Church leadership is complicated. It must start with acknowledging that Jesus is the Chief Shepherd and ultimate head of the body (Eph 5:23). He’s in charge, and those who lead God’s Church must submit to Him in all we do.
All leaders want the flocks in their care to grow in numbers. In some churches, the quest for the latest idea or new program is often just a means of circumventing a vastly more important issue that must never be overlooked. Is there sin in the body? Is there danger to the flock? Paul's farewell words to the Ephesians elders said this… "Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Acts 20:28-31
No matter what, be champions of Holiness. Teach by example... by living holy lives. Holiness is beneficial now, for the journey ahead and essential for eternity. All the flock including its leaders are to be Holy as God is Holy.
Be shepherds of the flock. What did ancient shepherds do? They fed flocks with a view to sustaining them on the journey. They did not gorge them. They tended sick sheep with a view to making them stronger. They did not tend them in such a way that they actually became fatter and more helpless. They carried crippled sheep. They did not carry healthy ones.
Elders... evaluate what you are doing in the name of shepherding. What things produce stronger believers? What things are you doing that may inadvertently be locking people in their weaknesses? Shepherds must love and nurture, but they must also explain to the sheep how growth is measured. It’s not always in the numbers.
Leadership is about sharing God’s vision and motivating the flock to move towards our common goal. YOU must have a clear sense of mission and direction. If you don't know where you are going, it doesn't matter which path you are taking, and the flock will feel abandoned.
Be a servant leader. To what end do you shepherd? Do what God has commanded... seek lost souls...preach the Gospel with courage and boldness... feed His sheep, teaching them skills for holy living... live and lead as “light” a beacon of hope for a broken world.
