses gave Joshua responsibility while Moses observed.
 -Finally, Moses commissioned Joshua to lead independently.

Made or Born?

QUESTION: With all this taken into account, are Spiritual leaders made or born?

       Born by God then developed by a combination of the HS, other leaders and experience.

QUESTION: What are the implications of this for leadership selection in the local church?

      -Spiritual leaders are not elected, appointed or created by a congregational  vote.
      -Spiritual leaders are not made by filling an office or taking a course.
      -Spiritual leaders are made by God alone. When God's eye finds a person qualified to lead, God anoints that person with
       the HS and calls them to a special ministry. (Acts 9:17;   22:21)

       We can lead others only as far along the road as we ourselves have traveled. Merely pointing the way is not enough. If we are not walking then no one can be following and we can not be leading.