Jesus modeled and taught servant leadership throughout His ministry
DOVE Family Core Teaching video coming soon
“Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task” (1 Timothy 3:1).
“Where leaders lead, the people freely volunteer” (Judges 5:2, TLB).
Proper New Testament leadership is essential. In Acts 20:17, Paul called for the elders in Ephesus, not the whole church. Elders protect, direct, and correct the flock they serve. They are the under shepherds serving under the great Shepherd, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus modeled and taught servant leadership throughout His ministry. This is uncompromisingly stated in Matthew 20:25-28.
Hebrews 13:17 explains that elders must give an account to the Lord for how they serve as shepherds and overseers.
Rick Warren says for any church to grow you must release two kinds of control.
- Leaders need to release the work of ministry to the people.
- People in the church must release leadership to the leader.
Three levels of New Testament leadership in the church:
- Ministry leaders, small-group leaders, or deacons. These leaders give protection, oversight, and training to small-group members or those they oversee.
- Local church elders give protection, oversight, and training to the church. Among a group of elders, one lead elder (primary leader) should be identified.
- Apostolic leaders give protection, oversight, and training to local church elders.
Note: Many churches have more than three levels of leadership as part of the ministry infrastructure, and this is appropriate.
Foundations of Christian leadership
- Know you are a servant. (Matthew 20)
- Know your field of servanthood. (2 Corinthians 10)
- Know your role in that field. Are you a primary leader, supportive leader, or team member?
- Know the voice of God (John 5:17-19; Habakkuk 2:1)
Categories of New Testament leadership
- Governmental leadership, as seen in Acts 15. Here, we see apostles and elders mentioned various times. These leaders had positions of governmental leadership in the early church. Governmental leaders have a sphere of authority and responsibility and are expected to make decisions for the good of the body. Deacons (e.g., small-group leaders) would also be considered another level of governmental leaders. See 2 Corinthians 10:13, 1 Timothy 3:1.
- Fivefold leadership (equipping), as identified in Ephesians 4:11-12. This passage mentions apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers as equipping leaders. In the New Testament, these fivefold leaders had mainly a traveling emphasis. They were responsible to equip the saints to minister to others and to encourage the body of Christ.
Most fivefold ministers have a mixture of gifts. For example, someone may be an evangelist/ teacher or a pastor/evangelist. These vital fivefold ministry gifts equip and minister to individuals in small groups and at the congregational level. It is advantageous for fivefold translocal ministers to serve in eldership for a season if possible so that they can experience local church leadership.
The apostolic gift brings governmental and fivefold leaders together.
Governmental and fivefold leaders work together. Both apostles and elders (governmental leaders) along with apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (fivefold leaders) are needed. When they work together, the church comes to maturity. None should disregard or devalue the other.
Since the apostolic gifting is both an equipping gift and a governmental gift (Ephesians 4:11-12, 2 Corinthians 10:13-17), the apostolic gift has the ability to bring both types of New Testament leadership together.
It is important to maintain the balance between the small group and the congregation in the local church. Paul explained that he taught “publicly and from house to house” (Acts 20:20).
Delegation
Moses went up to the mount to be with his heavenly Father. During that time, he delegated the administrative and pastoral responsibility to Aaron and Hur (Exodus 24:14). Delegate as much as possible to others. Work yourself out of a job! Remember, people learn by doing.
Delegate to believers who demonstrate the following:
- Faithfulness
- Ability and availability
- Intimate relationship with God
- They are teachable
- Holiness; those who live lives of purity
Accountability
No leader should be unconnected or uncovered. We all need to be accountable.
The Lord is building His church through relationships. Kingdom clusters provide a pattern of relationships or healthy church leaders on each level of church leadership.
Answer Your Call to Leadership
The DOVE Global Leadership & Ministry School provides practical biblical training as well as Holy Spirit impartation and activation. Hundreds of graduates are now successfully engaging God’s call to the church and the marketplace. Our goal is to help you build a biblical foundation to be led by the Holy Spirit and pursue your God-given dreams.
