Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
- Titus 1:7-9
Leadership is one of the most critical aspects of any human organization, and even more so within the Church. In this passage, Paul expands on the qualities required for spiritual leaders that he started discussing in the previous couple of verses. He doesn't emphasize talent or vision first. Instead, he focuses on character and doctrinal soundness. Christian leadership is about stewardship and Christlikeness.
At the start of verse 7, Paul uses the word “overseer.” This word refers to someone who watches over and leads the local church. In the New Testament, “overseer” and “elder” are frequently used interchangeably. Paul is emphasizing the elder’s role as a steward, not a master. The church does not belong to him; it is God’s household. An overseer is someone who ensures that God’s family is fed spiritually, protected from danger, and led in holiness. This reminder sets the tone for the following list of qualifications. Because the overseer is entrusted with such a sacred charge, his character must reflect the gravity of the position.
Next, we see a list of traits that the church leader must not have. Each trait reflects a failure in self-control or relational grace and would undermine the elder’s ability to shepherd faithfully.
A leader who is overbearing exerts power in a harsh or controlling way. The Greek word here describes someone self-willed or arrogant, driven by ego rather than service. This trait is completely out of step with the nature of Christ, who led as a servant and humbled Himself. A godly overseer leads not by dominance but by love, humility, and example.
A quick temper is destructive in leadership. It reflects a lack of self-control and a reactive spirit rather than one governed by the Holy Spirit. The book of Proverbs warns repeatedly against associating with an angry man, such as Proverbs 22:24. A quick-tempered leader will provoke division, mistreat people, and fail to model the patience and gentleness required in difficult situations.
An elder must not be “given to much wine,” as some translations say. Paul is not mandating total abstinence, but he is warning against addiction, lack of self-control, or anything that dulls a leader’s judgment. In a culture where alcohol use was common and often led to disorderly behavior, this qualification reminds us that leaders must stay alert, clear-minded, and sober—not just literally but spiritually.
Violence can be physical, verbal, or emotional. A leader prone to aggression is a danger to the flock. Spiritual leadership requires gentleness, not force. A leader’s strength lies in his ability to speak truth in love and lead with calm authority.
An elder must not be motivated by money or use his position for financial advantage. Ministry is not a means to personal enrichment. The temptation to manipulate people or seek profit under the guise of ministry is real and dangerous. A church leader must model integrity in financial dealings, generosity, and contentment.
While a list of negatives is helpful, Paul then follows up with a list of positive traits of church leaders in verse 8. These qualities aren’t just personality traits; they’re marks of spiritual maturity and fruit of the Spirit.
Literally, the word for “hospitable” means “a lover of strangers.” Hospitality in the early church wasn’t about entertaining close friends. It meant opening one’s home to traveling missionaries, the poor, and even persecuted believers. Hospitality is a tangible expression of gospel love. A leader who is hospitable demonstrates generosity, accessibility, and compassion.
An elder must be someone who not only does good but delights in it. He loves righteousness, justice, mercy, and truth—not because it’s expected, but because his heart has been transformed. This quality ensures that a leader’s values align with God’s values. He doesn't tolerate evil or moral compromise but actively promotes what is good.
Self-control is the hallmark of Christian maturity. An elder must govern his emotions, desires, and impulses. This applies to how he speaks, spends, reacts, and even how he rests. Without self-control, other virtues fall apart.
The quality of being “upright” refers to fairness and justice in relationships. An upright leader is not partial, manipulative, or unjust. He deals honestly and equitably with others and maintains a clear conscience before God and man.
Holiness means being set apart for God. A holy leader reflects the character of God in thought, word, and deed. His life is marked by purity, reverence, and a deep awareness of God’s presence.
Discipline includes time management, consistency, and perseverance. A disciplined leader doesn’t coast on charisma but follows through, leads by example, and orders his life around God’s priorities.
The final qualification Paul mentions (verse 9) is not about character but about doctrine. A leader must know, love, and cling to the truth of God’s Word, even when it’s unpopular or under attack. Elders have a dual responsibility: to encourage by sound doctrine and to refute those who oppose it. Doctrine is not just academic teaching but rather the way we live out our Christian faith. Any major errors in doctrine must be confronted with both boldness and gentleness.
God cares deeply about the health of His church. When elders are chosen based on charisma, connections, or worldly standards, the church suffers. But when we honor God’s design for church leadership, the church is strengthened and Christ is glorified.
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The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient.
- Titus 1:5-6
In a time of moral confusion and spiritual chaos, the need for strong, godly leadership in the church is greater than ever. That statement is both true today and back in the 1st century when Paul wrote this letter to Titus. Though brief, these two verses show us what kind of people God entrusts with spiritual authority and why character matters more than charisma.
The first part of verse 5 explains Titus’ mission. Paul had traveled through Crete and preached the gospel there, likely during his post-imprisonment travels. However, the churches in Crete were still young, and proper leadership structures had not yet been fully established. Paul left Titus behind to complete the foundational work.
Titus is not mentioned in Acts, but we know from Paul’s other letters that he was one of Paul’s most dependable co-workers (2 Corinthians 8:23, Galatians 2:1-3). Paul trusted Titus with complex and delicate assignments, like resolving tensions in Corinth and now overseeing multiple churches in Crete.
Paul’s language suggests that the churches were somewhat disorganized, possibly vulnerable to false teachers or moral disorder. His instruction to “put in order” comes from a Greek medical term meaning “to set right” or “correct thoroughly,” much like a doctor setting a broken bone. Titus’s job was not cosmetic or administrative; it was spiritual surgery.
Crete had a reputation for moral laxity and dishonesty. Even one of their own prophets—probably the philosopher Epimenides—said, “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons” (Titus 1:12). This cultural backdrop made church leadership all the more critical. Churches don’t exist in a vacuum. Their leaders must model godliness in the face of cultural opposition. Paul knew that if Cretan believers were going to thrive, they needed shepherds who could stand firm in truth and reflect the holiness of God.
Verse 5 goes on to instruct Titus to “appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.” The term elders refers to spiritual leaders or overseers in the local church. Elsewhere in the New Testament, the words elder, overseer, and pastor are used somewhat interchangeably to describe the same office (see Acts 20:17, 28; 1 Peter 5:1-2). Elders were not merely decision-makers or figureheads; they were shepherds of souls (Hebrews 13:17). Their primary roles included teaching sound doctrine, guarding against false teaching, praying for the sick, leading with humility, and serving as examples of mature faith.
Paul instructs Titus to appoint elders “in every town,” suggesting that churches had begun to spring up in multiple Cretan cities. Paul’s strategy was always to establish self-sustaining local churches, and the presence of qualified elders was a mark of maturity and order. The appointment of elders wasn’t a casual task. It required discernment, prayer, and adherence to godly standards.
Titus was not to appoint leaders based on popularity, wealth, or rhetorical skill but based on spiritual maturity and tested character. In verse 6, Paul gives Timothy a short list of these qualifications.
First, “An elder must be blameless.” The Greek word for “blameless” here means “above reproach” or “not open to accusation.” This doesn’t imply perfection, but it does mean there should be no glaring moral or ethical failures in a person’s life that bring disrepute to the gospel or the church. This is a summary term for the rest of the qualifications. It’s a standard of visible integrity. A blameless elder has a consistent, observable walk with God that inspires trust and credibility.
Next, blamelessness includes both public reputation and private life. An elder’s behavior must reflect the gospel not just on Sundays but throughout the week, not only in the pulpit but at home, at work, and in all relationships. Paul knew that in a corrupt culture like Crete, leadership credibility was crucial. An elder must embody the transformation that the gospel produces.
Finally, the family life of an elder was important: “faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient.” The phrase about being faithful goes beyond mere marital status; it implies marital fidelity and sexual purity. In a society where polygamy, adultery, and sexual immorality were common, Christian leaders had to set a radically different example. An elder must be devoted to his wife, not just in appearance but in heart. This qualification doesn’t disqualify unmarried men or those who are widowed. The point is not that an elder must be married, but that if he is, his marriage must be marked by faithfulness and integrity.
The phrase, “a man whose children believe,” has prompted debate. Some translations say “children who believe,” while others render it “children who are faithful” or “trustworthy.” The Greek word can mean either “believing” or “faithful,” depending on the context. Given that no parent can guarantee their children’s salvation, it’s likely that Paul is referring more to general behavior and discipline rather than the certainty of saving faith. In other words, the children of an elder must not be known for open rebellion, immorality, or wild living. This does not mean that a pastor is disqualified if a child goes through a difficult season. But the pattern of the home should reflect spiritual direction, godly nurture, and loving discipline.
Paul connects a man’s ability to lead his home with his ability to lead the church (also in 1 Timothy 3:4-5). The home is the proving ground for leadership. If a man cannot shepherd his own family, how can he shepherd the family of God? The home reveals much about a person’s character—patience, humility, wisdom, and spiritual maturity. An elder must not only know the Word of God but also live it out in his closest relationships.
Notice that Paul doesn’t begin the list of qualifications with education, charisma, or leadership skill. He begins with character, and that remains true today. In a world where talent or credentials are often valued more than integrity, Paul’s words remind us that who a leader is matters more than what they can do. Churches must not compromise on the biblical standards for leadership, even when good candidates are scarce.
Church leadership is a sacred trust, not a career path or popularity contest. God calls elders to reflect His holiness, lead with humility, and model what it means to follow Christ.
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Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening. For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.
- 2 Corinthians 12:19-21
Paul’s relationship with the Corinthian church was complex. He had founded the church during his second missionary journey, but after his departure, the Corinthians were influenced by various leaders and teachings. Some of these influences led to divisions, immoral practices, and misunderstandings about Paul’s authority. Paul’s second letter aims to correct these misunderstandings, defend his apostleship, and call the Corinthians back to a faithful and unified life in Christ.
Throughout the letter, Paul emphasizes the need for humility, integrity, and repentance. The tone in these final chapters becomes more intense as Paul prepares to visit Corinth again. He fears that when he arrives, he may find a community still struggling with unresolved issues, harboring sins that disrupt their witness and fellowship. Paul’s appeal in these verses reveals his profound love and concern for the Corinthians.
Paul begins verse 19 with a rhetorical question that addresses a common misunderstanding. Some Corinthians may have thought Paul’s letters were merely defensive, intended to protect his reputation or establish his authority. However, Paul clarifies that his purpose goes beyond self-defense. He speaks “in the sight of God,” meaning his ultimate accountability is not to the Corinthians but to God.
This accountability shapes his purpose: everything he says and does is for their “strengthening.” Here, Paul uses the Greek word oikodome, often translated as “building up” or “edification.” Paul’s concern is for the spiritual growth and maturity of the Corinthians, not his own status.
This verse calls us to examine our motives in ministry and relationships. Are we focused on our reputation, or are we genuinely acting for the spiritual well-being of others? When we speak to build others up in Christ, we act in harmony with God’s desire for the church.
In verse 20, Paul articulates a genuine fear: that he will find the Corinthians caught in sinful behaviors. The specific sins he lists—discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder—are indicators of a divided and spiritually immature community. These behaviors directly contrast with the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), which are markers of a life transformed by Christ.
Paul’s list also serves as a mirror for the church, allowing them to examine their conduct. These destructive behaviors are symptoms of unresolved conflict, pride, and selfishness. By naming them, Paul calls the Corinthians to accountability and to a higher standard of living.
Churches and communities today still face similar issues. Discord, jealousy, gossip, and arrogance can easily creep into our lives and disrupt relationships. Paul’s pastoral response—naming the issues and addressing them directly—provides a model for how to confront sin in love.
Paul closes this section in verse 21 by expressing deep sorrow over the possibility of finding unrepented sin among the Corinthians. He mentions “impurity, sexual sin, and debauchery,” which point to specific moral failings. Corinth, a city known for its moral permissiveness, posed unique challenges for the church. The cultural influences often tempted believers to compromise their faith, and Paul fears that some in the community have fallen back into old patterns without repentance.
Paul’s sorrow reveals his pastoral heart. He is not merely upset about sin as a violation of rules; he is genuinely grieved because he understands the harm it brings to individuals and the community. Unrepented sin hinders the church’s witness, weakens relationships, and disrupts communion with God. Paul’s grief reminds us of the seriousness of sin and the necessity of repentance.
Repentance is central to the Christian life. It is not a one-time act but an ongoing commitment to turn from sin and turn to God. Paul’s fear that he might be “humbled” if he finds them unrepentant reflects the mutual accountability in the Christian community. Leaders and believers alike share responsibility for one another’s spiritual well-being.
Paul’s words in this passage invite each of us to examine our motives, behaviors, and commitment to repentance. His concern for the Corinthians is rooted in a desire for their spiritual maturity, unity, and growth in Christ. Through this passage, we are encouraged to evaluate our own lives in light of Paul’s pastoral concerns.
Paul confronts sin, but he does so with a heart that seeks restoration and growth. His words encourage us to reflect on our motives, commit to building others up, and pursue lives of repentance and faithfulness. By embracing Paul’s call to unity, maturity, and purity, we can cultivate communities that embody the love and holiness of Christ. Let these verses serve as a reminder of the transformative power of grace and the call to live as reflections of Christ in a world that desperately needs His light.
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You are judging by appearances. If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ, they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do. So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of it. I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing.” Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.
- 2 Corinthians 10:7-11
In this section of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he defends his ministry against critics in the church. Here in these short verses, he addresses the topics of being superficial, having authority in Christ, proper leadership, and true spiritual power.
In verse 7, Paul confronts a common human tendency to judge by outward appearances. While the saying goes to not judge a book by its cover, that is exactly what we are inclined to do. The Corinthian church, like many communities, had fallen into the trap of evaluating people based on superficial factors. Some of Paul's critics likely dismissed him because he did not meet their expectations of what a leader should look or act like. They might have favored more charismatic or physically impressive leaders.
Paul reminds the Corinthians that belonging to Christ transcends outward appearances. Just because someone seems to be strong, eloquent, or persuasive doesn't mean they have a closer relationship with Christ. He gently challenges those who are "confident" in their standing with Christ to reconsider their attitude. In doing so, Paul highlights the fact that his ministry, which may not have been as outwardly impressive, was just as authentic and Christ-centered as that of his critics.
Paul speaks about his apostolic authority in verse 8, which was a source of contention in Corinth. Some people questioned whether Paul had the authority to teach, lead, and guide the church. Paul asserts that his authority is not self-appointed; rather, it is given by God. Importantly, this authority is for the purpose of building up the church, not for self-promotion or control. The phrase "for building you up rather than tearing you down" reveals Paul's heart as a leader. His goal was not to dominate or oppress the Corinthian believers but to strengthen their faith, encourage their growth, and bring them closer to Christ. This is a key principle for leadership in the church: authority should always be exercised for the benefit of others, not for self-interest.
Paul also expresses that he is not ashamed of this authority. He understands that boasting about authority can seem prideful, but he is not ashamed because his authority is divinely sanctioned and directed toward the good of the church. He is confident in his calling, and he is willing to defend it when necessary.
Paul addresses a particular concern about his writing in verse 9, which is likely connected to the previous severe letter he had sent. Some of his critics in Corinth accused him of being overly harsh or intimidating in his letters. They argued that Paul’s letters were powerful and strong, but when he was present, he was meek and unimpressive.
Paul clarifies that he does not intend to scare or bully the Corinthians with his letters. His goal is not to instill fear, but rather to communicate the seriousness of the issues at hand. He wants the Corinthian church to understand the gravity of their spiritual condition and the authority he carries as their apostle. However, his tone is always rooted in love and concern for their spiritual growth. Paul's letters were forceful because he wanted to bring correction, but his ultimate aim was to encourage the church and lead them back to Christ.
In verse 10, Paul quotes what his critics said about him. They argue that while his letters are strong and commanding, when he appears in person, he is underwhelming. These critics seem to be drawing a distinction between Paul’s written words and his physical presence, perhaps trying to undermine his credibility. This accusation reveals the shallow values of those who were judging Paul. They equated leadership and authority with physical presence and eloquent speech. In their minds, a true leader should be charismatic, bold, and impressive. Paul, in their eyes, didn’t measure up to these worldly standards. Paul’s critics likely misunderstood or dismissed the fact that true spiritual authority doesn’t depend on outward appearance or rhetorical skill. Instead, it comes from the anointing of God.
Paul responds directly to his critics’ accusations in verse 11. He assures the Corinthians that his letters accurately reflect who he is; the forcefulness of his writing is not an act or a facade. When he is present with them, his actions will match the tone of his letters. This statement is both a warning and a reassurance.
Paul’s critics may have thought they could disregard his letters as mere rhetoric, but Paul makes it clear that his authority is real, and he will act on it when necessary. At the same time, for those who trusted Paul and valued his leadership, this verse is a reassurance that Paul’s commitment to the truth and to their spiritual well-being remains steadfast. Paul’s statement here is a powerful reminder of integrity. He is the same person whether he is writing from a distance or standing in front of the Corinthians. His ministry is consistent because it is rooted in the truth of Christ, not in human approval or the need to appear impressive.
Paul’s integrity is demonstrated in this passage. Even if some of the Corinthians didn’t think so, he is the same person in his letters as he is in person, and he is not ashamed of the authority God has given him. This consistency is a powerful example for us. We should strive to live lives of integrity where our words and actions align, whether we are in public or private. In doing so, we reflect the character of Christ and build trust with those around us.
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Last week, we discussed the first part of Ecclesiastes 10 and examined the proverbs there. This week, we’re continuing with the rest of the proverbs in Ecclesiastes 10:12-20.
“Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips” (verse 12). These first few verses of this section all have to do with wise and foolish talk. This proverb shows the difference in speech between being wise and gracious versus being self-centered. If we speak words of grace and love toward others, we are practicing wisdom; if we only talk about ourselves and what matters to us, that is foolishness.
“At the beginning their words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness—and fools multiply words” (verse 13-14a). The words “beginning” and “end” are used here to show inclusiveness - that everything a fool says is foolishness. They multiply their words and say a lot of things, but there is really no substance to any of it. Whatever a foolish person says should be regarded as nonsense.
“No one knows what is coming—who can tell someone else what will happen after them?” (verse 14b). The Teacher has already written at length about mankind not knowing the future or what will happen; only God knows that. He is repeating that thought here in this shortened proverb form for further emphasis on this idea.
“The toil of fools wearies them; they do not know the way to town” (verse 15). If a person is truly foolish and not wise, then their work likely has no real benefit to the greater society. Even a foolish person will eventually get tired of doing work that is meaningless. The fool not knowing the way to town may be intended literally, as in the foolish person is that unintelligent that they can’t even find their way someplace. But, more likely this is a metaphor for not knowing where he is going with his life overall. A wise person follows God’s leading, whereas a foolish person will try to follow their own leading, which will likely not be where God wants them to go. Therefore, the foolish person really doesn’t know where his life is going.
“Woe to the land whose king was a servant and whose princes feast in the morning” (verse 16). These last few verses of the chapter focus on leadership. This verse does not imply that being a servant then rising to a leadership position makes that person a bad leader; instead, the word “servant” refers to one who is inexperienced. A king without experience will likely bring difficulties to the land because they will make mistakes and likely not know how to correct them well. The princes feasting in the morning implies that the king is not in control over those who serve under him, which is another sign of bad leadership. If the princes are doing what they want instead of respecting the king’s leadership, that too will likely bring difficulties to the land.
“Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at a proper time—for strength and not for drunkenness” (verse 17). This verse contrasts with the previous one, in that this king is clearly born to be a leader. The king has been born into the noble family, so he would have experience leading (or at least observing good leadership) from a young age. The princes are eating at the proper time, meaning they’re following the king’s authority. They are eating for the purpose of having strength to do what is required of them, not for the purpose of getting drunk and being foolish. They have the appropriate amount of self-control to assist the king rather than working against him.
“Through laziness, the rafters sag; because of idle hands, the house leaks” (verse 18). While this verse appears to have more to do with home maintenance than leadership, this is really about the attributes of a good leader. If the king is lazy, the kingdom may not fall to pieces yet, but it will start to “sag,” potentially beyond repair. If the king is not proactive in doing good for the kingdom, it will “leak” or start to have problems. Just like a leaky house, if these problems are not caught, a major disaster could occur.
“A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything” (verse 19). This verse is likely written tongue-in-cheek, as we know from the rest of the book that the Teacher firmly believes that feasting, wine, and money are not the answer for everything; he’s said before that they are all meaningless in the grand context of life, though we should enjoy the life that we are given. Lazy rulers are preoccupied with feasting, wine, and money, whereas wise rulers are more concerned with running their kingdom well.
“Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird in the sky may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say” (verse 20). Most of the people to read the Teacher’s writings are not those in authority, so it is important for the rest of us to respect our authorities - whether they are good or bad leaders. The Teacher advises us to not speak badly of those in authority, even in private, because our words may be found out. We should either remain silent with our criticisms or be prepared for those in authority to hear them and act on them in whatever manner they see fit.
These proverbs give us two pieces of wisdom for today: 1) speak words of wisdom rather than foolishness, and 2) respect those placed in authority over you, whether they are good or bad leaders. We can take these one step further and turn them into things we should pray about. Pray for the Spirit to guide your words so that you are not showing yourself to be foolish but to have the wisdom of God. And pray for those in leadership over you so that they would act as good and wise leaders rather than foolish ones, which will make them easier for us to obey and respect.
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In the previous section of Ecclesiastes 4:1-8, the Teacher talked about achievement and power, and how it’s all meaningless in the context of this world. In today’s passage of Ecclesiastes 4:9-16, we first see some encouragement to work together and then we see his discussion on leadership.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 shows us that it is better to live our lives in community with others rather than completely by ourselves. It says: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
In the context of the previous passage discussing success and maturity, this shows that we can achieve more when we work together in our society. It begins with teamwork and working toward common goals. If something happens to cause difficulty with your mission, if you have a friend working toward that same goal, they can help you get back on your feet. This applies to all relationships - coworkers, friends, business partners, spouses, and fellow workers for God’s Kingdom.
We will do so much better when we have people around us to support us rather than trying to do everything on our own. Of course, there are times we need to do things by ourselves, but if we at least have someone cheering us on, we will be encouraged by that and have the motivation to keep moving forward.
If we remain isolated, we are more prone to getting our priorities out of whack and becoming selfish. Having at least one other person in your corner so to speak who shares your beliefs and goals will help keep you grounded and properly focused on what you’re doing.
The Teacher takes it one step further than just two people, and he informs us that a cord of three strands is not quickly broken. If two are good, three are better! This verse has often been applied to the context of marriage, where the three strands are husband, wife, and God. While this is true that a marriage with God in it is much stronger than one without Him, that is not the only context where this applies. Any relationship should have God in it to truly succeed, as success is not measured by the world’s standards but by God’s.
The Teacher goes on in verses 13-16 to say this: “Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
Here, the Teacher is discussing the tension between older traditions and newer changes. Sometimes, a person who has been in a particular leadership position for many years may need to step aside for the good of the organization so that new ideas can be implemented. But, on the flip side, just because someone is younger and newer does not mean they are wiser; they may fall into temptation that the older, wiser leader knows to avoid.
The Teacher’s conclusion is that the power of being in leadership only brings frustration and does not give life true meaning and purpose. That true meaning and purpose can only be found in the things of God, not in the things of this world.
The church at Corinth in the first century experienced this very situation. They discovered that powerful leaders could divide the church rather than strengthening it. One of the overall themes of Paul’s letter of 1 Corinthians is the need for unity in the church. That church was experiencing a lack of order, rival cliques, and other internal problems brought about by a lack of unity. Read 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 for more on this. We know that Christ Himself is not divided but the church often becomes that way. We were all created to glorify God in different ways, but we still have a unified mission, brought about through our faith in Christ and His unifying death and resurrection.
The wisdom we gain from today’s passage of Ecclesiastes is twofold. First, strive to live a life of community rather than isolation as having people working with you and encouraging you will help you more fully complete the mission that God has for you. Second, pray for discernment for yourself and for your leaders, that they would always seek unity in Christ and what’s best for the groups they’re leading. When we live our lives in the context of God’s glory and for His purposes, then none of this will be meaningless.
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“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.” ~Matthew 23:15
Right before Jesus ascended into heaven, He gave his disciples a command to go out to the entire world and make disciples of all peoples and of all nations. While many in the church have had no problem with this task, very few understand what exactly they are supposed to do with it. We are to make disciples, followers, and students of Christ, not a particular church group or denomination or teaching.
God installed the children of Israel to be His people through whom the Messiah would come and to give His message to the whole world. That was their job. Yet they missed it. They thought they were special, and that God only dealt with them. While at it, they’d let the rest of the world burn. They saw any outsider as someone undeserving of the truth. But any time someone wanted to join them, they insisted on that outsider adhering to their standards, which often included circumcision. The entire council of Acts 15 was to address this very issue.
Paul had a different approach. He didn’t care if anyone followed him or not. He just cared that Christ was preached. He even allowed those who preached Christ with wrong motives to speak because Christ was being preached. But if anyone preached a message that didn’t lead to Christ or revealed something other than Christ, he showed his “dark side.” Sometimes he got in the flesh and did not respond correctly, but he never minced words against those who preached a false message.
Jesus was likewise incensed with the Pharisees and scribes. They had the truth because they had the Scripture, but they missed the whole point of it. They made it all about them and getting people to believe their model, their teachings, and their traditions. If they found any potential convert, they went all out to get that convert to join them. Yet, because it was about their religious tradition rather than the truth which leads to Christ, they didn’t make any disciples; they just turned a sheep into another wolf.
In my family, I have seen the attempts of this woe in action. My parents are being actively recruited into the Mormon church by another family member. They aren’t buying it, but it is what Jesus is addressing here. That family member was himself recruited into the Mormon church and they went out of their way to see that the conversion was made. It worked for that one family member, but fortunately it’s not working on my parents.
But what about us? How are we making converts? Are we so concerned that people believe what we believe that we miss the point of why we believe it? Again, being such an intellectually-driven type of person, I see the susceptibility to this issue. I write about origins often in part because of how well it showcases the issues we face. Yet, I find myself so focused on getting the origins part right, that I can miss the point of getting origins right: to reveal Christ. There is no point in believing in a 6-day creation taking place 6000 years ago, only for it to be wrecked up by a global flood 4400 years ago, without taking it all to its logical conclusion: Christ and the cross. Yet it is easy to fall into the trap of getting people into believing the Bible on Genesis without getting them to Whom the Bible reveals.
In martial arts circles, there is a general saying: “There is no such thing as a bad student, only a bad teacher.” There is actually a lot of truth to this. Why students are responsible for their actions, when they misbehave it is often because a teacher or authority figure either teaches them to do so or lets them do so. As a teacher myself (officially for about a year now), I have been realizing how true this is. I have students who are lazy, refuse to do their work when I tell them to do it, but scramble to pull it off at the last minute to save their grades and pass. Some of that is on me as I am truly learning what the trade of teaching requires. I know my content, but I am learning the process of how to get students who have those characteristics to break those habits and become good students. If I do not figure it out, am I turning out students who are truly educated or students who just get through the system and never actually learned anything? It’s one thing to teach a Bible study or write a blog post, but to teach 170+ high school students is another matter. Am I going to be the teacher these students need to break out of the spirit of poverty my school has? Or am I going to blame the students and those around me, contributing to the problem?
When we go teach others (and we all do teach someone in some way, shape, or form), what kind of students are we producing? What is our fruit? Is a person growing closer to Christ because they’ve been with us, or are they running away and hardened from their time with us? I’ve produced both. And in the future, I will still produce both. But may those being brought closer to Christ be more numerous and more common than those being chased until the latter is removed completely. What will each person say about us in the end? Who will be able to say, “I met Christ because of Charlie Wolcott”? Or will they say “I wanted to know about Christ, but Charlie Wolcott showed me something I didn’t like”? Now, each person is going to be held responsible for how they handle the truth, but I am responsible for how I say it. My tongue is sometimes a source of life and other times it is a source of death. And Jesus does not like the mixture. I want those who listen to me to be zealous for the truth, but it is not good if I turn them into witch-hunters in the process, searching for every possible flaw in others for the purpose of searching for flaws. I do not believe I am doing that, but I can see how someone might become a “two-fold son of Hell” if they follow part of me too closely. If they imitate me as I imitate Christ, they will be just fine, but I must imitate Christ by allowing Him to imitate Himself through me. That requires dying to self.
How are we doing in our self-examination? Hang in there with me, because there is a message of hope in all this. Jesus never gave a message of judgment without a warning or a hope. But for the hope to mean anything, we must recognize the bad news and face it. Then we can receive the good news.
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I have worked with students and their parents since 1995. I have heard teachers, youth pastors, and many others who have worked with students proclaim the phrase, “Parents are such a problem.” To that I would like to say, “No, they’re not.”
It has been such a blessing for my wife and me to work with students and families since 1996, and as of this writing we have also been blessed to have 6 children of our own. I can assure you that youth work is not only faith work but family work as well. Our oldest is currently 21 years old. Having been on both sides of this relationship now, I understand more than ever why some parents are the way they are in regard to their children. Even if I disagree with parents in their parenting style and some of their tactics and decisions, I believe that as a youth worker, in order to be effective, the one working with students must make a decision if they are going to believe the Biblical mandate of parents teaching and raising their children or not (Deuteronomy 6:6-9).
If God has indeed put parents over the children that He has given them, then as someone who works with students, you must be okay when a parent decides to do something regarding their child that you disagree with and might even go against Biblical teaching. These children are not your children. They have been given to their parents by God Almighty. For instance, if a parent decides not to send their child on a mission trip or to church camp, you must be okay with that and not take it personally. There may be things going on in their lives that you do not know about or understand at the present time. After all, you are not God Almighty. The child has been put under that or those parents’ leadership by Almighty God and not you. So, trust God.
I believe we all know there are “bad parents” out there. So, I am not referring to parents that have decided to neglect their god given responsibility. With that said though, most parents, even those who are not followers of Jesus Christ, want what is at least on the surface “good” for their children. Most parents are trying their best to raise their children. Even if you or I disagree with how they are raising their children, friends, I believe it is time for us as a society to be willing to allow adults to make decisions for their own lives, even if we believe that decision is going to bring them hardship in the future. We should speak the truth in love.
One way we can do that is to share the truth with them personally or in a group setting and allow people to believe it and live it out in their own timing, realizing that they may not choose to do so at this present time. Liberty needs to win out. By doing so, we are following the example of God Almighty, who allows each individual the free will to follow Him or not. We must be willing to allow parents the same liberty with their own children. Parents can either teach their children to obey Christ or not. God will be their judge, not you or me.
We should also allow parents the freedom to make the decision of who teaches and influences their children. If they don’t want it to be you or someone you know, don’t take it personally. It just means God will bring someone else into their life to help them grow in Christ. It also could mean that God will bring someone else into your life to help you grow in Him too. Like it or not, the ministry you are a part of isn’t for everyone on this planet. Some will stay and some will leave, and that’s okay. I know I would rather have people leave and go do what God has called them to do instead of trying to whine or complain about our ministry or “shoehorn” me and our ministry into what they are called to do for the Kingdom of God. This doesn’t make me, or others who think like me, out to be ogres; in fact, this is the example of Christ, it is not? Think about it. Those who were not ready to follow Jesus Christ were encouraged to follow Him, but if they weren’t ready, they were allowed to go their own way. (Ponder the story of the Rich Young Ruler for a moment in Mark 10:17-27.)
Again, you and I don’t have the whole picture. Be okay with the fact that God is God and you are not. After all, He is the omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent God of the universe. Friends, God instituted that parents are to raise their children (Proverbs 1:8-9). So, if you see parents as a problem, I encourage you to stop seeing them as part of the problem but see them as part of the solution. God does; you and I should as well.
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“There is only one thing God wants of us, and that is our unconditional surrender.” -Oswald Chambers
Please take time and read that quote again.
Truly pray, ask the Holy Spirit for guidance, and consider what this quote from Oswald Chambers really means in the big picture.
Admittedly, it can be hard to do this because instead of surrendering to God, so many people want to go their own way and do their own thing. Yet, in His actions toward us, there God is, being patient, grace filled, and being self-controlled. Since God is love(1 John 4:8), we can logically conclude that allowing people to go their own way, to make their own mistakes, to allow them to live out their God-given free will, and even to sin (though God does not want us to sin) and receive their own just natural law consequences (instituted by this loving God who is our Creator) is loving. Why? Because this is God’s example to us. It seems many people struggle with this idea, though, and seemingly some people want to take the place of God in others’ lives and they do not even realize it.
Think about it and please consider this.
Where in your life are you wanting others, who are adults, to surrender unconditionally to what you desire? Not to God’s desire but to your own. Do you know someone who tries to control others through their “offended” feelings, to manipulate another person to believe and do what they want that person to do? Friends, we need to understand that we are not God and that, more times than not, one’s feelings of offense really are nothing more than selfishness.
That brings to my mind another quote from someone I consider to be a great leader: “Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way.” -General George S. Patton, Jr.
At first glance, this quote may seem rash or harsh, but it is really anything but harsh, in my opinion. It’s very honest and quite selfless if one is willing to consider the following.
This might be one of the toughest parts of the takeaway for me regarding this Patton quote: stay in your lane and know your role. If your leader (boss, employer, teacher, etc.) wants you to do something a certain way, do it without complaining. If you think you have a better way to do something and want to whine or complain or make excuses about their leadership, move on to other things and let that leader lead. As a follower (student, employee, etc.), you have a choice to make as well. You are not a slave in that relationship. You have a choice. Remember, if you choose to stay where you're at under someone's leadership, you are making that choice to follow, otherwise you're nothing more than a rebel and a problem. That stinks, I know.
But something else is on the horizon. If you are following Christ and doing your calling for Him, trust God! It’s not about you anyway.
One last thought: If a person chooses to not follow God, as long as their actions are not directly negatively impacting another person, I encourage you to let them go their way. Could another person be hurt indirectly? More than likely yes. But that is the result of living in a sinful world, is it not? Consider the rich young ruler: Jesus told him the truth and challenged him to go a certain way. The young man decided to do what he wanted to do and to go against God. Other than being selfish, why else would you or I or anyone try and force someone to follow God?
I will leave you with this question. If you really are about following Christ and His example, are you willing to follow His example with the rich young ruler, too? Are you willing to allow the natural law consequences that God has put into place to take effect?
More to consider:
1 John 5:1-5
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Mark 10:17-27
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Isaiah 45 is a passage I have always known to be the prophecy concerning King Cyrus of Persia, who would be the one God would use to deliver the Jews from the Babylonian captivity. What is neat about this passage is how Cyrus is identified by name over 100 years before Cyrus was even born or before Persia became a nation. Yet, when I read this chapter not that long ago, it struck me that three times, God declares: “I am the Lord, there is no other.” He says this a lot through Isaiah, however, as I read this chapter, it really stood out.
God is making a strong emphasis here with the repetition. “I am God. You are not. Neither is anything else.” The Old Testament is full of examples of God showcasing how He is the only true God and any other deity we try to put in His place does nothing and is nothing. God is not saying the other gods don’t exist, because plenty of demonic entities or even humans have played the roles of a god, but not in the same way that God does His job as God.
Elijah summoned the prophets of Baal and Asherah to meet him along with King Ahab on Mt. Carmel. The showdown was to once and for all determine who the true God really was. The other prophets did their rituals all day long and got nothing. Elijah purposefully ruled out all possible means of trickery and with one simple prayer, fire came down from heaven. The God of Elijah was the one true God.
Moses had a more challenging situation. He turned Aaron’s staff into a snake, but the Egyptian magicians could do the same. Even though Aaron’s snake ate the other snakes, Moses had to face a possible reality that his God was well-matched. This thought would have risen again when the magicians could replicate the first couple plagues. However, by the 4th plague, they realized that they had no answer and proclaimed it an act of God. The plagues became a further testament to God’s uniqueness and how only He is God as the plagues devastated Egypt but then left Goshen, where the Israelites stayed, untouched.
The Lord is God. There is no other. He is not just master of the creation, bringing fire from heaven, turning staffs into snakes, etc. He is ruler over the affairs of man. There is not a ruler on this planet in any political situation or even business operation in which God did not oversee. Sometimes He lets the people get the ruler they want. Sometimes He allows a wicked ruler to usurp a position. And sometimes He puts the most unexpected person into a position of leadership. We do not often know what the purpose of that person being in place is, but God does.
God installed Saul as king because the people demanded one. God wanted to show the people exactly what they were asking for and they got it. But then He used the governmental system they chose to install a king who would do what He wanted done. Some have speculated that God intended to install a throne in Israel with David as the king if Israel had waited and trusted God to lead them. God installed Babylon as a conquering empire to deliver judgment upon all the ancient near east nations who had harassed Judah and to punish Judah for its sin. He raised up Cyrus to deal with Babylon and then to restore Judah. He raised up the Roman Empire so through the Pax Romana time of peace, the Gospel could spread through Europe with ease. And yes, I will state that God has raised up President Trump in the U.S. too. For what point or purpose, I will not say, other than I believe he is only a temporary bulwark against the liberal agenda to silence any Christian voice from the public square. Either way, God installed him as president. I believe that God is also going to allow the eventual antichrist to come and take complete dominion over this world to carry out the end times prophecies.
All these kings and rulers, whether they want to recognize it or not, are under the rule and direction of God. He is the God who turns their heads and through whom He shows favor towards His people. If we have a leader we are struggling to deal with, we don’t have to take it into our hands to set things right. God knows what is going on, and He will set things right. If we are patient and let God work in His timing, what is wrong will be made right.
The Lord is God. There is no other. We have no need to replace God with any other idol or false God that garners our interest. Israel did this all the time, which is part of why God said to destroy all the high places and demolish all the idols. He did not want any “competition” because He knew how easily the hearts of Israel could be led astray. He also knew that any “competition” never could do the job only He could do. He knows that any time we turn to another idol or another god, it is not God who gets short-changed. It’s us.
The Lord is God. There is no other. There is none like Him. There was none before Him. There will be none after Him. And none can compare with Him today. And yet this unique God wants to be with us, individually and collectively. Who are we to draw His attention? That is what makes our God so special. He cares about the tiniest details, even the ones we consider to be insignificant. He cares about the problems we face and the battles we have to endure. He will fight for you, if you believe Him and let Him be God. I trust the Lord God. I know all the other sources of authority out there are insufficient to do God’s job and they will not deliver when I need help. Only God can do that. While I am far from perfect in carrying this out, I know this: God is God. Nothing else is and no one else can compare. Let Him be God and know that there is no other.
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As God has been continually growing me in leadership style positions, I have been learning both responsibility and humility. I still have so much to learn about how to be a true leader, but God keeps putting me in positions where I can learn the task of leading, when I never really imagined doing so until the last few years. In six years as a substitute teacher, I was often put into “long term” classes where I practically played the role of the teacher instead of merely a glorified babysitter. But in all my years in the school system, nothing has done a better job for me to prepare to teach and coach than working with my head coach at our local fencing club, Salle De Long.
Two years ago, I took the coaching seminar for the sport of fencing and thrived. I learned more about how to teach in those 40 hours of training than in all of the “continuing education” and “teacher in-services” I had done prior combined. A year ago, I began to volunteer as a helper and coach at the club, and this fall I was hired as an assistant coach. I started just working with the beginning adult classes and now I have been moved on to being the Epee coach. As of writing this, I have only been working there one day a week, but my head coach is talking with me about doing two days a week for 2019.
My head coach has done a spectacular job with me. She has been excellent in pacing my growth, helping me, encouraging me, correcting me where I need it, and supporting me in other endeavors. She readily works around my current schedule and I would have a hard time finding someone better to help me become a coach in my current circumstances than what I have right now.
But my relationship with my head coach gives another clear image of a Christian leader’s relationship with Christ. As an assistant coach, I have to support, uphold, and enforce the club’s policies in all areas including dealing with new recruits, problem students, discipline, and even the agenda for the week/month. Right now, I am not at liberty to create my own lessons for teaching Epee tactics without at least clearing them through the head coach. I am to coordinate with my head coach on what topic to teach, make sure I understand what drill needs to be taught, and assist in many other areas as needed. I also evaluate my students in their performances on the given drill after some time. I still have a lot to learn, but I am having so much fun with it. I am also learning more about the sport than I ever did before. Little makes you learn a subject more than teaching it.
As a growing Christian leader, my responsibilities are not that different. My “head coach” is the Holy Spirit. As Jesus was completely submitted to his Father in every way, I need to follow that model. As his “assistant,” I am to support, uphold, and enforce the policies of the Kingdom of Heaven in all areas. That means teaching new believers the basics of the faith, dealing with discipline of those under my charge, and focusing on teaching the “agenda” of what God wants me to teach at that time. The best posts I write for Worldview Warriors are those which God has clearly guided me to write in the time he wanted them written. As I approach completing my 5th year teaching a Monday evening Bible study at my church, I often do not know what to teach for a given topic until God reveals what he wants taught. If I stray from what God wants taught, then I can run into trouble and he may pull me from my assignment if I stray too far away. Now, even in fencing, I don’t always coach the right thing to the full extent and sometimes my head coach will come in and correct me or make a small tweak to what I was doing. The same is true with God. He’ll gently give me a pointer here and there to fix what I am doing. I just need to heed his instructions, though at other times, he’ll give me a proper spanking.
The big thing the head coach emphasizes is being on the same page with me. She has had dealt with some others (and still does to some extent) who prefer to do their own things rather than submit to the formal training she is offering. So she and I constantly talk about where we are and what we are thinking because she wants me to carry on the vision that she has, and I want to make sure I am passing on the correct information and know my duties. It is easy for me to get excited and start sharing beyond where I should simply because I have the knowledge, but if I am not watchful, sometimes it is not always accurate, despite my hatred for hearing false information from being spread out.
As a Christian leader I need to do the same. I need to be on the same page as God, and the only way I can do that is that private one-on-one time with him. There are times where God wants to emphasize one point, and then later he wants to emphasize another. He will never contradict himself, but he will tell us what he wants us to learn at the given times he suggests.
I work with another assistant coach as well. There have been times where he and I have had to work without the head coach on presentations or running the club. So we have to coordinate with each other just as much as I do with the head coach. We bounce ideas off each other, support each other, and work together towards a common goal. The same should be true of all Christian leaders. We each should get together and work together towards the common goals God has laid out for us. One of the best moments I had with unity was when I was in college, the four major Christian student organizations would unite for “Holy Week” leading to Easter weekend. But once it was my turn to become the student leader of my organization, the others had changed leadership as well and they refused to cooperate with me or the others. Each wanted to do their own thing. It all fell apart and little if anything happened. That grieved me.
Coaching has been a blast for me. I want to start my own club at the school I am working at, and I am waiting for the right opportunity to approach my administration about it. Likewise, in my spiritual walk, I get frustrated when I have so much God has given me and I don’t have a venue to pour it out. That is one of the greatest pleasures I have had in working with Worldview Warriors, and Jason has been great in giving me the freedom to write what God leads me to write.
Do you have a coach or mentor in your life? Jason DeZurik wrote about having a Board of Directors to help guide you and direct you. This is the same concept. Coaches play one of the most critical roles in a young person’s life. I have had very few models to showcase to me the true athlete/coach relationship until this last year at best, so I am still learning as I go. I want to be the kind of coach and teacher that my students will always look back and see as a major influence in their lives. And I cannot be that kind of mentor unless I am a student of the best coach and teacher: Jesus Christ. Learn from him. He is the best teacher there is.
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“We can't have two sets of standards, one set for the dedicated young men who want to do something ambitious and one set for those who don't.” -Bear Bryant
Years ago, I was blessed to be discipled by a man from northwest Ohio who taught me some very valuable lessons about life and how to become the man of God that God was calling me to be. I had heard many great things about this person and was told to get to know him for years but I just kept putting it off.
Years later, one day I decided to contact him and see if he would have time to teach and disciple me. After some time getting to know each other and meeting with each other, he said he could make the time. He told me to memorize all of 1 Corinthians 13 and then he would meet with me after I had accomplished that.
Once this was accomplished, he then told me to read a biography about General George S. Patton Jr. I must have had a puzzled look on my face because he asked me if I was confused. I said yes and he said, “Is it because I had you just learn about love and now I want you to learn about a man of war?” I said, “Well, yes.” He then asked me if I wanted him to disciple me or not. I told him I did and then he said, “You asked me to disciple you so you need to do what I am asking of you.”
That made sense to me, so I read the biography and also read about Germany’s General Erwin Rommel as well. The next time we met, this man who discipled me began asking me questions too because he had never read about Rommel and seemed genuinely interested in learning about the man. He then told me, “Now that you have learned about love and about Patton, you need to pick three people from the Bible that you think God wants you to emulate. Read all about them and learn to become like them in your decision making. Learn from their successes and their failures. Jesus Christ will not be one of your three but He needs to be the one you learn from the most. He is going to be the head of your Board of Directors for your life for your whole life.” So, I chose Nehemiah, Elijah, and the Apostle Paul. These are incredible men who not only did incredible things but made very difficult and sometimes not very popular decisions.
After I had read a bunch on these people, prayed for God’s direction, looked for wise counsel from Godly people, and learned from these men of the Bible and their successes and mistakes, my discipler directed me toward reading biographies of great men and women of history. He said, “You need to make your own Board of Directors for your life, choosing people that you want to influence you. You will always be expanding your Board the rest of your life.”
By doing this, he had seriously challenged me to grow up and mature and to become the man of God that He is calling me to be. In fact, I think it is something all of us can do.
My discipler even told me, “Sometimes you will have decisions to make in life that will require more from you than just a quick prayer or thinking about something. You’ll need to have a ‘board meeting.’” I asked, “What do you mean?”
He said, “There will be times in your life that you will need to sit down at a conference table or maybe even your dinner table and you will need to place all of these books onto the table and imagine these men and women are sitting down with you to help you make a decision. Place the Bible on one end of the table, you sit on the other end of the table, and place all of the biographies on each side of you in between the both of you. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide and direct you. Ask Jesus what would He do in this situation. Ask yourself what the three people you chose from the Bible might do if they were you in this situation. Then do the very same thing with everyone else represented at the table. When you come to Patton’s biography ask yourself, ‘What might Patton do if he were in my shoes?’ And so on and so forth. Have a ‘Board Meeting.’ After your meeting, make a decision and be confident in your decision. And it must all be saturated with love. If we get the love part wrong, what’s the point?”
I have needed to do this a couple times in my life, and I can tell you it has certainly changed my life for the better. I am also pleased to tell you my Board of Directors for Life always keeps expanding.
My Board of Directors for Life currently includes:
- Board President, Jesus Christ
- Nehemiah
- Elijah
- Apostle Paul
- General George S. Patton Jr .
- Corrie Ten Boom
- Mother Teresa
- Lee Iacocca
- Calvin Coolidge
These are just a few of them. It has been a blessing to get to know these people through these biographies, and I challenge you to consider making your own Board of Directors for Life.
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For some inspiration to start writing this post, I searched online for “quotes on leadership” and wow - there are tons! When there’s a link titled “620 Leadership Quotes That Will Make You Feel Unstoppable,” you know there’s a lot of quotable phrases out there on the topic. There are also many, many books on leadership, both from Christian and secular viewpoints, and I even took a class in seminary on Christian Leadership. But, for those of us who consider the Bible to be our primary source of authority, what does it say about leaders?
If we consider ourselves to be followers of Jesus Christ, then He is our ultimate leader. Jesus gives us the best example of servant leadership in John 13:13-17, right after He washed the disciples’ feet: “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. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” A leader is one who can humble themselves to even the most menial tasks when needed.
This idea of being a humble leader is also explained by Jesus in Mark 10:42-45: “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 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.”
In some of his letters, Paul provides us with character qualities of good leaders. Titus 1:6-9 says, “An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.” 1 Timothy 3:1-13 provides a similar description.
In Exodus 18, Moses got a lesson on leadership from his father-in-law Jethro. Moses was trying to handle every dispute that came up among the massive nation of Israel, and it was just too much for him. Jethro urged Moses to appoint additional judges: “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 and tens” (verse 21). This is a great example of delegating, with those judges handling the smaller cases and only bringing the more difficult ones up to Moses. We still apply this principle in organizations and governments today.
The Bible is full of stories of leaders, some good and some bad, and there are too many to list all of the stories here. You can find many of these in the heroes of the faith series that Logan Ames wrote here.
Romans 12:9-13 is about living out our love for others, but it’s also a good description of what a leader should do: “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”
While we may be leaders among people, the most important thing to remember is that we’re all called to be followers (disciples) of Jesus Christ. Even the highest leader here on earth still has to submit to the Almighty Leader, God Himself. Where better to learn our leadership skills from than the One who is truly in charge!
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One of the most tragic things that happens to Christian leaders is when they fall. Many of us have heard the stories of numerous Christians in almost any industry fall into sin. These are some of the prominent examples in my time. Ted Haggard, pastor of a mega-church in Colorado Springs, was caught in an extra-marital sexual relationship. Trey Pearson is a personal friend of Worldview Warriors’ leader Jason DeZurik, and last year Trey came out as an open homosexual. Before him, Ray Boltz had an extremely powerful ministry in music, before he announced that he was a homosexual. Sandi Patty was a major Christian artist until she had two affairs and got a divorce. And there is Kent Hovind, then a very popular creation speaker, who was arrested and spent nine years in prison for tax evasion (although many debate the legitimacy of those charges). Let me make this absolutely clear: I am NOT bashing these people, however when this topic is brought up, these are some of the names that may pop up. I want to address the proper way on how to respond when a Christian leader like these people fall.
First off, no one actually “falls” into sin. As Paul Washer puts it, “they slide” into sin. What we see is what happens when someone gets caught, but the issues had been there for much longer. These pastors and worship leaders who fell into sexual sin had struggled with it for some time. In the article linked, Ray Boltz said he knew about his issue since he was young. I know Kent Hovind had been open about his opinions about the government, education, and taxes and I do believe that was part of why the hammer fell on him. Should he have been quiet? I’m not going to say here. What I am going to say is no one suddenly “falls” to the temptations of sin. The draw towards sin had been there for some time.
There are two things we need to recognize in for such cases. First, the person who sins is still responsible for that sin. We as Christians are NOT to make any excuses for them. Even if we want to defend them and protect them and cover the sin, we must not make excuses for them. Second, the fact that they fell showed they did not have an Aaron nor a Hur who stood by Moses’ side and held his arms up during the battle with the Amalekites. There is a sad reality. Very few pastors report feeling like their churches are supporting them, particularly in prayer. In many churches, the pastor not only does all the work in the church, but they also do all the prayer work or feel like they are. Many congregations are not praying for their leaders as they ought and you can tell that simply by how quick people are to criticize them when something goes wrong. One of the reasons why Christian leaders fall is because they have big targets on their back and their followers are not covering their backs. They are not lifting up the leaders in prayer, nor are they holding the leaders accountable to their faith. So when a leader falls, it can be because of one or the other or both, or even others reasons not addressed.
There are typically two responses to the fall of a leader. First, we throw them under the bus. So and so failed to deliver, so not only are we going to reject them as a leader, but we are going to make sure everyone else knows what they did wrong. The world is good enough at looking for any possible flaw in our lives and they love to expose the smallest detail, even if all they can find are spelling and grammar issues. And sadly, many Christians join the world in taking a fallen leader and throwing them under the bus.
Second, we sweep the problem under the rug. This is the equal and opposite wrong response. Instead of proclaiming the sin to the whole world, we instead hide it as though it never happened and don’t actually deal with it. The Roman Catholic Sex Abuse Scandal broke into the light because this was going on. Instead of actually dealing with the problem of pedophile priests (who are NOT the majority nor represent the Roman Catholic Church as a whole) abusing their parishioners, they hid the sin and moved the priests to a different diocese. The problem when you sweep the problem under the rug is that God will expose it eventually. All sin is going to be exposed, but to what extent is dependent on how much you try to hide it.
So what is the proper response when a leader falls? It is absolutely critical NEVER to bring back a leader who has fallen into sin without a clear sign of repentance. David Wilkerson gives an account of a pastor he knew who fell in love with another woman and soon left his wife to be with her. It totally broke his wife, and his daughters, who started strong in the faith, turned against him. But not even six months later, the pastor had moved into another church and was leading Bible study there. The ex-wife asked how he could go on like that and the response was “I just fall upon the grace of God every day,” yet according to Wilkerson everything he touched resulted in death.
Before planting the church I currently attend, my pastor preached in a farming community and news broke out of a very famous preacher being caught in a sin and was making a public confession of his sin. As he sat at the coffee/breakfast bar of the community, listening to the confession, one of the farmers said: “That would mean a whole lot more had he said that before getting caught.” What was he saying? The farmer could tell this pastor was only making a superficial confession and truly was not repentant of that sin. My pastor said the same preacher was caught a second time a little later.
But that is not it. We must seek that the fallen leader be disciplined in the ways of the Lord, healed, and restored. I do not agree with the actions of these leaders in how they fell, however, I am not going to throw them under the bus, even if they are not repentant. But if they are not repentant, I am not going to support them in a leadership position either. I will pray that God does what needs to be done to break them of their sin and should they show genuine repentance, I will welcome them back. That is what Paul told the Corinthian church to do with a man having an affair. He told them initially to boot him out and not tolerate sin in their midst, but when he repented, he told them to welcome him back. Never, ever bring an unrepentant fallen leader back into a position of influence. If we do that, we run the risk of inviting an Absalom in our midst. Abaslom, after murdering Amnon for the rape of his sister, was invited back but was not repentant. He ended up stealing the hearts of Jerusalem and threw a coup to take the throne from David. It nearly succeeded. Never bring back a fallen leader unless there is clear, genuine repentance.
When Christian leaders fall, all of our comments and actions should be two-fold: discipline for the purpose of dealing with the sin and getting rid of it, and the purpose of eventual restoration should the discipline do its job. Love covers a multitude of sins, and there is no better place to confess your sins than in the presence of God in your personal prayer time, and to a truly loving, mature, tight small group who truly love you and seek the best for you. Last year, I got a chance to be in such a prayer circle and while the work that night did not finish the job I wanted done, it is something I definitely want to go through again because I can see the cleansing that comes with such a prayer posse. But choose such a circle very wisely.
Let us lift up our leaders and pray for their protection. Do not wish harm on them if they offend you. The leader’s job is tough and it is very lonely. Support them. That does not mean hide their flaws, but it also means don’t broadcast them. There is time to expose and time to cover. Your leaders need your help. Raise their hands and rise up in prayer to protect them from the enemy’s attacks. If your leaders cannot depend upon you to cover their backs, do not be surprised when no one covers yours. Treat your leaders as you would like to be treated as a leader, even when you fall.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
