FOREWORD BY

DAVID JACKMAN
RP HAKLE
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renee
eee, gee Ven, Se
Inter-Varsity Press
38 De Montfort Street, Leicester LEI 7GP, England

© Chua Wee Hian, 1987

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mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior
permission of Inter-Varsity Press.

Unless otherwise stated, quotations from the Bible are taken from the HOLY
BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, © 1973, 1978, 1984 by the
International Bible Society, New York. Published in Great Britain by Hodder
and Stoughton.

First published 1987

Reprinted 1988

Bnitish Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

Chua, Wee Hian

Learning to lead: Biblical leadership then
and now.
1. Christian leadership
I. Title
248.4 . BV652.1
ISBN 0-85110-772-9

Set in Times New Roman

Phototypeset in Great Britain by Input Typesetting Ltd, London SW18 8DR

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Christian Fellowship (formerly the Inter-Varsity Fellowship), a student move-
ment linking Christian Unions in universities and colleges throughout the United
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 CONTENTS

Foreword
Introduction
Portraits of leadership: servants 13
Portraits of leadership: stewards 25
Portraits of leadership: shepherds 31
Leaders as examples 47
The choice of leaders 59
Jesus the master trainer i
The inner life of leaders 2
The authority of leaders 101
Leaders and spiritual gifts 109
Working together io
A blueprint for growth 137
Handling crises 151
Leaders are human too! 162
Working with problem leaders 171
Affirming leaders 176
NR
mR Good endings
AWDANURWHOHDSOAWANAMAWNHS 184
Bibliography 191
 ”

WeOEWORD!)

In a day when conflicting styles of leadership are hotly debated

among Christians, Chua Wee Hian’s new book contributes a
much-needed perspective of biblical exposition to this vital
subject.
A powerful and cogent explanation of scriptural principles
and priorities, this book is enriched by a wealth of personal
experience, practical advice, warm, down-to-earth humour and
illustration.
No Christian called to leadership, whether in a student
group, a local church or Christian organization, experienced or
novice, could fail to benefit from this challenging yet sensitive
statement of the Bible’s neglected teaching on one of today’s
most misunderstood subjects. Buy it for your pastor or your
church officers; it’s a delight to read!

David Jackman
Minister of Above Bar Church, Southampton
 INTRODUCTION

One of my favourite pastimes at airports is to look at the books

that are for sale on their bookstalls. Romantic novels, spy-
thrillers and science fiction invariably occupy prominent
shelves. In recent months, however, books on leadership and
management have commanded prime space.
Prospective customers are tantalized by titles and blurbs on
book covers which promise to reveal the secrets or inside stories
of successful industrialists, entrepreneurs, generals and poli-
ticians. These eminent men and women tell their stories to
ghost-writers. The plot is often simple and straightforward.
They recount the odds stacked against them at the start of their
careers and how they floundered when they approached their
tasks according to the traditional patterns of management. They
couldn’t motivate people, they failed to reach their goals, and
if they were in the world of commerce, their sales figures were
pathetic. But then something ‘miraculous’ happened when they
latched onto a particular formula or approach. In their scrupu-
lous application of these new-found principles, they discovered
that they could surmount obstacles, rivalry and competition.
They reached the pinnacle of success and were now basking in
the sunshine of fame and recognition.
Their books have a moral for readers: ‘Follow my style of
leadership or my recipe for success and you too will reach the
top!’ People willingly part with their money because they are
curious to discover how these principles actually work and what
makes these celebrities tick. Perhaps they are also thinking
of their own situations: some are yearning to improve their
managerial skills; others are ambitious and want to scale the

8
 oO ree
i

es
ladder of promotion. These books on leadership hold out the
promise that all those who read them and apply some of the
methods described will become more effective leaders and
managers.
The Christian church today is also fascinated by the subject
of effective leadership. Here in the west, Christian publishers
are churning out numerous books on this theme. Some authors
despair over churches and Christian organizations that simply
run and repeat programmes year in year out without any clear
objectives. They rarely stop to review their activities and goals.
So these writers seek to awaken the semi-deaf army of volun-
teers by beating the drum of sound and efficient organization.
They are keen to get across the message of wholesome manage-
ment principles so that Christian fellowships will become more
effective in their service and outreach. The rediscovery of spiri-
tual gifts and every-member ministry leads some writers to
attack the one-man-band approach to leadership. They main-
tain that there is a vast untapped reservoir of potential among
lay people, who should be encouraged to exercise their talents
in direct spiritual ministry. As we read their books, we come
across chapters and charts that help us to identify our own gifts.
At the same time, they offer leaders ‘know-how’ on simple
principles of management such as setting goals, implementing
objectives, delegating tasks, writing job descriptions and under-
standing the dynamics of working as a team.
Now these books on Christian leadership have tremendous
value and they are written to redress particular areas of weak-
ness in our churches and Christian organizations. They are
profitable to read and we like finding out how we can solve
certain organizational problems and picking up useful hints on
planning. But many assume a certain framework of operations
and the availability of paid staff and up-to-date office
equipment.
An African pastor friend of mine was recently flown at great
expense to the United States to attend two seminars on leader-
ship. He showed me the files of material that he had collected
and the books on Christian leadership and management that
he had purchased. But he lamented rather ruefully, ‘I don’t see
how I could possibly streamline and run my church in Kenya
9
in that way. I don’t even have a secretary! If I were to try to
implement the things I have learnt, it would mean retraining
my members to function as mid-west American church-goers!’
Being a sharp theologian, he went on to make the point that
some of these Christian books on leadership were simply
echoing secular books on management and ‘baptizing’ certain
principles with proof texts from Scripture. That led us to ask
a rather primary question: Is there a biblical agenda for leader-
ship? Or to put it another way, are there timeless principles of
spiritual leadership that are valid for all cultures? In the training
of leaders, do we simply teach them skills and make them
aware of the dynamics of corporate leadership, or is there more
to it than that?
Over the years, I have been invited to Aesat conferences
and consultations for leaders in every continent. I have always
been stimulated by these sessions with pastors, missionaries,
student workers, student leaders and lay leaders. I have tried
to allow God’s Word to set the agenda on this crucial subject
of spiritual leadership. Often we have been amazed by the
ways in which biblical insight and patterns of leadership have
challenged our own styles and assumptions about leading God’s
people.
Learning to lead is an attempt to look at the biblical perspec-
tive of Christian leadership. Much of the material originally
formed part of expositions and talks. I have been encouraged
to set it down in writing by the feedback that I have been
receiving from leaders in different parts of the world. My prayer
is that when you read these chapters, you will think through
them and check the principles expounded with the Scriptures.
It is essential that we learn to lead God’s people in his way,
and with his wisdom and strength.

Acknowledgments
Writing a book these days can no longer bea private enterprise.
I am indebted to a host of colleagues and friends who have
helped me-in the writing of this book.
First, I would like to thank the International Fellowship of
Evangelical Students for granting me four months’ sabbatical

10
 ae ta Sh ee 8!

;
e
? e ,a

- to read, reflect and write on the theme of leadership.

My personal secretary, Miss Sarah Dudley-Smith, has faith-
fully transcribed numerous tapes, helped with basic research
and was fully involved in the revision of the original drafts.
I am also grateful to my wife, King Ling, and to our three
sons, Andrew, Daniel and Stephen, for their encouragement
and suggestions. They have helped me to improve my presen-
tation in several chapters.
Dr Sue Brown, IFES Training Secretary, kindly found time
in her busy life to read through the manuscript, and offered
invaluable advice.
Finally, I would also like to thank the editorial team of Inter-
g
Varsity Press for their encouragement and patience in workin
with me over this manuscr ipt.

11
 Chapter One
PORTRAITS OF LEADERSHIP:
SERVANTS —

Imagine you had been asked to design the cover for this book.
What picture or symbols would you have used to convey the
idea of leadership?
In 1981 I was in Brazil, conducting a series of workshops
on spiritual leadership. The participants were mainly Brazilian
students who were leaders of their Christian fellowships. At
our first meeting I asked them to design a crest or logo on
leadership. The best design was going to be immortalized on a
tee-shirt. They came back with various emblems illustrating
crowns, sceptres, shields, swords, lion heads and scrolls. There
was a regal quality in all the motifs. I was impressed by the
stamp of authority which was so evident in their handiwork.
The winning design would proudly grace a tee-shirt and there
would be no shortage of buyers!
These student leaders did not consult a thesaurus. I did.
Under ‘leadership’ the synonyms included: authority, control,
effectiveness, superiority, supremacy, skill,
administration,
capacity and power. I cast my eye at the word ‘leader’. The list
was most impressive: general, commander, director, manager,
execu-
head, officer, captain, master, chieftain, governor, ruler,
tive, boss and brains. Both lists dovetailed with the crests prod-
uced by the students.
We then studied Luke 22:24-27:
was
Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them
kings of
considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, ‘The

13
 4
the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise auth-
ority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not
to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be
like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who
_ serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the
one who:serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I
am among you as one who serves.’

The disciples were at it again! There they were on the eve of

Christ’s crucifixion, arguing about who would be the greatest.
They were expecting Jesus the Messiah to inaugurate a new
kingdom. Naturally they wanted to bag the plum posts. But
Jesus must have shattered their dreams and ‘silenced their
quarrel with these incisive words: ‘ “The kings of the Gentiles
lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them
call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that” ’
(verses 25-26).

The servant-Lord
There is a striking contrast between worldly leadership and
spiritual leadership. Christ knew that political rulers wielded
immense power. Their subjects had to submit to their authority.
As leaders, they could throw their weight around. But at the
Same time, they craved popularity. They wanted to play the
role of benefactors, so they liberally dispensed privileges. One
thing is clear: leaders formed the apex of the hierarchical
pyramid.
‘ “But you are not to be like that.” ’ In God’s kingdom
there is a radically new pattern of leadership: the first serve.
Leadership is servanthood.
To reinforce this new order, Jesus asked this question: ‘ ‘‘For
who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who
serves? Is it not the one who is at the table?” ’ (verse 27).
No
marks for the right answer! The guest at a banquet and the
patron in a restaurant are treated with honour. They
are
attended by waiters. The privileged guests breathe the
air of
greatness.
You can almost hear the hush as Jesus announced,
‘ “But I

14
am among you as one who serves 33a: (verse 27). He assumed
the role of a servant. Christ is the servant-Lord, and this is not
a contradiction in terms. He uttered these unforgettable words,
‘ “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to
serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” ’ (Mark 10:45).
The Fourth Gospel records for us the moving scene of Jesus
washing the feet of his disciples: .

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his
power, and that he had come from God and was returning
to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer
clothing, and wrapped a towel round his waist. After that,
he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’
feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around
him (John 13:3-5).

Here the Lord Jesus undertook the role of the lowest slave. It
was an act of love and humility. The dusty, dirty feet of his
disciples needed washing. But there was no house-slave around
so Jesus performed the task. How embarrassing! We can almost
see the dozen red faces as he knelt to wash their feet.
What an unforgettable visual lesson on service and humility!
But it wasn’t just an acted parable. Christ reminded the Twelve:

‘Do you understand what I have done for you? . . . You call
me “Teacher” and “‘Lord’’, and rightly so, for that is what
I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your
feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you
an example that you should do as I have done for you. ..
Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you
do them’ (verses 12-15, 17).

Jesus has established once and for all the foundation of spiritual
leadership. The essence of leadership is service. Spiritual
leaders are called to serve God and his people. This is non-
negotiable. Christian leaders are expected to put this into prac-
tice: ‘ “You will be blessed if you do them” ’ (verse 17).

15
Emblems of leadership
After studying these passages, the Brazilian students had to
redesign their crests and logos. The revised versions incorpor-
ated the ordinary symbols of a towel and a basin of water, or
figures kneeling in service. But we faced a problem. Suppose
these emblems of service and humility were transferred to tee-
shirts, how many people would have purchased and worn one?
Would you?

Leaders as servants
The apostle Paul is universally recognized by Christians as an
outstanding leader in Christ’s church. But in his life and
ministry he’ repeatedly described himself as a bond-slave of
Jesus Christ.
We know that Paul was a Roman citizen and he took pride
in his citizenship (see Acts 16:37-38). He rejoiced in his
freedom. Yet he deliberately chose the word doulos to describe
his position. He was Christ’s bond-slave (e.g. Romans 1:1;
Philippians 1:1; Titus 1:1). Paul had been commissioned by the
risen Christ to be an apostle. He was invested with spiritual
authority (see Romans 1:1, 5; Galatians 1:1). He established
numerous churches and was one of the recognized leaders of
the infant church. And yet he wanted everyone to know that
he was a slave of Jesus Christ. He had no rights. All he was
and all he had were at his Master’s disposal. Thus his ministry
was always Christ-centred (e.g. Philippians 1:20-21). He was
eager that he and his team members should always be regarded
as servants of Jesus Christ.
I have preached in many churches and chapels in England.
One popular text which is often inscribed on the main wall of
evangelical churches, usually behind the pulpit, is 2 Corinthians
4:5. In most cases only half the verse is quoted: ‘We preach
Jesus Christ as Lord’ — the central proclamation of our.faith.
Now if there was limited wall space, we could understand
the reason for only painting six words. But most church walls
are massive! The full text reads:

16
 ; er

For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord,

and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

Christ is the main subject and object of our preaching. We are

not to draw attention to ourselves. At the same time, however,
our text clearly tells us that there should be a double procla-
mation — preaching Christ, and also ‘preaching ourselves as
servants (Greek doulous) for Jesus’ sake’. The full text
combines the Lordship of Christ and the servanthood of his
representatives. If our proclamation of Christ as Lord is backed
up by our ministry as servants, the gospel will spread more
effectively.
I find it relatively easy to pay lip-service to the concept of
leaders as bond-slaves of Christ. But we live in a generation
that glories in rights. We are taught to fight for our indepen-
dence. We prefer to be our own bosses. In practice it is very
difficult to hand over all we are and have to Jesus Christ.
My predecessor, the late Mr C. Stacey Woods, loved to
tell the story about Dr Alexander Clarke. He was a medical
missionary who worked in the Belgian Congo, as it was then
called. One day he and a party of hospital attendants went
hunting in the jungle. They entered a clearing just in time
to see a lion attacking and mauling an African. Dr Clarke
immediately raised his rifle, took aim, pulled the trigger and
shot the lion. He and his men carried the wounded African
back to the mission hospital where he received urgent medical
attention and surgery. After a few weeks of recuperation he
returned to his village on the other side of the mountains.
Several weeks later, Dr Clarke was sitting on the verandah
of his bungalow when he heard a great commotion. There was
a cacophony of noise — the bleating of sheep and goats, and
the clucking and clacking of hens and ducks. He also heard the
loud chatter of human voices. Then he saw the princely figure
of an African leading a long procession of poultry, animals,
young children, and men and women carrying their possessions
on their heads.
Dr Clarke recognized the African. He was none other than
the man he had saved from the lion. The man ran towards
the doctor and prostrated himself at his feet. Then he spoke:
17
‘According to the law of our tribe, a man who has been rescued
from the jaws of a wild beast no longer belongs to himself; he
belongs to his rescuer.’ He stood up and went on: ‘All that I
have is yours. My hens and ducks, sheep and goats, my
servants, my children, my wives and myself — all are yours.
You are bwana (the chief) and I am your slave.’
The phrase, ‘a man who has been rescued from the jaws of
a wild beast no longer belongs to himself; he belongs to his
rescuer’, has a familiar ring. It echoes the words of the apostle:
“You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore
honour God with your body’ (1 Corinthians 6:19b—-20). When
we appreciate Christ as our redeemer-rescuer and his great love
in dying for us, we nail our rights to his cross. With gratitude,
we hand our lives and our gifts to him and commit ourselves
unreservedly to his service. Leadership begins at the foot of
the cross. And our continuing motivation to serve Christ and
others is governed by our understanding of Christ’s death and
by the time we spend ‘at the cross’.

Servants — for ministry

Another popular Greek word which is translated as ‘servant’
is diakonos. This word occurs some thirty times in the New
Testament, and its cognates diakoned (to minister) and
diakonia (ministry or service) are used in a further seventy
references. Originally diakonos was used of a table-waiter or
servant. The service rendered by Martha or Peter’s mother-in-
law is described as diakonia (see Luke 10:40; Mark 1:31). In a
passage which we considered earlier (Luke 22:27), our Lord
described himself as a table-waiter. The stress is on practical
service Or ministry.
This concept of ministry is underscored in the appointment
of the seven to distribute food to the Greek-speaking widows in
the Jerusalem church (see Acts 6). It does not equate leadership
simply with privileges and authority. It is functional. Keaders
are commissioned to serve others. The only sense of privilege
stems from God’s gracious calling. Writing of his own ministry,
the apostle Paul stressed that his leadership responsibility was
not based on self-commendation or references from dignitaries

18
j er
(2 Corinthians 3:1). He asserted that it was God who ‘made us
competent as ministers of a new covenant — not of the letter
but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life’
(verse 6). This awesome privilege should create in us the right
spirit in which to serve others in the fellowship of the church.

Servants, not superstars

The church at Corinth had the wrong view of leadership. The
promotion of personality cults had led to quarrels and divisions
in the church (1 Corinthians 1:11-12). Some Christians idolized
Paul. After all, he had founded their church and was aspiritual
father to many of them (4:15). A second group rooted for
Apollos. They were captivated by his systematic and intellectual
preaching. Apollos came from the university centre of Alexan-
dria, and was a powerful apologist. The third party preferred
Peter. Wasn’t he the chief apostle? To them he embodied the
conservative element of the church — Paul and Apollos were
radicals by comparison! This group was eager to observe
customs and tradition and to be ruled by the letter of the law.
Then there was an extraordinary fourth party - ‘the Christ
party’. Its members were hyper-spiritual. Instead of working
for their unity in Christ, they made Christ a party leader. They
waved his banner and made themselves out to be by far the
best party. ;
How did the apostle resolve the divisions in the church? How
did he deal a death-blow to the shameful personality cults which
the Corinthians had created?
Theologically, Paul first reminded them of their unity in
Christ. Their allegiance was to Christ crucified, not to any
human leader (1:13). But Paul did not stop there. He was
anxious that the Corinthian Christians should be taught how to
view and relate to their leaders.
He castigated them for their immaturity and their worldly
way of treating leaders (3:1-4). Jealousy, quarrelling and the
promoting of personality cults are all out of keeping with Chris-
tian conduct. They were acting as ‘mere men’ and not following
the way of Christ. Paul went on to employ a rather derogatory
pronoun to describe Apollos and himself. Instead of saying,
19
‘Who, after all, is Apollos? And who is Paul?’, he deliberately :
chose the neuter pronoun ‘what’, as if to say, ‘What thing is
Apollos or Paul?’ (see verse 5).
Then he gave his definitive answer: ‘Only servants, through
whom you came to believe’ (verse 5). They were simply the
agents of their salvation — not the objects of their faith, or Paul
would have said, ‘in whom you came to believe’.
Paul explained that God assigns different tasks to his servants
(verses 5-9). Paul planted the gospel seed. Apollos watered it.
But it was God who made it grow. The servants played their
part in the Corinthian harvest, but only the Lord himself could
produce spiritual life. The amazing thing was that he chose to
work through his servants Paul, Apollos and Peter. We too are
‘God's fellow-workers’ (verse 9). Ultimately we are responsible
to him, and he is the one who will reward us for our labour
(verse 8).

Willingness to work under others

To ram his point home, Paul concluded his argument with these
words: ‘So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ
and as those entrusted with the secret things of God’ (1 Corin-
thians 4:1). The word translated ‘servant’ in this particular text
is not doulos or diakonos. Rather, it is the colourful term
huperetes, which literally means ‘under-rower’. In apostolic
times, slaves were employed to row large galleys across the
Mediterranean Sea. It was hard work in hot and dirty
conditions, and they had to obey the commands of their over-
seers. They were totally under the authority of their masters.
Leaders love to rule the roost. We will gladly assume
responsibility as the senior pastor, general secretary, director
or president. But it requires humility to serve in a team or to
take on.a ‘lower position’. Paul wanted the Corinthian Chris-
tians to think of him and Apollos as under-rowers — those who
were prepared to do the menial tasks and to submit to the
authority of other Christian leaders.

20
A close look at ourselves

We need to ask ourselves whether our pattern of leadership

reflects the biblical portrait of servanthood, or whether we are
being squeezed into the world’s mould.
The spirit of the age often creeps into the arena of spiritual
leadership. In the quest for excellence and efficiency, churches
and Christian organizations can unconsciously create a ‘super-
star’ image of their leaders. Christian books and magazines
have coined a new term for pastors of mega-churches and the
chief officers of Christian organizations: ‘the Christian execu-
tive’. Christian executives dress in a certain style, travel on
luxury airlines and drive exclusive cars. Even their offices are
designed by specialists.
One of my friends became the director of a large Christian
relief agency. He wasn’t the tallest of ‘executives’, being only
five feet six inches in height. His operations committee replaced
the existing secretary who was five feet eight inches tall with
someone who was five feet three! What mattered most was his
public image; he must not be ‘dwarfed’ by his assistant.
Superstar leaders have the power to hire and fire. Their
churches and organizations are run by teams of professionals.
Those who make the grade receive high salaries and expenses.
Those who fail are relegated to the sidelines.
When I was in California, I happened to be present when
the board chairman of a large church offered a friend of mine
the post of senior pastor. He refused, explaining that he had a
contract to honour with his present church. ‘That’s no
problem!’ announced the chairman in his broad Texan drawl,
‘T’ll take care of that. Ask your church board to name a price
and we’ll pay.’ I was flabbergasted. My friend just shook his
head in disbelief. He was being treated like 4 football star and
the board chairman was even prepared to negotiate a high
transfer fee so that the pastor could break his contract with his
church.
Some exponents of rapid church-growth theories advocate
the strategy of appointing a caudillo-type pastor — a strong and
powerful leader whom everyone looks up to. His word is law.
Committees are a waste of time. He never beats about the
21
bush but acts swiftly. He guarantees an increase in numbers. —
Unfortunately many Christians love being led by such an auth-
oritarian leader. They let him set the direction and pace. For
their part, they offer adulation and total obedience.
If we allow our leadership to be shaped by that school of
management, what room is there for mutual submission (see
Ephesians 5:21)? What about accountability to the Lord and
to one another, which is the hallmark of servant-leadership? In
promoting leaders to the premier league of superstars, are we
not falling into the same trap as the Corinthians? Moreover, the
leadership of these men can only thrive with the unquestioning
support of their followers. Are rank-and-file Christians simply
called to be loyal backers of an ecclesiastical superstar? How
do we reconcile this with the biblical teaching and practice of.
using our different gifts and talents to build up the body of
Christ?
Our standing as servants poses a daily challenge to ‘walk
humbly’ with our God (Micah 6:8b). He has no room for proud
and arrogant leaders. When we serve him with a sincere heart,
we will not boast of our gifts and talents. Neither will we glory
in spiritual experiences because we recognize that ail blessings
come from God. Humble leaders constantly rely on God. We
should not go our own way. Rather, we need the injunction of
Proverbs 3:6: ‘In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will
make your paths straight.’ This means prayerful dependence.
We must avoid the pitfall of thinking that we can solve every
problem and achieve every goal by ourselves. Our humility
should enable us to take our cue from the Lord:

As the eyes of slaves look to

the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maid look to
the hand of her mistress,
so Our eyes look to the Lorp
our God, S
till he shows us his mercy (Psalm 123:2);

It is often difficult to accept the servant’s place.

A student leader is wondering how to spend a particular

22
evening. He could invite a struggling young Christian round
for coffee. This would involve listening patiently to his ques-
tions and problems. He is aware that this brother needs a bit
of help and encouragement. On the other hand, he could spend
the evening with three of his fellow committee members. He
always enjoys their company and finds their conversation
stimulating. -
What does he do? First he prays. Then as he reflects on
biblical principles, he hears afresh Christ’s command to his
disciples to minister to others. The young Christian needs his
love and attention. So he lays aside self-interest and goes to
find him. In so doing, he experiences what it means to have
the mind and attitude of Christ in serving others (see Philip-
pians 2:3-8).

Servants, but also friends

As a summary of what we have considered so far, and as a
prelude to the next two chapters, let us take a look at the
following chart, drawn up by George Mallone of Canada
(Mallone 1981:86).

Secular Authority Servant Authority

‘Lord Over’ ‘Servant Among’

power base love/obedience base

gives orders under orders
unwilling to fail unafraid/model of
transformation
absolutely necessary expendable
drives like a cowboy leads like a shepherd
needs strength to subject finds strength in submission
authoritarian steward of authority
has gold, makes rules follows golden rule
seeks personal advanceme nt _ seeks to please master
expects to be served expects to serve

In serving Christ, we shall discover that he doesn’t remain

aloof. Nor does he simply issue orders for us to obey or treat
23
 friends’, Jesus said, ‘if you do what I ecteiaiaal Ino (oie
_ call you servants, because a servant does not know his mnSteE s
business. Instead, I have called you friends...’ (John
— 15:14-15). As his companions, he shares his plans and secrets -
with us. We are in royal company: there is joy and nobility in
being his servant-friends.
 Chapter Two
PORTRAITS OF LEADERSHIP:
STEWARDS —

The second set of portraits in the biblical gallery of leadership

depicts stewards. Some modern English versions of the Bible
translate oikonomos (Greek for steward) as ‘manager’ and
oikonomia (Greek for stewardship) as ‘management’ (see Luke
12:42; 16:1-3). Today we associate the profession of stewards
and stewardesses with the employees of airlines or ships who
attend to the needs of passengers. In Britain, stewards are
officers who monitor competitions such as Grand Prix motor-
liter-
racing and horse-racing. But the Greek word oikonomos
ally means a house-m anager. In New Testame nt times, wealthy
to
householders employed stewards to supervise servants and
slaves,
manage their domestic affairs. Stewards were normally
ders,
but they had earned the respect and trust of the househol
promote d them to position s of responsib ility.
who had in turn
I would
As we consider the biblical portrayal of leadership,
ghts the
like to emphasize the image of the steward. It highli
responsibilities of spiritual leaders.

Stewards as trustees
ates ‘stew-
First, stewards serve as trustees. J. B. Phillips transl
amplifies this.
ards’ as ‘trustees’ in 1 Corinthians 4:1. The NIV
ted with the
word-picture, describing them as ‘those entrus
secret things of God’.
sense of privi-
The position of trustee brings with it the twin
very conscious of
lege and responsibility. The apostle Paul was
25
 his privileged standing. He was entrusted with the ‘adminis- _
tration [literally ‘stewardship’] of God’s grace’ (Ephesians 3:2).
This stewardship was associated with a mystery, the mystery of
Christ (verses 3-5). The apostle was excited that God had
delivered a special secret to him.
Now we normally associate the word ‘mystery’ with puzzles
or riddles. The Greek word mystérion has nothing to do with
hidden secrets into which devotees of popular mystery religions
had to be initiated. The mystery referred to in the New Testa-
ment is God’s open secret which he had revealed to the church.
John Stott makes this perceptive comment:

Originally, the Greek word referred to a truth into which

someone, had been initiated. Indeed it came to be used of the
secret teachings of the heathen mystery religions, teachings
which were restricted to initiates. But in Christianity there
are no ‘esoteric’ mysteries reserved for a spiritual élite. On
the contrary, the Christian ‘mysteries’ are truths which,
although beyond human discovery, have been revealed by
God and so now belong openly to the whole church (Stott
1979:116).

Paul rejoiced in the privilege of sharing God’s open secrets with

both Gentiles and Jews. They were ‘heirs together’, ‘members
together of one body’ and ‘sharers together . . . in Christ Jesus’
(Ephesians 3:6). These precious truths had been ‘revealed by
the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets’ (verse 5). It was
through God’s sheer love and grace that Paul was entrusted
‘to
preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable'riches in Christ’ (verse
8).
With privilege comes responsibility. Paul was so gripped
by
this glorious gospel that he was prepared to deny all his
rights
so that he could proclaim it widely (see 1 Corinthians 9:16-18
).
He felt keenly the weight of this responsibility: ‘Woe to
me if
I do not preach the gospel!’ (verse 16). 3
Being a trustee of God’s good news, he had to discharge his
obligation to preach to both Jews and Gentiles (Romans 1:14).
With deep assurance he stated, ‘I am not ashamed
of the
gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvati
on of
26
everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile’
(verse 16). Every leader should be thrilled by the privilege of
being a trustee of the gospel. God has committed to us a
dynamic message which can transform lives. As men and
women respond to God’s free offer of salvation in Christ, their
sins are blotted out, their guilt forgiven, and they enter into a
new relationship with the living God. -
But we can be irresponsible trustees. Instead of planning
ways of sharing this good news with others, we can waste
precious hours discussing and dissecting it to make it fit into our
neat theological pigeon-holes. Meanwhile, hundreds of people
remain in darkness, without God and without hope, and as
trustees of the gospel we are accountable to God. He will hold
us responsible if we neglect to share his love and power with
others.

Stewards as guardians
r
Second, stewards are guardians. Paul pressed his younge
was entrust ed
colleague Timothy, ‘Guard the good deposit that
in
to you — guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives
us’ (2 Timothy 1:14).
lic
This ‘good deposit’ refers to the gospel and the aposto
e. We are to
faith (see verses 8, 13). It is a priceless treasur
t God’s enemie s
defend it with our lives. We are to preven
custodians
from invading and robbing us of this treasure. Being
line of defenc e to
doesn’t mean that we should construct a
propa-
protect the gospel treasure. The apostolic faith has to be
will challe nge its
gated, and this often leads to conflict. Others
nd for the faith
validity and authenticity. So we need to ‘conte
that was once entrusted to the saints’ (Jude 3):
theological
Leaders today need to have clear biblical and
lic faith to be
convictions. We must never allow the aposto
alway s be valiant for
watered down or compromised. We must
Some will query
truth. Critics will cast doubts on God’s Word.
aim the truth and
its relevance to this age. Our task is to procl
be built up in their
expose error so that God’s people may
guard ians of God’s
faith. This is the duty of leaders as the
truth.
21
 Stewards as transmitters of apostolic teaching
Third, stewards are transmitters of apostolic teaching. Towards
the end of his life, the apostle Paul was eager for Timothy to
pass on his teaching to other reliable teachers. Let us listen to
his stirring words in 2 Timothy 2:2:

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of

many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be
qualified to teach others.

Christian leaders do not only guard the apostolic truth: they

must ensure its transmission. :
This truth, like the baton in a relay race, must be handed on —
from one generation of leaders to the next. We must recruit,
encourage and train others who will in turn teach and pass on
God’s revealed Word. The greatest tragedy is when a good ©
work ends or dies with a particular leader. Success without a
successor is failure.

Stewards as managers
Fourth, stewards are involved in management. God expects us
to plan and organize things for his people. This is reflected in
one of Jesus’ cogent sayings:

“Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master
will set over his household, to give them their portion of
food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his
master when he comes will find so doing’ (Luke 12:42-43,
RSV).

‘The master appoints the steward to manage his household.

As
leaders we cannot abdicate our God-given responsibility
to
ensure that God’s people are properly fed. And we need
to
think of ways and means whereby they can use their spiritua
l
gifts.
It is vital that we first take time to pray and then
plan how
to utilize the resources available to foster growth
in his
28
kingdom. We can’t avoid the over-all responsibility of managing
God’s people. Some might protest, ‘What if you haven’t got
administrative gifts? I’m a hopeless organizer!’ But God has
endowed his people with different gifts so some will have gifts
of administration (see 1 Corinthians 12:28). We can recruit
the help of these men and women in our management tasks.
Together we can set God-given directives and goals. We can
take stock of our resources and, with God’s enabling, seek to
fulfil his plans for our church or fellowship. Someone has said,
‘People never plan to fail. They simply fail to plan.’ Failure to
plan is an abuse of our role as managers.

Stewardship qualities
So far, we have considered the functions of stewards as trustees,
guardians, transmitters of the faith and managers. Stewards
also require certain essential qualities.
What are some of these qualities? In his letter to another
of his prominent workers, Titus, the apostle Paul gave this
guideline:

For a bishop, as God’s steward, must be blameless (Titus

1:7, Rsv, emphasis mine).

ted
In the Pastoral Epistles, the word episkopos (here transla
to
‘bishop’) means ‘overseer’. Originally, its use was limited
e
those who exercised leadership in the local church (Guthri
the
1961:79). Here we have a stringent quality expected of
er’
church leader. He must possess an ‘unimpeachable charact
went
(verse 7, NEB). High moral standards are expected. Paul
hospit-
on to declare, ‘Rather he [the spiritual leader] must be
ntrolled,
able, one who loves what is good, who is self-co
considering
upright, holy and disciplined’ (verse 8). We shall be
these qualities in further detail in chapter 5.
faithful
Stewards are also expected to be trustworthy and
-owne would
r
(Luke 12:42; see 1 Corinthians 4:2). No house
manager for
leave his family and estate in the hands of his
the man’s
a long period of time if he had suspicions about
‘
trustworthiness.
29
 The Lord requires us to be faithful in exercising our steward-
ship. We shouldn’t let others down. When we promise to attend
a meeting or perform aspecific task, unless there are excep-
tional reasons we should deliver the goods. A faithful leader is
one who has no credibility gap. His word is his bond. He
discharges his responsibilities with a clear conscience.
Our Lord also contrasted the faithful and wise steward with
the unfaithful and irresponsible one. The latter abused hisprivi-
leges by exploiting his fellow servants and getting drunk. When
his master turned up unexpectedly, the steward was severely
punished (Luke 12:45ff.). Christ holds us accountable for the
way in which we discharge our stewardship responsibilities. We
care for God’s people so we cannot be a law unto ourselves.
The Lord entrusts us, as stewards, with immense resources.
He equips us with leadership gifts. How solemn then are the
words of the Master:

‘Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be

required; and of him to whom men commit much they will
demand the more’ (Luke 12:48, rsv).

30
 Chapter Three
PORTRAITS OF LEADERSHIP:
SHEPHERDS

An artist would probably paint rather austere portraits of

duty,
servants and stewards. If he were to dwell on the idea of
A
he might portray them as faceless and obedient employees.
contemporary painter could easily develop the fashion able
s
theme of excellence in leadership. His sketches of steward
cold compet ence and
might show characters exuding a rather
However,
cultivated charm, working in clinically clean offices.
reflects
in any painting of a shepherd, his weather-beaten face
cannot paint a shepher d
care and concern for his flock. You
with his sheep. This
by himself — you will always find him
portrait evokes warmth and intimacy.

The eastern shepherd

is different
The eastern shepherd, as portrayed in the Bible,
r spend s consi derable
from his western counterpart. The forme
see him walki ng in front
time with the flock. You will always
10:34 ). By contra st, I
of his sheep (see Psalm 23:2; John
nd, and was treate d to
visited a farm in Raglan, New Zeala
erdin g skills. To my
an unforgettable display of ‘Kiwi’ sheph a
jeans and rode on Hond
amazement, the shepherds wore Levi
barki ng sheep dogs they
motorbikes! With the aid of two
the enclosure.
rounded up the sheep and drove them into
n sheep and only three
New Zealand has over seventy millio
sheph erds need high-
million people. Understandably, the
But this is a far cry
powered bikes to assist them in their work.
31
 from the oriental shepherd who sometimes spends day and 4
night with his flocks (see Luke 2:8).

The Lord is my shepherd

Whenever »we think of leaders as shepherds, our minds
naturally race back to Psalm 23, which many of us know by
heart. It begins with the reassuring statement, ‘The Lord is my
shepherd, I shall not want’ (verse 1, rsv). Perhaps you have
heard of the nervous schoolgirl who was struck by stage-fright
when reciting this psalm. She blurted out, ‘The Lord is my
shepherd. That’s all I want’! A genuine error, but it contained
tremendous biblical insight! ‘The Lord is my shepherd’: it is a
picture of intimacy and security. The sovereign Lord is no
distant deity. He enters into a personal relationship with his
people. As shepherd, the Lord provides food and rest for his
sheep (verse 2). He refreshes and renews us; he leads us in
prepared paths (verse 3). When we are wounded, he anoints
our heads with oil (verse 5). No wonder his people testify to
his goodness and mercy which accompany us on life’s journey
(verse 6).
Our hearts are further moved when we read the magnificent
pastoral imagery used to describe our shepherd-Lord:

He tends his flock like a

shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his
arms
and carries them close to his
heart;
he gently leads those that
have young (Isaiah 40:11).

Such is our God. He is a shepherd par excellence.

Good and bad shepherds

In Psalm 78:70-72, David is portrayed as the shepherd-kin
g.
He began life as the shepherd-boy, but God chose him
to be
32
his servant. The Mighty Shepherd had great plans for the young
shepherd from Bethlehem. Before long he was anointed and
crowned king. David’s task was to shepherd God’s people
(verse 71), and he ably carried out his pastoral responsibilities.
He had the right motivation for service — he ‘shepherded them
with integrity of heart’ (verse 72). He was also a competent leader
who led his people forward with skilful hands. Thus David
reflected the shepherd qualities of the Great Shepherd himself.
By contrast, we are shown round a portrait gallery of bad
shepherds. We see paintings of kings, political leaders and
prophets who misguided God’s people during the period before
the exile. The prophet Ezekiel uttered strong words of
denunciation:

‘Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of them-

selves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? . . . you
do not take care of the flock. You have not strengthened the
weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have
not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You
have ruled them harshly and brutally. So they were scattered —
because there was no shepherd, and when they were scat-
tered they became food for all the wild animals. My sheep
wandered . . . They were scattered over the whole earth, and
no-one searched or looked for them’ (Ezekiel 34:2-6).
the
These leaders were terribly irresponsible. God would judge
liked to butt and
shepherds and the ill-disciplined sheep which
of love, the
hurt other sheep (verses 7-10, 17-22). But out
his people:
Lord himself was also planning to step in and rescue
..
‘I myself will search for my sheep and... gather them.
. I will bind up the
I will tend them in a good pasture . .
injured and strengthen the weak’ (verse s 11-16) .

Messiah when
The prophet looked ahead to the age of the
t David , and he will
there would be ‘one shepherd, my servan
erd’ (verse 23).
tend them; he will tend them and be their sheph
n and minist ry of
These prophetic words point to the perso
Jesus, the Good Shepherd.
33
 Jesus the Good Shepherd
It is fascinating to note that in rabbinical writing, the occupation
of shepherd is bracketed with those of the hated publican and
the tax-collector. Shepherds were despised as rogues and
thieves. In fact, their testimony would not be admitted in a
court of law (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament Vol.
6 1967:488-489).
The shepherds who heard the angels on the first Christmas
Day probably suffered from this reputation. When Jesus
compares himself to a shepherd, John stresses that he was The
Shepherd — the Good Shepherd (John 10:11).
What can we learn from the picture of Jesus. as the Good
Shepherd? How can Christian leaders develop shepherd-like
qualities? How are we meant to relate to God’s people?
First, the shepherd knows each sheep by name (John 10:3,
14, 27). For Jesus, sheep are not all alike. He personally calls
each one by name. Leaders have no excuse for saying, ‘I am
hopeless at remembering names.’ If we are really concerned
about people, the least we can do is remember their names.
Business corporations and commercial enterprises do all they
can to inject a personal touch into their relationships with
clients. A customer once wrote a letter of complaint to the
manager of a large department store. His public relations
secretary immediately ‘typed a letter to pacify her. But the
secretary must have had an off-day because the note ended,
“We would like to assure you, madam, that we fake an
interest
in every customer.’ Striking the wrong key on a typewriter can
make afatal difference! The Lord’s interest in his people is not
faked; it is genuine. And he expects us to cultivate close
personal relationships with those whom we serve.
Second, the shepherd is always with his sheep. He is availab
le
when they need him. Christ is not a remote shepherd-lea
der,
who needs to be paged on some bleeper. Who can miss
the
beauty and the warmth of his words, ‘I am among yousas
one
who serves’ (Luke 22:27b)? Spiritual leaders should always
be
approachable. We must get alongside our people if we
are to
know and serve them well.
Third, the shepherd leads the flock. Christ the
Good
34
Shepherd always goes ahead of his sheep. He guides us to
pastures and water-holes. Let your imagination capture the
scene Jesus himself describes:

‘He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When
he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them,
and his sheep follow him . . . ’ (John 10:3b-4).

The spectacle of an eastern shepherd going ahead of his sheep

is still a common sight in Israel today. An Arab guide was once
showing a group of tourists around the Holy Land. On one of
their coach trips, he alluded to this tradition of the Palestinian
shepherd walking in front of his flock. While he was speaking,
the tourists spotted a man in the distance driving a small flock
of sheep with a rather menacing stick. Just as all schoolchildren
love to prove their teachers wrong, they pointed the figure out
to the guide.
He immediately stopped the bus and rushed off across the
fields. A few minutes later he returned, his face beaming.
He announced, ‘I have just spoken to the man. Ladies and
gentlemen, he is not the shepherd. He is in fact the butcher!’
Spiritual leaders, like eastern shepherds, have to lead the
way. Often we have to blaze the trail for God’s people. We
are expected to guide them to fresh pastures. We must direct
people to God’s Word and feed them by our teaching, and also
teach them how to feed themselves from the Bible. Moreover,
by going ahead of God’s people we will be the first to smell
danger so we can warn our people to beware of approaching
wild beasts (a metaphor for false teachers and heretics).
Fourth, the shepherd displays a deep concern for those who
are lost. Jesus told a simple parable of a shepherd who was
for
prepared to leave ninety-nine of his sheep so he could look
one that had strayed (Matthew 18:12-14; Luke 15:46). His
heart leapt with joy when he found the missing sheep. Leaders
are
who don’t possess a pastor’s heart might question, “What
a few lost sheep? Or backsliding Christians? Why spend
precious time wooing them back? Let them find out for them-
ministry,
selves the stupidity of leaving the fold.’ In his earthly
was dubbed ‘a
Christ associated with the social outcasts. He
35
 POL RS a

{
_ friend of tax collectors and “‘sinners” ’ (Matthew 11:19). For
him that was a compliment. Leaders today should always be in
the business of searching for the lost sheep, that is, those who
are alienated from God and need to be reconciled to him. We
are also to restore those who have lost their bearings and have
been side-tracked into the paths of sin.
Jesus was eager that his disciples, the future leaders of his
kingdom, should see the multitudes through his eyes. For them,
the crowd was simply a mass of people. For economists and
sociologists, it would have been just another statistic. Jesus saw
them differently: ‘They were harassed and helpless, like sheep
without a shepherd’ (Matthew 9:36). He was deeply moved by
what he saw: ‘he had compassion on them’. His shepherd’s
heart sought to reach out to them. Using a different metaphor,
Christ presented his disciples with another picture of the crowd:
‘ “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the
Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his
harvest field’’ ’ (verses 37-38).
Fifth, the shepherd protects the sheep. Sheep attract different
kinds of predators. Wild beasts like wolves attack and kill.
Birds of prey swoop on unsuspecting lambs and carry them off
as food for their young. Thieves and robbers are bent on snatch-
ing them from the fold (John 10:10).
Christ also referred to another group of men: hirelings. They
were paid to look after the flock, but in the face of danger they
would abandon the sheep (verse 12). Why? Because they were
only paid to do their job, so there was no intimate relationship
between them and the sheep. The welfare of the flock was
not
uppermost in their minds (verse 13). By contrast, the Good
Shepherd guards and cares for all the sheep. Spiritual shephe
rds
are called to exercise oversight. One of our primary functio
ns
is to guard God’s people from the frenzied attacks
of false
teachers.. They seek to harm Christians by their poison
ous
teaching. As leaders we need to warn our members against
the
wiles of Satan (see Ephesians 6:11). We must teach
them to
put on the whole armour of God so that they can
resist the
assaults of the Evil One (verses 11-18). And we must
expose
sin in all its forms. We have terrific responsibility as
guardians
of God’s flock.

36
 Sixth, the shepherd is prepared to die for the sheep. In John
10, Jesus the Good Shepherd disclosed his willingness to lay
down his life for the sheep (verses 11, 15, 17-18). This is the
acid test of leadership. Do we love the people under our care
so much that we are prepared to die for them? It is a sobering
test.
In times of persecution, we hear moving reports of loyal
pastors and Christian leaders who are prepared to go to prison
and sometimes even to die in order to protect their members.
One of the greatest phenomena of this age has been the growth
of the church in China. In 1951, when all western missionaries
were driven from the country, the Protestant church had a
million members. The Marxist authorities confiscated church
buildings and mission schools, and imprisoned leaders who
refused to undergo the ‘reforming’ of their thought, a
to a
euphemism for indoctrination. Physical persecution rose
new height during the Cultural Revolution (1966-75) .
On one occasion the notorious Red Guards incited the local
police to arrest the leaders of a particular house church. They
To
raided the house and arrested the preacher on the spot.
chorus of
their surprise, they were greeted with an unusual
the police to
protest. The couple who owned the house asked
himself forward
arrest them instead. The songleader pushed
and music
and declared that he was responsible for all the noise
ed the police
so he should be imprisoned. Other leaders implor
about a dozen
to arrest them and free the others. In the end
they began to
people were imprisoned! Once behind bars,
ded that they
witness to the other prisoners. The police conclu
d them!
were more dangerous in prison than out, so release
gh those fearless
Such stories could be multiplied. Throu
h in China has grown
witnesses, and others like them, the churc
years later, that
beyond all expectations. Today, thirty-five
church has around sixty million believers.
highlights the
The picture of Christ as the Good Shepherd
under -shepherds.
essential qualities of those called to be his
personal relationship
Like him, we are to cultivate a warm,
available to them.
with the people we work with. We must be
We should diligently
We are to guide and lead them forward. and
and backsliders. We must guard
seek the lost, sinners

37
 protect them. If necessary, we must be willing to die for them.

The fisherman who became a shepherd

Peter was a fisherman when he first met Jesus. Christ then
called him to be one of the Twelve — he would no longer be
catching fish, but men (Luke 5:10b)! The call of the sea and
the nets is something innate in fishermen. After the resurrec-
tion, Peter and his companions were feeling rather restless,
waiting for the risen Lord to appear to them again, so they
decided to go fishing. But the expedition was a failure. They
fished all night and caught nothing (John 21:3). When dawn
appeared, they heard the voice of Jesus, ‘Have you caught
anything?’ What an embarrassing question! He commanded
them to throw their nets on the right side of the boat. Rather
sceptically they did so and landed a huge catch. One hundred
and fifty-three whoppers, to be precise! That took some
beating! What a story to tell their friends!
When Peter and the others hauled ‘in their catch, they dis-
covered that Jesus had thoughtfully cooked breakfast for them.
After their picnic, Jesus the Great Shepherd took Peter aside.
Three times he asked his disciple, ‘Do you love me?’ Three
times the apostle answered, ‘Yes, you know that I love you’
(verses 15-17). After each affirmation of Peter’s love for him,
Christ gave three clear commands: ‘Feed my lambs’, ‘Take care
of my sheep’, and ‘Feed my sheep’. It’s true that he first called
Peter to fish for men, but he also charged him to exercise the
role of a shepherd-leader.
Christ calls leaders today to serve as his under-shepherds. He
commissions us to feed his lambs, that is, younger Christians.
C. H. Spurgeon reminded theological students that the Lord
calls pastors to feed his lambs and sheep, not his giraffes
!
Preachers have no business to present abstract theology to
their
congregations. We are to feed Christians with the milk
and
meat of God’s Word. It is our task to provide our people
with
a regular, balanced diet of biblical food. Christians will
only
grow if they are nourished by Scripture.
So how can we ensure that our members are well taught and
grounded in God’s Word? A diagram may help:

38
 LEADING
BIBLE STUDY

GROUP
BIBLE STUDY

BIBLE EXPOSITION

PERSONAL BIBLE STUDY

Level one: personal Bible study

Christians
Our primary responsibility is to encourage and teach
There is no substi tute for
to read the Bible for themselves.
d press home the glorious
daily, personal Bible study. We shoul
us throu gh his written
truth that the living God meets with
Script ures with a deep
Word. Christians will then search the
sense of expectation.
tian knows how
We shouldn’t assume that every young Chris
tians shoul d spend time
to read the Bible. Ideally, older Chris
to read, under stand and
with younger ones, demonstrating how
them to certai n tools or
obey God’s Word. We can introduce
and comme ntari es. These
aids, for example Bible dictionaries
backg round of the Bible
will help them to understand the
passages.
through the whole
Personally, I encourage Christians to work
, Searc h the Scriptures
Bible using the excellent study guide
39
 * 7
i,

(IVP, UK and USA). I urge them to set aside forty minutes

for their daily study. As they read through the selected passage
for the day, they have to answer several searching questions.
These help them to work through the text, as well as to apply
what they have learnt to their contemporary situations. To
prevent distraction, I have often recommended Christians to
record their findings in a notebook. They can then pray through
what they have discovered. The following questions help us to
apply Scripture to our daily lives: What have I learnt about
God today? What have I learnt about myself? Is there a sin to
forsake? A commandment to obey? A warning to heed? Are
there promises that I can claim? One good habit is to commit a
particular verse to memory and reflect on it throughout the day.

Level two: Bible exposition

God has gifted leaders so that they can prepare his people for
works of service (Ephesians 4:11-12). The ascended Christ has
endowed some with the gifts of pastors (literally shepherds)
and teachers. Various commentators have drawn our attention
to the absence of an article before ‘teachers’. This implies
that pastors and teachers formasingle group. Pastor-teachers
should be faithful Bible expositors. They should be the ones
who faithfully unfold and explain God’s Word. They are not
meant to ride their favourite hobby-horses, but rather to work
through the texts and books of the Bible. They must avoid the
temptation to take a text out of its context. They will faithfully
Seek to interpret texts or passages in their original settings
and then apply their timeless truths to current situations and
individual needs. It is through systematic preaching and
teaching that God’s people are nourished and built up.
Alas, too often preachers neglect the discipline of hard slog
(expository preaching requires careful and thorough study) and
impoverish themselves and _ their congregations. They may
choose a different text each Sunday, but as one bored sermon
critic put it:

Ten thousand thousand are their texts

But all their sermons one!

40
Peta

Not all leaders are Bible expositors. Not all are gifted teachers.
But every spiritual leader is responsible for providing whole-
some and basic spiritual food for his members. He may not be
the expositor but it is his responsibility to ensure that someone
is available to expound God’s Word with clarity and power.
What if leaders cannot find Bible expositors? I encountered
this problem when I was working with students in East Asia.
All the staff that I spoke to agreed that we desperately needed
Bible teachers. Popular preachers who could give pep de-
votional talks at the drop of a hat were two a penny. We also had
our fair share of evangelists who could hold an audience spell-
bound while explaining the gospel to them. But we could count
the number of good Bible teachers on the fingers of one hand!
So in the late sixties, our evangelical student movements in
East Asia decided that we had to grow our own Bible exposi-
tors. In Taiwan, the staff team of the Campus Evangelical
Fellowship embarked on a special study-training scheme. The
staffworkers in Taipei came to the student centre every morning
and devoted the first two hours of the day to uninterrupted
study of God’s Word and to prayer. They wouldn’t even answer
the telephone. Once a week, one of their number would
expound a selected chapter or passage from Scripture. The
others had all been studying the same passage and after about
the
forty minutes of exposition, the team would analyse
content
sermon. They offered constructive criticism on both the
of Bible teachers
and presentation of the message. Thus a group
emerged.
tions
Today, inexpensive cassettes of first-class Bible exposi
tors could profit ably
are readily available, and budding exposi
well- known teache rs.
listen to these, or to sermons given by
outsta nding series of
Inter-Varsity Press has also published an
Bible Speaks Today’
contemporary commentaries called ‘The
se expositions
series. These books contain model verse-by-ver
of various books of the Bible.
overview of
Young Christians in particular need to have an
Script ure. Systematic
God’s plan and purpose as revealed in
doctri ne. This is
exposition also introduces them to sound
e and disce rning
essential for building up strong, matur
Christians.
41
Level three: group Bible study
Ada Lum and Ruth Siemens once wrote, ‘A group Bible study
discussion is essentially a personal Bible study magnified . . .
Group discussion may be defined as cooperative thinking’ (Lum
and Siemens 1973:15).
_ Group Bible studies can take place in an informal atmos-
phere and Christians will benefit from mutual learning and
discovery. People learn best by participation, which is what
group Bible study is all about. The group is committed to
studying the set text. The leader will carefully frame questions
that will provoke people to study the text thoroughly, think,
raise questions and share their findings.
Here are some helpful guidelines for good-and creative Bible
studies. As ‘in personal study, we need to observe the text. We
should base our observation on facts. Then we have to interpret
particular statements or events. What did the writer mean when
he wrote that? What was the situation and environment of the
original readers? What was the writer trying to get across to
them? And then we need to apply the unchanging truths and
principles to ourselves today. This requires bridge-building.
The world of the Bible has to be bridged to the world of today.
Christians are always surprised by the relevance of God’s Word
to present-day problems and situations.

The case of Adrian

Adrian was a good friend of mine. He was converted during
his first year at university. I always remember Adrian for his
tremendous hunger for God and his Word.
When I first met him, he had been a Christian for only six
months. As I expounded the passage of Scripture, his eyes
sparkled and I could sense him drinking in God’s Word. After-
wards, he rushed up to me and said, ‘Wow! What a great God
we serve! It was mind-blowing to catch a glimpse of God’s
glory and grace in Isaiah 40’ — the passage I had preached on
that night. Later, over a cup of coffee, he spoke very warmly
of his friend Bob. It was Bob who had prayed for him and
taken him to the meeting where he had committed his life to
Christ. For nearly a month, Bob had met with Adrian three

42
: error tus

times a week to study the Bible — ‘He even taught me how to

pray’. And Bob had taken him to a lively church where he
could benefit greatly from the systematic Bible exposition.
Adrian was really excited about his personal Bible studies.
He was using the Scripture Union notes which Bob had
recommended. Then, in rather a charming and frank manner,
he told me, ‘I have been asked to lead the group Bible study
in my home in two weeks’ time. Will you please pray for me?’
He had been assigned a passage from the first half of Philip-
pians 4. Gillian, another member of his Christian Union, was
going to act as an ‘assistant leader’. She was an older Christian
and promised that she would keep the discussion going if
Adrian got stuck.
Two years later, I met Adrian at a student conference. I told
him that I had remembered to pray for him and wondered how
he had got on with the Bible study. ‘It wasn’t too bad. We had
one or two red herrings. Someone kept arguing about the
irreconcilable doctrines of predestination and human free will.’
Apparently they had almost been side-tracked into a theological
debate. But Gillian and others were able to steer the group
back to observe the basic principle of discussing the text.
Adrian mentioned that he had led a few more Bible studies
since then. One could tell that he was growing by leaps and
prob-
bounds. Yes, like everyone else he had had his share of
Word to his
lems and crises, but he had learnt to apply God’s
heart and life. He was allowing Scripture to shape his thinking
and behaviour. The wonderful thing about him was his capacity
to learn and to serve. And as he served, he grew.

Level four: discipling others

all nations
Christ commissioned us to make disciples of
to observ e all that he has
(Matthew 28:19) and to teach them
are involv ed in discipl e-
commanded us (verse 20). Leaders
ze others to
making. Thinking ahead, we also need to mobili
take part in this crucial ministry.
his life had
Adrian set a fine example. One could see how
study, Bible exposition
been changed through personal Bible
s. In his third year he
and participating in group Bible studie
43
_ was asked to lead an action group, which consisted of five other
members. This group met weekly, and Adrian was expected to
exercise pastoral care over each of the five. It was his task to
motivate them to witness to their friends. Together they held
evangelistic Bible studies where seekers could openly examine
the claims of Christ. These provided splendid opportunities for
Adrian to rally the action group members to pray for their non-
Christian friends. They were thrilled when two of their friends
became Christians.
Adrian allocated part of his busy schedule to nurture these
young converts. One of them had come from a broken home.
He had an enormous chip on his shoulder. It wasn’t always
easy to disciple him because of all his problems, but Adrian
began to prove the power of God’s Word in transforming the
attitudes and relationships of this new Christian, and increasing
his confidence in the Holy Spirit and in the Word of God.
One of our major tasks is to mobilize and equip people like
Adrian to minister to others.
It was an historic gathering. The apostle Paul had summoned
the elders or overseers in the Ephesian church to meet with
him and his band of co-workers at the seaport of Miletus.
There, in his stirring address, he unburdened his heart. He
shared his aims and objectives. He also issued this charge to
the Ephesian leaders: ss

‘Guard yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit
has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God,
which he bought with his own blood’ (Acts 20:28).

He entreated them to exercise their ministry as shepherds or

pastors, reminding them that their calling was one of immense
privilege. Leaders are shepherds of God’s redeemed people,
called to exercise their leadership within the sphere of his
church. This is no human institution: it is the church of God.
In order to be good shepherds, they first had to guard them-
selves. All leaders are vulnerable. We can be unfaithful. Satan
will seek every opportunity to pounce on us and try to
defeat
us. So we must be vigilant. We must also protect God’s people
as this is part and parcel of our role as overseers.

44
Beery

We need to guard God’s flock against heresy and falsehood.

Developing the pastoral imagery, Paul warned the Ephesian
elders of savage wolves that would ravage the flock. Heretics
and false teachers would deny and distort God’s truth. They
would even have their own following (verses 29-31). So he
issued his challenge: ‘Be on your guard!’
Christian leaders have to combat heresies. Heretics who
propound erroneous doctrines are often members of the
church. How are we meant to deal with them? We must expose
and refute them. Like the apostle, we should warn Christians
to steer clear of any deviations or distortions of God’s Word.
Positively, we should obey the apostolic injunction to preach
the whole will of God (verse 27) and never hesitate to ‘preach
anything that would be helpful’ (verse 20). Only the procla-
mation of truth can dispel heresy.

Shepherds, servants and stewards

We have already referred to the memorable occasion when the
Lord Jesus commissioned Peter to shepherd his people (see
John 21:15-17). The theme of shepherding stuck in the
apostle’s mind. Many years after the event, Peter exhorted his
fellow elders:

Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving

as overseers — not because you must, but because you are
willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but
eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you,
but being examples to the flock (1 Peter 5:2-3).

Shepherds serve: so too should we, with willingness and

enthusiasm. Service should not be motivated by money.
Leaders are not bosses: we are not to lord it over others.
be
Instead we are to be examples - a theme that we will
considering in the next chapter.
We can also detect the picture of stewardship in the text.
are
God’s people are those that have been entrusted to us. We
— the Lord Jesus
therefore accountable to the Chief Shepherd
for our
himself (verse 4). He is the one who will reward us
45
labours. As we faithfully serve and shepherd God’s people, we —
shall be discharging our stewardship.
Some years ago I visited the National Art Gallery in Taipei,
Taiwan. Some of the finest Chinese paintings are housed in this
gallery. As I looked at these magnificent paintings on silk
scrolls, I could see on them the distinctive mark of imperial
seals. The Chinese emperors used to have personal seals by
which they showed their approval. The paintings were therefore
national treasures. We are engaged in the task of leading, and
of forming and shaping leaders. What patterns do we follow?
How carefully do we study and emulate the biblical portraits
of leadership? When our Lord and Master sees our work, will
he give us his seal of approval? .
May I suggest that you stop and reflect for a moment? You
might like to pray for fellow leaders using the pastoral doxology
at the end of the letter to the Hebrews:

May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal
covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that
great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good
for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing
to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and
ever. Amen (Hebrews 13:20-21, emphasis mine).

46
 — Chapter Four
LEADERS AS EXAMPLES

All of us learn by example. When afive-year-old girl puts on

high-heeled shoes and paints her face and finger-nails, she is
simply imitating her mother. Children learn by watching.
A young couple were returning from their shopping
expedition. The moment they opened their front door, they
heard their nine-year-old son and seven-year-old daughter
shouting at each other. Horrified, they rushed upstairs to try
to stop the verbal battle. ‘What’s going on?’ they exclaimed. |
But their son Mark just smiled. ‘It’s all right,’ he said, ‘Susan
and I were simply playing father and mother’!
Children pick up the bad habits of adults. They are natural
imitators. Few people are original thinkers. Edmund Burke
(1729-97) once stated: ‘Example is the school of mankind and
they will learn from no other.’ A Latin proverb reminds us
that ‘Example is better than precept’. Both statements may be
exaggerated, but they contain more than a grain of truth.
Suppose you’ve never played tennis before and you decide
to learn. What would you do? You could buy a racket and get
hold of a ‘Teach Yourself Tennis’ book. Armed with your
racket and manual, you attempt to learn the intricacies of
serving. Then, fixing your eyes on the diagrams, you swing
up
your racket to return imaginary shots. Finally, you summon
r
the courage to ask a friend for a game. You quickly discove
your limitations!
your
But if you find someone to coach you, correcting
g you the best way to serve and return the
strokes, and showin
keen,
ball, you will make good progress. Later, if you’re really
to those manual s. Their instruc tions will
you could return
47
 reinforce the practical lessons learnt on the court. We learn —
best by example and practice.
There is a striking similarity here to the ancient pattern of
teaching. Unlike today, pupils did not spend endless hours in
lecture rooms, nor did they read quantities of text-books. The
world was their classroom. They tackled the problems of life.
As pupils observed notable teachers like Socrates, Plato and
Confucius in debate, they too began to appreciate their masters’
philosophy and world view. Inspired by their masters’ exam-
ples, they in turn adopted the same patterns in teaching others.
The same discipline applied to the training of skilled
craftsmen. The ancient world did not have colleges for gold-
smiths or painters. Young men gathered around professional
craftsmen and artists, and learned as apprentices. First they |
had to watch their master at work. Then they were given simple
assignments. As their skills increased they were allowed to
work on intricate designs. Apprentices developed their skills
through on-the-job training.
This pattern also applies to the training of spiritual leaders.
We learn best by observing living examples. We may read
treatises on humility and love, but when we watch at close
quarters a person in whom both these qualities shine out, it
makes a deep impression on us. Their example is a strong
incentive for us to build our lives and characters on the same
foundation — love and humility. The apostle Paul was conscious
of his own leadership influence. He urged the Corinthian Chris-
tians to follow him as he followed Christ. We are stunned by
his boldness:

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ (1 Corinthians Pe}

RSV).

The example of Christ

In service XQ

The example of Christ was central to Paul’s life and faith. He

was keen to know and to have the mind of Christ. He implored
others to have that same mind (Philippians 2:2-5). This mind

48
_ of Christ is characterized by self-giving. In Philippians 2:6-11
Paul was probably quoting from an early Christian hymn which
focused on Christ’s humiliation and exaltation: he humbled
himself by divesting himself of the splendour of deity; he
assumed the nature and role of a servant; such is the example
of Christ! The hymn clearly refers to the scene in the upper
room when the Lord Jesus washed the feet of his disciples
(John 13:1-15).
We may marvel at Jesus’ humility, but we are not invited to
be spectators. Jesus enjoined his disciples, and enjoins us today,
to follow his example:

‘Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet,
you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an
example that you should do as I have done for you’ (John
13:14-15).

Our Lord stooped to serve. That should be our posture too,

humbling ourselves to minister to others.

In obedience
Second, following Christ’s example involves emulating his
commitment to his Father’s will. ‘ “My food”’, said Jesus, “is
to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work” ’
(John 4:34; see 6:38). He lived and worked within the orbit of
God’s purposes. Sometimes God’s will produced deep pain and
agony. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus experienced the
trauma of having to drink the bitter cup of suffering. ° “My
Father,” ’ he prayed, ‘ “‘if it is possible, may this cup be taken
from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” ’ (Matthew 26:39).
What a contrast to our waywardness! We love to do our own
thing and go our own way. We'll submit to God’s will when it
suits us. If it involves suffering and sacrifice — no thanks! But
Christ has set us the example of one who delights to do the
Father’s will.

49
_In prayer
Third, we should model our prayer life on that of Jesus. Luke
depicts him praying at crucial periods in his ministry. He prayed
at his baptism, when he chose to identify himself with sinful
men and women (Luke 3:21). He spent a night in prayer before
appointing the Twelve (Luke 6:12-13). He prayed before he
questioned his disciples as to his true identity (Luke 9:18). He
was praying when he was transfigured (Luke 9:29). He assured
Simon Peter of his prayer for him, even though he knew that
Peter would let him down (Luke 22:32). He struggled in prayer
in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:44). He prayed for his
enemies on the cross, and even his final breath was a prayer:
‘ “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” ’ (Luke 23:46).
No wonder, when Jesus was praying by himself, one of his
disciples asked, ‘ “Lord, teach us to pray” ’ (Luke 11:1).
Have we caught this spirit of prayer? Do others catch it from
us through seeing us communing daily with God?

In relationships
Fourth, we can learn from the way Jesus related to people.
The crowds flocked to hear him because there was something
attractive and appealing in his personality. He spoke with auth-
ority and sincerity. There was no trace of woolliness or hypo-
crisy. Jesus was no ascetic: he loved parties, and was even
dubbed ‘a friend of tax collectors and “sinners” ’ (Matthew
11:19; see 9:11). He also paid great attention to children (Mark
10:13-16). And he accepted the love and devotion of Mary —
a woman with a rather chequered background. Jesus is our
model for relating to others.

In suffering
Finally, he calls us to follow in his footsteps in suffering. He
chose to be poor (see 2 Corinthians 8:9); he had no heuse of
his own; he was not even assured of a bed (Luke 9:58). He
suffered rejection from his own people (see John 1:11); he was
let down by friends, even by his closest followers, but he never
held it against them. He suffered an agonizing death on the

50
cross, but instead of cursing he blessed. Years later, the apostle
. . eos

Peter reminded his readers:

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you,

leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
He commited no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.
When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate;
when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted
himself to him who judges justly (1 Peter 2:21-23).

As leaders, we must never forget that we are called to suffer.

We are followers of the crucified Lord. Christ’s attitude and
example in service, obedience, prayer, relationships and
suffering must be ours as well.
Let us now consider Paul’s example in a number of different
areas.

The example of Paul

Inhandling controversial matters (see 1 Corinthians 8)
The Corinthian Christians had written to Paul on the issue of eat-
ing food that had been sacrificed to idols. In their city, the meat
sold in the market had been ritually offered to Greek gods.
Paul replied, explaining to them that Christians have been
given knowledge (verse 1). They acknowledge the existence
and supremacy of one God (verses 4-6). Idols have no real
existence (verses 4-5), so what can be the harm in eating such
food? He gives a fascinating answer. There were probably some
new Christians among the Corinthians who had just been freed
So
from serving idols. They wanted to make a clean break.
they refused to eat meat that had been sacrificed to pagan gods.
meat,
Although all Christians were in fact free to eat such
‘stronger’ Christia ns ought to think twice before doing so. They
the conscie nce of their ‘weaker’ brother. They
should consider
g that would harm others (verses 11-13).
must never do anythin
use his
So here we have the example: Paul himself refused to
welfare
freedom to eat what he pleased. He was sensitive to the
of his fellow Christia ns. What an example for us!

51
In the difficult issue of freedom and rights (see
1 Corinthians 9)
In chapter 9 Paul goes on to develop the theme of freedom
and rights. As an apostle he had every right to be supported
by the congregations he had planted. Other apostles travelled
with their wives, all expenses paid. Using arguments from
everyday working life, the law and the commands of Jesus,
Paul showed that he was entitled to total financial support in
his apostolic ministry (verses 4-14). But he did not insist on
his rights. He wanted to proclaim the gospel in such a way that
no-one could accuse him of preaching for money (verse 15).
Rather, he was under divine compulsion (verse 16). This gospel
had so gripped him (verses 16-18) that he: would not allow
anything to hinder its proclamation.
Paul was a free man. Politically he was a Roman citizen,
not a slave. Spiritually, he enjoyed liberty in Christ. But he
deliberately made himself a slave to everyone in order to win
them (verse 19). In his approach he identified himself with both
Jews and Gentiles, and with those who were weak or deprived
(verses 20-22). He was prepared to be ‘all things to all men so
that by all possible means I might save some’ (verse 22).
Paul was atrail-blazer. He shows us the importance of not
insisting on our rights, but of using our freedom for the welfare
of others. He demonstrated by his example what it means to
maintain the priority of proclaiming the gospel. Gripped by the
good news, we should be prepared to identify with others and
to employ every means to win them for Christ.

In self-discipline
The apostle also enunciated the importance of discipline. He
chose the imagery of the racetrack and boxing ring. In the
Isthmian. Games the athletes would run through the city of
Corinth. What was the chief aim of the competitors? — to win
the race. So Christians should ‘run in such a way as to‘get the
prize’ (9:24). This means strict training and running with a goal
in view ~ to breast the tape and win the race (verse 25).
Similarly, the boxer would never dream of getting into the ring
and beating the air. He would aim his punches at his opponent

52
(verse 26). To be a successful athlete or boxer, you must be
the master of your ‘own body (verse 27). So Paul disciplined —
himself by saying ‘no’ to fleshly appetites. He controlled and
trained his body with regular exercise. Another thing that kept
him going was the fear of being disqualified from winning the
prize (verse 27b).
His example also challenges us to discipline ourselves. We
can’t serve God effectively as leaders unless we have first
mastered our own bodily appetites.

In pursuing his life’s goal

Another passage which is worth careful study is Philippians 3.
Here Paul shares his life goals and objectives with his beloved
fellow Christians at Philippi.
In verse 17 Paul invites his readers to follow his example in
devotion to Christ. For him, the greatest thing in life was to
know Christ, to be clothed in his righteousness (verses 8-9), to
experience the power of his resurrection and to share in his
sufferings (verse 10). Paul prized Jesus Christ above everything
else, including his religious pedigree and upbringing as a Jew
and Pharisee (verses 5-6). In knowing Christ, the word ‘loss’
was scribbled across the pages of his past life. The Philippians
may have thought Paul rather coarse as the Greek word trans-
lated ‘loss’ literally means ‘dung’! Now that Paul had found
Christ and was secure in him, his desire was to press on in his
Christian race (verses 13-14).
If we take the example of Paul seriously, we will also want
to be spiritual pace-setters. Let Christ become the consuming
passion of our lives so that we too can say with heartfelt convic-
tion, ‘For to me, to live is Christ’ (Philippians 1:21).
When Paul exhorted his readers to follow him, he didn’t
want to make Pauline clones out of them. He wasn’t longing
to create a host of Paul look-alikes! His deep desire was that
we, like him, should make Christ supreme in our lives. Leader-
ship — in terms of setting a good example — should result in
personal godliness and in a growing eagerness to please the
Lord.

53
Examples of other New Testament leaders
I suspect that some of you are thinking, ‘How on earth can we
follow Paul’s example? He was an outstanding missionary and
apostle. He is in a different league altogether!’ How many of
us would dare to say, ‘Follow me as I follow Paul and as Paul
followed Christ’?
Perhaps we can identify more easily with Timothy. He seems
to have been a man of nervous temperament, rather timid and
cautious. Paul had to remind him that God gives us a spirit of
power, love and self-discipline, and not a spirit of timidity
(2 Timothy 1:7). When he had to exercise oversight in Ephesus,
he must have felt extremely inexperienced and inadequate.
Paul, his spiritual father, had to buttress his confidence: ‘Don’t
let anyone look down on you because you are young...’
(1 Timothy 4:12). Timothy did not enjoy robust health — he
was probably afflicted by a stomach complaint. Paul encour-
aged him to ‘use a little wine because of your stomach and
your frequent illnesses’ (1 Timothy 5:23).
We can readily empathize with Timothy. He presents a
picture of an inexperienced leader ministering in a tough situ-
ation, handicapped by physical weakness and a_ nervous
temperament. Paul’s counsel to Timothy and to us is to
remember our commissioning as leaders. Timothy was
reminded to ‘fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you
through the laying on of my hands’ (2 Timothy 1:6). This gift
empowers (verse 7), and therefore Timothy was to ‘be strong
in the grace that is in Christ Jesus’ (2:1).
In spite of his weaknesses and inadequacies, Timothy was to
be a sterling example to the believers in Ephesus:

Command and teach these things. Don’t let anyone look

down on you because you are young, but set an example . . .
in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity (1 Timothy
4:11-12, emphasis mine). %

Timothy was not to feel inferior because of his age. He was to

teach God’s Word with authority. At the same time, by his
lifestyle.and behaviour he should be setting a pattern for godly

54
living, illustrating how a Christian should speak, live, love,
exercise faith and pursue holiness.
Example-setting is quite demanding. Timothy had to devote
himself to ‘the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to
teaching’ (verse 13); he had to be diligent in every area of
service. As he discharged his spiritual oversight, he had to
watch his own life and doctrine closely. Paul wrote, “Persevere
in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and
your hearers’ (verses 15-16).
Titus was another young member of Paul’s missionary task
force. He was in charge of the church at Crete. The Christians
in Crete were infected by the spirit of the age. There was a
tendency to rebel against authority and discipline, and to show
very little respect for moral law and order. So Paul encouraged
Titus to be self-controlled (Titus 2:6). He pressed Titus to teach
sound doctrine and ‘in everything set them an example by doing
what is good’ (verse 7). The teaching of Christian truth and
doctrine, accompanied by an exemplary character, was the best
way of inculcating true godliness ina licentious age.
Similarly, the apostle Peter appealed to fellow elders to fulfil
their God-given responsibilities as shepherds. They were over-
seers of God’s flock and should be eager to serve. They were
not to boss others about or throw their weight around. Instead
they were to be examples to God’s people (1 Peter 5:1-3).
So for the apostles one thing was evident: leaders in the
church have an obligation to set an example which will motivate
others to godly living and faithful service.

Contemporary and personal examples

At the beginning of this chapter we mentioned that most people
learn by copying their peers or gurus. I was amused to read
that the disciples of Socrates imitated his stoop long before
they followed his philosophy! Just watch a teenager sing his
favourite pop songs -it is not difficult to guess which pop star
g.
he is imitating. There are peculiar problems in example-settin
in Singapo re.
In the early sixties I worked with college students
certain
It was easy to spot Christian students connected with a
America n
campus ministry as they spoke English with an
55
accent. They even held their Bibles and flipped through the
pages in a similar fashion to their American mentor. Young
Christians tend to imitate their leaders’ mannerisms. They may
start with the externals but they should not stop there. They
should also emulate the things that really matter: a passionate
concern for the lost, an appetite for God’s Word and a desire
for godliness. We should be concerned that they become
conformed to the image of Christ (see Romans 12:1-2).
It is interesting that the words used to translate ‘example’ in
Greek are tupos and hupotuposis. Both refer to the outline of
an artist’s sketch. As with all outlines, there is room for us to
fill in different colours and details. If we insist on imposing a
rigid pattern on everyone’s life, we shall overlook God’s gifts
of creativity and his love of variety.

Personal experience
In August 1984 I was interviewed live on radio in New Zealand.
After learning that I had been in active Christian service for
twenty-five years, the interviewer asked, ‘Who would you say
had influenced you most in your leadership style and ministry?’
That’s not an easy question to answer, especially when you
only have two or three seconds to think! I have since reflected
further on her question, and have come up with the following
‘answer’.
I am a firm believer in and exponent of expository preaching.
Sometimes when I reflect on my own approach, I can detect
that I have borrowed so much from two eminent preachers, Dr
Martyn Lloyd-Jones and Dr John Stott. As a student in
London, I heard them preach regularly for four years. I learned
the importance of addressing the whole man from Dr Lloyd-
Jones, and the need to build bridges between the world of the
Bible and the world of today from John Stott.
My first job was to serve the Chinese church in London as
Associate Pastor. Pastor Stephen Wang was the feunder-
minister of this interdenominational church. He had spent most
of his life as headmaster of a large mission school in Beijing,
China. When the Communists overran China he was unable to
return to his family and teaching responsibilities. The late

56
oa
Stephen Wang was not the greatest of preachers, neither was
he an organizer. But he possessed an amazing quality: his
enthusiasm in motivating young people to serve actively in the
church.
Pastor Wang also set a good example in not being afraid to
bring in abler workers. He reminded me of the well-known
American industrialist, Andrew Carnegie.. When asked the
secret of his company’s success, Mr Carnegie said, ‘I have a
team of smarter men working with me.’
Why is it that I invariably pray with fellow Christians after
conversations or interviews? I have been deeply influenced by
David Adeney, who was my spiritual mentor. He and I worked
together among students in East Asia during the sixties. All
who know him are aware of his godly habit of committing every
conversation to God in prayer.
At the tender age of thirty-three I assumed responsibilities
as General Secretary of IFES! I was thrown into the arena of
decision-making that would affect regions and national move-
ments. Looking back, I am so thankful for a chairman who
helped me to think biblically and pastorally and who was fully
supportive of my ministry. This same man of God in his quiet
and informal way stressed the importance of family vacations.
I could easily have become a workaholic but he wisely shared
with me his own priority of giving time to his wife and growing
children. I doubt if I would have learned that lesson by
attending formal lectures on the subject but I heeded my chair-
man’s advice because he set such a fine example himself.
I don’t want to give the impression that I have learnt only
from outstanding preachers and leaders. My life has been en-
riched through fellowship and working with all kinds of Chris-
tians. I have learnt how to be bold and take risks for the Lord
Jesus through observing the quiet and steady ministries of staff
who labour among students in some of the troubled spots of
the world. Although they and their families face danger and
harassment for the sake of the gospel, they persist in their
service for the Master.
It is quite easy to glamourize front-line workers, but every
day when I go to my office I marvel at the team of dedicated
workers who steadily and quietly work behind the scenes to
57
 y

back up the staff out on the field. Jacques Beney, for example,
was a Swiss banker, but now devotes his energy and skill to
the financial operations of our Fellowship. Through his efficient
service he sets an example of producing our best for God. I’ve
talked to humble believers in China. They have been through
prison because of their faith. They and their families have
suffered. Yet I have never been able to detect a single word
of bitterness. All I have heard is their gratitude and praise to
almighty God for his love and grace. What an example of
Christian fortitude! Then, how can I forget a Christian family
in England who welcomed me to their home when I was a
lonely overseas student? Their love and hospitality stirred me
to pray, ‘Lord, one day when I have my own home, I am going
to invite others in.’ God has enabled my wife and me to keep
that promise.

What if we fail?
Spiritual leaders are expected in Scripture to set an example in
godly living and faithful service. We should pattern our lives
and service on Christ and the apostles. Christians learn best
from those who exemplify Christian standards. But what if we
fail? Can we still exhort others to follow us? Won’t they be
copying our bad examples?
Our failures can often furnish the setting for learning. But
whatever we do, we should never resort to covering up our
shortcomings or weaknesses. We must humbly admit them. We
must resist any attempt to rationalize our sins, and we should
not blame negative circumstances.
Christians find it impossible to pattern their lives on bionic
leaders! So we need to be honest and confess our struggles and
failures. At the same time, we must demonstrate the reality of
God’s forgiveness when we repent. Folk will be encouraged
when they see God restoring and renewing us. When they fall,
they too will know how to turn to God. Thus our ane can
help them to triumph over defeat.

58
 Chapter Five
THE CHOICE OF LEADERS

The Bible expects sterling qualities in spiritual leaders. After

all, we are servants of the most high God. He has called us to
represent him as his ambassadors.
Someone may object, ‘Where on earth can you find such
leaders? — leaders who are prepared to serve God and their
contemporaries with humility; leaders who are faithful and
trustworthy in their stewardship; leaders who embody the role
of shepherds in caring for, feeding and protecting God’s
people? As for setting godly examples, just name me a few
who qualify!’
Now we have to admit that there are no perfect leaders. The
chapter entitled ‘Leaders are human too!’ (chapter 13) will
14).
dispel the myth of the infallible leader (see also chapter
biblical standar ds and it is easy
But it is tempting for us to lower
es,
to appoint unsuitable candidates to fill leadership vacanci
especially when time is short.
l) in
Some years ago, at a famous Eisteddfod (music festiva
ted a musica l blunde r. They
Wales, a competing choir commit
piece too low. The pianist , real-
pitched the first note of their
the music to a lower key, so
izing their mistake, transposed
blende d harmon iously . The
the voices and the accompaniment
applause.
audience received the performance with loud
marched over to
However, the chief adjudicator stood up and
pitch. Then
the piano. Without a word, he struck the correct
and audien ce got the message!
he sat down again. Choir, pianist
to tampe r with biblic al expec-
We must resist the temptation
must realiz e that leader s do not
tations and standards, but we
claim to be one hundr ed per
mature overnight. No-one can
4
cent fitted to his job from the start. There is room for growth.
We should therefore fix our eyes on Christians who are growing
disciples and open to God.
How then are we to choose our leaders? What are some
biblical guidelines to help us know the type of people we should
be appointing? Let’s look first at the Old Testament.

Leaders in the Old Testament

The nation of Israel was a theocracy. This meant that God
was the supreme leader and king. Subsequently all leaders —
monarchs, prophets and priests — operated under God’s auth-
ority. They represented him and never possessed absolute auth-
ority like the neighbouring pagan priest-kings. The leaders of
Israel were always accountable to God.
Now it is true that kingship was hereditary in the united
monarchy of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. Never-
theless, the writer of the books of Chronicles invariably judges
the performance of each king by his fidelity or infidelity to
Yahweh, especially in respect of keeping the law (see 2 Chron-
icles 14:2-6; 17:3-6; 20:31-33; 25:25-28; 33:21-24). God
expected high moral and spiritual qualities of those who sat on
David’s throne.
The tribe of Levi produced men who served as priests and
Levites. The priests traced their ancestry back to Aaron, the
brother of Moses. They performed various rituals, including
the statutory sacrifices, and they conducted the worship in the
tabernacle and the temple. They were ably assisted by the
Levites. Both groups were responsible for instructing God’s
people in the law. As religious leaders they had prescribed
duties and a code to follow. The prophets were unique. They
were God’s spokesmen. They declared his Word with authority.
‘Thus says the Lord’ is a familiar formula which carries tremen-
dous authority.
The qualities expected of prophets correspond closely to
those required of leaders in the New Testament. There was no
automatic dynastic succession of prophets. Genuine leaders are
personally commissioned by God. Let’s briefly examine the
major qualifications of a prophet or a spiritual leader.

60
1 The leader has a deep experience of God
Let’s consider two outstanding Old Testament leaders, Moses
and Isaiah. At the foot of Mount Horeb God addressed Moses
by name (Exodus 3:4). He then personally commissioned him
as Israel’s deliverer (verses 7-10). Moses was reluctant to
assume this onerous responsibility (see 3:11; 4:1, 10, 13). He
even pleaded with God to appoint someone else! But God
promised to stand by Moses as he tried to fulfil his awesome
task (3:12; 4:12). It was because of his relationship with the
Lord that Moses was able to confront powerful Pharaoh and
lead the people of Israel out of slavery. Throughout the wilder-
ness wandering he met constantly with God. At one of their
summit meetings the Law was given. In one inspiring
encounter, Moses boldly asked the Lord to show him his glory
(Exodus 33:18). Only a man who had a deep experience of
God could make such an amazing request.
The prophet Isaiah had a breathtaking encounter with the
sovereign Lord. He had been a recognized religious leader in
the court of King Uzziah, who had died after a long reign.
Isaiah was in the temple, probably feeling rather despondent,
when he was suddenly given a magnificent vision of God (see
Isaiah 6).
First he saw God sitting upon his throne. The throne of
Judah was empty, but the throne of heaven is always occupied.
He caught a glimpse of God’s holiness and glory. Then he
heard the song of the seraphim:

‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lorp

Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his
glory’ (verse 3).

Both Moses and Isaiah were given a deep, intimate experience

as
of God. In each case this formed the basis of their calling
God’s chosen leaders.

61
2 The leader has a growing awareness of his sin and 7
inadequacy
Whenever we come face to face with the Lord God, we become
more aware of our own creatureliness and inadequacy. In the
blazing light of his holiness, we are deeply conscious of our
sins. The hymn-writer has aptly expressed this fact:

And they who fain would serve Thee best

Are conscious most of wrong within.

Isaiah experienced this. In chapter 5 he had pronounced six

‘woes’ or curses against drunkards, exploiters, :liars and evil-
doers (verses 8, 11, 18, 20-22). But as he records in chapter
6, when he contemplated the absolute purity of God he
pronounced the seventh woe on himself. ‘Woe to me!’ he cried
out. He confessed that he and his people were polluted and
contaminated by sin.
Confession was immediately followed by cleansing and
forgiveness. The prophet’s lips were cleansed by a burning
coal taken from the altar (Isaiah 6:6-7). The altar was where
sacrifices were performed. It usually reeked of blood. So it is
a reminder that without the shedding of blood there is no
forgiveness of sin (Hebrews 9:22).
No leader can ever come to God with an air of arrogance.
None of us can say, ‘God, I’m your man. Look at my academic
degrees and achievements. Just trace my spiritual pedigree —
it’s pretty impressive. And as for my gifts and experience. . .’.
God has no room for proud leaders. He calls those who
prostrate themselves before him. They are the ones who recog-
nize the gravity of sin and God’s grace in forgiving them.
Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Peter, John, Paul —
all these. spiritual giants had to humble themselves in the pres-
ence of the mighty Lord.
When I interview potential staff, I’m rather wary ef those
who boast of their gifts and experience. They give the
impression that they’re doing God a favour by sacrificing their
promising careers to join IFES. I sometimes wish I had the
guts to rebuke them! But the men and women who serve

62
4

God best are those who are conscious of their failings and
inadequacies. They. dare to respond only because the Lord has
called, forgiven and empowered them.

3 The leader has a deep sense of God’s call

After Isaiah’s guilt had been removed, he heard God’s call.
‘ “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” ’ (Isaiah 6:8).
The sovereign and holy Lord hada special assignment. He did
not force Isaiah to enlist. But having received God’s pardon,
Isaiah responded immediately: ‘ “Here am I. Send me!” ’ Note
his enthusiastic obedience — ‘I’m available, I’m prepared to
serve you!’ Too often when God calls, we excuse ourselves,
‘Lord, send someone else!’
Some leaders are called to assume extremely difficult and
dangerous responsibilities. Take Jeremiah for instance. Poor
Jeremiah! He was commissioned to serve God at one of the
most critical epochs in Judah’s history — 627-586 Bc.
God in his sovereign purpose was going to hand his people
over to the Babylonians. He was going to chastise his people
through painful exile. As expected, the political and religious
rulers turned against Jeremiah. He was branded a traitor when
in fact he was a true patriot. His fellow prophets and priests
bullied him too. The final blow came when Pashhur, a priest
who was also the chief officer of the temple, had Jeremiah
flogged and his legs put in the stocks.
Jeremiah could no longer bottle up his emotions. He un-
leashed his feelings at God. Surely a prophet should be entitled
to some respect!

O Lorp, you deceived me, and

I was deceived;
you overpowered me and
prevailed.
I am ridiculed all day long;
everyone mocks me.
Whenever I speak, I cry out
proclaiming violence and
destruction.

63
 So the word of the Lorp has ~
brought me
insult and reproach all day
long.
But if I say, ‘I will not
_ mention him
or speak any more in his
name,’
his word is in my heart like a
burning fire,
shut up in my bones.
I am weary of holding it in;
indeed, I cannot (Jeremiah 20:7-9).

He might have resigned and given up his prophetic office. He

might have retired to a quiet life. But he simply couldn’t. Why
not? Because ‘his word is in my heart like a burning fire, shut
up in my bones’.
God’s message is fire. You can’t keep fire inside you! You
have to spread God’s word. There’s no othér way.
Jeremiah never forgot that God had called and appointed
him for a special mission. Mocked, ridiculed and at times bur-
dened with self-doubt, this man of God weathered the storms
because he knew that God had called him to fulfil his purpose.

The serving seven

‘A crisis had erupted in the Jerusalem church. Amidst great
growth (the number of disciples was increasing — see Acts 6:1)
an organizational problem had surfaced. It might have resulted
in an ugly rift because it affected two communities — the Greek-
speaking and Aramaic-speaking believers. Problem? Somehow
the Greek-speaking widows were being overlooked in the distri-
bution of food.
The Twelve became involved and summoned the asgembly.
The apostles maintained that their main priority was the
ministry of the Word and prayer (verses 2, 4), but suggested
that this administrative problem could be solved by appointing
seven officers. Church members were pleased with this solution

64
-and seven men were chosen and presented to the apostles.
Although the seven were appointed for routine and adminis-
trative chores, they had to be ‘full of the Spirit and wisdom’
(verse 3). The apostles did not recommend that the church
should look for capable managers. Character came first. Leader-
ship in God’s church has to be undertaken by Spirit-filled men
— men directed by the Holy Spirit. Such people put Christ
above all things, for the Spirit always exalts Christ (see John
16:14). The second quality required was that of wisdom. The
seven had to be wise administrators. They needed organiz-
ational abilities and wisdom to know how to handle sensitive
situations.
Thus two prerequisites were expected of God’s servants in
the early church — Spirit-filled characters and wisdom to
accomplish their task.

The selection of spiritual overseers

The apostle Paul laid down stringent requirements for the
appointment of leaders. Titus was exhorted to appoint elders
(note the plural) for the congregations in Crete (Titus 1:5).
Most scholars are agreed that the offices of elders (presbu-
teroi) and bishops (or overseers — episkopoi) are interchange-
able. Titus 1:6-7 reinforces this fact. Some consider that the
term ‘elder’ is a reference to their status. The word presbuteros
is used of an older man (1 Timothy 5:1). The elders directed the
affairs of the church, and some were engaged in the work of
preaching and teaching. These were ‘worthy of double honour’
— they should have received a double stipend (1 Timothy 5:17)!
Terms like ‘bishop’ or ‘overseer’ describe ministry function.
As we focus our attention on the qualities and responsibilities
of elders or overseers (1 Timothy 3:1-7), we need to stress that
the apostle was thinking of mature leaders. He warned Timothy
against appointing new converts or novices (1 Timothy 3:6).
The modern equivalents of these leaders include ministers of
churches, recognized lay leaders, missionaries and those who
have spiritual oversight in Christian organizations and agencies.
When a youth fellowship in a church or a college Christian
fellowship is selecting its leaders, it would be unrealistic to

65
 a
ay “Fe

apply the qualities expected of fairly mature leaders. For them, |

the basic requirements in Acts 6 should be sufficient. Young
leaders ought to be committed Christians with leadership gifts
to match their responsibilities.
Let’s turn our attention to the qualities we should look for
in appointing leaders for God’s church. Below you will find a
table which compares the qualities listed in 1 Timothy 3 with
those in Titus 1.

1 Timothy 3 Titus 1

Personal character Personal character

Above reproach (2) Blameless (6)
Temperate (2) Disciplined (8) —
Self-controlled (2) Self-controlled (8)
Not given to much wine (3) Not given to much wine (7)
Not quarrelsome (3) Not overbearing, not violent
(7)
Not lover of money (3) Not pursuing dishonest gain
(7)
Respectable (2) Upright (8)
Gentle (3) Loves what is good (8)
Good reputation with Holy (8)
outsiders (7)

Leadership functions Leadership functions

Hospitable (2) Hospitable (8)
Able to teach others (2) Hold firmly to the message,
encourage sound doctrine
and refute critics (9)

Family relationships Family relationships

Husband of one wife (2) Husband of one wife (6)
Good management of family Believing and obedient
with respectful and obedient children (6)
SQ
children (4-5)

Warning
Not a recent convert (6)

66
First, we note the emphasis on character. Leaders are not
chosen because they are intelligent, powerful and rich. Some
churches make the mistake of appointing senior members who
are pillars of society and carry clout. Unless they are full of
the Holy Spirit and possess Christlike characters, they will
import and impart carnal values to their churches or Christian
organizations. :
We note the stress on leaders being self-controlled and
temperate (reflecting the fruit of the Spirit, see Galatians
5:22-23). Their lives are to be marked by holiness. Leaders
should also have a good standing in their community. The
world loves to attack Christian leaders. Whenever a pastor or
Sunday school teacher commits a moral offence, it hits the
headlines in the popular tabloids. High moral standards are
expected of those who hold office in God’s church. Therefore
those who exercise leadership in the church should be men and
women of the utmost moral integrity.
Spiritual leaders are required to be hospitable. The Greek
word literally means ‘a lover of strangers’. In Paul’s day, there
were many itinerant prophets and evangelists. These men
required board and lodging. The inns of the first century were
notorious dens of iniquity. The leaders should willingly open
their homes to these servants of the Lord.
Through practising hospitality, Christian leaders are able to
get to know their church members and also newcomers. More-
over, it is a good practical expression of love and care for those
who are lonely and in need of friendship.
Spiritual leaders are expected to be teachers who communi-
cate Christian truth. This does not necessarily mean that they
should all be preachers. But they must be able to hold firm to
God’s Word, using it to build up others in their faith and to
expose false teaching.
The family relationships of leaders should also come under
an
careful consideration. This is all the more important in
breakd owns. An oversee r
age of increasing marital and family
should have only one wife. The early church upheld the mono-
those
gamous pattern of marriage. It is important that only
be leaders in the church.
who maintain marital fidelity should
relation-
Since leaders have to set an example, good family
67
ships are important. According to Paul, their children should
be believers and should show them respect.
There is heated discussion amongst Christians as to the appli-
cation of this standard. What of the children of recognized
church leaders or missionaries who do not profess faith in
Christ? Should these leaders resign from their positions?
Besides, can any leader guarantee the salvation of his children?
These are valid questions and should be answered sympath-
etically. However, we should expect leaders to set an example
in their homes. Even if their children are not committed Chris-
tians, they should be considerate and well-mannered (see
1 Timothy 3:4-5). And leaders who are parents should earn-
estly pray and work for the conversion of their offspring. The
argument in the Pastoral Epistles is simply this: the Christian
family is a microcosm of the church. The overseer who exercises
his headship in his family will be in a better position to preside
over the affairs of God’s household. There is no greater testi-
mony than a Christian leader serving the Lord with the enthusi-
astic participation of his family. Like Joshua he can declare:

‘As for me and my household, we will serve the Lorp’

(Joshua 24:15).

Let’s heed Paul’s warning against the appointing of a recent

convert to a position of leadership. The Greek word neophutos,
from which we get our English word ‘neophyte’, means ‘newly
planted’. Young converts are like newly planted trees. They
need time to strike roots and grow.
When Paul gave Timothy instructions about the appointment
of deacons, he firmly insisted:

They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against

them, let them serve as deacons (1 Timothy 3:10).

Deacons are also servants of the church. They were first

appointed to look after administrative matters. But like elders
Or overseers, they were to possess sound characters and to
impart sound teaching (verses 8-9).
The word translated ‘test’ is the Greek dokimazo. It was a

68
word used to describe the €xamination of lambs that were to
be offered for sacrifice. These animals had to be without
blemish. It was also used for the selection and appointment of
senators. They had to undergo careful scrutiny before they
could hold high office in the Roman Senate. Today we need
to select our leaders with prayer and care. Only proven and
faithful servants of Jesus Christ should be appointed.

Leadership appointment procedures -

It’s always best for the leadership team to initiate the search for
new leaders. Responsible leaders can then consider prayerfully
names of potential leaders.
We need to recognize those whom the Spirit has appointed
as overseers and shepherds of God’s church (see Acts 20:28).
They should be Christians who sense that God has personally
called them to service in his kingdom. They should also be
made aware of the qualities the Bible requires of spiritual
leaders.
One or two members of the leadership team should then
meet with the candidates. Job responsibilities should be clearly
spelled out. It’s important that the potential leaders know what
is expected of them. They must be willing to give high priority
to their leadership responsibilities. This means scheduling time
for their assignments.
If the potential leaders are married, their partners should be
consulted. It’s essential that they have the support of their
family.
Leaders need public recognition and affirmation. When a
leader is prepared to serve in accordance with the terms
outlined, the appointment should be made known to the entire
membership. He should then be publicly commissioned. When
Joshua was appointed the new leader of Israel, Moses and
Eleazar the priest commissioned him in the presence of the
entire assembly (Numbers 27:18-23). Similarly, when the seven
on
administrators were chosen, the apostles publicly laid hands
them and presente d them to the entire congrega tion (Acts 6:6).
Such public commissioning serves two valuable functions.
.
First, it strengthens the call and the convictions of the leaders
69
 ) serve God and his ponies Theywill aie seeiae that it
__ was God who called and equipped them for service. When he
_ calls, he enables.
_ Second, at a public commissioning members of the church ©
=> SOF fellowship participate in their leaders’ consecration. They |
_ acknowledge that God has set apart these men and women for
_ Special leadership responsibilities. They pledge to support and
_ pray for them. Thus a new bond of partnership is forged.
 Chapter Six
_ JESUS THE MASTER TRAINER

Training new workers is an integral part of our ministry as

spiritual leaders. How do we train a new generation of leaders?
What are our biblical goals in forming leaders? What can we
glean from Christ’s strategy and efforts in training the Twelve?
Before we answer these questions we have to deal with a
preliminary objection: can we train spiritual leaders? Some
Christians are wary of the term ‘training’. They subscribe to
the view that you can train dogs or monkeys to perform, but
you can’t train people to be godly leaders. Exponents of this
theory equate training with the imparting of skills and tech-
niques. Trainees simply acquire the tricks of the trade. Such
folk are critical (and rightly so) of certain evangelists who
naively announce that they have devised a foolproof formula
for evangelism. They claim that if Christians attend their
courses, buy their manuals and use their booklets, they will
become first-rate witnesses and clock up many decisions for
Christ.
In some countries, special Christian leadership conferences
and seminars are offered to the Christian public. Leaders or
potential leaders spend a week-end undergoing intensive
training so as to improve their leadership skills. They are
awarded diplomas and return to their congregations priding
themselves on their new insights. They are going to change
things. Give them a free hand and they will guarantee growth.
Both sets of trainees soon discover that witnesses and leaders
are not produced overnight. Training conferences, though
helpful, have limited value. Moreover, no single way of
presenting the gospel guarantees a response. We have to start
gk
where our enquirers are: we need to be sensitive to the ques-
tions they are asking and help them to move from a position
of no faith to one of faith in the living Christ. Church structures
and individual Christians have inbuilt complexities. Agents of
change need to be trusted and respected, and all this inevitably
takes time. So any form of training that offers simple formulae
or instant success should be treated with deep suspicion.
My colleagues in Latin America have substituted the word
formacion for the word ‘training’. Formacion is a Spanish word
used of the forming and shaping of character. They maintain
that the New Testament lays stress on the character develop-
ment of leaders rather than on the acquisition of particular
management skills. Whilst there is much to commend this
emphasis, we need not eliminate the word ‘training’ from our
vocabulary. It occurs in some Bible texts, for example Matthew
13:52, 1 Timothy 4:7 and 2 Timothy 3:16. When we speak of
training in this book, we include both character formation and
the imparting of specific service skills.

Jesus the master trainer

No study on the theme of spiritual leadership is ever complete
without a careful examination of how Jesus trained the Twelve.
In 1871 Professor A. B. Bruce of Glasgow published his classic
volume entitled The Training of the Twelve. This 552-page
book contains a gold-mine of material relating to the content,
principles and methods of our Lord’s training of the Twelve.
It is rewarding to wade through this comprehensive textbook
on leadership training.
Dr Robert E. Coleman, formerly Professor of Evangelism
and Missions at Ashbury, has written a book called The Master
Plan of Evangelism. Published in 1963, it is a more contem-
porary treatment of the subject studied by Professor Bruce a
century earlier. Dr Coleman invites his readers to consider the
Strategy and priorities of Jesus. He had three short years of
public ministry. During this brief period, the Saviour concen-
trated his time and energy on training the Twelve for world
conquest. Jesus’ tactics are classified under the following
chapter headings: ‘Selection’; ‘Association’; ‘Consecration’;

72
‘Impartation’; ‘Demonstration’; ‘Delegation’; ‘Supervision’;
‘Reproduction’. Each of these themes is substantiated by
material from the four gospels. Every section ends with contem-
porary applications.
We do well to watch the master trainer at work. In a day
when there are immense spiritual needs and a dearth of high-
calibre Christian leaders, there is a pressing need to reassess
our training philosophy and methodology. We shall look briefly
at the biblical data and then seek to apply the abiding lessons
for the equipping of spiritual leaders.

1 He called and chose them

‘Follow me’: with these two words the Lord Jesus summoned
Peter, James and John to be his disciples (Matthew 4:19). Levi
the tax collector also responded to a similar command (Luke
5:27). The Twelve did not volunteer for special service: Jesus
called them individually; he took the initiative.
Our Lord hand-picked his disciples; he did not select them
at random. We know that he spent considerable time watching
and getting to know them before he chose them and designated
them to be apostles. The selection of the apostolic band was
of the utmost importance to Jesus’ mission. He called them
after spending all night in prayer (Luke 6:12-16).
A quick glance at the Twelve indicates that they were a
mixed bunch! Simon Peter was swift and impulsive and was
the spokesman of the group. Thomas, by contrast, was rather
cautious and given to doubts. The Zebedee brothers, James
and John, like Peter and Andrew, were fishermen by trade.
They had a telling nickname: ‘Sons of Thunder’! Hot-tempered
characters are not the easiest people to live and work with!
Philip seems to have been the curious one, always asking ques-
tions. Matthew and Simon the Zealot were at opposite political
poles. As a tax collector, Matthew was dubbed by the Jews ‘a
running dog and atraitor’; Simon the Zealot on the other hand
was a hot-headed nationalist. Had Jesus not called them both
to follow him, Simon would probably have plunged a sword
right through Matthew’s heart! We don’t know much about
Bartholomew or Judas the son of James — perhaps they were
73
 fairly ordinary characters. However, we are familiar with Judas —
Iscariot, the traitor.
In many ways they were a motley crew. So why were they
chosen? Jesus singled them out, not because they were brilliant,
powerful or wealthy, but because of their capacity to learn.
Christ spotted potential in them. We detect this in a brief
conversation between him and Simon Peter. Bishop John V.
Taylor offers this insight:

To say “You are Simon: you shall be called Peter’ [‘rock-

like’| is to make a man responsible for the contrast between
what is and what should be. To hold a man responsible means
both an act of judgment and an act of faith (Taylor 1972:97).

Lessons for today

How do we recruit our leaders? Do we wait for gifted person-
alities to turn up and volunteer their services? That’s not Jesus’
method. Like him, we need totake the initiative in spotting
and recruiting workers. We probably won’t find ready-made
quality leaders. So we need to assess people’s potential. Are
they growing disciples, hungering after God and willing to
follow him wholeheartedly? Are they open to be taught and
equipped as servant-leaders?
Where possible, let’s aim at picking a team which reflects
different backgrounds and gifts rather than a bunch of gifted
individuals.
To do this effectively we must be amongst the people so that
we can single out potential workers. There’s no foolproof sys-
tem.in choosing leaders. Some may let us down: Judas turned
out to be a bad apple. There are risks in any selection process.

2 He spent time with them

Mark expressly records: «

He appointed twelve — designating them apostles — that

they
might be with him and that he might send them out to preach
(Mark 3:14).

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=
+ a

This was a deliberate policy of Jesus. He wanted his disciples

to be with him so they lived, travelled and worked together.
Their spiritual equipping was his primary concern.
But someone may object, ‘What about the needs of the
crowds? By concentrating on the Twelve, wasn’t Jesus guilty
of favouritism or elitism?’
As we read through the gospel accounts, we observe that he
did not neglect the crowds. He taught them and fed them. He
healed large numbers of sick people and cast out demons. He
also had time to relate to individuals. Just think of Nicodemus,
the woman at the well, Zacchaeus, blind Bartimaeus the
beggar, Mary, Martha, Lazarus and the Syro-Phoenician
woman. But although crowds and individuals dogged his foot-
steps, Jesus made sure that he always spent time with his
disciples.
Coleman writes:

Frequently He would take them with Him inaretreat to

some mountainous area of the country where He was rela-
tively unknown, seeking to avoid publicity as far as possible.
They took trips together to Tyre and Sidon to the Northwest
(Mark 7:24; Matt. 15:21); to the ‘borders of Decapolis’
(Mark 7:31; cf., Matt. 15:29) and ‘the parts of Dalmanutha’
to the Southeast of Galilee (Mark 8:10; cf., Matt. 15:39);
and to the ‘villages of Caesarea Philippi’ to the Northeast
(Mark 8:27; cf., Matt. 16:13). These journeys were made
partly because of the opposition of the Pharisees and the
hostility of Herod, but primarily because Jesus felt the need
to get alone with His disciples. Later He spent several
months with His disciples in Perea east of the Jordan (Luke
13:22-19:28; John 10:40-11:54; Matt. 19:1-20:34; Mark
10:1-52). As opposition mounted there, Jesus ‘walked no
more openly among the Jews, but departed thence into the
country near to the wilderness, into acity called Ephraim;
and there He tarried with His disciples’ (John 11:54). When
at last the time came for Him to go to Jerusalem, He signifi-
cantly ‘took the twelve disciples apart’ from the rest as He
made His way slowly to the city (Matt. 20:17; cf., Mark
10:32).
75
 In view of this, it is not surprising that during passion week
Jesus scarcely ever let His disciples out of His sight (Coleman
1963:41).

For three years, the lives of the Twelve and the Master were
intertwined. He was among them, always available to answer
their questions and meet their needs. True, there were many
demands on his time, but he chose to live transparently before
them.
Coleman concludes:

And so it was. The time which Jesus invested in these few

disciples was so much more by comparison to that given to
others that it can only be regarded as a deliberate Strategy.
He actually spent more time with His disciples than with
everybody else in the world put together (Coleman
1963:42-43).

Lessons for today

We can’t produce instant leaders just as we make instant coffee
and instant noodles! We must be prepared to invest time and
resources in the people whom we seek to train. How easy it is
for us to respond to all kinds of different needs and overlook
the priority of training our new workers. Our ‘democratic’
structures and ethos insist that leaders should be available at
all times. So we become need-meeters and problem-solvers
rather than trainers or disciple-makers.
Dr Christopher Chavasse, former Bishop of Rochester,
once
Said that if he had his ministry over again, he would ‘work
amongst the few, and give them back to the many’ (quote
d by
Eddison 1984:22). How wise! It is only in the multiplying of
workers that we can meet the increasing needs and share
the
burdens of God’s people.

3 He taught them
Jesus could have groomed his future kingdom-builders
by
getting them to appreciate the uniqueness of their relatio
nship
76
ag
r :

with him and experience of‘him. After all, what greater privi-
lege than to be intimately associated with the Son of God and
to watch him perform his miracles at first hand?
But spiritual experience, though valuable, was not to be their
foundation. Jesus assumed the role of teacher and, as the title
‘disciple’ implies, the Twelve were his students. His school
didn’t have set time-tables. The disciples didn’t turn up for
regular lectures. Their classroom was the world around them
and their teacher was always on the move. They learnt many
mind-boggling and eternal truths from the master teacher.
Just reflect on the content of his teaching. As we study his
famous sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7), which was first
delivered primarily for the benefit of the Twelve, we can almost
hear Jesus introducing them to membership, priorities and life-
style in God’s kingdom. He taught them how he came to fulfil
the Law and to give it a deeper meaning. Keeping the Law
meant more than obeying the letter of its text. It involved a
new righteousness, following God’s way of handling issues like
murder, adultery, divorce, oath-taking, personal revenge and
relating to our enemies (Matthew 5:17ff.).
As teacher, he instructed them on the nature and practice of
true spirituality (Matthew 6:1-18). They had to adopt a ‘first
things first’ attitude to life: seeking God’s kingdom and trusting
God were the best antidotes to anxiety. Jesus challenged his
followers to be discerning and to make the right choices: to
enter the narrow gate (7:13-14), to build on firm foundations
and to do his will (7:24-27). He offered profound teaching on
prayer and also gave them the model prayer (7:7-12; 6:9-13).
All four gospels preserve the dialogues and arguments which
Jesus had with the Jews. The Twelve watched him debating
with the religious authorities and gained valuable insight into
how they should interpret and apply the Old Testament
teaching on controversial topics such as sabbath-keeping,
traditions of the elders, citizenship responsibilities, divorce and
;
marriage and the life to come (e.g. Matthew 19:1-12; 22:15-33
Mark 2:23-27) .
A large chunk of the fourth gospel is devoted to Jesus’ final
discourse (John 13-16). He revealed precious truths about
himself, the Holy Spirit, spiritual fruitfulness, the importance
77
of loving one another, expectant prayer and facing trials and
persecutions.
The synoptic gospels contain numerous parables (e.g.
Matthew 13; Luke 15-16). These delightful stories were not
only entertaining; they were also didactic in thrust. The hearers
— both the crowds and the disciples — were forced to think
through their powerful lessons. Jesus often had to provide the
key to their underlying meaning. Once he paused to ask his
pupils, ‘ “Have you understood all these things?” ’ (Matthew
eg
Jesus patiently explained his mission to the Twelve, and
the gospel writers devote considerable space to his death and
resurrection (Matthew 21-28; Mark 11-16; Luke 19-24; John
12-21). Even after his resurrection Jesus was giving the
disciples final instructions.
Christ’s teaching left an indelible impression on his disciples.
They must have committed to memory much of his instruction.
But as we considered earlier, he made his disciples think
through real-life issues and problems; he didn’t stuff their heads
with facts. Neither did he infuse into them abstract theology
and philosophy. When he wanted to warn his followers against
the legalism and fallacies of the Pharisees, he didn’t organize
Course 105, ‘The Philosophy and Theology of Pharisaism’! He
exposed them to the cut and‘thrust of his debates with these
religious hypocrites.
Paulo Freire, a well-known Brazilian educationalist, contrasts
two types of education. First there is ‘narrative education’,
thus called because the teachers are narrating subjects and the
students, listening objects. In this educational process students
are simply containers; their teachers deposit knowledge and
information in them. Freire dubs this the ‘banking’ concept of
education.
The second method of education, which Freire strongly advo-
cates, is to do with problem-posing. The teacher and students
together confront reality and help each other to work, through
the issues with a critical mind. Freire writes, ‘Whereas banking
education anaesthetizes and inhibits creative power, problem-
posing education involves a constant unveiling of reality’
(quoted by Stott 1982:175).

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Jesus used both the narrative and problem-posing methods

in teaching his disciples. Before his ascension, he charged the
Eleven to make disciples and teach them ‘ “to obey everything
I have commanded you... ”’ (Matthew 28:20). The infant
church faithfully devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching
(Acts 2:42). The disciples emulated the example of their master
teacher.

Lessons for today

Leaders are expected to communicate spiritual truth. Whether
we teach a large congregation or a tiny group, we need to
understand what we are teaching. We must have a firm grasp
of Scripture and basic doctrine, otherwise we shall not be in a
position to build up others in their faith.
Christ’s emphasis on teaching should also be ours. Well-
taught leaders will think biblically and this is a crucial base
from which to communicate truth to others.
We need to review our teacher-training programme. What
priority do we give to systematic teaching? Are leaders
provided with opportunities and incentives to improve their
teaching skills?
Good teaching relates to life. The lecture-room approach to
Christian education has its limitations. As Freire has cautioned
us, we must not simply deposit facts in our trainees; we need
to get them to work through problems. The more ‘live’ situa-
tions we expose our leaders to, the better their training.

4 He revealed himself to them

Our Lord did not begin his ministry by openly declaring his
deity and Messiahship to his disciples. That would simply have
dazzled and overwhelmed them. He chose to reveal his identity
and his mission in stages; it was a gradual process.
John the Baptist stirred up the curiosity of Andrew and
another disciple by referring to Jesus as ‘the Lamb of God’
(John 1:36). These two disciples struck up a conversation with
Jesus and asked where he was staying. He replied, ‘Come, and
you will see’ (verse 39). They spent that day with him.
ve
At the beginning, Jesus’ disciples made some tentati
79
 guesses as to his identity. Andrew thought he was the Messiah
(verse 41), and Philip, the prophet that Moses had pointed to
(verse 45); Nathaniel confessed him as the Son of God, the
King of Israel (verse 49). But Jesus simply referred to himself
as ‘the Son of Man’ (verse 51).
As the disciples listened to his teaching, they realized that
he was very different from the rabbinic teachers. These men
always quoted a multitude of authorities and scholars, but Jesus
used the formula, ‘Amen, Amen’, which has been variously
translated, ‘Verily, verily’ (ksv), ‘Truly, truly’ (Rsv) and ‘I tell
you the truth’ (Nrv).
As the disciples watched him heal the sick, cure those
suffering from leprosy, give sight to the blind and make whole
the crippled, they recognized that these were signs. These sign-
posts focused attention on Jesus’ messianic powers and charac-
teristics (Luke 4:18-21).
While in prison, John the Baptist began to doubt whether
Jesus was truly the Messiah. He sent his disciples to check out
Christ’s credentials. Jesus’ reply was most revealing:

‘Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The
blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy
are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good
news is preached to the poor’ (Matthew 11:4-5).

For Jesus’ own disciples, this was evidence enough to convince

them that their Lord was someone unique. How could they
remain unchanged when they kept company with one who
could calm storms, walk on water, multiply loaves and fishes
to feed vast multitudes?
Towards the end of his public ministry, at Caesarea Philippi,
Jesus began to ask his disciples probing questions. Gossip about
his identity was already rife, so to start the ball rolling he asked
who the crowds were saying he was. He received a host of
answers: a prophet, John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah
(Matthew 16:14)! Then, looking straight at his disciples,
he
asked them who they thought he was. Peter answered,
‘ ‘““You
are the Christ, the Son of the living God” ’ (verse 16). In
response, Jesus commended Peter for his confession, declarin
g
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that it did not stem from human understanding but was revealed
to him from above (verse 17). It was only then that Jesus began
to explain his mission to his disciples. He had come to suffer,
to die and to be raised to life (verse 21). His disciples too had
to deny themselves and take up their crosses and follow him
(verse 24). If Christ had unfolded his mission and called for
such sacrifice at the outset, he would probably not have had
any disciples at all!
From that critical point on, Jesus began to unveil more of
himself to them. The inner circle of Peter, James and John
watched him being transfigured before them and heard the
voice of the Father declaring, ‘ ‘““This is my Son, whom Ilove;
with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”’ ’ (Matthew 17:1-8).
Jesus commanded them to keep under wraps all that they had
witnessed until after the resurrection.
In the upper room, Jesus left them in no doubt as to who he
really was. To Thomas’s enquiry as to where he was going,
Jesus replied, ‘ “I am the way and the truth and the life. No-
one comes to the Father except through me” ’ (John 14:6).
Philip, not fully understanding this statement, requested,
‘ “T ord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us” ’
(verse 8). We can almost detect a sigh in Jesus’ answer: * “Don’t
you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such
a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” ’
(verse 9). Here, Jesus is claiming to mirror God.
But the most remarkable disclosure of all was the promise
of the Holy Spirit. He is the paraklétos —- one who would stand
alongside them. As counsellor he would guide them into all
truth and remind them of all that Jesus had been teaching them
(John 14:26; 16:13).
In Luke’s preface to the book of Acts he describes the post-
resurrection ministry of Jesus:

. he showed himself to these men and gave many

convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them
over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of
God (Acts 1:3).

The risen Christ went on reassuring them of his victory over

81
death. He continued to reveal to them God’s plan for his new
kingdom and the role they would be called upon to play in it.

Lessons for today

Sometimes we drown young leaders with a flood of facts and
figures, not to mention responsibilities. They will inevitably feel
overwhelmed; they can’t see how the various bits and pieces
fit into the whole.
In our training of new leaders we need to help them discover
God’s plan for their lives and work in stages. Confidence in
him is built up gradually. It will be marvellous to hear them
testify after they’ve exercised their leadership gifts, ‘What a
mighty God we serve! He gives us strength to cope with our
tasks and wisdom to handle problems!’
If we are grooming leaders to take over our jobs, we should
first orientate them, then gradually share with them the joys,
opportunities and struggles which leadership entails. They will
certainly appreciate such ‘revelations’.

5 He assigned them practical tasks

Christ gave practical assignments to his disciples. He delegated
the task of seating the five thousand in orderly groups (Mark
6:39), and when the meal was over the disciples had to take
charge of the clearing-up operation (verse 43).
After months of being with Jesus and watching him teaching,
healing and casting out demons, they were sent on a restricted
mission. In Matthew 10, Jesus gathered the Twelve together
and gave them authority to heal, to exorcize evil spirits and to
announce the coming of his kingdom.
He issued them with clear directions for their mission. For a
start, they were to restrict their ministry to the Jews, ‘the lost
sheep of-Israel’ (verses 5-6). Since they were on a short-term
field trip, they were to travel light (verses 9-10). Their journey
ahead would be dangerous because they were being sent out
like sheep among wolves (verse 16). There was the likelihood
of opposition (verses 17-18), but the Spirit of God would stand
by them, enabling them to testify with boldness and wisdom
(verses 19-20). When they entered a town or village, they

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 ”

_ were to look for people who would welcome them and who
responded to their message (verses 11-13). They were not to
be surprised if some rejected them (verses 13-15).
So they tackled this assignment. Mark tells us that they went
out two by two (Mark 6:7), a wise strategy as leaders need
companionship and support.

Lessons for today

Training is one-sided if it only consists of theory. Of course
we should impart knowledge through lectures and seminars.
Leaders should be encouraged to study relevant texts and
books. But practical service must be integrated into our leader-
ship training programme. People learn best through on-the-job
training! This is the approach of Jesus the master trainer.
We shall be wise if, like him, we begin with ‘controlled’
experiments. It can be suicidal to send a preacher-in-training
out to deliver his first sermon before a large congregation!
He could first gain considerable experience and confidence by
speaking to a Christian youth group, for example.
Sometimes, because of crying needs and a shortage of experi-
enced leaders, we throw young workers in at the deep end.
Remarkably, some have survived, but a good number have
floundered. Just as Jesus gave clear directives, we too need to
ensure that new workers are given sufficient orientation and
clear instructions so that they can successfully accomplish their
tasks.

6 He evaluated their work

After the Twelve had completed their mission (Mark 6:12-13),
they gathered round Jesus and ‘reported to him all they had
done and taught’ (verse 30). They were full of excitement as
they gave their feed-back. Unfortunately their time of evalu-
ation was interrupted by the thronging crowds. So Jesus took
them away to a quiet place for rest (verse 31). We can assume
that the process of assessment continued there.
A similar exercise took place when Jesus sent out seventy-
two disciples on another special mission (Luke 10:1). Like the
Twelve, they were to travel light and again their mission
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 “4

involved teaching, healing and exorcism. They witnessed

amazing results! Euphoric, no doubt, with the success of their
enterprise, Luke tells us that those seventy-two workers were
filled with joy and said to Jesus, ‘ “Lord, even the demons
submit to us in your name”’’ (Luke 10:17). They had tasted
the power of the new age!
Christ recognized that they had achieved a great victory over
the demonic forces. Their mission heralded the coming defeat .
of Satan himself (verse 18). In his assessment, Jesus warned
his followers not to exult over their phenomenal accomplish-
ments, but to rejoice that their names were written in heaven
(verse 20; see Exodus 32:32; Daniel 12:1; Revelation 3:5). He
prayed, thanking his heavenly Father for revealing his will and
purpose to the disciples. Then he conveyed to them their
unique privilege in seeing, hearing and experiencing what their
prophetic and royal forefathers had longed to see (verses
23-24).

Lessons for today

Someone has made the wry remark that ‘most Christian events
end with the benediction’! We breathe a sigh of relief when
the conference or exhibition has come to a_ successful
conclusion. But we miss out on a crucial factor — evaluation.
This is probably one of the most important elements in training.
Evaluation enables us to assess our achievements. Have we
met our goals? Have participants worked effectively and
harmoniously? What were the weak spots and how could these
have been overcome? What have we learnt from the event that
will help us to plan and make a better job of it next time?
What are some of the spiritual lessons that God is teaching us?
Evaluation can often pave the way for even greater exploits for
God!

7 He rebuked them S
At times,. Jesus rebuked his disciples. Once, when they were
sailing across the Lake of Galilee, their boat was caught in a
furious squall. Jesus was fast asleep. Panic-stricken, the
disciples cried out, ‘ “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” ’

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(Mark 4:38). Jesus. chided them for their lack of faith. He

commanded the winds and the storms to cease, and within
seconds all was still.
We referred earlier to Peter’s confession of Jesus as the
Messiah. He was commended for his declaration of faith
(Matthew 16:16-17). But when Christ sought to explain his
mission with its costly price of suffering, Peter rebuked him,
he thought that his Master was out of his mind. Peter must
have been shocked when Jesus turned on him and spoke these
stern words:

‘Out of my sight, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me;

you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things
of men’ (verse 23).

Christ did not mince his words. He took Peter to task for
attempting to hinder him from fulfilling his role as the suffering
servant.
On their way to Jerusalem, Jesus and the Twelve had to pass
through a Samaritan village (Luke 9:51-56). Because of the
longstanding feud between Samaritans and Jews, the disciples,
who were all Jews, met with a stony reception. James and
John, the Sons of Thunder, impetuously blurted out, ° ‘Lord,
do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy
them?” ’ (verse 54). In the minds of both brothers, what the
Samaritans needed was a severe dose of judgment! But Christ
turned and rebuked them (verse 55). James’ and John’s preju-
dices had to be corrected.
When Peter cut off the right ear of one of the high priest’s
servants, we can detect anger in the voice of Jesus: ‘ “No more
of this!” ’ (Luke 22:51; see John 18:10-11). Peter was not
commended for his seemingly heroic action in defence of his
Master. He was reprimanded for acting according to his baser
instincts.
Jesus loved his disciples, but his love was never sentimental;
he simply could not overlook sin. Christ also taught his
disciples, ‘ “‘If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents,
forgive him’ ’ (Luke 17:3). Sin must be confronted, but we
should remember to treat the offender as a brother. We are
85
not to act like prosecutors or judges, accusing and condemning.
Love’s rebuke should lead to repentance.
This truth is illustrated in the words of the risen Christ,
‘“Those whom I love I rebuke’’ (Revelation 3:19). He
exposed the lukewarmness of the Laodicean Christians and
their smug, complacent attitude warranted his censure (verses
15-18). But he urged them to repent in order that they might
enjoy intimate fellowship with him (verses 20-21).

Lessons for today

In our eagerness to emphasize the ministry of encouragement
or affirmation, we can neglect that of rebuke. Sometimes we
become emotionally charged before reproving an erring co-
worker. But if we remain silent, we unwittingly retain their sins
or faults in our subconscious, only for them to pop out again
in unguarded conversations; thus we sin by gossip or back-
biting! So we need to pray for courage to correct an erring
brother or sister. The ministry of rebuke is best done face-to-
face, the aim being for the offender to repent and be restored.
This can only be achieved by ‘speaking the truth in love’
(Ephesians 4:15). When we do this, we will not crush a person’s
faith and dignity; on the contrary, he should feel loved and
accepted. i
Since we ourselves are sinful and fallible, we need to pray
before we correct our brother or sister. Unlike Jesus who is
sinless, we need the grace to accept other people’s criticism. If
we respond badly when someone rebukes us, they will not do
sO again and we shall be the losers!

8 He prayed for them

We have considered the example of Christ as a man of prayer
in chapter four. We have also noted that he spent all night in
prayer before appointing the Twelve. The disciples must have
continually been the subjects of his prayers. We overhear him
praying for them when he thanked his heavenly Father for
revealing divine truths to this circle of followers (Matthew
11:25-27). But his most intimate prayer for his disciples is
preserved for us in John 17. It is a poignant prayer which

86
 -

provides us with invaluable guidelines on how to pray for our

fellow leaders.
First, Jesus thanks God for his disciples (verses 6-10). He
treasures the Eleven because they are the Father’s gift to him.
His prayer begins with this sense of gratitude.
Second, Jesus prays for their protection (verses 11-12). While
he was with them they were secure, but soon he will be leaving
them. They will experience the attacks of the Evil One who
will stir up both the civil and religious authorities to prevent
them from fulfilling their worldwide mission. Protection is not
to mean insulating them from opposition and trials (verse 15).
They are sent to glorify God in the world.
Third, Jesus prays for their sanctification (verse 17) as well
as his own (verse 19). Here the word ‘sanctification’ implies
being set apart for special service. Leon Morris offers this
comment:

Jesus sets Himself apart to do the will of God and He looks

for them to be set apart to do God’s will. But the implications
are not the same in the two cases. For Him the consecration
issued in an atoning death: for them in lives of service (some-
times crowned with the death of the martyr) (Morris
1971:731),

Fourth, Jesus focuses his prayer on the unity of his disciples.

The phrase, ‘that they may be one’, occurs three times (verses
11, 21, 22). This unity is not uniformity or organizational
oneness; it is closely linked to the Son’s union with the Father
(verses 21-22). Their oneness is an important witness to the
world (verse 21).
Finally, Jesus expresses his deep longing that his disciples
might behold his glory (verse 24) and increase in the knowledge
of God (verse 26).

Lessons for today

Our prayers take on a new perspective when we begin to thank
God for each of our fellow workers. They are God’s gift to us.
Thanksgiving opens the way for us to appreciate them and their
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 ee 1 3 ee ts

partnership with us in the gospel. We need to pray for one

another’s protection because we are engaged in fierce combat
against the forces of darkness. Satan will attack us and one of
his favourite ploys is to divide and rule. If he can drive a wedge
between leaders, he’ll gain the upper hand. So prayer for unity
amongst leaders is crucial.
In the heat of the battle we can be tempted to withdraw or
compromise, hence the prayer for consecration. Commitment
to do the will of the Father will keep us on course.
Have we ever prayed that we and our co-workers will catch
a glimpse of God’s glory? That prayer lifts us to new heights
of spiritual experience (see Exodus 33:18-22; 2 Corinthians
3:17-18). ;

9 He commissioned them
Christ had almost completed his work on earth. For three years
he had taught and trained his disciples; he had prepared and
equipped them to be the builders of his church; he had suffered
and died for the sins of the world; he had risen from the dead.
The disciples had been eye-witnesses of these staggering events.
Just before he returned to the Father, he gave them this
mandate:

‘Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the

name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded
you’ (Matthew 28:18-20).

The Great Commission begins with the Commissioner himself.

Jesus is the authoritative Lord and it was he who issued the
command to ‘go and make disciples of all nations’. The disciples
had no powerful patrons to back them in their enterprise: they
went at Christ’s command. %
Their task of disciple-making would take them to all nations.
What a radical concept! Like their fellow Jews, the disciples
were parochial and chauvinistic in their outlook — salvation was
for the Jews. But Christ had changed all that. They were to
learn that ‘God so loved the world that he gave his one and

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 ,r

only son...’ (John 3:16).

Disciple-making, that is leading men and women to acknow-
ledge the Lordship of Christ, required teaching new believers
and incorporating them into the Christian community (symbol-
ized by baptism). This was by no means an easy assignment,
but Jesus promised the apostles his own presence (Matthew
28:20).

Lessons for today

This missionary mandate is still in force. Christ has not with-
drawn or rescinded it. He calls his church, which includes us
his servants, to be involved in world evangelization.
In July 1974 I was privileged to be among the first of 3,500
evangelical leaders to sign the Lausanne Covenant - an
unequivocal statement on evangelism. Here is an extract from
this celebrated covenant:

We affirm that Christ sends his redeemed people into the

world as the Father sent him, and that this calls for a similar
deep and costly penetration of the world. We need to break
out of our ecclesiastical ghettoes and permeate non-Christian
society. In the Church’s mission of sacrificial service, evan-
gelism is primary. World evangelization requires the whole
Church to take the whole gospel to the whole world... .
The responsibility to evangelize belongs to the whole body
of Christ. All churches should therefore be asking God and
themselves what they should be doing both to reach their
own area and to send missionaries to other parts of the
world. The reevaluation of our missionary responsibility and
role should be continuous. Thus a growing partnership of
churches would develop and the universal character of
Christ’s Church would be more clearly exhibited.

How are we going to act on this statement?

10 He left them
At first sight this appears to be a rather strange principle in
leadership training. Was three years really long enough for the
89
 disciples to learn all they needed in order to fulfil Christ’s
commission? Jesus had forewarned them that he was going to
leave them soon after his resurrection. While he was on earth,
he could only be in one place at a time. Moreover, we can
assume that if he had remained, the disciples would have been
more inclined to cluster round him than to disperse to the far
corners of the earth and get on with the job! So Jesus left them.
But he didn’t leave them alone — he promised to send them
another counsellor, the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17, 26;
16:7-15). The Holy Spirit is not restricted by the barriers of
time and space, but is available to all Christians everywhere all
the time. On the Day of Pentecost he made himself known in
a mighty way! And he has been guiding and empowering the
church ever since.

Lessons for today

It is not advisable for an established leader to remain in a
position of responsibility for too long. People may become too
dependent on him and he may unconsciously be restricting
God’s work.
We must leave our co-workers, especially new leaders, to get
on with their jobs. They will make mistakes, but they will learn
through them. If we had to wait until leaders were ‘one hundred
per cent ready’ before they embarked on their ministry, there
would be a distinct lack of leaders! The best way of training is
to get them to rely on the Holy Spirit and to tackle their
responsibilities with his enabling.
In 1966 I recruited a group of university students to help
me
pioneer a Sunday school for unchurched children in a villag
e
just outside Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. We laid on
lots of
different activities to catch the children’s interest. The older
boys loved soccer matches on Saturdays! We won their friend-
ship and soon a good number turned up for Sunday.schoo
l.
We trained a core of teachers and planned our own
syllabus.
To our delight, after a year the Sunday school had taken
root.
Then in March 1967 I was invited to join the staff
team of
IFES. My family and I had to move to our new base
in Hong
Kong. A month later, I received a letter from one
of the
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 -

students, now the Sunday school superintendent. ‘Dear Mr.

Chua,’ he wrote, ‘Since you left us, the work has gone from
strength to strength . . .”! That was one of the greatest compli-
ments I have ever received!

President Dwight Eisenhower once confessed that he only

read two types of letters - those marked ‘Urgent’ and those
marked ‘Important’. He lamented that he spent so much time
on the ‘Urgent’ that he had hardly any time left for the
‘Important’. As leaders we face a similar temptation. We are
slaves to’ the ‘tyranny of the urgent’ and we do not devote
enough time to the ‘important’. Like the Lord Jesus, we must
place the training of leaders at the forefront of our concerns.

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 Chapter Seven
THE INNER LIFE OF LEADERS

Leaders are public figures. As such we occupy centre stage and

all eyes are on us. We are expected to lead from the front and
people look ‘to us for direction.
This puts us in a dangerous position. To gain the respect of
others, we are tempted to project an image of spirituality. I’m
sure you've noticed how keen you are to drop hints that you
participate regularly at prayer meetings. That makes you truly
‘spiritual’. When you’ve been instrumental in leading someone
to faith, you have astory to tell! The audience is impressed.

Hypocrisy and true spirituality

I once read a biography of a well-known missionary leader.
His biographer noted that this man displayed exceptional spiri-
tuality because he would often fall on his knees and pray
audibly in the presence of his guests. His biographer was
completely fooled by his artificial piety!
Jesus warned us against hypocrisy. In his day, the Pharisees
(ostentatiously) paraded their spirituality (see Matthew 6:1-8,
16-18). They loved to pray in public; they drew attention to
their fasting. When they gave alms, their act of charity was
accompanied by trumpet and fanfare. They were hypocrites.
Now the Greek word hupokrités describes an actor in ancient
Greece or Rome who regarded the world as his stage and
himself as the central character. He would put on different
masks to portray different characters. This was an accepted
convention in the world of drama, but in real life, to put ona
mask of piety is to be insincere. The Pharisees fell into this

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. ,
i

trap. They wanted their audience to applaud them, but the

pious image they projected was a far cry from their true selves.
Their false spiritual facade might have earned the praise of
their fellow men, but God was not the least impressed! He saw
through their pretence.
Jesus counselled his disciples to cultivatea devotional life in
private, not seeking publicity or the praise of men. They were
to withdraw to their rooms so that they could spend time in
the presence of God. He is our unseen heavenly Father and
his commendation matters far more than that of men (verse 6;
see also verses 3-4, 17-18).

Sustaining our inner lives

Our inner lives are like the roots of a tree. Though hidden,
strong, healthy roots sustain and nourish the trunk, branches,
leaves and fruit. In times of drought, tall trees die and fall
because their roots are not supplying them with vital water and
nutrients. The prophet Jeremiah paints this vivid picture of a
believer who is in constant touch with the Lord:

‘But blessed is the man who

trusts in the LorD,
whose confidence is in him. |
He will be like a tree planted
by the water
that sends out its roots by
the stream.
It does not fear when heat
comes;
its leaves are always
green.
It has no worries in a year of
drought
and never fails to bear
fruit’ (Jeremiah 17:7-8).

If we are not drawing fresh strength each day from the Lord,
we can easily dry up. But if we want to be his fruitful servants,
93
our union with him is vital (see John 15:1-8, 16). Leadership
is exciting and exacting, and spiritual leaders have to give them-
selves unstintingly to meet the needs of their people. Unless
our inner lives are renewed and replenished, there will be little
depth to our ministry.
I have two timeless verses written on the flyleaf of one of
my Bibles. I first read them in Bishop Handley Moule’s volume
of pastoral theology, To My Younger Brethren (1902:2, 22):

Pastor, for the round of toil

See the toiling soul is fed;
Shut the chamber, light the oil,
Break and eat the Spirit’s bread;
' Life to others wouldst thou bring?
Live thyself upon thy King. . .

He that would to others give,

Let him take from Jesus still;
They who deepest in Him live
Flow furthest at His will.

The priority of prayer

Our inner life can be built up only through daily communion
with God. This means that we have to feed on his Word and
be people of prayer. In this chapter we will concentrate on the
prayer life of leaders.
If we are honest, we have to confess that prayer does not
come easily. We find it much more conducive to run around
doing things, busy with work that God has given us. At least
then we can measure what we have or haven’t done. We can
offer countless excuses for not praying. There are a hundre
d
and one things that need our attention. A twenty-four hour
day is simply not long enough to get through our work. Many
people clamour for our attention. And we feel good when
we
minister to people and run from one meeting to another.
But
we neglect the most important feature of our lives: time spent
with God in worship and prayer.
It took me a long time to realize that God is more concerned

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 ”

with who I am than what I do. My relationship with him has

to come before my service for him.
There was once a widower whose chief delight was to spend
time with his only daughter. Each evening when he returned
home from work, he would enjoy talking with her. Six weeks
before Christmas, she decided to knit him a sweater. This was
to be her surprise Christmas gift. So after supper she would
retire to her room in order to get on with her knitting. On
Christmas day, she knocked excitedly at his door, hugged him
and proudly gave him his present. When he opened it, there
were tears in his eyes — not of elation, but of sadness. The
daughter asked her father why he was weeping. ‘I’ve missed
you so much during the past weeks,’ he said. For him, his
daughter’s presence meant more than her present.
We need to keep our rendezvous with God. Let’s never
forget that he delights to meet us, and our relationship to him
matters infinitely more than the work we do for him.
Our Lord urged his disciples to enter their rooms for prayer.
Now the word used is tameion, meaning the store-room where
treasures were kept. We too need to find a quiet spot where
we can pour out our hearts in praise and prayer to our heavenly
Father. Our prayer room is transformed into a treasure store,
a royal audience chamber.
Jesus often withdrew to a quiet place for prayer. Mark
records: ‘Very early in the morning, while it was still dark,
Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place,
where he prayed’ (Mark 1:35, emphasis mine). He chose a
quiet spot so that he could be free from distractions and
interruptions.
It is salutary to observe the rhythm in the life and ministry
alone
of Jesus. He worked hard, but he also withdrew to be
with the Father. We detect an interesting balance between
work and withdrawal. This was deliberate. Jesus must have felt
his
exhausted, having spent hours teaching the crowds, training
of those around him. In the
disciples and meeting the needs
midst of his crowded programme, our Master never neglected
communion with God.
a
I find it extremely profitable from time to time to spend
reflect ion. These hours are
day or a morning in prayer and
95
 never wasted: my spiritual batteries are recharged and I gain a
clearer perspective of my life and work. A friend of mine
scribbles ‘TWG? in his diary. These initials stand for ‘Time with
God’. So when asked whether he’s free on a certain day, he
checks his diary, and if the engagement falls on a day marked
‘TWG’, he can truthfully declare that he has an appointment.
Please don’t just say, ‘What a splendid idea!’ Take definite
action! Begin by setting aside a morning or evening for unhur-
ried prayer. Find somewhere quiet and learn to enjoy God’s
presence. Spend time adoring him and praising him for who he
is and what he has done for you. Confess specific sins and seek
his cleansing. Share all your plans with him, your hopes and
fears; spread your problems and needs before him. Search his
Word and claim fresh strength for yourself and your ministry
.
Gordon MacDonald, President of IVCF USA, has written
a
helpful book, Ordering Your Private World (published
by
Thomas Nelson in the USA and Highland Books in the
UK).
It’s an excellent guide to help ‘driven’ workers realign
their
priorities in life. Follow his practical recommendations
and
soon your ordered life will express the beauty of God’s
peace.
I confess that I am an activist. I have great difficulty
in
praying consistently. Sometimes my mind wanders all over
the
world when Istart to pray. It seems that in prayer my
powers
of association work overtime! I often wish that I had
a more
mystical and reflective temperament, but I have come
across
very few people who actually have. Prayer is a disciplin
e; it
equires hard work. But we are not left to our own
strength —
the Spirit helps us to pray.
Isaiah 40:29-31 are mind-boggling verses:

He gives strength to the weary

and increases the power of
the weak.
Even youths grow tired and
weary,
and young men stumble and
fall;
but those who hope in the
Lorp

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 >
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like
eagles;
they will run and not grow
weary,
they will walk and not be
faint.

What amazing promises! God pledges to give strength to the

weary and weak. Those who wait upon the Lord will renew
their strength. They will be like eagles soaring with grace and
grandeur.
I remember once when I was swimming with a few friends
in Trinidad, we watched the eagles fishing and flying around
our bay. It was magnificent to see these huge birds swoop
down from the skies, catching tuna fish in their mighty talons.
Whenever they touched the water, they had to flap their wings
furiously. They had to expend vast amounts of energy before
they were airborne. But once they took off, they soared
upwards, carried along by the air currents. They then flew with
the greatest of ease.
For me, that was an acted parable of prayer. Like those
eagles in Trinidad, it takes time and effort to achieve alift-off.
I have learnt to quieten my heart and mind before God. In
silent meditation I focus my thoughts on him, reflecting on
some of his attributes — his holiness, his majesty, his covenant-
love. But there are times when I simply can’t get going. In my
helplessness I seek the assistance of the Holy Spirit, and in a
marvellous way he empowers and sets me free to praise and
worship God (see Romans 8:26-27).

Praying for and with others

Leadership involves personal relationships. God calls us to
work alongside our fellow labourers. Together we are to serve
his people. Our objective should surely be to seek God’s best
for our co-workers and members.
You would have thought that the church would be the ideal
place for co-operative evangelism. After all, aren’t we one in

OF
 = ee

Christ Jesus? Are we not brothers and sisters in the same

family? Don’t we have the same Lord guiding our plans and
decisons? The answer should be a resounding ‘Yes!’. The fact
of our being one in Christ is a tremendous motivation for
harmonious service. But we must face the reality of human sin.
This infects all human relationships, including Christian ones.
Pride hinders fellowship. Failure to communicate openly with
one another can easily compound misunderstandings and
divisions. The unrelenting campaign of Satan to drive a wedge
between Christians should drive us to greater vigilance in our
dealings with others.
Committee meetings can become battlegrounds for titanic
clashes between Christian leaders. Sometimes councils are
tuled by power blocs with their own vested interests. I know
of a church synod in Central Asia where delegates were once
involved in fist fights. The police had to be called in to separate
the pugilists! The situation deteriorated. The following year,
some delegates attended with knives and fire-arms!
Thankfully, this story has a happy ending. The president of
the synod was spiritually revived. He persuaded the delegates
to devote the first day of the proceedings to prayer and fasting.
To everyone’s astonishment, unity and harmony were restored.
Major decisions were made within a relatively short time. As
they learnt to pray for one another, a spirit of mutual prayer
and concern emerged.
It is always wise to integrate prayer into our committee meet-
ings. Prayer should not be used simply to open and close meet-
ings. A sizeable proportion of our time should be spent praying
over items on the agenda, particularly leadership appointments.
It’s thrilling to work in a committee that knows how to pause
for prayer in between items. Suppose you reach an impasse in
your discussion. No solution is at hand. The leaders turn to
prayer, committing the issue to God. I can’t explain the mech-
anics, but God reveals his will and plan. As leaders we need
constantly to remind one another that we are doing business
for the living God.
You can gauge the spirituality of any church or group by the
numbers who attend prayer meetings regularly and by the
spirit
of prayer. If we are in constant touch with God, we
know that

98
z f
he delights to answer prayer. Armed with this confidence, we
tally people to worship him and we present our petitions with
boldness before his throne of grace.
Spiritual leaders never get tired of reminding people that
they come to a God ‘who is able to do immeasurably more
than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at
work within us’ (Ephesians 3:20). This verse of a great hymn
on prayer by John Newton rings true:

Thou art coming to a King;

Large petitions with thee bring;
For his grace and power are such,
None can ever ask too much.

Wise leaders will invest time in preparing to lead prayer meet-

ings. Christians need repeated reminders that we worship the
Sovereign Lord..He does listen to our prayers. Believers are
encouraged when they receive reports of answered prayers. So
we may need to tell our prayer-partners, “Two weeks ago we
prayed for. . . . God answered by. .. .’
Up-to-date news of needs in the local community and on the
mission field stirs up fervent intercession. You’ve been praying
for an unconverted family in your town and also for some
missionaries serving in a resistant culture. Things take a turn
for the worse: the father threatens to leave the family; one of
the missionaries has hepatitis. Such news induces a greater
spirit of solidarity as you seek to pray these people through
their sticky situations. As leaders we should never regard prayer
meetings as a drag, but as a festival of praise, and a royal court
where we boldly request the King to hear our petitions for his
work and people.
Leaders should covenant to pray for one another. We work
best with those we pray for. Now we all know that we tend to
gravitate towards certain people whom we personally like. But
in most leadership teams there are a few difficult characters!
We don’t seem to communicate on the same wavelength; their
views are diametrically opposite to ours. We can become
impatient with them or even plan to resign and serve on another
committee! But once we start praying for these ‘difficult’ fellow
99
 leaders, the Lord may put his finger on our prejudices and
sinful attitudes. He will work in their lives and ours. Prayer is
like oil that helps different members of the body to function
smoothly together.

The pursuit of holiness

As leaders, we long for God to use us and to bless our service.
But he can only use clean vessels. True, he sometimes works
through us in spite of our impurities, but this is no ground for
being smug and complacent. Our vision of God is seriously
impaired by sin; the pure in heart see God (Matthew 5:8).
Leaders are to be marked by lives of holiness. This means
saying ‘no’-to sin and ‘yes’ to God. To be holy involves a
renunciation of selfish and evil habits. It means yielding
ourselves daily to the Lord because we are his. It has to do
with the renewal and transformation of our minds and attitudes
(see Romans 12:1-2) and a growing likeness to Jesus Christ (see
“Romans 8:29). This process of sanctification, that is, growth in
holiness, requires discipline. God, the master goldsmith, refines
us; he purifies us through fire so that dross is removed from
our lives. But more important, the vessel becomes ‘an instru-
ment for noble purposes, made. holy, useful to the Master and
prepared to do any good work’ (2 Timothy 2:21).
Robert Murray M’Cheyne will always be remembered as one
of Scotland’s godly ministers in the first half of the nineteenth
century. In 1840 he wrote these words to a friend who had just
been commissioned as a missionary:

Do not forget the culture of the inner man — I mean of the

heart. How diligently the cavalry officer keeps his sabre clean
and sharp; every stain he rubs off with the greatest care.
Remember you are God’s sword — his instrument — I trust a
chosen vessel unto him to bear his name. In great measure,
according to the purity and perfections of the instrument,
will be the success. It is not great talents God blesses so
much as great likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an awful
weapon in the hand of God (Bonar 1892:282).

100
 . Chapter Eight
THE AUTHORITY OF LEADERS

The subject of spiritual authority often provokes heated

discussion and debate. Recently I had lunch with Ralph, and
we were talking about the authority of Christian leaders. I first
met him in the seventies when he was an active student radical.
He had taken part in street demonstrations against political and
educational authorities. Authority for him was a dirty word and
he and his fellow revolutionaries were committed to expunge it
and to introduce greater grass roots participation. Ralph did
not stop there, for he introduced this revolt to his local church.
He questioned the right of the elders to issue directives to the
congregation and their insistence on maintaining rigid liturgical
forms of worship. He attacked their hierarchical structure and
authority base. Somehow, he and a few other Christian students
managed to turn their church upside down and inside out. They
even got themselves elected onto the church committee! Some
of the innovations they introduced were healthy, because that
church experienced greater community spirit and a larger
number of members became involved in the decision-making
process.
But to my amazement, Ralph explained that he had become
totally disillusioned with his church set-up. He declared that all
church committee meetings were a waste of time and simply
ruined talents. Leaders cherished their personal viewpoints and
so the vote was often split. Decision-making came to a standstill
and there was hardly any progress.
Ralph had moved to another part of the country and decided
to join a ‘more biblical’ church. He told me he was most
impressed with the leaders because they wielded great authority

101
 and exercised thorough pastoral care. Every member had to
be ‘covered’ or ‘shepherded’ by an older or more experienced
Christian. No-one could move house or marry without the
express permission of the elders. Ralph applauded this tight
control. He felt like a passenger on board a ship with a captain
and a crew who knew where they were going.
I told him that I’d witnessed similar authoritarian structures
in other parts of the world. I related how, the last time I visited
Lagos, my Nigerian host took me to his local church which
was packed with worshippers. I was intrigued to find a boxed
enclosure at the back with four young men in it. When my
friend saw me staring at this strange piece of architecture, he
smiled and whispered, ‘That’s the penitents’ box, a kind of sin-
bin! Those lads have done something wrong and that’s part of
their chastisement. I know one of them... apparently he
expressed interest in a young lady without first consulting the
pastor. Our pastor found out and he’s now being disciplined.’
I related another incident where a young graduate in Chile
approached his pastor for permission to serve as a team leader
in his student movement. The pastor asked the graduate to
wait outside the vestry while he prayed to seek God’s will.
Within minutes, my friend was called in and told he was not
to assume the post. He could not question his pastor’s decision
because God had apparently made known his will!
I told Ralph that I had serious reservations about authori-
tarian styles of leadership in God’s church. They have a form
of spirituality but in reality they cripple growth and restrict the
freedom of believers.
I was not questioning the right of leaders to exercise God-
given authority. We rejoice when his servants proclaim his
Word with authority and conviction or when they discipline
members: because of erroneous beliefs and scandalous behav-
iour. It’s'admirable for pastors and elders to organize caring
fellowships with well-trained leaders. We are not in any way
advocating a return to the dark period of the Judges’ where
each Israelite did what was right in his own eyes (Judges 21:25).
That was’ sheer anarchy and led to political and religiou
s
decline!
Our portraits of spiritual leaders as servants, stewar
ds and

102
shepherds underline, the concept of accountability. We do not
operate as a law unto ourselves. We derive our authority from
God, and this must be exercised in accordance with his authori-
tative Word.
The problem with authoritarian leaders is that they tend to
overstep the mark. They use Scripture or church authority to
bolster their own position and pronouncements. They often
control and subjugate their members. The latter are forbidden
to make important individual decisions without reference to
them. Authoritarian leaders demand submission — their word
is law. Watchman Nee, the founder of the indigenous local
church movement in China, taught that whenever Christians
disagree with their leaders they ipso facto disagree with God
(see Barrs 1983:45). Such teaching breeds fear and a sense of
over-dependence on leaders.
John White and Ken Blue issue this timely warning:

Terms like covering and umbrella are often used in teaching

a form of authoritarianism which has the appearance of godli-
ness, but which is not biblical and which fosters infantilism
rather than freedom and growth amongst church members
(White and Blue 1985:75).

In the New Testament all Christians are expected to feed them-

selves, to discern God’s will and to press on towards spiritual
maturity (e.g. Ephesians 4:13-14; 5:15; Hebrews 5:11 — 6:2).
We are even commanded to ‘test the spirits to see whether they
are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into
the world’ (1 John 4:1). Christians have the responsibility to
test the teaching and authority of their leaders to see if they
correspond to biblical revelation. Leaders have no right to place
themselves above the authority of Scripture: they too must
submit to its teaching and correction.

Recognizing spiritual authority

How do we recognize spiritual authority in leaders?
First, leaders should submit themselves to the Lord and to
his Word. Their authority stems from God and they are

103
 tere ae

primarily his servants, people under authority. This means that

they will not aim to attract a following, nor will they bolster
their leadership status by quoting select Bible texts so that their
members will give them unquestioning obedience. Their lives
and preaching should reflect their submission to God. They are
utterly dependent on him as they seek to fulfil their ministry.
Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones once told a remarkable story about
a Welsh preacher who had been invited to address a large
convention. The crowds gathered to hear him but there was no
sign of the preacher. The anxious minister and elders sent a
maid back to the house where the preacher was staying. The
girl returned and told them, ‘I didn’t like to disturb him. He
was talking to somebody.’ They were surprised ‘because there
was nobody. else in the house. So they gave her instructions to
go back and tell the preacher that he must turn up for his
engagement because everyone was waiting for him. The girl
did as she was told but before long she returned and reported,
‘He is talking to somebody. I heard him Saying to this person,
“I will not go and preach to those people if you will not come
with me.” ’ The minister replied, ‘Oh, it’s all right. We had
better wait.’
Dr Lloyd-Jones concluded:

The old preacher knew that there was little purpose in his
going to preach unless he knew of a certainty that the Holy
Spirit was going with him and giving him authority and
power. He was wise enough, and had sufficient spiritual
discernment, to refuse to preach until he knew he had his
authority, and that the Holy Spirit was going with him and
would speak through him. You and I, however, often preach
without Him, and all our cleverness and learning, and all
our science and all our apologetics lead to nothing because
we lack the authority of the Holy Spirit (Lloyd-Jones
1958:88).

Second, spiritual leaders will have their authority and ministry

tested both by men and the forces of darkness. Those tests
will
reveal whether their authority is based on human patronag
e,
self-assertion or on God and his Word.

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BR nS

: ye

The prophets in the Old Testament, though armed with

divine authority, had their words and actions challenged by
their contemporaries. Moses faced fierce opposition and was
even threatened with death by his own people (Numbers 14).
Aaron and Miriam contested his right and ability to lead Israel
(Numbers 12:2). Jeremiah and Amos were bitterly criticized by
the religious establishment when they declared the authoritative
Word (e.g. Jeremiah 20:1-2; Amos 7:10-15). In each case God
vindicated the authority of his servants.
The Lord himself, who taught with such distinctive authority
(see Matthew 7:29), was rudely questioned by the chief priests
and teachers of the Law: ‘ “Tell us by what authority you are
doing these things . . . Who gave you this authority?” ’ (Luke
20:2).
True authority has a way of disturbing human consciences!
And their best defence is often expressed by these challenging
questions: ‘Who are you to say such things?’; ‘On what grounds
do you make that statement or set that objective?’; ‘Is God
speaking through you?’
Let me share a few examples.
The first relates to Charles Simeon, who for fifty-four years
exercised a remarkable ministry in Cambridge. In 1782, when
he was only twenty-three, he was appointed vicar of Holy
Trinity Church. He expounded Scripture with both clarity and
zeal. Simeon was often mocked by Cambridge society and even
ostracized by his own congregation, but many students were
converted through his preaching. O. R. Barclay writes:

When he [Simeon] died in 1836 the shops were closed and

about half the University came to pay their last respects.
Meanwhile hundreds of young men had gone out from his
influence as missionaries or ministers. When he started there
was only a handful of evangelical clergy left in the Church
of England; when he died it was estimated that nearly one
third of the pulpits of the Church of England were in evan-
to the
gelical hands, and the flow of active Christians up
University began to increase (Barclay 1977:12-13).
the effective-
In the end, both critics and friends recognized that

105
 ness of Simeon’s ministry was due to its being firmly based on
the authority of God’s Word.
The second example is that of Dwight L. Moody, the well-
known American evangelist. He was brought up in a humble
home and could not boast a university education. However,
Moody was invited by the Christian Union at Cambridge to
give a series of evangelistic addresses to town and university in
November 1892.
About 1,700 students in academic cap and gown jeered and
Sang rowdy songs when Moody stood up to preach on the first
night. But towards the end of his message, the majority were
struck by the simplicity and power of the gospel. On the final
evening many students went forward to receive Christ,
including the ringleaders who had caused such commotion on
the first evening! Because Moody relied on God and on the
power of his Word, countless lives were transformed (see
Barclay 1977:22-28).
The same is true of Billy Graham’s evangelistic ministry.
Vast audiences around the world detect the ring of authority
whenever he declares, ‘The Bible says . . .”. Graham repeat-
edly points his hearers to the living God who still speaks power-
fully through his Word. As a result, thousands respond and
commit their lives to Christ.
My final example relates to an incident which took place a
few months ago. Two minister friends and I were asked to
exorcize demons or evil spirits from a housewife. At the outset,
all three of us heard a voice from one of the spirits demanding
our identity: ‘Who are you?’ it shrieked. One of my friends
replied through habit that he was the vicar of a certain church.
Mocking laughter ensued: they didn’t appear to respect ecclesi-
astical office. We immediately rebuked these spirits in the name
of Christ. We engaged in a long drawn out spiritual contest,
but after many hours the demons were at last cast out.
That incident illustrated the power clash between God’s
servants and demonic forces. Had we relied on our wits, experi-
ence and learning, that poor lady would still be in bondag
e.
The evil spirits trembled at the authority of Christ and we
his
servants were able to rest on the victory that he won on
the
cross when he disarmed all principalities and powers (Colos-

106
o ~~

sians 2:15). How reassuring to know that he still gives his

servant-leaders power over the forces of darkness.
Third, we recognize spiritual authority as it is demonstrated
by the leader’s love and example. John Stott makes this incisive
comment:

The authority by which the Christian leader leads is not

power but love, not force but example, not coercion but
reasoned persuasion. Leaders have power, but power is safe
only in the hands of those who humble themselves to serve
(Stott 1984:335).

Samuel Logan Brengle was one of the great leaders of the

Salvation Army. His life and ministry touched many lives. This
was how he viewed spiritual authority:

It is not won by promotion but by many prayers and tears.

It is attained by confession of sins, and much heart searching
and humbling before God by self-surrender, a courageous
sacrifice of every idol, a bold deathless uncompromising and
uncomplaining embracing of the cross, and by an eternal,
unfaltering looking unto Jesus crucified. It is not gained by
seeking great things for ourselves, but rather like Paul, by
counting those things that are gain to us as loss for Christ.
That is a great price, but it must be unflinchingly paid by
him who would not be merely a nominal but a real spiritual
leader of men, a leader whose power is recognized and felt
in heaven, on earth and in hell (quoted by Sanders 1967:18).

Fourth, true authority is exhibited in practical service. Paul

refers to the household of Stephanas and describes its members
as those who ‘have devoted themselves to the service of the
saints’ (1: Corinthians 16:15). Therefore he urged the Corin-
thian Christians to submit to their leadership. The apostle also
s.
referred to two other messengers — Fortunatus and Achaicu
the
Together with Stephanas they had ministered to Paul, and
apostle had been greatly refreshed as a result. Such leaders
deserve recognition (verse 18).
God clothes his leaders with authority to preach his Word
107
 a hateohIe
en aie

and to lead his people forward. We call upon his name, the
source of authority and power, when we are locked in battle
against the forces of darkness. We need to guard against using
our God-given authority for self-promotion or brandishing it
like a rod in order to subjugate others. Ours is a delegated
authority; we must remember that we are accountable to the
true source of authority, the Lord himself.
When leaders exercise their gifts and authority in the way
God intends, others will respond enthusiastically to this
exhortation:

Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep

watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey,
them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden (Hebrews
13:17).

108
 Chapter Nine
LEADERS AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS

Christian leaders are in the business of body-building — not

their own bodies but the body of Christ. The ascended Christ,
like a victorious general, has generously distributed gifts to his
people. Some are called to be apostles, some prophets, some
evangelists and some pastors and teachers. The goal of these
leaders is ‘to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that
the body of Christ may be built up .. .’ (Ephesians 4:11-12,
emphasis mine). ;
The illustration here is that of a growing body with its
members reaching out in service. The leader’s role is not that
of displaying his gifts and authority; it is in equipping God’s
people for service. There are two directions in Christian service:
first, it is God-ward. Leaders should teach and motivate
believers to worship and praise Almighty God. Through the
singing of hymns and psalms and through the prayers of his
saints, God is exalted. By the proclamation of his Word, the
lives of his worshippers are nourished and built up. Then there
is the man-ward aspect of service. Leaders equip God’s people
to serve the community by good works (social action) and by
sharing the gospel (witness). As we serve God and our fellow
men, we should expect growth.
When Paul depicts the church as the body of Christ (see
Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 4:12-16;
Colossians 1:18), he is not thinking of a lifeless corpse but a
living organism. In the human body every limb, joint, muscle
and organ are included in the process of growth. Christians as
members of the body are therefore interdependent on one
another and each has apart to play in its growth (1 Corinthians

109
12:12-27). Let’s focus our attention on spiritual gifts, studying
the nature and range of gifts mentioned in Scripture. Then we
shall examine the special, and very important, role of leaders
in identifying, facilitating and developing these gifts in their
members.

The nature of spiritual gifts

The Greek word normally translated ‘spiritual gifts’ is charis-
mata. It has its root in the word charis which means ‘grace’;
spiritual gifts are ‘grace-gifts’. The Germans have grasped this
concept well as they use the word Gnadengaben, aliteral trans-
lation of ‘gifts of grace’. Paul reminded the Christians in Rome:
‘We have different gifts, according to the grace given us’
(Romans 12:6). Therefore we should never think of spiritual
gifts as prizes to be won or rewards that we deserve. They are
sovereignly dispensed by our generous God:

All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he
gives them to each man, just as he determines (1 Corinthians
12:11, emphasis mine).

One question that immediately springs to mind is the relation

between spiritual gifts and natural talents. How are they
related? Michael Green offers this helpful perspective:

Just as the Bible will not allow any disjunction between

creation and redemption (they both hang together as com-
_ plementary aspects of God’s self-disclosure), so it simply does
not know any disjunction between the natural and the super-
natural. All truth is God’s truth; all gifts are his gifts; nature
and grace both stem from one Author (Green 1975:156).

Thus a man who before his conversion possesses a sympathetic

nature may, when he becomes a Christian, be given thesgift of
encouragement to strengthen the faith of others. A gifted
teacher may be given the charisma to expound Scripture with
new depths of spiritual insight. His teaching and communicating
skills will be heightened as he seeks to build up other believers.

110
Range of spiritual gifts |
The following chart attempts to bring together three major lists
of gifts in the New Testament.

Romans 1 Corin- Ephesians

12:6-8 thians 4:11
12:8-10,
28-30
Prophecy x x(2) x
Service x
Teaching X X Xx
Encouraging x
Contributing xX
Leadership X
Showing mercy X
Word of wisdom X
Word of knowledge x
Faith x
Gifts of healing x(2)
Miraculous powers x(2)
Distinguishing spirits xX
Tongues x(2)
Interpretation x(2)
Apostles x x
Counsellors/helpers x
Administrators x
Evangelists X
Pastors X

This list of gifts is by no means exhaustive. We might also

mention the gifts of voluntary poverty (1 Corinthians 1373);
hospitality (1 Peter 4:9), celibacy (Matthew 19:12; 1 Corin-
thians 7:7) and craftsmanship, as illustrated by the Spirit-given
skills of Bezalel (see Exodus 31:1-5). We could add the gifts
of composing the words and music of cherished hymns, both
traditional and contemporary. One thing is clear: there is a
wide range of spiritual gifts and these are distributed amongst
God’s people.
111
 Our God is described in Scripture as a God who loves variety.
The apostle Peter implored his readers to administer God’s
grace in its various forms. The Greek word for ‘various forms’
is poikilos and literally means ‘variegated’ or ‘many-coloured’.
It is a word used to describe the multi-coloured and intricate
patterns on ‘carpets and embroidery. John Stott makes this
striking comment:

The grace of God is like an elaborate tapestry, and the rich

diversity of spiritual gifts are the many threads of many
colours which are interwoven to make up the beauty of the
whole (Stott 1975:89-90).

We need to appreciate and treasure this all the more!

Spiritual gifts — then and now

Space forbids us to comment on each gift listed in the New
Testament. It is important to note that'we cannot be absolutely
sure how some of them were exercised in the first-century
church. Take for instance the gifts described as ‘message of
wisdom’ and ‘message of knowledge’. I looked through ten
different commentaries and found eight different interpret-
ations! Writers from the Pentecostal or charismatic tradition
identify them as the gifts of supernatural insight. They cite the
example of Peter, who could read the minds and hearts of
Ananias and Sapphira. Thus their deception was exposed and
they came under God’s severe judgment (Acts 5:1-11).
Exponents of this view maintain that some individuals are given
a preview of future events. But other commentators, such as
C. K. Barrett, interpret the messages of wisdom and knowledge
as ethical. instruction and the exposition of Christian doctrine
(Barrett 1968:285).

Down-to-earth gifts! Sy

Before we consider the more ‘up-front’ leadership gifts, we

must underscore the importance of down-to-earth gifts. They
may not be spectacular like the gifts of healing and tongues but

112
_ they are vital in the body of Christ!
Let’s reflect on the gifts of serving, encouraging, contributing
to the needs of others and showing mercy (all these appear in
Romans 12). Just think of Christians who week by week
welcome members and newcomers to services of worship. Or
those who look after the young children. Think too of those
who fetch senior citizens and give them avlift to church. Or
those who lovingly visit the sick, the lonely and the neglected.
Consider the faithful band of workers who type, print and
collate our newsletters and bulletins. What about those who
generously provide hospitality? And those who give so unstint-
ingly to the Lord’s work? They may not be in the limelight
but their gifts ensure the continuation of important Christian
ministries.
Some years ago a Christian philanthropist visited me in my
London office. In his gracious way he said, ‘I would like to
contribute ... thousand pounds. Will you please use my gift
for the training of student workers?’ That sort of thing doesn’t
happen every day and I was so happy I couldn’t contain my
joy! The Lord had provided us with funds to launch our training
venture!
Recently, a Christian couple shared with me the unexpected
ways in which God had blessed their property development
business. So they decided to establish a foundation which would
support key Christian workers. They have adopted several
missionaries and national workers through their venture. Such
generosity extends the borders of Christian service. How we
need to appreciate all these fantastic men and women with
their service-gifts!

Leadership gifts
We now turn our attention to leadership gifts. Christians who
possess these are not in the premier league! All gifts flow from
God and because they’re grace-gifts we have no room to boast.
Such gifts and abilities are for others, for the upbuilding of
Christ’s body. So leaders should always ask, ‘How can we use
our gifts for God’s glory to equip others for service?’

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 Apostles
". +. first of all apostles’ (1 Corinthians 12:28); why apostles
first? The apostles founded local congregations and taught the
infant church definitive doctrines. Paul declares that the church
has been built ‘on the foundation of the apostles and prophets’
(Ephesians 2:20). According to John Stott, their ministry was
first in time and in importance (Stott 1979:107).
The apostles were a select band of men specially appointed
by Christ to plant churches and to teach with authority. The
Eleven, together with James, Matthias, Paul and one or two
others, e.g. Barnabas, belonged to this special group. Their
authority was unique and they can have no successors. It’s
interesting that certain people in Corinth iaid claim to the title
of ‘apostle’, but their claims were rebutted because they had
no right to call themselves such.
Although most Christians accept the view that the original
group of apostles is irreplaceable, some believe that the apos-
tolic ministry, just like apostolic doctrine, has been handed
down from one generation of leaders to the next. They
argue
that the church should recognize this particular ministry.
This
ministry-gift is exercised by those who seek to establish
chur-
ches in virgin territory. In many ways they are trail-blazers,
setting guidelines for congregation life and discipline (see Prior
1985:218). David Prior also refers to the itinerant nature
of this
ministry and writes:

The Holy Spirit constantly keeps some on the move in

this
way. They are pioneers and, by virtue of their mobili
ty,
they can encourage the wider church with their wisdo
m and
experience (Prior 1985:219).

Eddie Gibbs, in his practical volume I Believe

in Church
Growth, compares the apostolic ministry of the
first century
with that of today:
a
The apostles were not cautious, bureaucratic
leaders, but
bold, pioneering adventurers, ensuring not simply
the ortho-
doxy of the Church, but also safeguarding its
continuing
114
 mobility and flexibility.
. .. The church needs a new generation of leaders with
a truly apostolic gift of the trail-blazing kind. We need
leaders who are freed from administrative and maintenance
tasks . .. We need leaders with time to reflect, diary-flexi-
bility and visionary qualities who can be with the troops not
just for the ceremonial parades and in the casualty stations
but share in the strategic advance. They should be released
to roam freely on the growing edge. Their task is as much
concerned with preparing for tomorrow as preserving
yesterday (Gibbs 1985:247).

Prophets
The prophets, like the apostles, were also given special auth-
ority by God. They were his spokesmen and mouthpiece and
he even put words into their mouths (see Deuteronomy 18:18,
Jeremiah 1:9). Their oracles began with the authoritative
formula, ‘Thus says the Lord’.
In the New Testament, few prophets are mentioned by name
(e.g. Acts 11:27-28; 15:30-32; 21:10), but they usually worked
within the framework of local churches (Acts 13:1), and they
were noted for their ability to teach, predict, reveal and link
specific believers to special tasks (Acts 11:27-28; 13:1;
1 Timothy 4:14).
They ranked second in importance to the apostles (1 Corin-
thians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11). Their ministry of conveying
God’s revelation to his people was crucial before the New
Testament writings were copied and circulated.
Are there prophets today? Yes, but only in a secondary
sense. As Stott rightly insists:

Nobody can presume to claim an inspiration comparable to

that of the canonical prophets, or use their introductory
formula ‘Thus says the Lord’. If this were possible, we would
have to add their words to Scripture, and the whole church
would need to listen and obey (Stott 1979:161).

God does gift certain leaders with exceptional insights. He

115
 ae
<a

enables them to relate and apply Scripture to contemporary

issues and to specific events. Their words console, encourage
and edify and there is a sense of ‘immediacy’ in their public
and private ministry. But we must beware of prophets who
claim to have a special hot-line to God; believers should weigh
their words carefully because authentic prophecy never contra-
dicts God’s Word. And let’s remember that those with
prophetic gifts should always seek to edify and build up God’s
‘people.

Evangelists
It is true that all Christians are called to be witnesses — to share
our faith with others. But God also bestows the gift of being
an evangelist upon some. They are able to present the gospel
with simplicity, clarity and relevance. They often help non-
believers to cross the line of non-faith to faith in Christ.
Evangelists spearhead gospel advance and the church needs
to release people with this gift to penetrate vast segments of
Our society with the good news of Christ. We shouldn’t burden
them with administrative tasks but should encourage them to
train and mobilize others for effective outreach.

Pastor-teachers
The gift of teaching occurs in all three lists. Believers can only
grow if they are properly nourished and fed by God’s Word
through gifted teachers.
In Ephesians 4:11, teachers are closely associated with
pastors, the two nouns sharing the same article. Pastors or
Shepherds must be able to teach as well as to care for God’s
flock. We have explored this theme in the portrait of leaders
as shepherds. Pastor-teachers perform a crucial functio
n,
ensuring the growth of local congregations.

Two other ‘up-front’ gifts :

There are two other ‘up-front’ gifts which contribute
signifi-
cantly to growth, particularly in the area of organization.
We
tend to equate the offices of apostles, prophets,
evangelists and

116
 1
r

_ pastor-teachers with ‘spiritual’ ministry. Now if these leaders

lack the ability to plan, organize and preside over the affairs
of their churches, how can Christians be mobilized for effective
service? Paul mentions the two gifts of ‘leadership’ (literally
‘governing’, Romans 12:8) and ‘administration’ (1 Corinthians
12:28).
First, there is a distinct gift of leadership. The Greek word —
proistamenos conveys the picture of someone presiding over
others. The position of an executive president is a good modern
equivalent. The verb proistanai occurs in 1 Thessalonians 5:12
and 1 Timothy 5:17, where it refers to presiding over a congre-
gation, and in 1 Timothy 3:4-5 and 12, where it refers to the
governing of households.
A growing Christian community requires someone who can
diligently preside over them and over their leadership team.
This leader is someone who can guide meetings with great skill;
he prevents leaders from getting side-tracked by urging them
to tackle matters of priority. I think we can spot this gift in
James when he presided so ably over the famous Council of
Jerusalem (Acts 15:13-21). Professor Cranfield tells us that the
verb proistanai can also mean ‘support’, ‘succour’ and ‘protect’
(Cranfield 1983:627). He suggests that this specific gift of lead-
ership applies to the leader who defends the interests of
widows, young children, newcomers and those who are some-
times overlooked by others. Thus this person acts as a concili-
ator, bringing reconciliation and harmony whenever conflicts
arise. There is certainly scope for such leaders to exercise their
gift of presiding in our churches!
What about administrators? Some Christians are rather
frightened of these officers! Can they exercise spiritual responsi-
bility? Paul classifies administration as a spiritual gift, so we
must recognize it as such. We mustn’t think of administrators
as bureaucrats who inundate us with reams of paper and who
are sticklers at forcing everyone to observe the minutiae of the
law and the constitution. In fact, Paul uses a rather colourful
word to describe the gift of administration: kubernésis, which
means piloting or steering. The kubernétés is a helmsman whose
chief task is to keep his ship on course. He’s always at the helm
steering his vessel away from rocks. He maps the direction of

117
 nie Fe am

the craft; he knows its capabilities and the skill and experience
_ Of his crew. When the weather changes, he adjusts his nav-
igational plans accordingly. What a vivid picture of an
administrator!
Every church needs an able helmsman or pilot. Incidentally,
modern Greek employs the same word, kubernétés, for an
airline pilot. Many of our congregations and organizations run
round in circles and don’t get anywhere, because we fail to
encourage administrators to recognize the importance of this
leadership gift. It is often a bad strategy to saddle the pastor
(unless he has the gift of administration) with the duties of
presiding at business meetings and deciding upon the necessary
steps to implement over-all objectives and goals. We should
callin the administrators! Some pastors and Christian workers are
specially gifted for counselling (another spiritual gift), and being
people-orientated, are often immersed in meeting personal
needs. Eddie Gibbs makes a strong plea for spiritual leaders
who can really lead and plan effectively. He contrasts these with
those who concentrate on theirpersonal ministry of counselling:

They become so entangled in the problems of individuals

that the church as a whole loses a sense of direction and
lacks cohesion. A captain of a ship cannot confine himself
to the sick bay. He must get back on the bridge (Gibbs
1985:281).

Most of us are familiar with the King James rendering of

Prov-
erbs 29:18. We’ve probably quoted it: ‘Where there is no vision
,
the people perish.’ The Septuagint (the Greek translation
of
the Old Testament) uses the word kubernésis, so
we could
translate the text along these lines: ‘Without adminis
trators,
the people perish.’ Let’s keep our eyes open for godly Chris-
tians who possess this gift.
God has endowed certain people with leadership gifts,
but
they are not intended for show or self-aggrandisemen
t.*They
should always be channelled for the benefit and blessi
ng of
others, resulting in all our members exercising their God-gi
ven
gifts. We quench the Spirit if we fail to make room
for the
exercise of spiritual gifts.

118
 er sat hee CAN ed tal

==
i

Identifying and developing gifts

How are leaders to identify and encourage the use of spiritual

gifts in their members? Not at the regular Sunday service!
Unfortunately, that is a very poor context for discovering the
wide variety of gifts.
Some of our worship services appear to combine the ‘lecture
hall’ and the ‘theatre’ atmosphere. Churches that stress the
preaching of the Word focus their services upon the pulpit and
the preacher. True, we must hear God speaking to us through
his Word. But only one or two people will teach and expound
Scripture.
Churches with a strong liturgical tradition feature several
dramatic acts. The priests wear colourful robes, and choirs
chant psalms and render exquisite musical anthems. The liturgy
incorporates audience participation in set prayers and
responses; the scene at the Last Supper is re-enacted at the
communion table. Some churches include drama and dance.
All these evoke a theatrical performance, albeit in rather spiri-
tual and mystical dress and language. Here again only a few
can play the main parts — ordained ministers, gifted organists,
choir members, actors and actresses. The majority watch the
performance either in awe or boredom!
I can almost hear our Pentecostal friends objecting, “But
we’re quite different. Haven’t you been to a charismatic
service? Different people give words of prophecy and exhor-
tation. Sometimes healing takes place. Our services are punctu-
ated with testimonies and shouts of “Hallelujah!” Aren’t we
exercising our gifts at our services?’ Equally, those who exercise
oversight at Brethren assemblies can point to the ‘open struc-
ture’ of their services. Members, particularly the men, are
encouraged to give a word, lead in prayer or announce a hymn.
Undeniably there is greater lay participation at these services.
But if we were to keep a record of the participants, we would
probably discover that it is always the same people who assume
the ‘public ministry’. The majority still just sing along and
support the action.
There is a definite place for regular services where the Word
is taught and the congregation celebrates the greatness and the
119
goodness of God. There is room for music and in some
instances drama, testimonies and open praise and prayer.
All I am contending is that there is a better context for the
majority of our members to discover and use their gifts and
talents. I refer to the small group, variously labelled ‘house
group’, ‘Bible study group’, ‘fellowship group’, ‘cell group’ and
‘action group’.
Howard Snyder boldly maintains:

A small group of eight to twelve people meeting together

informally in homes is the most effective structure for the
communication of the gospel in modern seculurban
society ... Methodologically speaking, the ‘small group
offers the, best hope for the discovery and use of spiritual
gifts and for renewal within the church (Snyder 1975 :139).

Snyder goes on to illustrate the advantages of the small group

structure, stressing its flexibility, mobility, openness of the
members (so essential for caring) and fellowship. Small groups
can be effective in reaching out in evangelism and in service.
They do not require ‘professional’ leadership as lay members
can be trained to lead. More important, the small group is ‘best
seen as an essential component of the church’s structure and
ministry, not a replacement of it’ (Snyder 1975:142).
Snyder draws a lesson from church history. During the Great
Evangelical Awakening in eighteenth-century England, thou-
sands of men and women were converted through the preaching
of George Whitefield and John Wesley. Wesley was a superb
organizer. He realized that if the young converts were to
continue in their faith, they required spiritual discipline, fellow-
ship and encouragement. So he organized his famous classes,
the historical precedents of the small group.

The classes were in effect house churches . . . meeting in the

various neighbourhoods where people lived . . . The vlasses
normally met one evening each week for an hour or so.
Each person reported on his or her spiritual progress, or on
particular needs or problems, and received the support and
prayers of the others (Snyder 1980:54-55).

120
These classes became the backbone of the Methodist Church.
The fruit of Wesley lasted because he had developed this basic
structure to cope with church growth. In addition he encour-
aged the formation of bands which exercised pastoral care and
trained lay preachers for his preaching houses. Gifts were
spotted, developed and released for effective ministry.
Moving from eighteenth-century England to a more contem-
porary situation, let’s peek into the activities of a small group
or house fellowship in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This small
group had been discussing at its weekly gatherings the relation-
ship between husbands and wives and their respective duties.
One week they were discussing the theme of the husband as
head of the home. Juan Carlos Ortiz, a former pastor of this
church, tells the story in his own inimitable style!

‘Well, Roberto!’
The leader turns to Roberto and says, ‘Well, Roberto, are
you really the head of your house?’
‘Well, I tell you,’ Roberto says, ‘we’ve really been through
a problem here lately. I guess I’m not the head of my home,
because I don’t know how to solve it.’
‘What happened?’
‘Well, my father-in-law died recently, and he had a big
dog that he really loved. We had to bring my mother-in-law
to live with us, and of course she had to bring along the dog,
since it’s a remembrance of her husband.
‘The trouble is, our apartment is too small for a dog. So
we argue about it. I say the dog has to go. My wife says,
‘Poor mom — she’s so old. The dog reminds her of daddy.
Please be kind and let him stay.’ We’re getting nowhere - I
don’t even know if I want to keep living there anymore.’
Someone in the cell says, ‘Listen, Roberto — I can help
you. I live on the outskirts of the city, and I have a big piece
of land. Let me take care of the dog for a while.’
But the leader says, ‘No, Roberto, perhaps God sent the
dog to your home to teach you something. Listen, you are
not the head of your home -—but not for the reason you think.
A
A head is not just someone who gives orders to everybody.
121
 head is someone who brings solutions, who thinks out what
needs to be done.’ ;
‘How can a dog be worth all that trouble? He’s tearing
the whole family apart, and he’s not even a person.’
And someone else says, ‘Listen, maybe the dog shouldn’t
be in the apartment — maybe you’re right. But maybe God
wants you to learn to love that dog anyway. Come on
Roberto — you’re losing your wife, you’re making the old
woman unhappy. The problem really isn’t the dog — it’s you.’
Roberto says, ‘Oh, no. I can’t!’
‘Don’t worry,’ the leader says. ‘We’re going to pray for
you that God will give you the power to accept the dog.
Come here and sit in the middle of the room.’ We all gather
around and lay hands on him to pray. ‘God, give him victory
over the dog. Make him love his wife and his mother-in-law.
Please help him. . .’
Roberto starts to weep. Finally he says, ‘Okay, I think I
can do it now.’
‘All right,’ we say. ‘Now on your way home, stop in a
store and buy the dog a new coat. If you don’t have the
money, we’ll give you some. You must learn to love the dog.
You are working out a solution to the problem in your
home.’
What Roberto doesn’t know is that at that moment his
wife is with my wife in another cell. She too is telling the
story of the dog. And my wife is saying, ‘Listen, he is the
head of your house, and you have to submit to him. Even
your mother must submit to him now.
‘If he says the dog goes, the dog goes. Why don’t you see
if you can find another place for the dog to stay, and you
and your mother can still go see him once or twice a week?’
‘I never thought of that,’ she says. ‘He really is the head,
and we have to obey him. I’ll talk with mom.’
She goes home and convinces her mother to give the dog
away. About that time, Roberto walks in with a new coat
for the dog!
You cannot accomplish things like that in a Sunday
morning service.
.. . The next week we hear reports of what happened.

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 Roberto says, ‘You won’t believe what happened when I got
home... !’ We rejoice together (Ortiz 1975:142-4).

It is truly amazing to witness the excitement of Christians as

they discover the joy of using their gifts to help others. Basically
it is an experience of koindnia, deep and personal fellowship.

Leaders as facilitators of gifts

There is an untapped reservoir of gifts in our churches and
Christian fellowships. Our primary task as leaders is to identify
and facilitate the deployment of gifts.
We have indicated that gifts can best be spotted in the context
of small groups. In order to facilitate the use of gifts, leaders
must list specific openings for service: unmet needs in the
church and community. Our role as facilitators is to match our
members’ gifts with corresponding jobs.
Another aspect of facilitating involves bringing out the best
in people. Andy Le Peau gives this vivid illustration:

Perhaps you’ve heard the commercial for Hellmann’s mayon-

naise. ‘Bring out the Hellmann’s . . . bring out the best!’
The pun is apt. While claiming to be the best mayonnaise,
Hellmann’s suggests that it brings out the best flavors in
other foods. . . . Facilitators are people who bring out the
best in others. They are able to bring out the strengths in
people without drawing attention to themselves. Like the
mayonnaise, they may not be noticed. But without facilita-
tors, nothing is as good (Le Peau 1983:52).

My friends in Asia and the Caribbean may not appreciate

mayonnaise. For them, ‘the best’ is hot and spicy chilli sauce!
Both sauces enhance the flavour of food.

Bash — facilitator extraordinaire

The late Rev. Eric Nash, known as ‘Bash’ by many of his
friends, was a remarkable facilitator. When he died on 4 April
1982, his ‘spiritual children’ and followers included a large
123
 number of Christian politicians, officers in the armed forces, at
least seven bishops, four heads of theological colleges,
numerous headmasters and over 200 pastors.
Bash exercised his influential ministry by concentrating his
efforts on the top thirty public schools of England (for non-
British readers, public = private!). He used to hold annual
summer camps for public schoolboys, and was always assisted
by a team of young undergraduates, many of whom he had
personally led to Christ. He had an amazing gift for spotting
potential leaders and maintaining close ties with them. One
such student was John Stott, to whom he wrote once a week
for five years (Eddison 1984:58),
Through his quiet ministry he inspired young leaders
to
deeper commitment to Christ. He was rarely in the limelig
ht
but pushed forward some of his more gifted young men.
No
wonder God used Bash to produce so many outstan
ding
leaders.
The church today urgently needs to re-establish the biblica
l
norm of ‘body life’, where members’ exercise their gifts
and
talents for God’s glory. Our obligation as leaders is to
equip
his people for service both in the church and in the world.
The
Rodoton Presbyterian Church in Darien, Connecticut,
USA,
has captured this spirit. On their notice-board, beneat
h the
usual information about services, church activities and the
names of the pastoral’ team leaders, we read these
striking
words:

MINISTERS: THE ENTIRE CONGREGATION

Q
Note: the quotation from Disciple by Juan Carlos Ortiz, which appear
on pages 121-123, s
is used by permission of the publishers, Creati
House Publishers, on
Altamonte Springs, Florida, © 1975, and
_ Marshall-Pickering, 1976
Basingstoke, England.

124
 Chapter Ten
WORKING TOGETHER

Leadership involves people. In the previous chapter, we

learned that God has generously gifted his people with talents
and abilities to serve him in the church and in the world.
Leaders should bring the best out of their members. They
should facilitate the use of gifts.
This chapter explores the dynamics of corporate leadership.
What are some of the biblical guidelines for working together?
We shall also adapt helpful ideas from the world of manage-
ment to our decision-making.
It’s exhilarating to serve God together. For a start, we are
‘God’s fellow-workers’ (1 Corinthians 3:9); he calls us to work
together with him (2 Corinthians 6:1). Our common allegiance
to him forms the basis of our working relationships. That’s
thrilling!
Because we are human beings, we bring into leadership our
different viewpoints, prejudices and weaknesses. Of course, we
also contribute by sharing our experiences and insights. Let’s
watch a group of leaders at work. .
Say you have two or three from the busines s world. They’ll
intro-
push for sound management procedures and are keen to
duce a professional touch to Christi an organiz ation. Sitting
alongside them are a couple of visionaries. These are ideas
the
people with creative flair. They have great dreams for
church but sometimes these are not earthed in reality. Then
raison
you have the thinker/philosopher type who demands a
, there are leaders who are
d’étre for every decision. Finally
g of people rather than events.
warm and caring, always thinkin
of one
Now if there is mutual respect and acceptance
125
 another’s backgrounds and gifts, this team of leaders can enrich
the ministry of their church. But if they treat one another as
rivals and insist on their own way of planning, there will be
chaos and division. God’s work will come to a standstill.

Biblical foundations
It is extremely useful to look up the words ‘one another’ in a
concordance, listing the verb or action that precedes this term.
We begin with Christ’s command to Jove one another (John
13:34-35). It’s not an option; it is his charge. This declaration is
repeated in 1 John 4:10-11. We are to love one another as God in
Christ has loved us. This is the basis for our working together.
To love our fellow leaders is to desire their highest good. This
has staggering implications. If team members are determined to
seek the highest welfare of the others, they will exercise their
leadership responsibilities in an atmosphere of trust and
acceptance.
In our list of ‘one another’ texts we are admonished not to
do certain things. Warnings in Scripture are there to be heeded.
So here are some:
If we love one another, we shall NOT:
— pass judgment on each other (Romans 14:13)
— ‘bite’ (that is, hurt) one another (Galatians 5:15)
— lie to each other (Colossians 3:9)
— slander one another (James 4:11)
~ grumble against one another (James 5:9).
Positively, love aims to build people up. This goal is fulfilled
by:
— accepting one another (Romans 15:7)
— serving each other in love (Galatians $313)
~ submitting to one another (Ephesians 5:21; see 1 Peter 525)
— bearing with each other and forgiving one another (Colos-
sians 3:13)
— teaching and admonishing one another (Colossians 3:16)
— encouraging or comforting one another (1 Thessalonian
s
4:18) -
— offering hospitality to one another (1 Peter 4:9)
— praying for one another (James 5 :16).

126
 5
As we prayerfully study these tremendous texts and apply
each exhortation to our relationships with our fellow workers,
we Shall discover greater harmony in the leadership team which
will overflow into our Christian community.
As we serve God together, we should bear in mind another
stirring call:

And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards

love and good deeds .... let us encourage one another
(Hebrews 10:24-25).

From these biblical principles of working together, we turn now

to some practical aspects of corporate leadership.

Organization matters
In a small congregation or Christian fellowship, organization is
relatively simple. Because the group is small, it is fairly easy
to impart vision and share job responsibilities amongst the
members. If there are queries or problems, they can be swiftly
ironed out.
In a community of more than sixty people, we shall need to
establish stronger structures and improve communication links.
Various activities run by different sets of leaders or committees
need to be co-ordinated and integrated into the over-all objec-
tives and plans of the church. The leadership team will have to
present clear goals and map out the direction in which the
church should travel. Thus a communication network will
develop, but not without effort.
Unless we are content to allow one man — the pastor — to
organize and run the whole show, leaders should pray and plan
together. Members have to be mobilized for effective service.
The team or committee is normally invested with authority to
carry through responsibilities for the entire congregation. Team
leaders monitor progress and tackle different problems that
arise. But all the time they seek to challenge the entire group
to maintain God-given priorities.
In the chapter entitled ‘The choice of leaders’, we emphas-
ized the qualifications required of leaders. They should be men
127
and women who are full of the Holy Spirit and full of faith and
wisdom. These essential qualifications are vital for spiritual
leadership. But at the same time, if they are to accomplish
their tasks they must learn to make decisions together. This
requires thorough planning and a certain amount of adminis-
trative skill..Leaders must know what needs doing, and they
should consider who should do it and when.
Team leaders should spend time working through plans and
thinking ahead. They will not do all the jobs themselves. Wise
workers always delegate so that more people can be involved
in God’s work.
When we read books on management, we inevitably find a
sizeable section on the topic of delegation. This: is an area of
leadership which is often overlooked by well-meaning Christian
leaders. They work themselves to the bone and in the end
collapse from sheer physical and nervous exhaustion. They fail
to realize that they bring this terrible state upon themselves
because they haven’t delegated work to others.

Delegation
Moses had this problem. He took upon himself the awesome
task of settling disputes amongst the Israelites. He was a
competent judge and his people looked to him to mete out
justice. All day long the people milled around him, waiting for
him to pass judgment on their disputes (Exodus 18:13). And
Moses almost collapsed with nervous exhaustion!
His father-in-law Jethro rescued him. This wise man warned
his son-in-law against such a poor use of his time and energy. If
Moses persisted in doing all the work himself, the problems of
his people would crush him (verses 17-18). Jethro told Moses:

‘But select capable men from all the people — men who fear
God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain — and appoint
them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties arid tens.
Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but
have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases
they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter,
because they will share it with you’ (verses 21-22).

128
 Bet
Eee. asie PaNa Ney
EE EO ImES er kee
teu 7

Delegation would bring fruitful results and Moses’ load would

be lighter (verse 22). Sharing his administrative responsibilities
would not mean that his standing as God’s representative and
leader would be diminished in any way. Moses would continue
to represent his people before God and teach them God’s laws
and decrees (verses 19-20).
Ted Engstrom, in his book The Making of a Christian Leader,
cites the benefits of delegation. There are the benefits of
improved understanding and relationships between leaders and
followers. People who are given the opportunity to develop
their talents and latent abilities gain job satisfaction which
improves their morale. At the same time, delegation eases the
pressure on the leader. It frees him to think and plan strate-
gically (Engstrom 1976:163—4). Engstrom goes on to outline six
main principles of delegation:
1 Select the jobs to be delegated, and get them organized’
for turn-over.
2 Pick the proper person for the job.
3 Prepare and motivate the delegatee for his assignment.
4 Hand over the work, and make sure it is fully understood.
5 Encourage independence.
6 Maintain supervisory control — never relinquish the reins.
He concludes with these words: ‘Never forget that effective
delegation aids progress, builds morale, inspires initiative. ‘““The
final test of a leader,” said Walter Lippman, “‘is that he leaves
behind him in other men the conviction and will to carry on” ’
(quoted by Engstrom 1976:165).

Failure to delegate
Why is it that some of us are so afraid to delegate work to
others?
First, we are afraid that others may not do the work as well
as ourselves. We are frightened of the possibility of being let
down. But if we work out exactly what needs doing and assign
specific responsibilities to people, they will get the job done.
It is true that we have to explain the task clearly and in some
cases provide training. But this yields high dividends. We will
129
get more people involved in the work. It was John R. Mott,
the well-known missionary statesman, who used to say, ‘I would
rather let ten men do the work than do the work of ten men.’
Second, we fail to delegate because we are afraid of losing
control. Some of us become rather anxious and insecure when
others have to make decisions and take the lead. We think that
decision-making has been taken out of our hands. In Christian
work, we need to learn to trust others. Besides, we do not lose
control because if we are wise delegators we still maintain a
supervisory role. Those who have been assigned aspecific task
are accountable to us.

Learning from the world of management?

Should Christian leaders borrow leadership patterns from the
world of management? Yes, if these insights are carefully
weighed and sanctified first!
Authors of management manuals and books propound their
principles and share their insights based on their research and
on the experiences of those who run large business corpor-
ations. Whilst we admire their goals of excellence and
efficiency, we must never make these ends in themselves. We
want to do a good job because. it brings glory to God. To be
sure, there is much that we can learn about goal-setting, the
control of budgets, organizational efficiency, measuring
achievements and motivating employees. However, there are
fundamental differences. Big businesses can count on an army
of well-trained employees. In churches we work mainly with
part-time volunteers. In the world of Management there’s
usually a chain of command; executives give orders which are
to be obeyed. But in Christian service we have to inspire,
influence and motivate our fellow Christians. We can’t order
them around like subordinates. Most churches and Christian
organizations have limited funds and resources and cannot
afford the back-up props of word-processors, computers and
skilled secretaries. Therefore we shall need to adapt manage-
ment principles and procedures to our particular situation. As
God’s stewards, we must seek to make the best use of all
available resources and manpower.

130
Working together: a framework for collective
decision-making
Personally, I have made good use of a framework that facili-
tates corporate decision-making. This framework is made up
of six major components or steps as follows:

Objective In one sentence set out clearly the main goal

or aim of the venture.

Resources List manpower, finances and equipment

available to fulfil the objective.

Planning ‘Planning is deciding in advance what should

be done, why it should be done, where it
should be done, when it should be done,
who should do it and how it should be done’
(Alexander 1975:17).

Communication Communicate information to fellow leaders

and members so that they become aware of
the objective. Share proposed plans. Inform
each person of his or her specific responsi-
bilities. Hand out job descriptions (prefer-
ably written) so that all workers are clear
about their duties.

Action Set the plan in motion by working on

assigned tasks. This should only take place
when the team has followed the preceding
steps. The chairman or co-ordinator may
need to monitor progress and attend to
organizational problems.

Evaluation The leadership team reviews the entire

programme of activities. What went well?
What did not? Why not? If a similar
programme were to be repeated, what
would be repeated? Omitted? Have new

131
 leadership talents been spotted amongst
those who participated in the venture?

This grid is invaluable for decision-making by a group of

leaders. Its effectiveness rests on the willingness of all the team
members to’ submit to its discipline. Too often a group of
leaders has a vague idea of what should be done. They make
hasty plans and jump straight into action, and before they
know where they are there is a breakdown in communication.
Participants are not clear about their specific responsibilities
and to whom they are accountable. They don’t see how their
jobs fit into the whole. There is duplication and overlapping in
some areas, while other jobs are overlooked. Exasperation and
frustration set in. So leaders begin to blame one another, and
a dark cloud overshadows the entire programme.
Now, for this grid to work, leaders require constant practice.
They must meticulously follow the six steps.
Sometimes when I conduct workshops on leadership manage-
ment, I divide participants into small teams with six or seven
members in each. They have to familiarize themselves with the
six steps of decision-making. Then I openly display eight or
mine articles. I challenge the team members to collect ten
of
each article in the shortest time possible. Each item is to be
carefully labelled. In outdoor situations I make use of differen
t
kinds of leaves and stones. The team that faithfully follows the
six steps is normally the winner! I then allow twenty minutes
for the different teams to analyse their performance, assessin
g
their success or failure.
For the next exercise, I ask the same teams to collect twice
the number of the same articles in half the time. The astoni
shing
fact is that most teams succeed in meeting this new target.
They
have learnt from experience the importance of manage
ment.
They have also learnt the importance of setting clear objecti
ves,
careful planning, making the best use of their manpo
wer and
resources, issuing clear job descriptions and review
ing their
efforts.
Let’s use this framework to plan an evangelistic
outreach to
be undertaken by your local church. There are nine
people on
the committee, of which you are one. The only
‘full-time
132
 er

workers’ are the pastor and the church secretary. Six thousand
people live in your parish and your congregation has a member-
ship of 150. How would you go about planning an evangelistic
venture which would result in some folk in your neighbourhood
becoming Christians and joining your church?
You may like to close the book at this point and jot down
what you would do, but be sure you adhere to the six steps:
objectives; resources; planning; communication; action;
evaluation.
Here’s an example of how one local church tackled this
evangelistic outreach:

Objective To share the good news of Jesus Christ in

our neighbourhood so that the majority will
be exposed to the claims of Christ, and at
least a dozen will commit their lives to him.
This evangelistic effort will be concentrated
in a period of nine days including two week-
ends.

Resources List manpower. How many Christians are

able to share their faith with others?
How many Christian homes are available
for informal gatherings, for example coffee
parties?
What central venues, for example church
hall, could be used for the main evangelistic
gatherings?
Budget: estimate finances needed to pay for
expenses of special speakers, leaflets, book-
lets, training materials, publicity, etc.
Are there Christians in the church who
could train others in evangelism?

Planning Work out a tentative programme for

outreach. Example: two main Sunday
services; evangelistic messages on Saturday
evenings; special meetings for men, women
and young people; coffee parties; personal

133
 evangelism.
Set suitable dates.
- Recommend possible speakers.
Suggest co-ordinators for various activities.
Be sure to include people responsible for
training others in evangelism and also those
who will organize the publicity.

Communication First stage

Make sure that all the leaders are familiar
with and thoroughly committed to this
evangelistic venture.
Job descriptions should be given to specific
people. Each job description should help
the person to answer two basic questions:
‘For what am i responsible?’ and ‘To whom
am I responsible?’.
Second stage
Leaders should share the objective and
vision of this evangelistic outreach with
members of the congregation.
Prayer, finance and personal support are
solicited. |
Information on training programme and
how each member could be involved is
clearly spelt out.

Action Before the nine days of intensive evange-

lism, members should be actively befriend-
ing their neighbours and sharing their faith.
Special prayer sessions should be organized.
Door-to-door visitations should be made
and free gospels or evangelistic booklets
given to each household.
Those responsible for publicity should get
the local newspaper or radio station to
publicize special events.
The main speaker should be briefed for his
meetings.

134
 The pastor, together with lay counsellors,
should be available to meet with inquirers.
Evangelistic and follow-up materials should
be at hand.
Those responsible for practical details (for
example the arrangement of meetings, set-
ting up the hi-fi system) should run through
the procedures to avoid last-minute hiccups.

Evaluation After the venture, the committee should

review the entire programme at a special
meeting.
How many homes were visited?
What was the spiritual response of the
community?
How could this be followed through?
Perhaps two or three teams could be mobi-
lized to visit seekers.
What about conversions? How many
professed faith?
How are these to be followed up?
How should the entire church capitalize on
the momentum created by the nine days of
special meetings?
What gifts and abilities emerged in which
members? How could these be further
developed?

It would of course be immensely profitable if the findings were

collated and made available to the next team to plan an evan-
gelistic outreach. Thus the new committee could build on what
their predecessors had learnt.
In his book Managing Our Work, Dr John Alexander made
this penetrating comment:

If we want our colleagues to feel like members of one team,

one of the indicators that our communications are healthy
will be the tendency for our people to use the pronouns we,
_our and us instead of you, your, they and them when referring

“F35
 Working together should demonstrate our belonging together,
and our mutual commitment to serve the same Lord. This will
_ produce solidarity and partnership.

136
 ‘Chapter Eleven
A BLUEPRINT FOR GROWTH

Growth is a critical test of spiritual leadership. If we faithfully

carry out our God-given tasks as servants, shepherds and stew-
ards, and are examples to the people under our care, we should
expect to see steady growth.
In certain extreme cases this may not be possible. A dedi-
cated missionary might work for a decade in a resistant Muslim
area and see very little fruit. Church growth is also almost
impossible in a hostile Marxist country like Albania. But in
countries where the Bible has been translated and is freely
available and where there are communities of believers, effec-
tive spiritual leadership should result in both the numerical and
qualitative growth of congregations and Christian fellowships.
I am always amused when Christian leaders argue and debate
over the nature of church growth. Some give the impression
that you can measure growth in terms of numbers and statistics.
Their critics jibe, ‘You may have thousands of people
professing faith, but you may also be welcoming countless
“pagan Christians” into your congregations.’ These critics
would emphasize qualitative growth and some might even
object to any attempt to probe or measure this particular
dimension.
Is it possible to assess growth in a certain Christian fellowship
or congregation? Are there biblical criteria or guidelines?
Luke’s account of the birth and expansion of the church
records quantitative growth. Three thousand responded to
Peter’s preaching on the day of Pentecost and were baptized
(Acts 2:41). The number of converts increased daily (verse 47).
This phenomenal growth continued: ‘More and more men and
7
 women believed in the Lord and were added to their number’
(5:14). The church in Jerusalem encountered fierce persecution
and the Christians scattered throughout Judea and Samaria
(Acts 8:1), but this first diaspora of believers ‘preached the
word wherever they went’ (verse 4). As a result, there was a
vast turning of Samaritans to Christ.
Luke goes on to relate the remarkable ways in which the
gospel spread, especially in the Gentile world. First, the Roman
household of Cornelius the centurion was converted and bore
witness to Christ (Acts 10). However, the most dramatic
accounts of the church’s expansion focus upon the tireless
efforts of Paul and his missionary team. Led and empowered
by the Holy Spirit, these men established churches throughout
the Mediterranean world.
But as Luke chronicled the spread of the Christian faith, he
also emphasized qualitative growth. He underlined the import-
ance of teaching and grounding new believers, both Jews and
Gentiles, in apostolic teaching and doctrine (see Acts 2:42;
11:26; 14:21-22; 15:35; 20:20-21, 27).

The church at Antioch

It would be immensely valuable to track down the criteri
a
for corporate spiritual growth from the whole book of Acts.
However, I believe that the church in Antioch provides us with
a blueprint for growth, so I am going to identify six
marks
which characterized the remarkable advance of this particu
lar
church.

A brief background
Antioch was the third largest city in the Roman Empire
, coming
after Rome and Alexandria. This Syrian sea-port was
a thriving
commercial centre with a cosmopolitan population.
The church at Antioch was not founded by the apostl
es or
by a team of professional church-planters. It was
established
through the witness of ordinary Christians, some of
whom had
fled to this city because of intense persecution (Acts
11:19).
Within a short time of arrival, they began to share
the good
138
 el

news and ‘a great number of people believed and turned to the

Lord’ (verse 21).

First mark: a witnessing community

We are struck by the bold and consistent witness of these
Christians. Their faith was contagious. They were not
campaigning for a cause, nor were they promoting a new
religion. They were proclaiming Christ and summoning their
contemporaries to own him as Lord. Effective Christian witness
centres around the person of Christ. Men and women need to
know him as their Saviour and Lord. God’s hand was upon the
believers at Antioch; he authenticated their testimony, and the
church experienced great growth.
Today we witness the exciting phenomenon of church growth
in many parts of the world. Consider South Korea. Fifteen
years ago, less than 5% of the population professed to be
Christians. Today, approximately 15% claim to be followers of
Jesus Christ. If we were to visit Seoul, the capital city, early
on a Sunday morning, we would probably get stuck ina traffic
jam. These are caused by Christians travelling to church! Most
church buildings are packed with worshippers. Some congre-
gations run between five and seven services every Sunday. At
each gathering, the pastor has to ask the people to come on a
shift system! Stewards are specially trained to get people in and
out of buildings as swiftly as possible.
In Indonesia we witness Muslims turning to Christ on a
massive scale. Muslim villages have become Christian towns!
This remarkable people-movement began soon after the
abortive communist coup in 1965. Sociologists may identify
political, economic and social upheavals as the causes of such
religious hunger. God often works through these circumstances,
but he has also prepared countless hearts to receive the good
news of Jesus.
In neighbouring Singapore, groups of Christians who work
in the commercial offices of this bustling city invite their non-
Christian friends to attend special meetings or Bible studies.
These activities are held in offices during the lunch hour. Chris-
tians have recently converted cinemas into churches. Local
139
churches expand by planting satellite house churches.
A few years ago the Pentecostal Church in Brazil had a
million members. Today it has over seven million and two new
church buildings are constructed each day! We hear reports of
a large in-gathering of men and women in Africa. As the gospel
is proclaimed; many are freed from their animistic beliefs and
practices; they find new life and liberty in the Lord Jesus. Not
only village folk, but students too, are turning in great numbers
to Christ.
We must ascribe such rapid growth to the sovereign work of
God’s Holy Spirit. That’s theologically correct. But as we
observe each area, we note a common link: Christians in South
Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Brazil and Africa take advantage
of their social networks to spread the gospel. They invite their
friends, relatives and neighbours to churches or Bible study
groups. The joyful services, spiced with spontaneous testi-
monies of recent converts, make local folk more aware of
God. Enthusiastic Christians with contagious faith are fabulous
advertisements for the gospel!
During the past year, how many have become Christians
through your church or fellowship? Are our churches and
fellowships witnessing communities? As we rub shoulders with
our fellow employees, friends, relatives and neighbours, do we
share God’s love with others? Or are we like Canadian rivers
in winter-time? — frozen at our mouths! How we need to pray
that God will melt our cold hearts and warm them with the fire
of his love so that we will share the good news with others.
There are many Christians who resent being asked the
number of people who profess faith in Christ through the
witness of their church. They may reply, ‘Only God knows’,
implying that we cannot truly tell who are regenerated. Such
‘theological defence’ is evasive. If we do not proclaim Christ
fervently and expect God’s Spirit to draw men and women to
him, then there will be little or no fruit. Every Christian must
be encouraged to share Jesus with others and to expect God
to draw them to himself.
As Christian leaders, we must not give in to the spirit
of the
age. Here in Europe, many Christian leaders adoptafatalis
tic
attitude. They shrug their shoulders and blame the post-Ch
ris-
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 Rad SS? ateee Lear gc Tks gst Tee

tian era and humanistic environment for the lack of conver-

sions. ‘People no longer believe in the supernatural. They trust
science and high-tech. When they’re in need, they turn to the
welfare state.’ These friends forget that we are in the midst of
a titanic spiritual conflict. Satan blinds the eyes of unbelievers
(2 Corinthians 4:4). He turns their hearts and minds to seek
after false gods. Like the watchman in the prophecies of
Ezekiel, we need to warn people to fiee from their sin and the
danger of God’s judgment (see Ezekiel 3:17—21; 33:2-9). And
we must preach Jesus Christ as Lord so that the God of light will
shine in the darkness of human hearts (2 Corinthians 4:5-6).
Sophisticated people in this post-Christian era need to hear
the gospel, but first they must meet Christians who are utterly
gripped by God’s love (2 Corinthians 5:14). These men and
women live for Christ (verse 15). They know how to weep and
pray for the lost. They claim the fabulous promise in Psalm
126:5-6:

Those who sow in tears

will reap with songs of joy.
He who goes out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with
him.

C.H.Spurgeon, the renowned Victorian preacher, once re-

ceived a rather distraught note from a young preacher. He had
been preaching for two years without seeing anyone turning to
Christ. In his letter he asked Spurgeon for advice. Back came the
brief reply: ‘Try tears.’ Tears express love and concern. But weep-
ing turns to joy as seekers forsake sin and turn to the Saviour.
If our church or fellowship is to grow, it must be a witnessing
community.

Second mark: a well-instructed community

It is always stirring to see people committing their lives to
Christ. Conversion, however, marks only the beginning of their
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 spiritual lives. They need to press on and grow in spiritual
understanding and maturity.
In Acts 11:22-24, Barnabas, an outstanding Christian leader,
arrived at Antioch. He was originally from Cyprus, but had
been associated with the church in Jerusalem. This church sent
him to Antioch to see at first hand the remarkable happenings
there. God’s grace was evident in people’s lives. Barnabas
rejoiced, and encouraged them to continue serving the Lord
(verse 23). As he remained with them, this godly leader must
have been overjoyed by further increase (verse 24). How exhil-
arating! More and more people were entering God’s kingdom.
They must have packed the homes and halls!
Barnabas immediately recognized that they needed to be
grounded in God’s Word; they had to be taught. So he sailed
to Tarsus to seek out Saul (verse 25).
Saul used to be an arch-enemy of the church, but he had been
marvellously converted outside the Syrian city of Damascus. It
_ was Barnabas who first introduced the new convert Saul to the
apostles — see Acts 9:27. Saul had studied under a famous
scholar, Gamaliel, and this training had prepared him to be an
excellent apologist and teacher. His gifts were just right for the
Antioch church. ;
Barnabas returned with Saul to Antioch. For an entire year
they taught a large number of people (Acts 11:26). The church
was exposed to the systematic teaching of God’s Word.
Both Barnabas and Saul recognized the importance of sound
teaching. Many of their converts had come from pagan back-
grounds. They needed to learn to think biblically and to adopt
Christian standards. Others.had been brought up in the Jewish
faith. They might have the advantage of knowing the Old
Testament Scriptures. But they too needed to see how these
point to Jesus the promised Messiah. Both Jewish and Gentile
believers, needed to build their faith on sound doctrine. Like
an anchor, this would prevent them from being tossed to
and
fro, carried by every wind of false teaching (see Ephesians
4:14).
How well taught are our members? One simple way
of
finding out is to notice how many open Bibles you can
see at
the main church service or fellowship gathering. Keen
and
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 we

growing Christians. should want to follow the passage that is

being read or expounded. We can also discover the maturity
of our members by their convictions and opinions. Are they
thinking biblically, or are their viewpoints pragmatic, merely a
reflection of their culture? We have to build in systematic Chris-
tian instruction, otherwise our members will not grow towards
spiritual maturity. The church in Antioch sets us a fine example
because their members were well instructed.

Third mark: a caring community

Acts 11:27-30 records the prophecy of Agabus. He foretold
the severe famine that hit the Roman Empire during the reign
of the Emperor Claudius (verse 28). Judea was badly affected
and the disciples at Antioch immediately took action. They did
not hold a prayer meeting to ask God to provide for the needs
of their fellow believers. They gave generously (verses 29-30)
and thus exhibited care and concern. The church at Antioch
was indeed a caring community.
Church historians tell us that this church was also noted for
two social achievements. Some of its members opened a used-
clothes store so that the needy in the city could purchase
second-hand clothing cheaply. Other church members operated
an employment bureau, linking the unemployed to job open-
ings in the city. No wonder the disciples in Antioch were the
first to be called Christians (verse 26). They were so much like
Christ, who went about doing good (verse 26b; see Acts 10:38).
Such loving care must have attracted many non-Christians in
the city. The church was a community that demonstrated love.
It must have made a tremendous impact.
Today we live in a world where there is very little love.
Violence and hatred rock our societies. Kagawa, a well-known
Japanese Christian leader, spoke of ‘a famine of love’. There
is hatred, hatred everywhere and not a drop of love. In this
barren and loveless world, love, like an Oasis, attracts. Has
Christ not told his disciples, ‘ “All men will know that you are
my disciples if you love one another” ’ (John 13:35)?
Are our churches or fellowships centres of love? Do we love
and serve one another? Does the local community sense that?
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 Or is there suspicion, fear, back-biting and tension? Can people
come to us with their needs and problems, or are we too aloof
and busy to care? Do we include the lonely, the aged and the
handicapped in our fellowships, or are they neglected? Do
single-parent families find a home in our congregations? Can
the unemployed worship with dignity in our midst?
In times of spiritual revival, love is always present. Love for
God draws us into caring service for one another and for the
lost. At such visitations of the Holy Spirit, Christians confess
specific sins to God and to those whom they have wronged.
What follow are scenes of joy, because forgiveness and healing
have taken place. They then experience a deep sense of
belonging to God’s family. Beis
In 1960 I was in the midst ofa spiritual awakening. At the
beginning of that year, there were only about thirty people in
our congregation, and by the end of that same year, over a
hundred people had become Christians. As I look back, most
of them were converted not at the main church service, but
in
homes and ‘digs’ (single rooms occupied by students). We often
used to invite our non-Christian friends to our rooms and
homes for meals. After we had eaten, we would sing together.
Someone would lead a discussion or a brief evangelistic Bible
study. Animated discussions followed. Before the day was over,
two or three had committed their lives to Christ. These new
Christians were drawn to the Saviour because they saw
Chris-
tian love in action. The exuberant fellowship and loving service
pointed many to the source of love — the Lord himself.
In my
travels, I have constantly observed that caring congregations
or fellowships are irresistible magnets; they draw
men and
women to Christ.

Fourth mark: a united community

Acts 13 opens with a reference to the presence of prophe
ts and
teachers serving in the church at Antioch. There was
no tension
between these two offices; both ministries compl
emented one
another. We are given an interesting list of the leaders
’ names.
They had very different racial, social and cultural backgr
ounds.
First there is Barnabas, a man of faith and genero
sity. He
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had come from Cyprus via Jerusalem. He possessed pastoral
gifts. He was always encouraging others to serve the Lord and
had a knack of spotting promising leaders.
Next on the list is Simeon. He had a Latin nickname, ‘Niger’,
which means black. Simeon was either black or a man with a
dark complexion. He was on the leadership team. There was
no colour bar or racial segregation in the Antioch church.
The third name on the list is that of Lucius. We do not know
much about him, except that he was from Cyrene in North
Africa. His name indicates that he was of Roman stock. He
was probably a merchant trading in the city.
Menaen was an unusual person. He was brought up in the
court of Herod, which means he would have been an important
civil servant. This man had professional skills and talents to
offer.
Finally, there was Saul of Tarsus. Here at Antioch, God was
grooming him to be the apostle to the Gentiles. His gift of
teaching was deeply appreciated by the church.
We are impressed by the unity of these leaders. They worked
well as a team because they knew how to pray together. The
Lord was at the centre of their partnership. Someone has said,
‘Unity is like a bicycle wheel. The closer the spokes are to the
hub, the closer to one another.’
Some churches do not grow because of ugly divisions. Quite
often these splits stem from personality clashes. There is an
African proverb: ‘When elephants clash, the grass gets hurt.’
No wonder the apostle Paul exhorted the Christians to ‘make
every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond
of peace’ (Ephesians 4:3). Unity is not to be equated with
uniformity. Christians are not manufactured from the same
mould in some celestial factory! God created us differently.
But there is to be harmony in diversity. The leaders at Antioch —
demonstrated true oneness in spite of their different gifts and
backgrounds.
We live in a divided world where relationships are often
fractured and fragmented. Man-made barriers of class, race
and culture separate people. But the Christian gospel removes
all barriers; in Christ we are adopted into God’s family.
As leaders, we need to examine our partnership in the
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gospel. How united is our church and our leadership team? At
committee meetings, are decisions made according to different
parties and blocs in our congregation? When we face contro-
versial and sensitive issues, do we remain loyal to one another,
even though we may disagree? As leaders, do we foment
trouble or do-we cement relationships?

Fifth mark: A worshipping community

A growing church is a worshipping community. The leaders of
the Antioch church gathered for prayer and fasting (Acts 13:2).
They concentrated their energies on worship and thus got their
priorities right. For them, prayer wasn’t something formal and
perfunctory. The Greek word translated ‘worshipping’ was
originally used of people who performed public service at their
own expense. It was voluntary, not coerced. These leaders
spent unhurried moments waiting in the presence of God.
The example of these leaders is an indictment on Christian
leaders today. When we meet to transact business, we open
and end our meetings with prayer, but reduce it to a ritual or
routine. We rush to get through our agenda, and in the process
we often find ourselves crossing swords with our fellow leaders.
Dr John White, in his book Excellence in Leadership,
recommends that we should divide our committee meetings in
to two halves, the first to be spent in corporate worship and
the second in committee work (White 1986:37).
If we honour God by worshipping together, business takes
on a new light. As we wait in his presence, he speaks to us and
we begin to gain a better perspective of our work and ministry.
We become more sensitive to the needs of people. And God’s
Spirit often sharpens our minds so that we can arrive at
priorities: Since God is the living Lord, he still addresses leaders
today. But we must make time to listen to him. Eli the priest
taught young Samuel a lovely prayer: ‘Speak, Lorp, for your
servant is listening’ (1 Samuel 3:9). Today we make a parody
of this beautiful prayer. We come to God and announce,
‘Listen, Lord, your servant is speaking.’ We then reel off a
long list of requests to him. We tell him ail our plans and all
the decisions we have made, and then we have the effrontery

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 ent OS a ae Peek = Ee AE a eeae

to ask his blessing on them, without having first consulted the

king himself.
How much time do we leaders spend in corporate prayer?
If we are serious about seeking God’s mind and will, let us
deliberately set aside days for fasting and prayer. We can easily
diagnose the health of a church or fellowship by attending its
prayer meetings. How many prayer warriors are there? Is there
an air of excitement and expectation as we spend time adoring
and praising God, and as we unite in presenting our petitions
to him? God’s work advances when we, both leaders and
members, are on our knees in worship and prayer.

Sixth mark: a missionary community

The Antioch church has the distinction of being the first church
to become involved in cross-cultural mission. As its leaders
worshipped together, the Spirit of God revealed his plan to
them. They were to set apart Saul and Barnabas for a special
mission.
The team of leaders could easily have protested, “Excuse us,
Holy Spirit, but are you sure that you have got the right names?
Do you really mean Barnabas and Saul? We desperately need
them in Antioch. After all, they are our most gifted teachers.’
The church at Antioch was willing to give its best leaders for
missionary service. In partnership with the Holy Spirit, the
church sent Saul and Barnabas on their way (verses 3-4). What
a magnificent picture of mission! The Holy Spirit called men
to a specific work; the church responded by supporting them.
Both the Spirit and the Christian community were involved in
that joint commissioning.
The church kept up its interest in its envoys. When Paul,
Barnabas and their fellow workers returned to Antioch from
their travels, the church gathered to hear the wonderful report
of all that God had achieved through their missionaries (Acts
14:26-27).
The Christians in Antioch rejoiced over the way in which
the Lord had ‘opened the door of faith to the Gentiles’ (verse
27). Their joy was marred somewhat by the Judaizers. These
Jewish Christians were insisting that all Gentile believers had
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 to submit to the Mosaic Law and in particular to circumcision
(Acts 15:1). Paul and Barnabas strongly contested this line of
teaching and they were appointed, together with others, to
meet with the apostles and elders in Jerusalem (verse 2).
_ Because of their missionary concern, the Antioch church
requested a ‘clear ruling from the apostles. This led to the
celebrated Council of Jerusalem. At that historic gathering,
Peter affirmed, ‘ “‘We believe it is through the grace of our
Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are’”’’ (verse 11).
Circumcision and other external rites were oppressive yokes.
In his summary, James insisted, ‘We should not make it difficult
for the Gentiles who are turning to God’ (verse 19). That
historic decision was prompted by the concern of a missionary
community.’
No church can grow if it confines itself to its parochial inter-
ests. Every Christian should be a global Christian. Christ’s final
mandate points to world evangelization (see Matthew 28:19-20;
Acts 1:8). We are to ‘go and make disciples of all nations’.
This means that we should be aware of the spiritual needs in
our world today. In spite of notable advances in certain areas,
there is still a huge proportion of men and women who are in
spiritual darkness. About 60% of the earth’s inhabitants have
yet to hear a faithful presentation of Christ. The church cannot
be smug and complacent; the missionary task is far from
complete. .
To be global Christians, we should commit ourselves to pray
and work for spiritual breakthroughs among 850 million
Muslims, 650 million Hindus and 1,000 million Chinese. Many
of these people never come into contact with Christians. World
evangelization begins with intelligent prayer. Our congregation
or fellowship should adopt and support specific missionaries,
and communicate regularly with them so that we can pray
intelligently for their ministries.
One weak link in today’s church is the relationship between
supporting churches and their missionaries. The latter labour
in front-line situations. They are in the thick of a gigantic
spiritual battle. Every advance they make is severely contested.
They become discouraged and depressed and sometimes they
feel that their prayer-partners no longer care. Regular and open

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 iy _ a} oe Oh
eS ONS etEO

_ communication is essential. We must back them to the hilt

as they seek to plant churches and carry the gospel to the
unevangelized.
In 1981 the Christian Union in Edinburgh University, Scot-
land, decided to develop a meaningful interest in its mission-
aries. The student members wrote to these workers and asked
them what they missed most when they were away from Britain.
The CU members were astonished by the replies. Some lady
missionaries were keen to know the latest fashions and fads.
They were soon to return to their home base and wanted to
find out the latest skirt length. In the world of fashion, skirt
lengths rise and fall! Their male counterparts wrote back
confessing their interest in sport, especially in following the
fortunes of their favourite football teams. The CU members
sprang into action! They posted women’s magazines and news-
paper clippings of sports articles to their missionaries. They
also made a priceless discovery! British missionaries are excep-
tionally fond of Marmite, a dark vegetable extract! It wasn’t
easy for the missionaries to purchase this ‘black gold’ to spread
on their bread whilst they were abroad. The students contrib-
uted generously and sent each missionary a few jars of Marmite!
A new bond of partnership was forged as a result of this creative
venture.
A missionary church gives generously to the support of the
missionary enterprise. It allocates a fixed proportion of its
income to work overseas.
A few years ago, my family and I spent ten wonderful days
of vacation on the tiny island of Helg@y. This island is situated
in a Norwegian fjord, an hour by ferry from Stavanger. It’s
named after the late Mr Helggy, a Norwegian farmer. It was
his practice to send a specific sum of money each year to a
particular missionary society. But one year, his fruit and
vegetable harvest failed and he had very little money left. He
also had a wife and ten children to support! However, he
determined to keep his promise to the Lord. He sent all that
he had to the missionary society and exhorted his family to
trust God.
The following day, Mr Helg@y and his sons went to pull in
their fishing nets. Imagine their astonishment when they hauled

149
in an enormous catch of salmon! It had never happened before ~
in their lives! The Helggy family sold the fish and had more
than enough to live on for several months! God is indeed no
man’s debtor. Some years later, it was an inspiration to learn
that three out of the late Mr Helggy’s ten children were now
serving God as missionaries.
Finally, we need to spot and encourage members with
missionary gifts and support them as they prepare for cross-
cultural service. The church that is committed to world evange-
lization widens the horizons of its members. It introduces them
to the missionary God who still loves the world today. Such
missionary concern promotes healthy growth.

Summary and conclusion

We have considered the splendid example of the church in
Antioch. It was a growing church because it was:
— a witnessing community
— a well-instructed community
— a caring community
— a united community
— a worshipping community
— a missionary community. :
Today God challenges us afresh. If we and our churches are
to grow, then like the church in Antioch, we have to be a
witnessing, well-taught, caring, united, worshipping and
missionary people.

150
 Chapter Twelve
HANDLING CRISES

All leaders have their fair share of crises. Crises are in fact part
and parcel of leadership.
Read the history of the church in the Acts of the Apostles.
There is a crisis in almost every chapter. I remember a young
Christian once saying to me, ‘Wow! The Acts is full of adven-
ture. It is marvellous to read of how God helps his people to
overcome crisis after crisis.’
Some of us tend to regard crisis as something negative. It
certainly can be, if we are callous in our planning habits, miss
deadlines and allow a critical situation to explode. But often
crises come on us unawares. They can suddenly materialize
from external sources and circumstances. How should we
regard crises?

ws
It is very interesting that the Chinese word ‘crisis’ is made
up of two words — wei ji. The first word wei means ‘danger’
and the second word ji means ‘opportunity’. This is indeed a
vivid concept of crisis. Crisis equals danger plus opportunity.
Crisis can often make or break a spiritual leader. I recall
talking to the president of a Christian fellowship. He was in
the doldrums both spiritually and emotionally. Some of his
members had criticized him for his lack of initiative and failure
to care for the members of his committee. Recent meetings had
151
.
 been badly run and attendances had slumped. His immediate
reaction was to resign as president. But he lamented, ‘I’ve
given so much of my spare time to the CU. It wasn’t my
fault when the secretary forgot to confirm the invitation to the
speaker. Besides, we have all been so busy writing essays and
trying to keep’our heads above the flood of academic work.’
I could see the red lights flashing. A young leader was about
to go under unless he could see his crisis as a test of faith.
I was thankful that I was able to counsel him to look at his
problems squarely. He and the other committee members
should admit their shortcomings, improve their communication
and pray through this critical period. He was thrilled to realize
that God was providing an opportunity for him to learn how
to handle the situation. By acting wisely, he would grow in
spiritual maturity.
We don’t have to go down under crisis. This doesn’t mean
that we should be blind to the dangers and problems that every
crisis inevitably brings. We can, however, welcome them as
opportunities to prove God, by resolving the crises with his
wisdom, power and grace.
Consider David. Whilst he was running away from King Saul,
he and his band of warriors took shelter with the Philistines in
Ziklag. The Amalekites raided this city, burnt it and captured
the inhabitants, together with the women and children of
David’s task-force (1 Samuel 30:1-3).
These soldiers wept (verse 4). Afterwards some spoke of
stoning David (verse 6). That precipitated acrisis of confidence.
His life was threatened. What would you have done? Run for
your life to escape the fury of your followers?
David did something which every man of God should do.
He ‘found strength in the Lorp his God’ (verse 6). He didn’t
begin by solving his own problems. He went straight to God.
He drew fresh courage from him. Then with the help of Abia-
thar, the priest, David sought specific guidance from God.
This episode had a happy ending. David and his men were
able to rescue all the captives of the Amalekites. Without
doubt, his esteem would have risen among his soldiers. But I
am sure that they would always have remembered him as the
man who in the face of crisis found his encouragement in God.

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 In Acts chapters 3 and 4 we read of Peter and John being
imprisoned and harassed by the religious authorities. The very
existence and survival of the infant church was at risk, when
suddenly they were released. They joined their companions
and the first thing they did to celebrate their deliverance was
to hold a large prayer meeting. The church had been through
a crisis — two of their leaders had been imprisoned and attacked.
The Jewish leaders would soon use their religious and political
muscles to crush believers. Crisis loomed large. But their prayer
was one of confidence. It was to the Sovereign Lord that they
addressed their concerns and petitions (Acts 4:24). They didn’t
pray for their safety. Instead they asked God to enable them
to speak his Word with great boldness (verse 29). This prayer
meeting had an earth-shaking effect. The building was rocked
by a tremor. Believers ‘were all filled with the Holy Spirit and
spoke the word of God boldly’ (verse 31).
We must not allow the enemies of God to intimidate or
discourage us. Every step that we take as spiritual leaders will
be challenged by Satan and his demonic forces. And so often
they use unwitting human pawns to carry out their assaults
against God’s people.
We find this happening to Nehemiah. God had sent him back
to Jerusalem to rebuild the broken walls. He was a tireless
organizer and administrator. He was able to galvanize teams
of men and women to build and defend the city walls. His
enemies, headed by three powerful figures, Sanballat, Tobiah
and Geshem, conspired against him. What tactics did they
employ? What were some of the major crises that they stirred
up?
bic one period during the reconstruction of the walls,
Nehemiah faced at least four major crises. All these impinged
on his leadership. Let’s look at how he coped.

Economic and social injustice

The first crisis he had to face was one of economic and social
injustice.
Chapter 5 begins with a protest from the work-force, goaded
on by their wives. They were heavily committed to the
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 rebuilding of the walls. This meant that they were not able to
cultivate their farms. The result was a loss of income and
a scarcity of food. The problem was further intensified by a
population explosion: ‘We and our sons and daughters are
numerous’ (verse 2). Moreover, there was high inflation. Their
lands were mortgaged and loans had to be repaid (verses 3-4).
They complained about heavy taxation which compounded
their problems and sent them deeper into debt (verse 4). For
some the only solution open to them was to sell their children
as slaves (verse 5).
How did Nehemiah handle this crisis? Did he look to God
and pray over it? Did he dismiss the complaints by reminding
the people that priority should be given to restoring and
repairing the walls? Not at all. He was very angry (verse 6).
He exploded with rage and fury. But he did not take impulsive
action.
In fact, he gave himself breathing space. He reflected before
he spoke. Some of us speak before we think. Others may
suppress their emotion and work for compromise. Nehemi
ah
pondered the problems in his mind: ‘I took counsel with myself’
(verse 7, RSv). Then he accused the nobles and officials of
committing social and economic sins against the poor.
They
had charged excessive interest (verse 7); they had kept
God’s
people, their kinsmen, under slavery, which was totally against
the Law (verse 8); their ethical behaviour and standar
ds were
utterly improper and they had neglected to walk in the
fear of
God (verse 9).
Spiritual leaders must not be like the proverbial ostric
hes
that bury their heads in the sand when confronted with
a tricky
or dangerous situation. We must carefully
investigate
complaints. We can then confront offenders with facts,
not with
opinions or hearsay evidence. Leaders need moral
courage to
tackle the sins of God’s people.
Nehemiah did not mince his words: ‘ “What you
are doing
is not right” ’ (verse 9). So those guilty of economic
and Social
oppression agreed to redress their wrongs (verse 12).
Sin was
exposed and confessed, and there was repent
ance. As a result,
there was joy amongst the people (verse 13).

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Personal promotion
The second crisis was rather a strange one. It had to do with
personal promotion (Nehemiah 5:14-19). Nehemiah was
appointed governor - a position with tremendous privileges
and responsibilities. Every promotion inherently breeds
danger. Transition to a higher rank can often tempt the Chris-
tian leader to be proud. He discovers that his position
commands respect and he is consulted by others. He has an
important say in the financial operations of his church or organ-
ization. He has the opportunity to feather his own nest.
Nehemiah, in addition to receiving his salary from the royal
treasury, was entitled to impose taxes on his subjects. This was
a practice adopted by other governors (verse 15). They often
lined their own pockets. They acted as patrons in giving jobs
to their favourites. Nepotism was the name of the game.
How did Nehemiah respond to this subtle crisis? First, he
devoted himself to completing his task of rebuilding the walls.
He didn’t ask workers to transfer their energies to another
project. He could have asked them to build him a palace.
Nehemiah didn’t add new taxes because the people were
poor. He generously provided hospitality for his guests, but did
not charge entertainment expenses to his people (verses 17-18).
Why didn’t Nehemiah exploit his position as governor? No-
one would have questioned his action. We have an answer in
the second part of verse 15: ‘Out of reverence for God I did
not act like that.’ His generosity demonstrated his social
compassion: he cared for the people he served (verse 18).
There was no base or ulterior motive like canvassing votes or
gaining the support of his people! Nehemiah’s chief concern
was to win the approval of God (verse 19).
It is said that ‘adversity is the best teacher’. In times of trials
and difficulties, we have to trust and rely on God. But what
happens where there is prosperity and promotion? It is so easy
to forget God. No wonder Thomas Carlyle once wrote, “Only
one in a hundred pass the test of prosperity.’
Should God confer on us greater leadership responsibilities
or promotion, we need to remind ourselves all the more that
all
we are accountable to him. His approval matters more than
155
 the privileges and power that society or the church can confer
on us.

The threats of his enemies

The third crisis that Nehemiah had to face was the persistent
threats of his arch-enemies (Nehemiah 6). Sanballat, Tobiah and
Geshem cast their shadows on Nehemiah’s plans and activities.
They proposed a summit meeting at Ono, a village equidistant
from Samaria (their headquarters) and Jerusalem (Nehemiah’s
base). It would take a whole day for both parties to travel to Ono.
The intention of his enemies was clear. They were not keen
to negotiate a settlement; they simply wanted to impose their
terms on Nehemiah or assassinate him (verse. 2).*
What was Nehemiah’s reply? If he had spoken English, he
would probably have said, ‘Ono? — Oh no!’
He had a massive assignment to complete, and there was no
time for such consultations (verse 3). But his enemies would
_ not leave him alone. They repeated their request four times
(verse 4), and would not take ‘no’ for an answer. On the fifth
occasion, Sanballat despatched his personal assistant with a
letter (verse 5). This time the message was clear. Nehemiah
was falsely accused of fomenting a rebellion (verses 6-7). ‘Lies,
lies, lies - a pack of lies,’ was how Nehemiah treated the evil
fabrication (verse 8). Why did these men threaten Nehemiah?
Their avowed purpose was to discourage him and to weaken
the morale of his men (verse 9). They stooped to every possible
dirty trick.
The enemies of God’s servants may be compared with
a
cobra. This deadly-poisonous snake rises above the
ground
with its hood spread out. It hisses menacingly. Its formid
able
appearance and loud hiss paralyse the poor rabbit or mouse.
Satan’s nefarious allies use every unscrupulous ploy
to intimi-
date the Lord’s servants, but we must not give in to fear.
Leaders who are valiant for truth and who faithfully
serve
God will discover that they have enemies. Sometimes
We are
terrified by the opposition because of its power and
experience.
Nehemiah did not give in to his enemies’ hostile manoe
uvres.
He countered their threat by turning to God: ‘ “‘Now
strengthen
156.
my hands” ’ (verse 9). He-had no other resources but to cast
himself on the Lord. Wonder of wonders! Nehemiah disco-
vered, and we too can experience, the reality of God fighting
for us and standing by us. We can echo the words of the apostle
Paul: ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?’ (Romans 8:31).

Religious pressure to compromise

The fourth crisis was that of religious pressure. Prophets and
‘priests commanded respect and influence. Nehemiah couldn't
ignore their words, especially if they invoked religious oaths.
Doesn’t that remind us of people who say, ‘It is the will of
God to do this or that. You support my mission,
otherwise . . .”? Sanballat’s cohorts made use of Shemaiah, a
prophet who was confined to his home (verse 10). He may have
been disabled or perhaps he was simply there because of ritual
pollution.
It is interesting that the Jerusalem Bible translates his words
as a couplet:

‘For they are coming to kill you,

For they are coming to kill you tonight’ (verse 10).

Such a prophecy with its predictive sting could be shattering.

Shemaiah proposed an evening rendezvous in the temple.
There Nehemiah could be assured of a safe sanctuary.
Nehemiah saw through his cover. ‘ “Should a man like me
run away?” ” he asked (verse 11). What a powerful rhetorical
question! Nehemiah was God’s man. He would not play the
coward. Compromise? Never! He was not going to be lured by
false prophecy (verse 12-13). A thousand ‘no’s’ to negotiations
with God’s enemies!
When we are faced with a crisis that emanates from religious
pressure, the easiest option is to throw in the towel and compro-
mise. It is very difficult to hold our ground. We can be so
preoccupied with our own safety that we enter into a pact of
convenience. We compromise. But Nehemiah was no quitter.
He regarded compromise and cowardice as unthinkable sins
(verses 11-13).
437
 I always feel inspired when I read the book of Nehemiah.
This leader was a man of tremendous vision and drive. He
could motivate people to tackle and complete hazardous assign-
ments. He faced adversity; he was no stranger to danger. His
enemies haunted him and gave him no peace. They employed
every kind of tactic to destroy his credibility and frustrate his
mission. But he stood firm. He served God and his people
with outstanding moral courage. Crisis made a great leader of
Nehemiah.

Financial crises
One of the practical duties of leaders is to ensure that there
are adequate funds and resources to maintain and’ develop the
work that God has given us. Many Christian organizations
have buckled and folded up because of the recent economic
recession. Some are still struggling for survival. Others have
drastically reduced their task-force and trimmed their minis-
tries. So why does a bountiful God allow his people to suffer
grave financial crises?
Sometimes he permits it to make us review our priorities. Or
he may want us to rely afresh on him and not on our metho
ds
of fund-raising, even if it means praying in our income.
The
principle of living by faith is a noble way to prove God
in
supplying our needs. The danger is that we glory in the princip
le
rather than in the faithfulness of God. So God may withhol
d
financial provision to teach us to rely on him alone.
But does faith in an all-sufficient God exclude the teachi
ng
and practice of biblical stewardship? Any church or organi
z-
ation that constantly faces acute financial shortages (e.g.
when
it is unable to pay the basic salaries of its workers) should
re-
examine its policy. Could God not be pointing his finger
at our
failure to expound the biblical principles of stewardship?
Some
of us mayinadvertently be responsible for creati
ng a financial
crisis.
Both Old and New Testaments command God’s
people to
tithe and to give liberally and Sacrificially (e.g. Malac
hi 3:8-10;
1 Corinthians 16:1-2; 2 Corinthians 8 — 9). If we
teach system-
atically from God’s Word, we cannot evade
the responsibility

158..
of his people to give to his-work.
I once had to give a series of expositions on Malachi and
2 Corinthians. I had not been intending to preach on giving,
but the biblical data demanded that I tackle the down-to-earth
practice of stewardship. The mark of a faithful teacher is that
he applies God’s Word and bids his people to respond with
obedience. Regular, liberal and sacrificial giving are expressions
of our commitment to Jesus Christ. Should we not challenge
people to give in this way so that God can pour down his
blessing upon us?
Some years ago I spoke to a group of Christian students
in Mexico. I was encouraging them to support their national
Christian movement. But one of the leaders interrupted me
and told me that very few Mexican believers tithe. Besides, in
some evangelical churches in the country, any reference to
money was deemed ‘unspiritual’. He then asked how they could
persuade Christians to give tangibly to God’s work.
I invited them to look at the connection between 1 Corin-
thians 16:1 and chapter 15. They knew that the latter passage
dealt with the sublime doctrine of Christ’s resurrection and the
hope of immortality. What struck the Mexican students was
the matter-of-fact approach of the apostle Paul on the subject
of money: ‘Now about the collection for God’s people . . .’
For him, reference to the collection was not out of place. He
advised his readers to set aside a sum of money on the first day
of each week and arrange for the offering to be collected -
(1 Corinthians 16:2). Financial crises can be avoided if leaders
teach biblical stewardship and set an example in giving.

Growth crises
When a Christian fellowship or a church grows, it is always
accompanied by growth pangs. These can often trigger off a
series of crises.
The church in Jerusalem encountered acritical situation.
There was rapid growth in the early Christian community (Acts
6:1). An emergency suddenly developed. The Greek-speaking
Jews complained that their widows were being overlooked in
the daily distribution of food. They were probably giving vent
159
 to their frustrations on members of the Aramaic-speaking
community.
On the surface, it looked as if a racial crisis was about to
explode — a very ugly spectacle. Fallen man has a propensity
to use racism as a scapegoat. If we can’t get along with some-
body from a different ethnic or linguistic group, we emphasize
this difference. And the devil knows that racial tensions can
easily cause catastrophic rifts.
The apostles were naturally concerned. They summoned the
disciples together. They began by stressing that their primary
tasks were the ministry of God’s Word and prayer (verses
2
and 4). They could easily have bitten off more than they could
chew by taking charge of the food rations, hoping that this
might improve relations with the Greek-speaking Jewish
community. But as wise leaders, they maintained
their
priorities. They did, however, recognize the validity of
the
complaints. They were not side-tracked from their particul
ar
priorities in order to deal with a pressing problem. Instead
they
multiplied ministries. The Greek-speaking congregation
was
asked to choose seven men full of the Holy Spirit
and wisdom,
to handle this administrative chore. Organization —
this was the
solution! The Twelve publicly commissioned the
seven new
workers for this service, and a crisis was averted.
The result
was most gratifying: ‘So the word of God spread. The
number
of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly and a large
number
of priests became obedient to the faith’ (verse 7).

Coping with other people’s crises

Caring leaders will often find themselves sharin
g the burdens
of those who are facing various trials and traum
as. This can be
emotionally draining. Think of the pastor who
has just buried
one of his church officers, the husband of a
young wife and
father of two children who now face a bleak future
. Helping a
young widow to cope with her bereavement
and the struggle
to bring up her children on her own can be a crush
ing responsi-
bility. Sensitive leaders identify naturally with
those who have
lost their jobs. They are pained by news of
wives who have
been deserted by their husbands. They find
themselves getting

160.
tense as they attempt to help teenage children dabbling in hard
drugs and to support their families. We should do all we can
to support those in dire straits. But in sharing other people’s
burdens, their cares can often become ours. Before long we
find ourselves collapsing under these heavy loads.
I shall never forget the wise counsel offered by a godly leader
to his theological students. He said, ‘We should always take
other people’s burdens to heart, but we must never keep them
in our hearts.’ We are to cast our burdens upon the Lord: he
is the great burden-bearer (1 Peter 5:7).
Finally, crisis, in whatever form, should be resolved with
prayer and courage. We are not to avoid critical situations.
They may spell danger; we need to be conscious of their
warning lights. So let’s remember the Chinese concept of crisis:
opportunity exists side by side with danger. The Lord provides
us with opportunities to prove his faithfulness. Every crisis is
a test for leaders. They do not need to break us: in fact, they
can make us stronger men and women of God.

161
 x

Chapter Thirteen
LEADERS ARE HUMAN TOO!

When I was fifteen, like all teenagers I had my fair share of

spots. One day three close friends suggested that we should
have a group photograph taken. By a unanimous decision we
headed for a photographic studio renowned for its touching-up
technique. The end result was that four spotty lads saw them-
selves de-pimpled! Careful lighting and a skilled hand had pro-
duced four fair faces with incredibly smooth skin! We never
saw the actual proof, but we were more than happy to buy
several copies of this ‘revised’ version:
Politicians and leaders in industry are also very ‘image-
conscious’. They hire public relations consultants to help them
project the right image to the public.
Political commentators attributed Richard Nixon’s failure to
win the 1960 presidential elections to his poor TV showing
against the winner, John F. Kennedy. One nation-wide tele-
vised debate between the two candidates made the vital differ-
ence. So next time he stood for president in 1968, Mr Nixon
engaged Professor Marshall McLuhan, the ‘guru’ of communi-
cation, to assist him in his campaign. With careful coaching,
Nixon’s image of a sly and impersonal lawyer was transformed
to that of a wise and caring statesman. ‘Get the voters to love
you!’ was the simple formula. And it worked!
Oliver Cromwell makes a striking contrast to modern leaders.
Witness his famous words to the artist, Mr Lely:
&y
Mr Lely, I desire you would use all your skill to paint my
picture truly like me, and not flatter me at all; but remark
all these roughnesses, pimples, warts and everything as
you
162
 Pe EG VO MA ah oe ATID LEPC UE ah abe eee ee eh nt RPT oa te aN AadPy fe Nan A a
Mae Kase Riel

see me, otherwise I will never pay a farthing for it.

Pimples, warts and everything. . . . Cromwell was a brave and

honest man. Mr Lely’s portrait ought to be put on view in the
gallery of biblical leadership, as it highlights Cromwell’s virtues
of transparency and honesty.

Bible characters — warts and all

The Scriptures do not gloss over the weaknesses of spiritual
leaders. Just consider the following big names!
Abraham, the father of faith, told blatant lies regarding his
wife Sarah. He introduced her as his sister rather than his wife
on two occasions, once to Pharaoh’s officials and the other time
to a chieftain, Abimelech (Genesis 12:11-13; 20:2).
David, a man after God’s own heart (see Acts 13:22), was
guilty of adultery, cover-up and murder (2 Samuel 11). The
prophet Nathan openly confronted him with his crimes
(12:1-12). Humbled, David confessed his sin, repented and was
restored to God (verse 13). Even David wasn’t perfect.
Jonah tried to run away from God, fleeing from his responsi-
bility to proclaim God’s message to the people of Nineveh
(Jonah 1:1-3). He is vividly portrayed as a disobedient servant,
who thought God’s love for people was restricted to his own
countrymen, the Jews.
Simon Peter is colourfully depicted in the gospels as an impul-
sive character. His words always ran ahead of his thoughts. On
the one hand he could confess Jesus as the Messiah, the Son
of the living God (Matthew 16:16); on the other, he wrongly
(if innocently) tried to deflect his master from the cross (verse
22). In a single night he could both rashly swear allegiance to
Christ, loudly announcing that he would never forsake his
Lord, and yet also deny Jesus three times. Peter was clearly
shown through a vision that the Gentiles were to be welcomed
into God’s kingdom and church without having to become
Jews, but he later compromised, probably because of the
lobbying of the Judaizers. He dissociated himself from the
Gentiles and it took another apostle, Paul, to denounce his
actions and attitude (Galatians 2:11—13).
163
 \«

Then there is the fascinating case of the young leader John

Mark. It was in his home that the leaders of the early church used
to gather for prayer. Later he was chosen to accompany Paul
and Barnabas on their epic missionary journey. Within weeks,
young Mark had left the missionary band to return to Jerusalem
(Acts 13:13). He had let the team down. He was a ‘failure’.
Paul did not.quickly forget that. When his colleague Barnabas
wanted to take John Mark with them on the second missionary
journey, Paul refused. ‘Deserter, deserter’, was etched in the
mind of Paul (Acts 15:38). We know the sad sequel. Paul
quarrelled with Barnabas and the latter took Mark to Cyprus.
From church history we learn that Mark later became an
important leader in the early church. The church in Egypt made
- him its patron saint. It is commonly accepted that it was Mark
who recorded the apostle Peter’s memoirs in the second gospel.
Initially he might have been branded afailure and a deserter.
But Paul later adopted a very different attitude towards him.
Mark is included in the list of men who sent greetings to the
church in Colossae (Colossians 4:10), and the ageing apostle
insisted that Timothy should take Mark with him, ‘because he
is helpful to me in my ministry’ (2 Timothy 4:11). John Mark’s
failure was not swept under the carpet. Like all spiritual
leaders, he needed to mature. But forgiveness and reconcili-
ation won the day.
In a world of fierce competition there is little room for
faltering leaders. However, while the slogan, ‘The survival of
the fittest’, rings true in the secular world, it does not apply in
the community of Christ. Mark’s failure was never ultimate.
He was restored to a position of leadership.
Let us never forget that Christ forgave Peter and the other
apostles who had forsaken him in the hour of trial. He went
on to entrust to them the responsibility of continuing his mission
on earth (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8).
Just because we are leaders, we shouldn’t hide our weak-
nesses. We are human and sinful creatures. Satan won't let us
forget our misdeeds and he stresses the gravity of our sins. For
once, the father of lies appears to be telling the truth! But
he
would like to see us wallowing and floundering in the Slough
of Despond. He subtly insinuates that our sins disqualify us
from
164
divine service. Don’t listen to him! Someone has wisely said, “The
great sin is not to sin and fall, but to sin and never rise again.’
Remember, Satan wants to keep us in the miry pit of failure
and self-pity for as long as possible. He is jubilant when leaders
remain in a state of self-recrimination and inactivity. So how
do we rise again? I have found a passage in Micah chapter 7
extremely practical and reassuring. The downcast leader can
turn to the Evil One and echo the words of the prophet Micah
(verses 8-9):

Do not gloat over me, my

enemy!
Though I have fallen, I will
rise.
Though Isit in darkness,
the Lorp will be my light.
Because I have sinned against
him,
I will bear the Lorp’s wrath,
until he pleads my case
and establishes my right.
He will bring me out into the
light;
I will see his justice.

In our darkness and despair we can look to God for light. We

are privileged to live in God’s economy of grace, so confessing
our sins, we can also claim the promise in 1 John 1:8-9:

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the

truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and
just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness.

We admit our sins, we cry to him for forgiveness and we are

promised that the blood of Jesus purifies us from every sin
(verse 7). Our fellowship with God is restored. Returning to
the passage in Micah, the chapter ends with two wonderful
verses (18-19):
165
 Th edn eae ne tee gaatOe Pnan
ie ne
Xow

Who is a God like you,

who pardons sin and
forgives the transgression
of the remnant of his
inheritance?
You do not stay angry for ever
. but delight to show
mercy.
You will again have
compassion on us;
you will tread our sins
underfoot
and hurl all our iniquities into the
depths of the sea. cee

We can never fully comprehend the amazing grace and

compassion of God. He hates sin, but delights to show mercy.
He hurls our iniquities into the depths of the sea. We must not
allow past sins that have been confessed and forgiven to hamper
our progress. I shall never forget thé words of an evangelist
who told the crowd, ‘When God buries our sins in the depths
of the deep blue sea, he also erects a sign on land — ‘‘No fishing
allowed’’.’

Leaders are fragile - handle with prayer

Leaders are not spiritual ‘supermen’ or ‘wonderwomen’. Some
are plagued with physical weaknesses. In 2 Corinthians, Paul
lifts the lid off his personal life and shares with his readers the
severe trials which he has encountered: hard labour, frequent
imprisonments, severe floggings, constant exposure to death,
stoning, three shipwrecks, sleepless nights, hunger and thirst,
and all kinds of deprivation (11:23-29). All these had left him
totally weak (verse 29).
To make things worse, he was plagued with ‘a thorn in my
flesh’ (12:7). He asked the Lord to remove this painful disability
(12:8). However, his request was turned down on three
occasions: Yet Paul chose to boast of his weaknesses (12:5,
9-10). Was he a masochist, glorying in physical punishment

166
a

and affliction? No! He was simply glad to have an opportunity

to testify to the grace of God. God upheld Paul in his suffering.
His healing words were a source of tremendous assurance and
comfort for Paul:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect

in weakness’ (verse 9).

Paul’s weaknesses made him rely all the more on the power
and strength of Christ.
In the same letter, Paul also reminds us that the gospel
treasure is housed in jars of clay (4:7). This treasure, defined
as God’s light reflected in the face of Christ and penetrating
and transforming human hearts (verse 6), demonstrates the all-
surpassing power of God. It is dynamite! But the carriers of
this gospel light are fragile earthen jars. These were inexpensive
house-lamps, easily damaged and prone to crack. That is the
picture of us. Sometimes we are ‘hard pressed on every side,
but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair’ (verse 8). These
clay pots do not draw attention to themselves. They may be
weak and fragile, but it is the radiance of God’s light that
matters. It spells spiritual power and glory. We want everybody
to be attracted to Christ, the light of the world, and to follow
him (John 8:12). We do not need to apologize for our weakness
and frailty — that is part of our human nature.
When we recognize our weakness and also the immeasurable
power of God, we naturally want to know God’s all-sufficient
grace in our lives. We have spoken about our need to rely fully
on him. Our weakness should also prompt us to ask others to
pray for us. Paul was aspiritual giant, yet he repeatedly asked
his readers to pray for him. Listen to his appeals:

Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words

may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the
mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in
chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should
(Ephesians 6:19-20).

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

167
 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our
message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for
which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as
I should (Colossians 4:2-4).

Brothers, pray for us (1 Thessalonians 5:25).

So let us entreat others to intercede for us. We will discover

that they will pray more earnestly for us if they know that we
stand in need of God’s grace and strength.

Sharing our weaknesses

Some years ago I was ministering to a group of students and
graduates in West Malaysia. It was the end of the conference.
We shared our concerns and asked for prayer. I was relatively
new to student work at the time and told them of the anguish
that I suffered at having to leave my wife and our first child at
home on their own. There were tears in my eyes as I spoke of
how much I missed them. I also shared the tensions I felt in
relating to rich relatives in Singapore who thought I was crazy
to be in full-time Christian work. I asked the students to
remember me in their prayers. Afterwards, two students came
up and said something that I have never forgotten: ‘We thought
that Christian leaders never cried or felt homesick. We thought
you had no trouble in making heroic sacrifices. Now that you’ve
opened your heart to us, we promise to pray for you every
day.’ I realized that they had put me on a spiritual pedestal.
They assumed that Christian leaders were a super-breed,
immune from temptations, trials, pains and buffetings. So it is
by sharing our struggles that we help others to pray for us. No
Christian leader can exercise a fruitful ministry if he doesn’t
enjoy the supportive fellowship of faithful prayer warriors.
In most societies the weak are either overlooked or trampled
on. It isa great temptation for Christian leaders to run down
fellow leaders. We think we can add a few feathers to eur cap
if we point out faults in others. So how should we treat leaders
who have momentarily lapsed or sinned? Paul’s exhortation to
the Galatian Christians still applies: ‘Brothers, if someone is

168
rf aS See tea eke,
a Be:
} Be

|
caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.
But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted’ (Galatians
6:1). The verb ‘restore’ is used in Greek of mending nets and
of putting a dislocated bone back in its place. Our fellow leaders
are part of the same network and body, and we have the task
of mending and restoring them. The fact that they are human
and vulnerable should stir us to pray for them, and they for
us.
Once, when I was feeling rather depressed, I began to
harbour negative feelings against my fellow leaders. Our
perspective of people is distorted when we are in the trough of
despondency! Frictions can often erupt. I became acutely aware
of the faults of my co-workers. I had expected them to be
shock-proof and almost perfect. Whilst brooding over these
negative thoughts, I read Dr Lewis Smedes’ sermon on our
vulnerability as messengers of the gospel. We may house the
most wonderful treasure — the gospel itself — but we are still
jars of clay. Smedes comments:

The finest pieces are sensitive, easily chipped, breakable.

God did not put his treasure in a crush-proof box, or a solid
lead vault, or wrap it in styrofoam padding. He did not put
his treasure with angels who never stub their toes or plastic
saints you could drop from the Eiffel Tower without breaking
them. Fragile earthen vessels he wanted. But this makes for
pain and injury. You put clay pots next to each other, move
them around, dust them off, let them get too close, and you
will see damaged vessels — a cracked lip, a broken handle,
a shattered vase. Mark this well, and take stock: if you agree
to carry the treasure of God around, in the company of other
earthen vessels, you are likely to become a cracked pot
before you are finished (Smedes 1982:72).

Perceptive words. In the rough and tumble of life we often get

hurt. Or we hurt others by our careless words and insensitive
actions. The memories of past failures sting us. Will we stumble
and fail again? Can God still use us, weak and bungling
servants? Yes! He could have produced bionic men and women
to carry out his purposes. He could have despatched Gabriel
169
power and glory through us. Vessels are meant to be filled. A
cup is designed to be filled with water for drinking. A jar that
1s filled with oil provides light. As we are filled with God’s Hol@
Spirit, we are able to function as his servants.
,
\ *

Jesus, fill now with Thy Spirit

Hearts that full surrender know;
That the streams of living water
From our inner man may flow.

Channels only, blessed Master,

But with all Thy wondrous power
Flowing through us, Thou canst use us
Ev’ry day and ev’ry hour.

(From the hymn, ‘How I praise Thee,

Precious Saviour’, by Mary E. Maxwell.)
 Chapter Fourteen
WORKING WITH PROBLEM
LEADERS

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we and everyone else on our leader-

ship team always put Christ first? And if we were to serve and
minister to God’s people in a spirit of love, harmony and
humility? Sadly, that’s not the picture of many leadership
teams. We are all tainted by sin, and even in our service we
encounter tensions, problems and frustrations.
In chapter ten we glanced briefly at the famous ‘one another’
passages. God’s Word bids us to accept, love, serve and care
for one another. Sometimes tensions arise because of poor
communication between leaders, particularly in the area of
making decisions and implementing goals. We therefore offered
some guidelines on corporate decision-making.
But no matter how much we try to apply God’s Word and
also to exercise sound management principles, we shall never
be able totally to eradicate serious personality differences which
cause problems. Leaders come from different backgrounds and
possess different temperaments. Some think and act faster than
others. They are like the accelerator ina car. Others by contrast
are cautious and are sometimes accused of pressing on the
brakes too frequently.
When we find it hard to get along with others, we may
complain, ‘How I wish I could work with another team of
to
leaders! I didn’t pick this bunch — I was simply appointed
Lord often has a
serve on this committee.’ But the Sovereign
of his process in
purpose. Learning to work with others is part
God
sanctifying us. It’s never easy and it’s often painful. But
vi
 does give grace and special wisdom to cope with problem
people.
Joe was the secretary of his Christian fellowship. He
somehow sensed that Terry didn’t see eye to eye with him on
some key issues. Whenever he came up with abrilliant idea,
Terry gave at least three reasons why the proposal would not
work. Being the treasurer, Terry could use money — or rather
the lack of it - as.an excuse for not embarking on certain
ventures. Joe could have just tried to ignore his fellow leader,
but that would not have solved the problem because he still
had another ten months to serve alongside him. Yes, he could
have simply roughed it out — after all, ten months is not all that
long. But deep in his heart, Joe felt that that would not be the
lesson that God was wanting him to learn from this rather
strained relationship.
One day when they were alone together in Joe’s room,
almost at the same time they both remarked that they had
never got to know each other properly in an informal setting.
They only had a working relationship, forged in the atmosphere
of committee and business meetings. Joe broached the subject
of their uneasy relationship. Terry thought for a few moments
,
then said, ‘I am glad you have brought this up. As you
know,
I am more of an introvert. And probably because of my maths
background, I tend to be rather. cautious and calculat
ing. You,
on the other hand, keep coming up with new ideas and throwin
g
them at us. So I see it as. my duty to put forward the opposit
e
point of view every time... . It’s this idea of Hegel’s:
you
propound a thesis, I express the antithesis and I hope
that the
rest of the committee will come out with the synthesi
s. But I
have recently detected that more often than not
there is an
awkward silence.’ And as they continued the convers
ation, Joe
realized that he had unconsciously projected the image
of an
uncaring visionary. He had always been the ideas-a
nd-action
man. He was rather ashamed that he had not felt and
prayed
more for Terry who, he discovered, was Struggling
with Several
family problems. His parents’ marriage was on the
rocks and
his older brother had been involved in a nasty road
accident.
They finally ended their time together in prayer,
confessing
their sins to the Lord, and when Terry left, they
hugged one
172
another, thankful that God had helped them to heal their rift.
But not all leaders are open to God. Do you remember
Diotrephes? The apostle John had a hard time with this leader.
Diotrephes loved to be first (3 John 9), and he was actively
engaged in a gossip campaign against the apostle (verse 10).
This arrogant fellow was also inhospitable and had expelled
some believers from his local congregation. It seems that no-
one could handle Diotrephes, but the apostle John clearly inti-
mates that he would have to discipline him personally (verse
10). Thankfully, this is an extreme case. If we have to deal
with the modern equivalents of Diotrephes —- domineering
leaders who are opposed to apostolic doctrine and practice —
we too have to act with firmness. But we can only do this in
partnership with others who are also convinced that the person
needs disciplining. We must then confront him with firmness
and love, and if he does not repent, decisive action must be
taken to remove him from his position of spiritual leadership.

Other types of problem leaders

Problem leaders include those who cling to their privileged
status but are not prepared to shoulder the responsibilities of
leadership. Such leaders let the team down. Members suffer
because these workers do not take their commitments seriously.
They need to be reminded that leadership spells responsibility
and they need motivating to do their job. Sometimes the reason
why a person fails to perform duties is because he feels inad-
equately trained for a particular assignment. Although we love
to see the faith of our fellow leaders stretched, it is important
that we do not harm them by not giving them sufficient training,
resources and backing.
Some of us face another chronic problem, that of leaders.
who are simply too busy. They have so many irons in the fire
that they find it impossible to give their full attention to
anything, and they fail to accomplish specific tasks. I once sat
in a committee meeting where an extremely busy Christian
leader began to address us on a couple of topics that were not
on our agenda. He made some rather strange proposals and I
noticed that everyone was beginning to feel uncomfortable and
173
 confused. After a while, the chairman asked him to clarify a
particular proposal and he blurted out in horror, ‘Oh, I’m so
sorry! I was speaking about a project which was raised at the
board meeting of. . .”!
Unfortunately, some organizations assume that they can only
transact their business and fulfil their objectives if they have
big names ontheir committees. I personally believe that it is
important to have well-known Christian leaders to back our
organizations but we do not have to suck them into our commit-
tees. Their names can simply appear on a special council of
reference, giving the Christian public confidence in the work we
do. Rather, we should always invite to be committee members
people who are prepared to give priority to our fellowship or
church, otherwise we will end up with excessively busy Chris-
tian leaders who are full of good intentions, but who will never
be able to accomplish the task for which they have been
appointed. It’s always a wise policy to pick people who are
prepared to work hard, even if they are not very experienced
leaders.

Three is a useful number

A close friend of mine once said, ‘There are always
three sides
to an argument: yours, mine and the truth!’ She is right!
One
problem in our conversations with fellow leaders is that we
do
not always encode our message with precision and clarity
which
means that our hearers decode us wrongly. We can overco
me
this either by improving our communication and checki
ng that
the other person has decoded our message correctly,
or better
still, by the two of us agreeing to record in writing all
decisions
reached. But what if you have to work alongside someon
e with
a different background who does not necessarily see
eye to eye
with you? Perhaps you have had strong personality
clashes in
the past. How can you work with this problem leader?
I have
found from experience that it is extremely helpful
to have a
third person present at your meetings and discuss
ions. If we
are strong leaders, we can be rather intransigent
in our own
opinions ahd find it very hard to appreciate the other
person’s
point of view. A third person can help both
parties to see
174
things more objectively, thus defusing tensions and clearing up
misunderstandings.
Even if I am on the best terms with another colleague, when
it comes to crucial decisions I always find it useful to have a
triumvirate. I am not claiming that we should be ‘trinitarian’
in our decision-making, but over and over again I have experi-
enced the benefits of interaction between three people. If there
are only two of us and we have opposite viewpoints, we will
reach a stalemate. A trusted third person so often transforms
the meeting, acts as a bridge between us and helps us to move
forward together.
If you are finding it difficult to get on with another leader,
you must first pray, asking God to search your own heart and
attitudes (Psalm 139:23-24). Sometimes the problem is with us
personally; we can have a jaundiced view of people. This is
particularly true when we are tired or depressed. We need first
to get right with God.
If, however, we have sought to identify the problem that is
affecting our relationship with another leader and it seems that
the fault lies with them, what should we do? We are not simply
to dismiss it nor to bear a grudge against them. Instead we are
to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). For some of us,
this could involve making ourselves vulnerable, for in doing so
we lay ourselves open to their criticisms and perhaps even
rejection. But loving leadership always seeks to clear blocks in
communication and relationships.
A cardinal principle in working with others, especially those
who may differ from us and those whom we find it hard to get
along with, is to stress our common allegiance to the Lord
Jesus. He is our common Lord and he is the one who can bring
us together. He specializes in breaking down barriers! He is
the one who can help us to love one another and to serve
together in his kingdom.

£75
 Chapter Fifteen
AFFIRMING LEADERS

Ask leaders what they cherish most from their fellow workers
and church members. Their reply could probably be expressed
in one word — affirmation. oe
Leaders carry heavy loads. They face crises. Some are handi-
capped by personal weaknesses. Others may be haunted by a
sense of failure or may be smarting under criticism. A word of
appreciation can make a beleaguered leader’s day! I once saw
a fellow leader burst into tears when an old lady came up to
him and said, ‘Don, I know you are going through a tough
time. I am praying every day that God will give you strength.’
Once, when some of my close friends asked me what I had
done during my last overseas trip, they were rather taken aback
when Isaid, ‘I stopped two people from resigning.’ No, I wasn’t
the master problem-solver! In both cases, all I did was to listen
to these two dear brothers. One was a pastor and the other a
general secretary of an IFES movement. Both felt discouraged
and misunderstood. The general secretary had been working
for eight years, and no-one had ever told him whether he was
doing a good job or not. They had taken him for granted. He
had given all he had to student work and somehow there was
no word of appreciation.
At a consultation with my senior co-workers, we discussed
our role and our relationship to younger colleagues. Someon
e
said, ‘Sometimes we may need to be bishops confirming
our
younger brethren.’ We were not using these terms in an ecclesi-
astical sense. We were reminding ourselves of our responsibility
to affirm others.
Young leaders are often plagued by doubts. Are they
in the
176
_ right job? Are they fulfilling their responsibilities adequately?
_ Are their performances in keeping with the expectations of
those who appointed them? What they desperately need is
words of encouragement.
When we turn to the Scriptures, we can track down various
occasions on which particular leaders received affirmation.
Joshua is a classic case. He was appointed to succeed Moses,
the outstanding leader and lawgiver. Moses had been the
pioneer. Joshua was assigned the task of occupying Canaan
and building up the nation of Israel. What a gigantic portfolio!
The Lord knew that Joshua required assurance and confir-
mation of his leadership. So God bolstered his servant’s confi-
dence with these reassuring and challenging words:

‘As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never

leave you or forsake you.
‘Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these
people to inherit the land... Be strong and very coura-
geous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave
you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that
you may be successful wherever you go... Have I not
commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be
terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lorp your God will
be with you wherever you go’ (Joshua 1:5-9).

In a private encounter with Peter, Jesus Christ warned his

cocksure disciple that Satan was going to sift him like wheat.
Our Lord predicted Peter’s denial. But that was not going to
be the end of the story. When the apostle was restored, he was
to strengthen his brethren (Luke 22:31-32).
Those who have experienced dark moments in their spiritual
pilgrimage, but have also received God’s forgiving grace, must
not selfishly go their own way. They have an added responsi-
bility to strengthen their brothers and sisters. In Acts, we see
Peter travelling extensively. His objective was to encourage
and confirm the faith of young converts.
On his first missionary journey, Paul and his team had estab-
lished churches in Lystra, Iconium and Antioch. They later
revisited these churches, and Luke describes their activities in
177
 terms of ‘strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to
remain true to the faith’ (Acts 14:22). The same word episteriz6
is used in Acts 15:41. There it describes Paul’s mission in Syria
and Cilicia —- he was strengthening the churches. We must
remember that these were young churches and most of their
members were but fledglings. They had believed the gospel and
been taught basic doctrine. Now the foundations of their faith
had to be fortified. Thorough apostolic teaching would help
them to build their superstructure.
I sometimes visit Christians who live and work in countries
where they are a tiny minority. Some have come to faith in
Christ amidst family opposition. As I seek to expound God’s
Word to them, I see their eyes sparkling and faces beaming. I
can almost hear them thinking, ‘Yes, this is what we have been
reading. It confirms our beliefs.’
Tired pastors and missionaries also need to be confirmed by
God’s Word. Many can testify to blessings received at confer-
ences where there are Bible readings. These expositions are a
source of great refreshment. Perhaps they have been encoun-
tering demonic attacks and every step of faith has been chal-
lenged by the Evil One. Or they may be discouraged by the
lack of response to the gospel. Bible teaching that points to
the sufficiency of Christ and the resources of his Spirit
reinforces faith and produces fresh commitment.

Means of affirmation
We have hinted at the importance of conferences. There is also
immense value in face-to-face meetings. It might sound strange,
but many young leaders receive astonishing encouragement
from meeting stalwarts of the faith.
One of my co-workers, Samuel Escobar, told me about his
first visit to Europe in 1959 to attend a major IFES gathering.
Three years before, he had been invited by Dr John White,
the IFES Associate General Secretary for Latin America, to
serve as a student worker in Peru. Samuel’s task was to estab-
lish an ongoing student witness in the campuses of his home
country. During those three years he had been receiving books
and magazines from other IFES movements. He found tremen-

178
 tad ea Tae ea e we RN Ot ae A Fa.
Rear eso ioe : a

dous inspiration in the sermons of Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones, and

also the reports of the exploits of Inter-Varsity Fellowship, the
British student movement. So when hearrived in Paris he was
overjoyed, because Dr Lloyd-Jones was there as the President
of IFES. Samuel said that just to shake the Doctor’s hand was
for him a mighty affirmation of his ministry as a student worker.
Later he left Paris and went to Cambridge, the historic home
of evangelical student witness, where he met up with other
Christian leaders. All these experiences motivated Samuel to
new heights of service.
Letters can be another means of affirming leaders. We have
somehow lost the art of letter-writing. This is probably because
of cheaper phone calls and dearer postage! But a generation
ago, many outstanding Christian leaders were known for their
letter-writing ministry. Contrary to popular belief, they did not
write long treatises, but would pen brief notes, sometimes on
postcards. I recall once receiving a hand-written note from the
late Bishop Frank Houghton. We had met briefly at a
missionary council meeting. He had learnt that I had become
associate pastor of the Chinese church in London. Imagine my
surprise and delight to receive a letter from this man of God!
A few lines and a brief quotation from Scripture — that was all
that Bishop Houghton had written, but that note was a source
of tremendous encouragement to me.
In the IFES office we send birthday cards to our staff and
their spouses. A simple touch, but one that means a great deal
to them. As leaders, we should always be asking ourselves
whether there is somebody we can encourage by a letter or
telephone call.

Failure to affirm others

Why do we fail in the ministry of affirmation? We fail because
we are too wrapped up in ourselves. We want others to
appreciate us and we forget to empathize with others. Affir-
mation means much more than uttering clichés of praise or
even the routine ’phone call. We affirm people by giving them
time. If someone comes to us for a chat and we are busy
they
shuffling papers around or our eyes roam over the room,
179
can become even more dispirited by the time they leave. To
affirm is to listen attentively.
Some of us confuse affirmation with flattery. I once heard a
pastor telling two octogenarian ladies in his congregation that
they looked hardly a day older than thirty! That’s flattery, not
affirmation! When we flatter, we want to give the other person
a psychological boost to make them feel good. Often what we
say is only half true. We sometimes have ulterior motives when
we flatter people.
But as leaders, we should be generous in expressing appreci-
ation. For example, a member has spent long hours assembling
an exhibition. Everyone has found it most illuminating. We
Should personally commend this member on his splendid
efforts. sets
Affirmation does not mean the absence of criticism. When
we see a younger leader or member sinning, we do them ill by
not rebuking and correcting them. The Scriptures bid us speak
the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Truth exposes sin; it points
to God’s light and standards. So our task as leaders is to help
the erring Christian face up to the truth about himself and his
sin. We do not assume the role of prosecutor, pointing an
accusing finger at his faults. We shouldn’t criticize someone in
such a way as to make him feel small, insignificant and useless.
We are to speak the truth in love. Love means wanting the
best for a brother or sister. Therefore it grieves me to see them
walking in darkness. I desire their well-being so I yearn for
them to walk with God. Loving rebuke is in fact an expression
of affirmation.
My wife King Ling has a remarkable gift for affirming Chris-
tians. Once a leader of a Bible study group was behaving
obnoxiously towards his group members. He kept harping on
about his own achievements and belittling the contributions of
others. I:am afraid that if I had had to counsel him, I would
probably have used rather barbed words.
King Ling spent time with him. She lovingly confronted him
with his faults. He knew that my wife was not out to get at
him. They worked through the problem together, and later,
after a time of prayer, he emerged ten feet tall! This brother
had been rebuked and affirmed. Reproof, though at times

180
_ painful, is meant to heal rather than destroy. Like the surgeon’s
knife, rebuke, that is ‘speaking the truth in love’, removes
diseased tissues, its over-all objective being to bring healing
and wholeness.

Predecessors and successors

We deal now with a rather sensitive topic — the need of the
Christian community to affirm both the successor and
predecessor.
Jonathan was appointed the director of a fair-sized
missionary organization. For six months before he assumed his
responsibilities as the chief executive officer, his predecessor,
Mark, showed him the ropes. Both men respected each other
and worked harmoniously together during the period of orien-
tation. Mark then retired to a seaside haven. During his first
year, Jonathan travelled to various mission-fields. He got on
well with all the missionaries and also with the office team. But
at the beginning of his second year, a dark cloud descended
upon him. Hardly a week passed without ’phone calls and notes
from his predecessor.
Each time Mark assured Jonathan that it was out of concern
that he was communicating with him. He said that some of
the prayer-partners had expressed dissatisfaction with the new
policies of the mission and were even questioning Jonathan’s
judgment. Mark pestered Jonathan relentlessly, and got all his
friends to rally to his support. Before long, the matter was
brought before the board.
Fortunately the board chairman acted decisively. First he
assured Jonathan of his unstinting support. With Jonathan’s
permission, he and another senior member of the committee
went to meet Mark. They listened patiently to his concerns and
complaints. At the same time they firmly but graciously told
him that Jonathan must be given a free rein to exercise his
leadership.
All credit to the chairman for protecting Jonathan. He was
wise in taking a senior member of the board with him to meet
Mark. The latter recognized that he had overstepped the mark
in interfering in the affairs of the mission.
181
 The loyal support of the chairman did Jonathan the world of
good. Without that affirmation he would have had great diffi-
culty in operating as the leader of the mission.
The chairman also understood Mark’s predicament. He
sensed that it wasn’t easy for a man who had given the best
years of his life to the mission to keep his fingers out of the
administrative pie. Retirement hadn’t turned out to be a
pleasant experience. Mark, like many Christian leaders, had
found his value in his work. Moreover, he had been ably
supported by the office team. His secretary used to type all his
letters, but in his retirement he had to write everything by
hand. He also missed the hustle and bustle of office life and the
excitement of travelling and ministering in different countries.
Churches, missionary societies and Christian organizations
should assist their senior workers in this period of transition.
Once I asked a missionary whether he was looking forward to
his retirement. He shook his head and lamented, ‘To be honest,
I feel as if I am going to be dumped on the rubbish heap.’
This faithful band of warriors who have given so much of
their lives to God’s service need to be affirmed. A public fare-
well is often appropriate. Besides making financial arrange-
ments such as pension benefits, churches and societies should
encourage these leaders to get involved in their local churches.
Wholehearted involvement in a local church might take the
boredom out of retirement. These servants of Christ should also
be encouraged to intercede diligently for others. Faithful inter-
cessors have a vital role to play in God’s kingdom enterprise.
The older people get, the greater their desire to feel wanted.
Whatever our position in the church or Christian fellowship,
we all have a ministry of encouragement. Why not seek out a
leader and assure him of your prayers and support? What about
voicing appreciation to someone for sticking so faithfully to a
routine job? A word of praise for those who have put long
hours into running a conference or special event would make
their day. Who knows? Your words may encourage them to
attempt greater things for God! We can’t show appreciation by
keeping our mouths shut!
The ministry of affirmation is beautifully illustrated in the
third Servant Song:

182
 2
a
_ mean instructed tongue, |
to know the word that _
sustains the weary. _
He wakens me morning by
morning,
wakens my ear to listen like
one being taught (Isaiah 50:4).

Spiritual leaders, like the Servant, are trainee teachers. We are _ a

pupils in God’s school. As we listen daily to him through his
Word, he confirms and strengthens us. We in turn can sustain
_ the weary. God will give us fitting words to affirm them so they
too will be strengthened and cheered in their service for the
Lord.

¥
 Chapter Sixteen
GOOD ENDINGS

Wang Ming-Dao, the fearless preacher of Beijing, China, once

wrote: ‘Many have good beginnings, but few have good
endings’ (quoted by Adeney 1985:77). These: words were
penned bya leader who had suffered much for his faith both
under the Japanese and the Marxists. By his life and words he
urged a generation of Chinese Christians to stand firm in the
Lord.
Good beginnings? Many Christians make promising starts.
They respond enthusiastically to their leadership assignments.
When the weather’s fair and the going’s good, they advance
steadily. But when the storms break, they are overwhelmed
and retire to the sidelines.
The road of leadership is never smooth. We shall encounter
Opposition and obstacles in every shape and form. The devil
will hurl the fiery darts of doubt. He will seek to seduce us and
direct us away from God’s path. We may face criticisms and
discouragement. Like God’s servants in the Bible we will not
be immune from stress, depression, persecution and self-doubt.
Sometimes we are handicapped by poor health. As we search
the Scriptures, we observe that leadership was never plain
sailing for Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, Elijah,
Amos,
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemia
h, Paul,
Peter, Stephen and a host of others. But God kept them
going
despite setbacks and repeated failures.
It has been said, ‘When the going gets tough, the tough
get
going.’ Our toughness is not necessarily an in-buil
t quality,
neither is’it a stoic grin-and-bear-it attitude to pain
and
suffering. God toughens us as we rely on his grace and
power.
184.
Good ending: the example of Caleb
One of my favourite Old Testament characters is Caleb. I’ve
always been inspired by the qualities of this remarkable leader.
At eighty-five years old, well past retirement age, he was still
fighting fit. Listen to these fantastic words from the lips of this
veteran leader:

‘I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m

just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then’ (Joshua
14:11).

Then he made this amazing request to Joshua: ‘Give me this

mountain’ (verse 12, Av/KJV).
Caleb was not content to rest on his laurels or to look back
on his golden past. Indeed, he had a remarkable track record
as a warrior and leader. But with God’s help he wanted to go
on fighting and staking new claims for his tribe and people.
What are the secrets of this great man of God?

Caleb followed the Lord wholeheartedly (verse 8)

His commitment to the Lord was total. Once he had set his
heart to follow God, there was no turning back. Retreat was
never in his vocabulary. His supreme ambition was to do the
will of the Sovereign Commander.
At the age of forty, he was one of the twelve intelligence
officers sent by Moses to spy out the land. All twelve men were
impressed by what they saw. The land of Canaan was very
fertile and fruitful and had tremendous potential. But according
to the majority report, a military invasion was out of the ques-
tion. The fortified cities were peopled by giants! The Israelites
were grasshoppers by comparison (Numbers 13:33)! However,
Caleb and Joshua disassociated themselves from this pessimistic
view. Rather, they affirmed, “We should go up and take
possession of the land, for we can certainly do it’ (verse 30).
Both men were warriors of faith; they knew who their supreme
to
Commander was. They were not afraid to nail their colours
the mast. With God, they would triumph.
Their words had hardly left their mouths when they were
185
 met with the chilly and cynical stares of the other ten spies.
‘Stop acting as wise guys. The Canaanites are too powerful —
we are no match for them!’ But Caleb and Joshua would not
give in. They urged Moses and the entire assembly to wage a
campaign against the Canaanites. Sadly the majority report
prevailed.
God then gave his verdict. The ten spies and all the adult
members of Israel would perish in the wilderness because of
their unbelief. The Lord specially commended Caleb, stating,
‘My servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me
wholeheartedly’ (Numbers 14:24).
God expects total, not partial, commitment today. If we hold
back, we shall not win the battle of faith. But if we serve him
wholeheartedly, he honours our stand and wiil do mighty things
through us. .

Caleb had a different perspective (Numbers 1 4:24)

This is another of Caleb’s secrets which made him such
an
outstanding leader.
The ten spies gave a one-sided report. Their evaluation
was
based on the fact that from a human point of view, the situati
on
seemed impossible. How could a rabble band of liberated
slaves
with limited resources and military experience defeat the
superior forces of the Canaanites? From a human
viewpoint
their assessment was correct. But unlike Caleb,
they left the
Mighty Lord out of their reckoning. Israel was his
covenant
people and he had entered into a special contract
with them
(see Exodus 19:5f.). Had he not overthrown the
armies of
Egypt? Had he not guided his people with his own
presence?
So what were fortified cities or giant soldiers? Caleb
knew his
God and therefore had the courage to ask, ‘Why
not?’
In 1966 I made my first visit to Thailand. Several
missionary
magazines were vividly reminding readers that
there were more
Buddhist temples in Thailand than individual
Christians. I flew
to Bangkok to explore the possibility of establishing
an ongoing
student witness in the campuses of this Buddhist
country. Soon
after my arrival, a veteran. missionary
took me aside and
commented wryly, ‘Our Presbyterian church
has been here for

186.
_ just over a hundred years and we are still a tiny minority. The
church is weak and struggling. Frankly, I think you have come
to the wrong place to start student work. I would urge you to
concentrate on your fine work in Singapore, Malaysia, the
Philippines and Hong Kong. Don’t waste your time in
Thailand.’
I prayed in silence that God would prove him wrong! I am
so glad that God answered that prayer! I found two Christian
lecturers in two universities who were seeking to study the
Bible with Thai students. So I encouraged them both to
persevere. Three years later, one of the lecturers had to return
to his home country, but he left behind him a Bible study group
of four Christian students. He invited a young missionary to
train these students and to spawn groups in other universities.
In 1970, my colleague Ada Lum and I were invited to a
training conference attended by eight Thai students together
with the young missionary. I had the responsibility of teaching
the students how to share their faith with others. Half way
through our week of training I suggested that they should have
some practical field-work in the village market near our
campsite. The Thai students protested, saying, “We Thais are
very polite. We can’t just go and talk to strangers about Jesus
Christ.’ I replied, ‘We Chinese are also very polite, but it’s not
a matter of courtesy! It’s a matter of our willingness to obey
Christ’s command to be his witnesses.’ So after some friendly
persuasion they agreed to go and witness in twos. For a couple
of hours they shared the good news of Jesus with shopkeepers,
fishmongers and butchers, and discovered the joy of articulating
their faith.
Later, as they returned in our Volkswagen minibus, the
students were leaping and praising God! We got back to the
camp and one of the students excitedly declared, ‘A fishmonger
that I spoke to told me that it was the first time that he had
heard about the Lord Jesus from the lips of one of his own
countrymen. He told me that a few years ago some foreigners
with blond hair and long noses, speaking unintelligible Thai,
had tried to tell him about a foreign god called Jesus. He said
that today he had actually been able to understand.’
Soon after the training conference I had to leave to visit our
187
 movement in Vietnam, but my co-worker Ada Lum remained °
in Bangkok for six months. Her primary task was to encourage
the students to have Bible studies and to invite their non-
Christian friends along to examine the claims of Christ. During
this period these eight Thai students witnessed a remarkable
turning of students to Jesus Christ. In less than two years, every
campus had ‘an active Christian fellowship. The student leaders
themselves met for prayers at 5.30 in the morning. They laid
hold of God and he did mighty things in their midst. These
Thai Christian students possessed a different attitude. They did
not succumb to their image as an insignificant minority.
Faith
in God leads his people to do great exploits for him. It
is this
perspective that carries us forward.
Christian leaders often succumb to the spirit of the age. We
become cynical when the Word of God appears to
fall on
barren ground. We spend endless hours analysi
ng and
discussing impossible situations and some people even
write
PhD’s on them! Sometimes our Christian fellowships
or chur-
ches get stuck in a rut and we fail to ask what differe
nce it
would make if we brought God into the situation.
Faith dares
to ask for the impossible. Think of Caleb and Joshua
surveying
the superior forces of the Canaanites; one look
at God made
them ask, ‘Why not?’!
This is the spirit that makes great leaders. Think
of William
Carey in the eighteenth century. When he shared
his concern
to serve God as a missionary in India, the leaders
of the Baptist
denomination threw cold water on his plans.
In their pious
theological jargon, they told this cobbler from
Northampton
that God would evangelize the heathen in India.
But William
Carey had a totally different spirit.. He
followed God
wholeheartedly, and one of the stirring
slogans of this
missionary pioneer finds an echo in many hearts
today: Attempt
great things for God, expect great things from
God!’
Like the walls of Jericho, situations may
look insurmount-
able, but let’s never forget that our God
is the great wall-
breaker! By his Spirit, he initiates breakthrou
ghs. He acts in
ways beyond our wildest dreams and expectatio
ns. But we need
to have the vision and courage to ask, ‘Why
not?’. Can God
not do great things for people?

188.
 Caleb was never an irresponsible visionary. He was always
conscious that God was spurring his people on to claim new
ground. His view was God-centred. After all, it was God who
was leading his people forward and he would give the land to
them (Numbers 14:8). Therefore the people should not rebel
against God, nor should they be afraid of the inhabitants of
the land. Why not? Because ‘ “the Lorp is with us” ’ (verse
9). Caleb possessed a different spirit — that of complete confi-
dence in the living God.
Don’t we need that same spirit today? Consider the task of
world evangelism. There are vast areas in our world where the
church is weak and the masses have yet to hear about God’s
love as shown in Christ Jesus. He has given us his marching
orders to ‘go and make disciples of all nations’ (Matthew 28:19).
Aren’t we tempted to say, ‘Impossible. The Muslims, the
Hindus and the Western secularists are resistant and even
hostile to the Christian message’? World evangelism and disci-
ple-making are uphill tasks. They are fraught with difficulties
and dangers. But the risen Christ has also promised, ‘I will be
with you always, to the very end of the age’ (verse 20). Surely
that should infuse fresh heart into our endeavours for him.

Caleb always pressed forward

At the ripe old age of eighty-five, this remarkable leader did
not speak of retirement plans. He took on fresh challenges:
‘ “Now give me this mountain” ’ (Joshua 14:12, rsv). He wasn’t
content simply to live in the plains of everyday life. He couid
have sat by his fire-side talking to his grandchildren about the
mighty exploits of the past. What fabulous tales they would
have heard! But Caleb would not live in the glories of the past.
He wanted to keep on fighting.
Here we have the third secret of a godly leader. We need to
keep on fighting and pressing forward. Caleb wanted to die
with his boots on. He thrived on fresh challenges. Every new
step of faith leads us to the source of power — the Lord himself.
I am always touched when I speak to men and women of
.
God who are still serving him in their seventies and eighties
Their physical vigour may be impaire d, but their vision to serve

189
 \

God has never diminished. ‘They may not be positioned in the

front line, but this noble company of prayer warriors knows
what it means to seek the face of God to back up the troops.
Sometimes, through their physical infirmities, we catch a
glimpse of their exuberant spirit. They enjoy their
Lord’s
company; they look forward to the day when they will see
him
face to face, .
To have a good ending, we need to be fighting fit spiritu
ally.
In the battle there will be no time for idleness and compla
ints.
We shall make it our constant aim to please him and
to know
him (see 2 Corinthians 5:9; Philippians 3:10). We will echo
the
objective of the apostle Paul: ‘I consider my life worth
nothing
to me, if only I may finish the race and complete
the task the
Lord Jesus has given me — the task of testifying to
the gospel
of God’s grace’ (Acts 20:24). In our more sober moment
s, we
may wonder how we are going to achieve this,
and like Paul,
we cry out, ‘Who is equal to such a task?’ (2 Corint
hians 2:16).
How can we possibly fulfil our God-given respons
ibilities as
leaders? But with Paul, we look to God and declare with
his same confidence, ‘Our competence comes from God’
(2 Corinthians 3:5). He is able!

190,
 o.

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192
Are you a member of'a Christian fellowship committee or a
church council? Do you teach adults? Children? Lead a small
group?
If so, you need to know how to approach the task and
what are the guidelines for Christian leaders. This book is
for you.
Chua Wee Hian is General Secretary of the International
Fellowship of Evangelical Students. His work takes him all
over the world and his constant preoccupation is the
finding and training of leaders for Christian groups.

‘A powerful and cogent explanation of scriptural princi-

ples and priorities, the book is enriched by a wealth of
personal experience, practical advice, warm down-to-earth
humour and illustration ... it’s a delight to read.’
From the foreword by David J--kman

Biblical and down-to-earth. Uplifting and ye Za

Spiritual dynamite yet with love and balance. Pc Ba
have been in leadership for years would do well ti +
powerful book as a refresher course.

£3, 25
Inter-Varsity Press 9 °780851 mI