Biblical Eldership Church Leadership

Servant Leadership

Paul’s servant display of his apostolic authority was, however, mis understood by many Corinthians, which shows how difficult it is to understand godly humility. Some of them even considered him to be weak and cowardly (1 Cor. 4:18-21; 2 Cor. 1021-11). But, as the life of Jesus Christ clearly demonstrates, humility is not weakness or cow ardliness. Jesus was humble and gentle, yet He taught vast crowds, faced grueling intellectual debate, taught with great authority, and con fronted with scorching criticism the hypocritical, religious clerics of His day. In righteous anger, He took a whip and drove the moneychangers out of the temple. Humility is not a symptom of weak— ness or incompetence, but of true self—understanding, godly wisdom, and self-control. The humble servant, Paul, was a strong, brave warrior and leader for Christ. He served God and cared for His people with all his might and zeal. During his life he faced many conflicts, debates, and struggles. The man who could say that he “served the Lord with all lowliness of mind” handed over an impenitent believer to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, struck the false teacher Elymus with blindness, rebuked Peter and Barnabas for their hypocrisy, and stood bravely before Ro man courts and judges. Despite the many problems he confronted, Paul consistently responded to his brethren in humility and love. He knew that acting in pride would make things worse and divide God’s people. That is one reason why Paul’s letters, as well as those of Peter, John, and James, are supersaturated with commands concerning love, pa tience, kindness, prayer, forgiveness, gentleness, and compassion. Elders are to be servant leaders, not rulers or dictators. God doesn’t want His people to be used by petty, self-serving tyrants. Servant el ders have chosen a life of service on behalf of others. Like the servant Christ, they sacrifice their time and energy for the good of others. Only elders who are loving, humble servants can genuinely manifest the incomparable life of Jesus Christ to their congregations and a watch ing world. A group of elders, however, can become a self—serving, autocratic leadership body. Thus Peter, using the same terminology as Jesus, warns the Asian elders against abusive, lordly leadership: “nor yet as lording ELDERS AS SERVANT LEADERS

95