What is Your Philosophy on Leadership?

What is your philosophy on Leadership?

Similar to Moses, pastors interpret and facilitate God’s vision for the people.  They assume requisite authority to fulfill the vision.  A strong pastorate is essential to successful ministry in the local church.  Arguably, the growth of the early New Testament churches emerged from the formidable leadership of godly leaders who rightly divided the Word of God and implemented, with the assistance of the Diaconate, the vision of Almighty God for each of those communities of faith.

Elders and Deacons serve as the spiritual leaders within a church.  They bear primary responsibility for assisting the Pastor in serving the needs of the congregation.  Positions on the Consistory are service oriented ecclesiastical ones not honorific.  A good working relationship between a Pastor and Elders and Deacons is critical to the success of the church’s ministry.  As I state in a separate vision document, “Ministry That Matters in the Lives of People,” it is very necessary for a Pastor and lay leaders to spend quality time together in quarterly training sessions.  There, they learn about each other’s faith journeys, listen to each other’s life stories and build trust in each other.  Effective ministry grows out of trustworthy and respectful relationships.  As a Pastor is God’s under shepherd who serves the congregation, Elders and Deacons as servant leaders assist him in his responsibilities.

As 1 Peter 2:4-12 dictates, we believe in the priesthood of all believers.  All lay members have a tri-fold ministry: (1) marriage and family, (2) service within the Church and (3) outreach to the world.  It is incumbent upon each disciple to seek the Holy Spirit regarding his spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12 and 14 and Romans 12).  Each layperson cultivates these gifts through Christian education and daily practice of spiritual disciplines.  He then utilizes those gifts to honor and glorify Almighty God and serve the Church and the world.

With regard to church governance, I adhere to the traditional standards of The Book of Church Order of The Reformed Church in America Inc.  In many instances, the Holy Spirit’s expresses His will through a majority vote of the Consistory or congregation.  These votes are the final arbiter of decisions within local church ministry.  However, the routine administration of a local church occurs through collaboration of the Pastor and Consistory as it pertains to spirituality, direct service, fiscal affairs, stewardship and physical plant.  I reiterate the necessity of avoiding the counterproductive tendency to utilize corporate, academic and governmental methods in the structure and functions of a local church.  While these entities can provide helpful insights, they cannot replace the practical wisdom of the Holy Scriptures.  The Bible provides enduring and unimpeachable models for effective church governance.