Spiritual Pastoral Leadership

So, my child, draw your strength from the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Take the things you heard me say in front of many other witnesses and pass them on to faithful people who are also capable of teaching others. 2 Timothy 2:1-2

Throughout biblical history when God wanted to get something done, he would raise up a woman or man who was charged with a God-honoring assignment. Abram and Sarai obeyed God when they left their people and land to begin a nation whose mission was to bless other nations (Genesis 12). Moses had a rap sheet and was a renegade living on the run. He was tending sheep on the "back forty" when God called him to lead a mass exodus of God's people from the tyranny of Pharaoh's Egypt "to a good and broad land" (Exodus 3:8). The last of Jesse's boys, David, was set aside as the next king of Israel while the first king, Saul, was still sitting on the throne (1 Samuel 16). When God wants something done, God taps someone on the shoulder and says, "I've got a job for you!"

Pastors of highly vital congregations live, lead, coach, and set vision in accountable community.

Now these men and women were typically a mixed bag of saints and sinners. They were earthy saints or, as one of my pastor friends, Jamie Stilson says, they were "ugly leaders." Joseph was too immature to handle the dream God had for his life. Ruth could be accused of being co-dependent in her relationship with her mother-in-law, Naomi. Solomon with his 700 wives and 300 concubines would likely have been diagnosed as a sex addict in the 21st century. Timothy wrestled with insecurity as he struggled with claiming his identity as a leader in the early church. God tapped ordinary people to do extraordinary work.

And the job God calls these women and men to do is always a God-sized assignment. It's always a big and daunting job.

"Build an ark!"

"Kill a giant!"

"Have a baby when you're a virgin!"

"Carry a cross!"

"Plant a community of Jesus followers where his name is not known!"

These were no small assignments. When the job gets done, everyone will know that it had to have been God who accomplished it. No human being could ever accomplish the job without huge amounts of divine intervention.

Paul, the great missionary, knew this reality personally. He was a killer of the church who, by the grace of God, turned into a pillar of the church. Paul called himself "the biggest sinner of all" (1 Timothy 1:15). In one of his most important teachings, he describes the kind of people God calls to do his bidding.

Look at your situation when you were called, brothers and sisters! By ordinary human standards not many were wise, not many were powerful, not many were from the upper class. But God chose what the world considers foolish to shame the wise. God chose what the world considers weak to shame the strong. And God chose what the world considers low-class and low-life—what is considered to be nothing—to reduce what is considered to be something to nothing. So no human being can brag in God's presence. It is because of God that you are in Christ Jesus. He became wisdom from God for us. This means that he made us righteous and holy, and he delivered us. This is consistent with what was written: "The one who brags should brag in the Lord!" (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)

Leadership in God's kingdom has always been a daunting task accomplished by less than likely people.

So when the movement of Jesus went viral from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8), God assigned men and women like Paul, Silas, Peter, Barnabas, Philip, and Lydia, with establishing missionary outposts called "churches." Then these apostolic leaders raised up, equipped, and trained "pastors" or "elders" to oversee these fledging communities of faith. You see this mentoring relationship beautifully illustrated in Paul, the mentor, investing in Timothy, the young pastor in Ephesus.

In the New Testament, pastors had a shepherding role. Peter, the impetuous one (remember he walked on water and cut off a slave's ear) turned radical apostle of Jesus, explained how to be good shepherds.

Like shepherds, tend the flock of God among you. Watch over it. Don't shepherd because you must, but do it voluntarily for God. Don't shepherd greedily, but do it eagerly. Don't shepherd by ruling over those entrusted to your care, but become examples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive an unfading crown of glory. (1 Peter 5:2-4)

Peter expected these leaders to lead with great care for the flock, knowing that some day they would stand before the Chief Shepherd. Being a pastor never has been a haphazard vocation. It is holy work to lead and care for the people of God.

That's why pastors then, as now, were charged with a dual task of watching over themselves as well as welcoming being watched over. They are flip sides of the same coin. Pastors had to take responsibility for their own lives as well as invite others to watch over them.

One of my life verses is 1 Timothy 4:16a where Paul writes: "Keep a close watch on yourself and on your teaching" (NLT). I love the way the Common English Bible translates this verse: "Focus on working on your own development." The elder leader, Paul, encouraged the younger pastor, Timothy, to keep an eagle eye over his own life. Paul understood that pastors needed to take responsibility for their own development as followers of Jesus and leaders in the church.

But pastors were not left alone in their assignment of shepherding congregations. Isolation was not an option for first-century pastors. Though the exact polity is hard to trace in the book of Acts and New Testament letters, there was clearly a web of accountable relationships for first-century pastors. They were watched over. Listen to Paul's admonition to Titus about his ministry of teaching: "As for you, promote the kind of living that reflects right teaching" (Titus 2:1, NLT).

Clearly, Paul had relational entree into Titus' life and ministry. This kind of oversight in the early church is woven throughout the book of Acts. Ordinary, earthy women and men were called by an amazing God to lead in a Kingdom assignment. The jobs were always overwhelming. They seldom felt up to it, but this seems to be the way of our remarkable God.

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