LEADERSHIP IN THE CHURCH

The proficiency of any organization, either secular or church is based on the managerian spirit of the leader. Before we get started, let's define leadership.

Leadership according to wikipedia encyclpedia is defined in two ways:
a. those entities that perform one or more acts of leading
b. the ability to affect human behaviour so as to accomplish a mission designated by the leader,

However, leadership is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and direct the organization (church) in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent. Leaders carry out this process by applying their leadership attributes, such as beliefs, values, ethics, character, knowledge, and skills.

One may ask, are these attributes mentioned above required in church leadership? yes! In prov 4:1-7 we were admonished as christians to get wisdom and understanding. So leaders in the church need more than these to lead.

We are in an age where knowledge is ever increasing. The foundation of the earth, the setting of the heavens the dividing of the cloud, and the dropping of the dew all came to be by wisdom, understanding and knowledge (prov 3:19-20).

Leadership in the church is more practical than that of the secular world.

Jesus called them together and said " you know that the rulers of the gentiles lord it over them, and their officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever want to great among you must be your servant and whoever want to first must be your slave just as the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many "(Matt 20:25-28, Mark 10:42-45, and luke 22:25-27).

Jesus described leadership from a new perspective in the above verses.

Jesus mission was to serve others and to give his life for them. Instead of using people, we are to serve them . A real leader has a servant heart. servant leaders appreciate others worth and realize that they are not above any job.

The New Testament church had various leaders (Eph 4:11-16) who serve members through the word and through physical services. God puts in the body as he wishes, all for the common good. He has give church leadership roles to help the church function in its upward, outward, and inward responsibilities.
QUALITIES OF CHURCH LEADERS
Ref: 1Pet 5:1-4, 1Tim 3:1-13, 3:1-10

Eight of paul's qualification for effective leadership has to do with the character and behviour of the leader.
Having said this, we now look into some qualities of a christian leader.

1. Temperate: Temperate has to do with the control of your spirit -- temperament. A leader must know when rebuke should end and encouragement starts. He encourages people, but knows when encouragement needs to give way to rebuke.

2. Respectable: You earn respect, not command. When we talk of respect today, people see that person as a person in high authority.

A respectable person knows how to give things to people without putting them under obligation to him. He knows how to make request of people without insulting them.(Read Prov 3:3-4, 22:1)

3. He has the word: The meaning of a message is the change which it produces in the image. II Tim 2:15 admonishes us to study and show ourselves approved. If you don't have the word of God in you, what will you give to those you are leading?

Among other things a leader should have is the holy spirit. Paul who is a role model in leadership was a man of the Holy spirit.

Before the disciples could launch out, they where empowered by the Holy spirit for service.

A christian leader who does things with his own understanding will fail. Remember, by the arms of the flesh shall no man prevail.

Belove having said these shall we examine ourselves to see the kind of leaders we are? Know that we can only grow as a church by know when an how each member does his or her work or service.

Infact leaders and the led work together for the same purpose: maturity in christ.