Look to Joshua for someone to emulate: "I, however, followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly" (Joshua 14:8). The best leaders are, first of all, good followers or disciples or Christ.
Remember the sitcom "Who's the Boss?" This is the spiritual dimension.
By definition, I don't mean who makes the policies like the senior elder dictates something, but who leads spiritually and only Christians can do this. The leader in the office of leadership may not be the de facto leader as we will see. I went to a Bible study and they told me that I was the de facto leader though I was not the teacher! I believe that Christ alone is the cornerstone, which was rejected by builders, and He manifests Himself in His body the church through all believers in their gifting.
Many believers seem to idolize and put their favorite preacher on a pedestal when he is human and makes mistakes like everyone else. "To err is human" applies to everyone but Christ. Even the Supreme Pontiff of Rome is not perfect, though he claims infallibility when speaking ex-cathedra or from the chair of Peter. Popes have contradicted each other, as Martin Luther testified at the Diet of Worms. The biggest problem we have today is that sheep are too easily misled and led astray by false prophets and heretics and yes, false teachers. Some have sufficient charisma to lead, if possible, even the elect astray. Chuck Swindoll says that if we only "drink of one fountain," we lose our perspective (we can get brainwashed because we can get into the habit of letting others do our thinking for us).
The job of the teacher is to equip the saints for ministry, not to make them dependent on them--i.e., disciple them so they can do likewise. Sheep need a shepherd and don't know the way instinctively--they must be taught. We all need to learn to think outside the box and step out of our comfort zone to explore new vistas of opportunities where God wants to use us.
It is not necessary for a good preacher to have "charisma" as I have referred to, but to be faithful and know the Lord. One can have a fine reputation of being a preacher and hardly know the Lord. A good preacher and leader never goes over the flock's head or loses them while trying to "wow" them with their scholarship or expertise and education. He is not a hireling who sees his calling as a "job" but should recognize it as a noble calling that not too many get. Many preachers have not been called of God, unfortunately. The hireling (who sees it as a "job" and is in it for the money or thinks religion is a means of financial gain), according to Jesus, cares nothing for the sheep. Notice that Jesus asked Peter if he loved him and then asked him to feed His lambs and sheep (reaching believers at all levels of growth and having something for everyone from milk to meat).
To answer the said title question: We are all leaders in our element (everyone can become a teacher in some domain even if only in the family); we are all stewards of this gift and the best leaders have learned to be followers, so they know the score and how the game is played, as it were; we just have to find out what God has called us to do. Jesus is the Head of the church, not some man in charge. Jesus indwells all believers and He alone is the cornerstone and true Head of the body. He works through all of us as we exercise our gift. We all have different domains or turfs and would be awkward trying to do someone's else's calling--he'd really be on the spot, as it were! We all have at least one gift according to our abilities for the benefit of the body and edification of the local church. No one can say that a fellow believer is useless of no value to the body--just wait till they find out who they are in the Lord!
By way of example, one believer may be anointed to pray and another to give announcements and pray and another to minister musically as a worship leader. Sometimes they seem to steal the spotlight and outshine the pastor, but that is their gift and one must not compare (whoever invented the "Let's compare rule book?") ourselves with each other or be jealous of another person's gift or talents. Some preachers are jealous because worship leaders are known for stealing the show. Caveat: Distinguish between personality and temperament and spirituality and what is "of God:" Charisma or charm can be deceitful and has led many astray!
The more we have the more responsible we are because we are only stewards of Christ and for the building up of the body of Christ--not necessarily our personal gain or benefit. It is an honor to be a vessel used by God for His glory and to be rewarded, to boot.
It is wrong, in my take of doctrine, have one person dictating the policies or affairs of a body because Christ works through the body as a whole and they are to work together as one in Christ--this shows unity, not all agreeing with one person. Sometimes it seems like you have been upstaged or shown up and made to look bad (like when it seems like someone left a hard act to follow), but the key is to be yourself the way Christ loves you and saved you and to know how He uses and blesses you--too many Christians are completely in the dark as to their spiritual gift or even what talents they have.
"Take me to your fearless leader!" In Judges (it said that they had no king and therefore did their own thing--this is the last type of leader type) three types of leaders or judges were given: prophets, priests, and warriors. Priests stand in the gap for sinner and saint; prophets proclaim the Word from God to man; warriors are the practical workers who do God's bidding and calling and do the "dirty work" that no one else wants to do--often the thankless jobs! Jesus' threefold office was namely prophet, priest and king and He is the final judge, to boot.
A spiritual leader doesn't mean he is on a different plain spiritually speaking but that God uses him as a leader to enlighten and encourage--the gift of encouragement is vital to the church and is in a great position to be in for an aspiring leader--if one desires the office of bishop or elder he desires a good thing but should be aware of what it entails. Some of us are natural followers and bless through following rather than leading.
Who the "boss" is may not be the spiritual leader: Spiritual leaders usually edify and lift the spirits of the body and these may not coincide. I think of the relationship of husband and wife--he is the head but not necessarily the "boss" or spiritual leader. In antiquity "might makes right" but today we believe in universal right and wrong because Jesus is the personification of truth itself; He didn't just tell us the truth--He became it! They need each other and she may be more "spiritual" than him. Just because she is subordinate doesn't imply inferiority because Christ is subordinate to the Father and not in the least inferior--they are coequal members of the Godhead. They say the man is the head but the wife is the neck that turns the head! Sometimes a great sermon inspires me but sometimes what I needed to hear was in a worship song or hymn and it spoke to me as I was singing. The person who picked that song was led by the Spirit just as much as the pastor preaching with an anointing. We are all in this together and must realize that we need each other.
The Christian life is not about walking around on some spiritual high or in the memory of some experience--and God doesn't exist to give us experiences. Usually, the filling of the Spirit is when God is equipping us for ministry and not for our own personal gain. We are said to "walk in the Spirit" on the other hand, because Christianity is a faith walk. The question one needs to ask is where they sense and feel God with them and how does God use them? As mature believers, we learn to see Jesus in our brethren and see Him becoming real to us in our life and walk. "But we see Jesus..." (Heb. 2:9). And again "Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith..." (Heb. 12:1). Seeing Him and having our spiritual eyes opened is a breakthrough to maturity. When you see someone do a good deed don't you see Jesus at work? Mother Teresa of Calcutta said that God has no hands but our hands, and no speech but our speech if you know what I mean and follow me.
In conclusion, never underestimate your impact and influence on others: "It's a good life!" The goal is to be faithful and make a lasting impact with a legacy, not to accumulate wealth in this life--work for eternal wealth! Soli Deo Gloria!
Remember the sitcom "Who's the Boss?" This is the spiritual dimension.
By definition, I don't mean who makes the policies like the senior elder dictates something, but who leads spiritually and only Christians can do this. The leader in the office of leadership may not be the de facto leader as we will see. I went to a Bible study and they told me that I was the de facto leader though I was not the teacher! I believe that Christ alone is the cornerstone, which was rejected by builders, and He manifests Himself in His body the church through all believers in their gifting.
Many believers seem to idolize and put their favorite preacher on a pedestal when he is human and makes mistakes like everyone else. "To err is human" applies to everyone but Christ. Even the Supreme Pontiff of Rome is not perfect, though he claims infallibility when speaking ex-cathedra or from the chair of Peter. Popes have contradicted each other, as Martin Luther testified at the Diet of Worms. The biggest problem we have today is that sheep are too easily misled and led astray by false prophets and heretics and yes, false teachers. Some have sufficient charisma to lead, if possible, even the elect astray. Chuck Swindoll says that if we only "drink of one fountain," we lose our perspective (we can get brainwashed because we can get into the habit of letting others do our thinking for us).
The job of the teacher is to equip the saints for ministry, not to make them dependent on them--i.e., disciple them so they can do likewise. Sheep need a shepherd and don't know the way instinctively--they must be taught. We all need to learn to think outside the box and step out of our comfort zone to explore new vistas of opportunities where God wants to use us.
It is not necessary for a good preacher to have "charisma" as I have referred to, but to be faithful and know the Lord. One can have a fine reputation of being a preacher and hardly know the Lord. A good preacher and leader never goes over the flock's head or loses them while trying to "wow" them with their scholarship or expertise and education. He is not a hireling who sees his calling as a "job" but should recognize it as a noble calling that not too many get. Many preachers have not been called of God, unfortunately. The hireling (who sees it as a "job" and is in it for the money or thinks religion is a means of financial gain), according to Jesus, cares nothing for the sheep. Notice that Jesus asked Peter if he loved him and then asked him to feed His lambs and sheep (reaching believers at all levels of growth and having something for everyone from milk to meat).
To answer the said title question: We are all leaders in our element (everyone can become a teacher in some domain even if only in the family); we are all stewards of this gift and the best leaders have learned to be followers, so they know the score and how the game is played, as it were; we just have to find out what God has called us to do. Jesus is the Head of the church, not some man in charge. Jesus indwells all believers and He alone is the cornerstone and true Head of the body. He works through all of us as we exercise our gift. We all have different domains or turfs and would be awkward trying to do someone's else's calling--he'd really be on the spot, as it were! We all have at least one gift according to our abilities for the benefit of the body and edification of the local church. No one can say that a fellow believer is useless of no value to the body--just wait till they find out who they are in the Lord!
By way of example, one believer may be anointed to pray and another to give announcements and pray and another to minister musically as a worship leader. Sometimes they seem to steal the spotlight and outshine the pastor, but that is their gift and one must not compare (whoever invented the "Let's compare rule book?") ourselves with each other or be jealous of another person's gift or talents. Some preachers are jealous because worship leaders are known for stealing the show. Caveat: Distinguish between personality and temperament and spirituality and what is "of God:" Charisma or charm can be deceitful and has led many astray!
The more we have the more responsible we are because we are only stewards of Christ and for the building up of the body of Christ--not necessarily our personal gain or benefit. It is an honor to be a vessel used by God for His glory and to be rewarded, to boot.
It is wrong, in my take of doctrine, have one person dictating the policies or affairs of a body because Christ works through the body as a whole and they are to work together as one in Christ--this shows unity, not all agreeing with one person. Sometimes it seems like you have been upstaged or shown up and made to look bad (like when it seems like someone left a hard act to follow), but the key is to be yourself the way Christ loves you and saved you and to know how He uses and blesses you--too many Christians are completely in the dark as to their spiritual gift or even what talents they have.
"Take me to your fearless leader!" In Judges (it said that they had no king and therefore did their own thing--this is the last type of leader type) three types of leaders or judges were given: prophets, priests, and warriors. Priests stand in the gap for sinner and saint; prophets proclaim the Word from God to man; warriors are the practical workers who do God's bidding and calling and do the "dirty work" that no one else wants to do--often the thankless jobs! Jesus' threefold office was namely prophet, priest and king and He is the final judge, to boot.
A spiritual leader doesn't mean he is on a different plain spiritually speaking but that God uses him as a leader to enlighten and encourage--the gift of encouragement is vital to the church and is in a great position to be in for an aspiring leader--if one desires the office of bishop or elder he desires a good thing but should be aware of what it entails. Some of us are natural followers and bless through following rather than leading.
Who the "boss" is may not be the spiritual leader: Spiritual leaders usually edify and lift the spirits of the body and these may not coincide. I think of the relationship of husband and wife--he is the head but not necessarily the "boss" or spiritual leader. In antiquity "might makes right" but today we believe in universal right and wrong because Jesus is the personification of truth itself; He didn't just tell us the truth--He became it! They need each other and she may be more "spiritual" than him. Just because she is subordinate doesn't imply inferiority because Christ is subordinate to the Father and not in the least inferior--they are coequal members of the Godhead. They say the man is the head but the wife is the neck that turns the head! Sometimes a great sermon inspires me but sometimes what I needed to hear was in a worship song or hymn and it spoke to me as I was singing. The person who picked that song was led by the Spirit just as much as the pastor preaching with an anointing. We are all in this together and must realize that we need each other.
The Christian life is not about walking around on some spiritual high or in the memory of some experience--and God doesn't exist to give us experiences. Usually, the filling of the Spirit is when God is equipping us for ministry and not for our own personal gain. We are said to "walk in the Spirit" on the other hand, because Christianity is a faith walk. The question one needs to ask is where they sense and feel God with them and how does God use them? As mature believers, we learn to see Jesus in our brethren and see Him becoming real to us in our life and walk. "But we see Jesus..." (Heb. 2:9). And again "Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith..." (Heb. 12:1). Seeing Him and having our spiritual eyes opened is a breakthrough to maturity. When you see someone do a good deed don't you see Jesus at work? Mother Teresa of Calcutta said that God has no hands but our hands, and no speech but our speech if you know what I mean and follow me.
In conclusion, never underestimate your impact and influence on others: "It's a good life!" The goal is to be faithful and make a lasting impact with a legacy, not to accumulate wealth in this life--work for eternal wealth! Soli Deo Gloria!