Week 50 James 5
I tend to focus on things that interest me in my bible reading. I have a sort-of built- in Personal Attentiveness Modulator that – for-better-or-worse – influences my degree of concentration. So for instance when I come to a passage related to church leadership I’m less absorbed.
But Peter’s comment about leaders & influencers caught my attention. People at the head-of-the-pack should be exercising oversight not under compulsion, but willingly…not for shameful gain, but eagerly…not domineering those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.
So three things in this short list (each one with a negative followed by a positive):
• Not under compulsion…but willing
• Not for monetary gain…but eagerly
• Not by being a boss…but by being an example.
The first two would be tough calls for an outside observer to make definitively (the leader himself would be the best judge of those). On the other hand the third one would be publicly identifiable. A top-down leader’s true colours show up soon enough. Leadership by domination. He knows what he wants…and people can get on-board.
I don’t think Peter is arguing for one kind of management style or organizational set-up. Good leadership is the point. Peter’s saying that a leader should be an exemplar. A role-model.
A good church leader is someone who is personally developing good success at living less like himself and more like Christ. And people can see it.
Note: quote from 1 Peter 5:2-4 (ESV)