Pathway Leadership expectations

We've discussed leadership in many ways, either through this blog or in our Sunday meetings. We've looked at Acts chapter 6 to gain insight into how leadership works in the church. In this post I'm going to sum things up and draw some conclusions about the importance of understanding leadership for Pathway Church.

Leaders take responsibility

The essence of leadership is taking responsibility.  Unless someone takes responsibility to do what needs to be done in order to build a successful church then nothing will happen.  Things that are broken won't get fixed, change that needs to happen won't, a desired future will never be reached.  We're going to be working on the spiritual life of the church, how a church assimilates newcomers, what ministries are needed, reaching outsiders, and church finances.  These are five of the most important activities a church our size should focus on. However, without successful leadership, how can these tasks be prioritized, evaluated, and implemented successfully? So add leadership to that list of the most important things.

Do you desire to lead? Do you want to have influence? That doesn't happen without embracing responsibility.

Leaders willingly give up freedoms

As we move up the leadership ladder and as responsibility increases, leaders understand that they must lay aside some typical "rights" or freedoms of those who haven't taken the mantle of leadership.  As leaders we realize that though we may have the right to do certain things, in order to influence toward the success of the organization that we're responsible for, we give up some of those freedoms.  As the pastor, I give up the freedom to sleep in on Sundays, I give up my freedom of choice regarding giving, regarding drinking alcohol, of choosing to rant on facebook.  I give up the freedom to choose whether or not I'm going to use my gifts in ministry, whether I'm going to be an active worshipper or not, or whether I should greet a newcomer to our church.  I'm a leader in a pentecostal church.  That means its leaders give up the freedom to be anything else but pentecostal. We have a mission and a vision that as leaders we take responsibility for. Therefore we give up some freedom to knowingly act in a way that might hinder the success of that which we represent.

If you expect to lead here at this church, to have real influence, then you're going to have to give up some of the rights you exercised before you took on the responsibility of leadership.

Leaders are faithful and accountable

Faithfulness is simply doing what you said you'd do.  It means fulfilling the obligations to which you have agreed and to be willing to be held accountable for them. It's implied in Acts chapter 6 that the leaders they choose should be ones who'll actually get the job done.

Leadership fails if it is not faithful.  As leaders at Pathway we need to keep our word and be willing to be held accountable, rather then get offended and attempt to justify ourselves when we begin to lack this quality.  Are you faithful? Do you keep your word? Do you fulfill the obligations you've agreed to?

Leaders are unified around the mission, vision, values, and strategies of the organization

Acts chapter 6 reveals a unified congregation.  The congregation is one that understands the mission, vision, values, and strategies of the Apostles and so is willing to solve the problem in a way that is ultimately going to help the church increase in number and grow in maturity.  Congregational leaders have the great power and responsibility to come alongside and co-labor with the apostolic ministry to help complete the mission.

The job of leaders isn't just to maintain, fix, and watch over.  The job of leaders is to make sure the mission and vision get fulfilled.  Once the mission and vision are made clear, leadership works to turn into reality.

Are you a leader? Are you in unity with the mission, vision, and strategy of the church? What are you doing to help turn those things into reality? Or are you constantly shutting down movement forward due to fear, your comfort zone, or a lack of faith?

Leaders take responsibility for the presence of God

Church life begins and consists with a God relationship.  God's manifest presence is realized during our public church services because leaders meet Him in private.  They bring God with them.  In class we talked about the word Mississippi meaning "a gathering of waters." That powerful and resourceful river doesn't just appear out of nowhere, it's a result of many smaller streams and rivulets that ultimately end up gathering together to form a powerful, rushing, life-giving river. God's presence and power in our church is much the same way.  The spirit of God only moves like a rushing river because leaders understand that they are a little stream or rivulet of God's spirit because they have a living personal relationship with Him.  Jesus said, "Out of the believer's heart will flow rivers of living water, welling up into eternal life." As leaders allow God's spirit to live in and move through them personally, then when they gather together for a public worship service those combined "little rivers" of His spirit can become a mighty rushing river of God's power to change lives.

So when leaders opt out of public worship services, when they decide not to engage in worship, or when they don't guard their personal relationship with God, then the public service is impacted in a negative way.  Who will worship if not leaders? Who will bring or seek God's presence if not leaders?

How's your personal relationship with God? Do you guard you time with him? How's your attendance at our church public services, prayer meetings, or leadership meetings? Do you take responsibility to engage in the worship service when you're given the opportunity?

Conclusion

The bible reminds us that leadership is an honorable endeavor.  God blesses us with this gift for our benefit.  Yet many are striving to have influence over others without understanding, much less putting into practice those qualities that make good leadership. Real influence is an automatic result of practicing true leadership principles.  Let's be the best we can be.  If not leaders than who?