Biblical Eldership Church Leadership

Paul 's Letters to the Churches

best thing a congregation can do for its leaders is to love them. Love (and only love) suffers long (1 Cor. 1324,6). Love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 428). In his remarkably penetrating booklet, The Mark of the Christian, Francis Schaeffer reminds us that the real issue to be dealt with in most of our conflicts is not the issue at hand but our lack of Christlike love toward our fellow Christians: I have observed one thing among true Christians in their differences in many countries: What divides and severs true Christian groups and Christians—what leaves a bitterness that can last for 20, 30, 40 years (or for 50 or 60 years in a son’s or daughter’s memory)—is not the issue of doctrine or belief that caused the differences in the first place. Invariably, it is a lack of love—and the bitter things that are said by true Christians in the midst of differences.15 Love and esteem are due leaders “because of their work.” Leaders are not to be loved and esteemed because they are older men, hold special religious titles, have received an apostolic appointment, or have winning personalities. Rather, they are to be loved “because of their work.” This point is all too easily overlooked. Leon Morris, one of the most prolific biblical commentators of this century, ably captures the idea when he states: “A special kind of love within the brotherhood is love for the leaders; they are to be loved because of their work, not necessarily because of their personal qualities.”16 Caring for people’s problems, handling their seemingly endless com plaints, refereeing interpersonal conflicts, confronting sins, and en couraging people toward maturity in Christ is work indeed. It nearly buried Moses, a man of enormous strength and ability. So pe0ple need to understand that leading a church is tough work. Only a few people are able or even care to bear this weighty responsibility. Those who do it certainly deserve to be loved and, as Leon Morris wisely points out, followers have significant responsibilities in the leader-follower rela tionship:

It is a matter of fact that we are often slow to realize to this day that effective leadership in the church of Christ demands effective following. If we are continually critical of them that

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