Tag: leadership

June 6 2023

Follow the Leader: What Does “Submission” Mean?

A. Scott Ingram Biblical Leadership, Gospel Leadership biblical submission, Church, church leaders, leadership, ministry, ministry leadership, pastor, pastoral authority, pastors, submit to leaders 1

Part 1: What Does “Submission” Mean?

As we begin this journey looking at whether Christians should submit to their pastor as a spiritual authority and what that means, we must first lay the groundwork of what it actually means to “submit” from a biblical perspective.

Throughout the New Testament, the Bible uses the phrase “submit” and “be subject to” a number of times in various contexts. For example, the Bible says,

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
James 4:7

and

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
Galatians 5:1

However, diving into the Greek language offers a few different implications on what it means to submit ourselves to someone or something, depending on the context and circumstances. For example, the word “submit” in these two verses is not translated from the same word in the original language.

Before we can answer the question of to who, when, and how Christians must live in submission, we must discern the different variations of the word “submit” used by biblical authors.

The most common word for “submit” is ὑποτάσσω (hypotassō).

Hypotassō is used 41 times in the New Testament and means “to be subject to,” “to be subordinate to,” or “the be ranked below.” This word carries the most common understanding of the word “submit” to a modern English speaker. It implies that there is a hierarchy of authority in place and that we are required to surrender ourselves to that higher authority.

This word comes from the root word “tassō,” meaning that something is “appointed” or “put in order,” (which again implies a hierarchy of authority). And from this root, we get other words such as “epitasso” and “protasso,” meaning “to command”; “diatasso,” meaning “to give orders;” and even “antitasso” or “to resist.”

The Bible uses the word hypotassō frequently to tell Christians that God expects us to live in submission to people and institutions He created that carry an inherent authority.

Let’s look at just a few, beginning with the first example above…

We First Submit to God

“Submit (hypotassō) yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
James 4:7

The Bible requires Christians to live under the authority of God as the head. This also means that we are to submit to God’s Word, His laws and decrees, and His righteousness (See Romans 8:7 and Romans 10:3).

There is a Submission within Families

The call to submit to God is repeated again using marriage as a mirror-image example.

“Now as the church submits (hypotassō) to Christ, so also wives should submit (hypotassō) in everything to their husbands.”
Ephesians 5:24

All of mankind is to live in submission to God first, and then within the family, there is a hierarchy of authority and accountability before the Lord. Wives submit to their husbands as the leader in the marriage, and children are to submit to the authority of their parents (see 1 Timothy 3:4 and Jesus’ own example in Luke 2:51).

We Submit to Governmental Authority

“Let every person be subject (hypotassō) to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”
Romans 13:1

“Be subject(hypotassō) for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme…”
1 Peter 2:13

We Submit to the Church

Jesus established the Church — the body of Christ — and throughout the New Testament, we find that there are a number of calls on Christ-followers to submit to the authority He placed within the body. However, there are a number of different ways we are to do so:

Mutual Submission Between Fellow Believers:

“…giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting(hypotassō) to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
Ephesians 5:20–21 (ESV)

At first, this kind of “mutual submission” is confusing because there cannot be a hierarchy when we equally submit to one another. However, the implication is that when we come to the community of faith, we recognize that the Holy Spirit lives inside of each one of us, and therefore, we honor His authority which we equally carry as His children. This “mutual submission” leads to a holy unity within the faith community.

Submission to Our Predecessors/Forerunners in Christ:

The Bible teaches us that we will find it safe to submit ourselves to those who are further along in their spiritual walk than us and whose faith has clearly stood up to the test of time. We can follow their lead.

“Now I urge you, brothers—you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints— be subject(hypotassō) to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer.”
1 Corinthians 16:15–16

Mutual Submission Between Fellow Ministers:

This last verse also calls us to humbly be subject to good examples when they are our “fellow workers, and laborers.” These may be men and women who did not come before us in the faith, nor have they necessarily gone farther than us in maturity, but as we work together in the ministry, we are also called to be “mutually submissive” to the ones we serve alongside. The point is that no matter how “big” we grow in Christ, nor our “role” in the ministry, we never outgrow the call to submit ourselves within the body of Christ.

Submission to “Elders:”

It is still within this larger context of “mutual submission” within the body of Christ that we are called to submit to the “elders” in the church.

“Likewise, you who are younger, be subject (hypotassō) to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
1 Peter 5:5

Now, while a surface-level reading of this verse seems to imply that young Christians should submit to the older, more mature people in the church, that is not necessarily the case when you read it in context. (In the next post, we will dive deeper into where the idea of submission to “elders” developed.)

For now, the point is that the Bible clearly commands us to “hypotassō” to the authorities delegated by the Lord. We are obligated to submit to God Himself, to Governments, to our Families, and to the Community of Faith.¹

This makes sense since these three — Family, Government, and the Church — are the three institutions that God created in the world. He gave authority to each one, even as each one was designed to function in full submission to Him.

There is another word in the Bible that some translators use as “submit.” It is the Greek word εἴκω (eikō) or ὑπείκω (hypeikō).

Whereas “hypotassō” gives a formal command to submit, this word does not. Rather, eikō implies that there must be a willingness to submit on the part of the person being led. This is not a hierarchy or an institutional authority. It might better be translated as “willingly yield” to them.

This word is only used twice in the New Testament (each form only once). The first is used in the book of Hebrews:

“Obey your leaders and submit(hypeikō) to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”
Hebrews 13:17

The word “obey” in this verse literally means “be persuaded” or “be convinced” to obey your leaders by their life, reputation, godliness, and leadership. Then, once you are convinced of their credibility and faithfulness to the Lord, you can trust them enough to “willingly yield” yourself to follow them.

This is not a mandate that you must submit. It’s a willingness to follow their lead. As you become convinced that they are quality leaders, then you willingly begin to “yield” to them. You choose to make room for these people to influence you.

Who are these leaders?

One interesting point to make regarding this verse is that the word “leaders” is not talking about institutional leadership within the church, and it is not talking about the elders we read about in 1 Peter 5:5.

The word for leaders here is “hegoumenois,” which is just a general Greek term for highly-respected people in the community. They have risen to be considered leaders only because their lifestyle has “convinced” the community of their trustworthiness, not because they have hierarchical authority.

Hegoumenois is also used in Acts 15:22, alongside the other word, “elders,” which we have seen before:

“Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men (hegoumenois) among the brothers…”

These “leading men” do not have God-mandated authority. Their status in the community comes from their life’s reputation and the respect they have earned over time, which has led to their being chosen as worthy leaders among the people.

The only other biblical example of this word for “yielding” or “submission” is in Galatians 2:4-5 wherein Paul recounts his first public visit to Jerusalem:

“Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— to them we did not yield in submission (eikō) even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.”

Once again, we see that this type of submission or yielding comes from a willingness to do so based on the credibility and faithfulness of the person the be followed. If there is no faithfulness in the person, then there is no submission!

There is one other Greek word for which English translations use the word “Submit”: δογματίζω (dogmatizō).²

This type of submission is not appointed by God, nor is it based on the credibility and faithfulness of the person. Rather, it is obedience that is developed out of a commitment to a set of beliefs. Literally, it is “to practice what you preach” or to “live out to what you claim to believe.”

This word, “dogmatizō,” comes from the word “dogma,” which refers to rules, regulations, or “doctrine,” and means that we place ourselves into subjection and obedience to this set of rules or doctrines through our belief in them. The word “dogma” itself comes from another root word, “dokeō,” meaning “to think,” “suppose,” or “believe in,” a subjective set of thoughts.

Simply put, it means that you begin with a belief system or worldview (dokeō). That system of beliefs leads to a series of rules or regulations based upon those beliefs (dogma). And then, you submit yourself to that set of regulations to demonstrate your full buy-in and commitment to the worldview (dogmatizō).

The only example of this word in scripture is found in Colossians 2:20-21:

“If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations (dogmatizō) — “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings?”

You can paraphrase Paul’s question like this: When you died in Christ and were raised to new life into God’s eternal life, your whole worldview necessarily changed (repentance or metanoia). You have been raised to new life – “born again” – and discovered God’s truth (dogma) in this new reality, and it “makes you free” (John 8:32). So why, then, do you still live as though this paradigm shift never happened, and still submit yourself to the old rules and regulations of the earth and flesh. Those practices are formed from worldly mindsets and beliefs and have no place in the life of a heavenly-minded, Christ-like believer.

The lesson we should take from this verse is that there are some spiritual teachers out there who you may not be able to judge their credibility by their reputation and lifestyle. You simply don’t have the time or ability to get to know them deeply (think of traveling evangelists or TikTok preachers, whom you cannot get to know at a personal level). Paul is implying that we must initially judge them — and whether or not we should submit to them — by analyzing what they teach according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as recorded in the Word of God.

The truth is that many false teachers (back in Colossae and now today) will utilize spiritual-sounding teachings and religious-looking rituals, to try and trap people into their system of religion and thereby control them. (We will come back to this topic in Part 3 of this series.)

The answer to this problem is to compare everything we are taught, from any spiritual leader or mentor, with the Word of God and verify the accuracy of it before we submit ourselves in obedience.

Let’s Get Practical

As I said in the introduction to this series, we are eventually going to explore the often-stated view that “Christians must submit to their pastor” and whether or not that is biblically true. However, to begin a little more broadly than just submitting to “your pastor,” let’s devise a test of whether someone ought to have authority over us, no matter what their title is.

Since we have looked at three types of submission that are laid out in the scriptures, I think we can utilize three relevant questions when deciding who we should submit ourselves to, before we get to the how in future a post:

1. Does the person hold to and teach true biblical doctrine?

Since our submission (dogmatizō) can be based on the doctrines and worldview of a person, then we need to make sure their beliefs and the things they are teaching are biblical before we follow them.

The prerequisite to making this determination is that, as Christians, we MUST study the scriptures and know what God says is true for our own selves. That way, when someone tries to bring a new teaching, religious practice, or spiritual “rule” they want us to follow, we can treat it just as the Berean Jews did when Paul and Silas came to preach the gospel to them.

“Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”
Acts 17:11

We cannot allow the emotional promises they make, the passions of our flesh, or an internal desire to look spiritual or religious to lead us into blindly following bad leaders who are looking to keep us in bondage to their control, pride, and/or self-serving motives.

If they are not teaching from a foundation of biblical truth, do not submit to their dictates and rules.

2. Does this person’s reputation as a Christian, their faithfulness to Jesus, and their maturity as a disciple make them credible as a mentor in the faith?

A person may not be commissioned to a formal office in the church. That does not mean they cannot be a respected leader (hegoumenois) within the body of Christ and a helpful guide to you in your own Christian walk.

We must be willing to learn from and yield ourselves (hypeikō) to those who are farther along in the journey to Christ-likeness than we are. A person does not need a “title” on their business card to help guide us closer to Jesus. They simply have to know the next steps to take a little better than we do.

Conversely, if someone desires to be a leader, but their spiritual life is a mess, we probably don’t want to follow their example. It doesn’t even matter if they believe and teach what is true!

If they are unable or unwilling to live out the Christian faith for themselves, we should not submit to them.

3. Does this person have delegated authority from God within the church that I am biblically mandated to submit to (hypotassō)?

And just as importantly, has the local body of Christ been persuaded (hypeikō) that this person carries the gifts and callings of God, which grants them the reputation to be a church leader?

If God has called and appointed a person as a leader to the local fellowship of believers, then their role comes with a certain authority from the Lord to lead. However, we must be clear that no one can appoint themselves to the place of leadership! Only God can release these callings on people (see Ephesians 4:11), and when He does so, the Bible makes it clear that the person’s “office” will be highlighted by the Holy Spirit, and the calling will be recognized, tested, and “ordained” (or “commissioned”) by the church. A person CANNOT choose to become an apostle, a prophet, a pastor, an elder, or an overseer for themselves.

God-appointed church leadership will receive authority from the Lord to fulfill their calling, but they also have strict qualifications they must meet first before they can walk in that authority! Therefore, if the local body of Christ does recognize them as a God-appointed leader, it is still necessary and reasonable to ensure they are qualified by the first two questions before we submit ourselves to them. If they truly are appointed by God, we should expect them to pass those tests easily.

If ANY leader says their dictates, teachings, and life choices cannot be questioned by a regular Christian, then they have already failed the test of leadership, and you SHOULD NOT submit to them.

In Conclusion

The Bible never calls a believer to submit to ONE person as their personal spiritual leader, unless His name is Jesus! It does not matter whether that is “their pastor” or any other title they choose to be called, “apostle,” “bishop,” “spritual father,” etc, they are NOT mandated to be a person’s sole spiritual authority.

We should never submit to “one person” as our sole spiritual authority. That is dangerous!

Instead, we must realize that every Christian needs a solid network of mentors in the faith.

Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
Proverbs 11:14

A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might, for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.
Proverbs 24:5-6

Christians Must Seek Out Quality Mentors from within the Body of Christ

This means that just because a local fellowship does not recognize the person as an official church leader, pastor, or elder, we may still refer to the first two questions and choose whether or not a person is someone we should choose to follow to help us grow in Christ. Mature believers can help us grow by sharing their wisdom, experience, and advice, so we should seek it out.

Be aware, though, that many people in the body of Christ will meet the requirements of the first two questions, but it does not make it mandatory that we submit to every person who meets these criteria.

Discernment is necessary! God will bring certain people into your life that He intends for you to follow and learn from. We must listen to the Holy Spirit for guidance on who we should follow and what the season is, for which He is giving them to us as helpers and mentors. Accepting a mentor in one area of life does not mean that we follow them in all things or for the rest of our lives!

We must determine which church leaders God has ordained us to follow.

When we move to the third question and find those whom God has appointed to be leaders in the body of Christ, then submission becomes less of an ‘option’ or ‘choice.’ Rather, the question becomes more about determining the boundaries of their God-given authority in our life.

The Bible mandates that there are leaders in the church we are to submit to. However, which local church we are a part of and, therefore, which church leaders we are each called to follow is not the same for every believer. We must determine who God has ordained us to follow and then determine what He expects our submission to them to look like.

That, then, is the topic we will begin to pick up on in the next post.

Click Here to Continue to Part 2: “The Biblical History of Elders”

If you’re enjoying the content I produce, a little caffeine to keep me going would be appreciated!

Footnotes:

¹ There is one other way that “hypotassō” is used in the Bible, which is in reference to bondservants obeying their masters (see Titus 2:9 and 1 Peter 2:18). Now, though we don’t have time to discuss the differences between modern slavery and what was going on in ancient Israel, we can suffice it to say that biblical slavery was working for someone to whom you owed a debt, in order to repay them. I believe we can safely surmise that the modern equivalent is that employees are expected to be submissive to their employers since there is a financial benefit for you in the workplace transaction. If someone is paying you to do work, then they are the boss to tell you how it should be done. When you decide to stop submitting and ‘quit,’ the understanding is that they will also stop paying you.

² Note: Some versions, such as the ESV use the word “submit” to translate the word enechō in Galatians 5:1 — “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” I don’t think this gives a clear translation of the word, however. Enechō literally means you have been taken forcefully or trapped by the thing and are being made to obey against your will. It means you are ensnared into submission, or you have allowed yourself to become “entangled” with it, as the KJV says. I like the way the Bible in Basic English Version reads: “Christ has truly made us free: then keep your free condition and let no man put a yoke on you again.”

Follow The Leader – Series Intro

A. Scott Ingram Biblical Leadership, Gospel Leadership biblical submission, Church, church leaders, leadership, ministry, ministry leadership, pastor, pastoral authority, pastors, submit to leaders 0

The more ‘international’ my ministry becomes, the broader my understanding of the gospel and God’s Kingdom grows. As I interact with new cultures, I become ever more thankful for the grace of Jesus Christ to redeem humanity to Himself. As I see how the gospel has impacted nations, tribes, and communities, my faith is increased in the power of God’s restoration and grace.

However, as I have the opportunity to meet with all kinds of church leadership through conferences, training events, crusades, discipleship meetings, and more, I am also becoming more aware of the sinfulness inherent in every man and the proclivity to misuse the gifts and callings God has placed on us, for our own benefit.

Disclaimer

This brief series was inspired by a couple of Facebook posts from men I admire, which came on the heels of a difficult interaction with a few leaders I work with. My response was to be a brief comment in reply, which I then determined should be a brief live video instead to be able to explain my thoughts more effectively. However, as I began to jot down a few notes and scriptures for that video, I got sucked down the rabbit hole and came out with over ten pages of notes and what would likely be a 2-hour video teaching. I have therefore decided to put it out there as a blog series, which can easily be reviewed, the cited scriptures studied, and comments made directly.

Before I jump into what will likely be a sensitive topic, let me first say that I love the church, and I value the leaders God has called to this honorable work. My intention in writing is to edify and exhort; not to criticize.

Statement: “Christians Must Submit to Their Pastor.”

Statements such as this are becoming a trend I am seeing come up, over and over again, in various nations and communities around the world. It is not a new view. In fact, it has affected the church since the earliest days of appointing leaders. I do believe it is becoming a strong point of contention once again, and one I find myself struggling to keep in balance as a leader of leaders.

I do not necessarily disagree with the statement, but I certainly do not agree with it either. The truth behind the statement can only be found in the intention of the one making it.

That is because so much of the statement needs clarification before we can ‘prove’ its validity:

What does “submission” mean?
Who is qualified to be a “pastor” deserving of submission?
What makes you “their” pastor?
What are the boundaries of the pastor’s authority over a Christian’s life?

As you can see, this gets complicated quickly. So over the next few weeks, I want to try to answer some of these questions and maybe a few more.

I want to give us some clarity on what biblical submission looks like and the boundaries God places around our authority as leaders.

But first…

I would like to hear from you.

What has been your experience with calls to “submit” as a Christian?
What expectations do you have as a Pastor for the believers in your church to obey your authority and leading?
In your experience, what are some benefits of submission to godly leadership?
What are some dangers that can arise in submission to a pastor?
What questions do you have about submission in the biblical sense?

Please let me know in the comments.

I am posting this on Friday afternoon and will follow up with the first post of my series on Tuesday next week, but I want to incorporate my responses to your experience and questions in this series, so it would be a huge help if you take time to leave a comment below. My one request is that when you comment, please at least include the country where you live and serve, and if you’re comfortable and it adds to your post, you can also include the denominational background you come from.

Remember, this series is to build up and encourage, so keep that in mind with your comments. I ask that you DO NOT use this as an opportunity to bash any specific leader or group. If your comment has a sense of hatefulness rather than an air of “helpful critique,” it will not be posted.

Continue to Part 1… “What Does Submission Mean?”

Jump to Part 2… “The Biblical History of Elders”

If you’re enjoying the content I produce, a little caffeine to keep me going would be appreciated!

November 24 2020

The Capability Qualifications for Leadership

A. Scott Ingram Gospel Leadership, Leadership Qualifications lead, leadership 0

This is Part 7 of the Biblical Leadership Series. Click here to go to Part 1.

As we continue to look, in depth, at the biblical qualifications for Christian leadership, we have already discussed the spiritual qualifications, as well as the calling qualifications of a person’s life. We now turn our attention to the “capability qualifications” for leadership.

As we have noted before, when the Bible discusses the capability requirements, it doesn’t look at your level of formal education or prior work experience, which are often needed for your earthly career. Instead, the Bible lays out a framework for how the Bible is held at a central place in your own life, and your ability to impart that biblical truth to the lives of others.

As we look at this list, notice that each one flows together with the others, and builds a picture of someone who is capable of being a senior disciple-maker. After all, the work of making disciples of nations is at the core of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20).

Capability Qualification 1: Holds to the Word of God (Titus 1:9)

When Paul writes to Titus, he specifically says, “He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught…” The implication is, before a person seeks to lead others in the word of God, they have first submitted themselves to the process of learning the Word of God for themselves.

This learning must come with the heart of the Bereans, whom the book of Acts says, “received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11). It is not simply that we have heard the Bible stories and know the general truths of scripture. It means we have invested our time and effort to learn as much as we can of God’s Word. We have to ensure we have learned the “trustworthy word,” despite living in a world where there are many false teachers, misusing scripture for their own selfish gain.

This also implies that a leader cannot “graduate” from the Word of God. It is not a text book to be studied until we can pass an exam. Rather, it is the written, authoritative revelation of God, which requires us to come back daily. We never move past the Word of God. We hold to it at all times, and in all circumstances of life.

Capability Qualification 2: Holds the Mystery of Faith with a Clear Conscience (1 Timothy 3:9)

As we live in the Word of God, Paul adds instruction to Timothy, that our lives must be visibly measured against the scriptures. As we submit ourselves to learn the word of God, and discover the depths of the faith, we also live out the process of repentance and sanctification, so that our conscience is clear.

If I can state this simply, a Christian leader who allows hypocrisy to become their way of life is disqualified from being a Christian leader. That is not to say that leaders never sin or fail. We are still human. It is simply to say that as a leader of others, we must lead ourselves first! This leads to the next point.

Capability Qualification 3: Sets the Example (1 Peter 5:3)

The goal of Christian leadership is to be a living embodiment to the church and the world of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If this sounds like a big responsibility, it should! This is the reason God places a calling on people to lead, and then requires them to meet all the qualifications we are discussing in this series.

Paul writes to the Corinthians,

I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men.
^{1 Corinthians 4:9}

He is extremely aware that his life is under the scrutiny of all who see him, and therefore he strives to be the example to all. When he later writes to them, “I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.” He says, “I do it all for the sake of the gospel…” (1 Corinthians 9:22-23). This means that Paul did not just live among people, trying to fit in. He lived among people, taking on their way of life, so that he could demonstrate how to live that kind of life in light of the gospel!

This is why he repeatedly tells those he leads to imitate him, as he seeks to imitate Christ (see 1 Corinthians 4:16, 1 Corinthians 11:1, Philippians 3:17).

If people do not see in you a public display of the Christian life, then you have no right to lead them spiritually.

Capability Qualification 4: Exercises Oversight (1 Peter 5:2)

Once you have learned the Word of God, measured your life by the Gospel, and are a living display of Christ, then you can step into the place of leading others (Matthew 7:2-5). Once you are able to clearly see the Gospel and guide yourself, you will also be able to rightly judge the state of the church, and give guidance as necessary.

The greek word used by Peter for “oversight” is “episkopeo.” This is the same word used by the author of Hebrews,

See to it [episkopeo] that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.
^{Hebrews 12:15-16}

As we have said before, the statement “only God can judge me,” is not found in the Bible. Exercising oversight as a leader, by nature, involves making judgement according to he scriptures, so that we are able to guide and direct people into the Gospel, and toward Jesus as King.

Capability Qualification 5: Not Domineering Over the Flock (1 Peter 5:3)

When Peter writes that we are to “exercise oversight,” this is held in contrast to being “domineering over the flock.” This word, domineering, means “to master” or “to be lord over.”

As we seek to exercise oversight in the church, we must remember that we are not the lord. Jesus is Lord. We are simply intermediaries, guiding people to live in submission to Him.

I believe it is the sin of domineering leaders that have given much of the world a bad taste for “organized religion” and spiritual leadership. As we live in an age primarily guided by democratic principles and individualism, people are unwilling to submit to leadership if there is a notion of control. This is a good hesitancy.

No matter your biblical title — pastor, prophet, apostle, etc — the Bible never gives you control of people’s lives. You are a guide; not a dictator. You do your best to press people toward Jesus, and correct them when they go astray, but they must be allowed to make their own choice. At the end of the day, you will be judged on how you led God’s people; but they will be accountable to how they followed God, not you.

Capability Qualification 6: Able or “Apt” to teach (1 Timothy 3:2)

In order to lead people well, one of the highest priorities for Christian leadership is that you are able to teach. The greek word here, “didaktikos,” means both “teachable” and “able to teach others.” The King James version says, “apt to teach,” which means you not only have a willingness to teach, but are skilled in the art of teaching the Gospel.

A famous quote, often attributed to Francis of Assisi, says, “Preach the gospel always. When necessary, use words.” While this sentiment of living out the gospel for others to see is commendable, the idea that you can successfully preach the gospel without using words is not found in scripture. As you “hold to the word of God,” you must also be able to impart gospel truth to others as well.

Capability Qualification 7: Able to instruct in doctrine (Titus 1:9)

When Paul writes to Titus, he takes the “able to teach” statement a little further. He implies that you are not just teaching verse by verse through books of the Bible (which is the way you should be preaching), but that as you lead people in the study of scripture, you are able to explain the larger themes and doctrines of the Bible in each verse.

Yes, we should be able to teach expositionally, but we must be able to explain how each narrative works together to explain the larger truths of our faith.

For those who say, “I just read the Bible, I don’t believe in ‘doctrine,’” I am sorry to say, you are wrong. It is impossible. From the earliest days of the Christian church, those faithful to the gospel have written down their creeds or statements of faith. Many years before we got the “apostles creed” at Nicea or the “Westminster catechism of faith,” we had the early church leaders teaching biblical doctrine and reciting their apologetic in song and letter. The Bible says of Paul and Timothy,

As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.
^{Acts 16:4-5}

Paul shares with the Corinthian church and early version of a “creed” or statement of faith.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
^{1 Corinthians 15:3-5}

Even Stephen’s final discourse before being stoned demonstrates a strong sense of doctrine which the early church held to, pulled from the larger biblical narrative. You can read this speech in Acts 7.

Capability Qualification 8: Able to rebuke unfaithful believers (Titus 1:9)

The ability to teach is more than imparting a belief in a set of doctrines. It is intended to guide the believers in their own growth and sanctification. This is why Paul writes to Titus that a leader must, “be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.”

Although spiritual leadership cannot be domineering or controlling, it is also not passive in bringing correction for sin and faithlessness. The scriptures give very specific guidelines for how to bring a wayward believer back to faith and right living (see Matthew 18:15-17). It also gives the provision that if someone refuses to repent and seek to live a godly life, they should be put out of the regular fellowship of believers, until there is heart change. Their influence should be avoided (see Romans 16:17, 1 Corinthians 5:9-13, 2 Thessalonians 3:6,14, among others.)

The point is, spiritual leaders must be strong in their faith and act with conviction to lead people toward Christ and truth. Although you cannot control, you must be willing to speak truth, even when people don’t want to hear it. We are not passive, and we do not preach “happy thoughts” to attract people to ourselves. Remember, there were times when even Jesus needed to throw over some tables to get his point across.

We speak truth about sin, hell, the devil, and Kingdom warfare, so that people will desire repentance, salvation, and reconciliation with God. However, when people refuse to follow the way of truth, we turn them over to the path they are choosing (see Romans 1:18-24 and 1 Corinthians 5:1-5).

This is one of the most difficult parts of the job, but if you cannot rebuke when necessary, you are not qualified to lead.

Capability Qualification 9: Hospitable (1 Timothy 3:2, Titus 1:8)

The final qualification I put in the “capability qualifications” is that a leader must be hospitable. The greek word used in both Timothy and Titus is “philoxenos” which comes from two words: philos, meaning “friendly love” and “xenos” meaning stranger or foreigner.

The Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible explains, saying:

Hospitality: Biblical concept often used with the terms “guest,” “stranger,” and “sojourner.” It is useful to limit the meaning of “hospitality” to benevolence done to those outside one’s normal circle of friends, as is implied in the literal meaning of the Greek word (“love of strangers”).
^{David K. Huttar, “Hospitality,” Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 1006.}

Although a Christian leader’s primary job is to exercise oversight to the body of Christ, and ensure care for those inside the church first (Galatians 6:10), it is also a requirement that they show love and care for those outside the faith at every opportunity.

Like Jesus, we are called to live “in the world” even though we are not “of the world” (John 18:36-37). Unfortunately, what I see too often in church leadership is an absolute hatred of the lost. There is a desire to separate from all unbelievers until they repent. However, the Bible is clear that there will be no repentance, until someone steps out to show them the way.

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
^{Romans 10:13-14}

In order to qualify for spiritual leadership, you must have a love for those in the church, as well as an affection for the lost which is welcoming to them.

In Summary

Though the “capabilities” necessary to be a leader in the body of Christ are not based on secular criteria, we would be foolish to think they are easy. If we are going to lead God’s people, the demand on us is to be “gospel literate” in how we live, teach, guide, mentor, disciple, and reach out to others. This requires a high level of self awareness, as well as the capacity to give oversight to others in our care.

As we have said before, these gifts do not come naturally for most people. For instance, I myself am an introvert, so being hospitable is not a natural ability for me. However, God will give grace, and develop these things in you if He has truly called you to lead.

Let’s Connect

In the next post we will continue looking at the “family qualifications” for biblical leadership. It may be the most controversial of all, but we will do so as true to scripture as possible. Make sure you don’t miss any future posts by subscribing to my newsletter below. I promise never to spam your inbox or share your info with others.

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November 16 2020

The Calling Qualifications for Leadership

A. Scott Ingram Gospel Leadership, Leadership Qualifications Christian Leadership, leadership 2

This is Part 6 of the Biblical Leadership Series. Click here to go to Part 1.

In the last post, we looked at the spiritual qualifications for Christian leadership. Those are foundational. Until those are met, none of the other qualifications can be truly fulfilled in their lives. However, once a person has met the spiritual qualifications, it is time to begin testing them for the other qualifications of someone truly called by God for a leadership role. That is where we turn our attention in this post.

Qualification 1: Desires the Role of Overseer (1 Timothy 3:1)

The first thing Paul makes note of in his letter to Timothy is that someone who is being looked at to become an overseer in the church (which I believe applies to any level of spiritual leadership), is that they have a desire to become a spiritual leader in the first place.

God can be forceful when necessary, and can demand people obey Him when He speaks. However, I do not see a biblical example of anyone stepping into spiritual leadership before God’s calling on their lives was matched by their own, personal desire. I am not saying people called to lead will automatically have the desire at first. Simply that if God is going to call and appoint someone, He will work in their hearts first, to give them the desire and aptitude to lead.

Your Desire Determines Your Passion.

Just imagine if God appointed someone to ministry leadership who truly did not want to be there. Everything they did in that role would be done grudgingly and half-heartedly. It is impossible to be passionate when you are forced into doing something you don’t want to do.

Though this sounds like is should be obvious and simple to follow, the problem often arises when a church has a need for leadership with no obvious choice to fill the role. When that happens, the church finds themselves stuck with making a choice between an unqualified person who wants the job, or appointing someone to the job who, although they are spiritually qualified, does not want to be there.

We must make sure, as we look to ordain and/or follow leaders in ministry, that their desire is truly for the job.

Qualification 2: Not Under Compulsion, but Willing (1 Peter 5:2)

Peter adds to the need for desire, when he says the person should serve in the leadership role “willingly,” and “not under compulsion” (1 Peter 5:2). This is because when someone is forced into a job they do not want, it becomes the fastest route to burnout. Sadly, from what I have seen in ministry, when someone is pushed into ministry against their will, the burnout can cost them more than just their job. It often destroys their faith as well.

This goes back to the last post, where I discussed the fact that I was placed into ministry too early, simply because there was an “urgent need” for a youth pastor in the church. Though I had a desire to be in ministry, and was already in Bible college studying to be a pastor, I stepped into that job (and really, even joined that church) due to pressure from my friends and the church leadership. What I found was, the weight of the expectations put on me in that job were oftentimes crushing, leading me to sometimes doubt my calling, and at times, even my faith.

Fear of Being Out Front

As we identify people who are qualified spiritually and even show a desire to grow into leadership, we must also be aware of any hesitancy or fear they have in stepping out. Though they may have complete faith in the Gospel and show excellence in the Christian life, if there is a fear of leadership within them, it will become a doorway to the enemy to bring condemnation and shame when things do not go smoothly or successfully.

Instead of pushing these people into leadership against their will, we must move them to the front slowly, giving them smaller opportunities to use their gifts and explore their calling to lead others. If someone is truly called to ministry, every small opportunity and experience will build within them more faith (and more willingness) to take the bigger leaps into a leadership role when the time comes.

My Journey Into Evangelism

When people look at me now, they see someone who is comfortable standing on a platform in front of thousands, preaching the gospel, leading people to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, with demonstrations of healing and deliverance along the way.

That, however, was not always the case. The first time another minister invited me to join them for an outreach in a juvenile detention center (youth prison), I was afraid of what it would entail. I did want to go with them, but I didn’t want to be the one praying with people, and I certainly didn’t want to be the one preaching. Thankfully, my friend coached me on how to pray with people, and while he led the service completely, I was given the opportunity to pray with one young man, and lead him to Christ for the first time ever. This first small step led to many more small steps to becoming the minister I am today.

My point is, we cannot compel people to lead, but we can give them opportunities that will build them up until they are ready and willing to lead on their own.

Qualification 3: Not Leading For Personal Gain (1 Peter 5:2)

On the other side of the “willingness” coin we have those who are overly zealous to step into leadership because of the personal benefits they hope to derive from it. I will not repeat what we have discussed in an earlier post about those who want to lead out of a desire for power, status, and wealth. However, it needs to be said that someone who is truly qualified for biblical leadership will do so out of a heart of service for others, rather than for the benefit of themselves.

Every leader in scripture who had personal gain as a motive finished in failure or rejection. You see this in men like Gehazi, the servant of Elijah who chased Namaan for payment (2 Kings 5:19-27); or in Balaam, the prophet who accepted money to curse Israel for a pagan King (Numbers 22). Some examples even let their greed turn them away from truly following Jesus, as they sought their own benefits. Just look at Judas Iscariot, who sold Jesus out for 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-16).

If a person’s desire to lead God’s people is based on anything other than a heart to serve, they are not qualified for the job.

Qualification 4: Identifies as God’s Steward of the Whole Church (Titus 1:7)

The final “calling” qualification in the list is tied to this, a servant heart. Paul tells Titus that an overseer in the church is “God’s steward.” What this means is that as a leader over the church they have a vision for the whole church, rather than their own pet projects or the small areas they are comfortable in.

While it is true that many people are called to minister to a smaller section of God’s people, whether it is a youth pastor whose role is to lead the youth group, or the choir director, who oversees the praise and worship teams. When God calls someone to the highest levels of leadership in the body of Christ (apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, overseer, elder, bishop, etc.), they cannot build a vision that serves any less than the whole church. They must be a father or mother to the entire ministry.

“You love my pastor. Why don’t you love me?”

This was a question I was recently asked in one of our village churches, as I was dealing with a sinful division arising around some of our local leadership in Uganda. As I was explaining to the church members that the outside pastor who brought this division was wrong and had been dealt with, I was also expressing my affirmation of the work their own pastor was doing, so that they could be confident in their leaders. Multiple times in the conversation I expressed to them that as the apostolic overseer of our ministry, “I love and support your pastor, and I trust them completely.”

However, as I explained how I am trying to train and equip the pastors of Sozo Ministries’ churches, one elderly woman in the church was perplexed by what she saw as my willingness to ignore her as an individual member of the church. She wanted to know why I did not love her with the same pastoral care I was giving to her pastor.

I had to take the time to explain that God had appointed certain levels of leadership within our ministry, each with it’s own sphere of influence. At the local church level, the pastors are the highest authority, tasked with the personal, daily care of the congregations. However, my role as the apostolic leader for the entire ministry requires me to be more focused on pastoring and caring for our church leaders, rather than every church member.

I told her that as much as I love their local church, and would happily be there every week, if possible, this would require me to neglect the rest of the ministry I am called to lead. Instead, it is through my love and leadership to her pastors that I am able to love her and every other member of our network of churches the same.

In Summary

If someone is going to fulfill the “calling qualifications” for leadership, they must have a God-given desire for the role, and be free from fear of man and failure. They must have a willing heart, desiring to serve for the sake of others, rather than for any personal gain, and this desire must encompass the whole of the church, rather than the areas they are comfortable in. The calling to ministry leadership is not small. We must, therefore, be willing to follow the Lord’s visions completely, even when it is difficult and draining. Anything else will fall short of His calling to lead.

Let’s Connect

In the next post we will continue looking at the “capability qualifications,” which determine if someone has the required skills for ministry leadership. To stay connected and make sure you don’t miss any future posts, subscribe to my newsletter below. I promise never to spam your inbox or share your info with others.

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October 13 2020

Biblical Leadership

A. Scott Ingram Gospel Leadership, Leadership Qualifications Biblical Qualifications for Leadership, leadership 0

Let’s talk about leadership. Some, in both the religious and secular world, would argue that quality leadership is among the highest priorities of any group of people with a goal to achieve. In the famous words of John Maxwell, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” This is true whether you are running a business, building a community organization or social club, forming a movement to change culture, or overseeing the church of God.

Declaring Spiritual Independence

For some, talking about spiritual leadership carries a connotation of oppression, and they fight against it. There are entire movements within the Christian community that argue against “organized religion” or any kind of spiritual oversight within the church.

Partly, this comes from evangelicalisms roots in the Protestant reformation, when the unbiblical overreaches of the Catholic hierarchy were overthrown. To be sure, this was necessary. The church was never intended to have a king claiming to sit on the throne of Jesus Christ in the world. The church was also never intended to choose its leaders based on wealth, family lineage, or political and military abilities.

Jesus said that the leadership structure of His church would be “upside down” from the world’s leadership, and that the highest level leaders would be “servant of all” (see Mark 10:42-45). Remembering the long history of spiritual abuses by church leaders for centuries, we thank God for reforming the structures, and moving Christianity back to the grassroots levels. This, however, does not nullify the need for leadership.

Still, there are many today who want to throw off all spiritual authority. They believe that “personal salvation” implies complete autonomy in their spiritual life and sanctification. Not only do many want to do away with large organized structures of leadership, such as denominational oversight or national fellowships, but they want to do away with pastors and elders in the local church.

In my ministry in East Africa, where I oversee Sozo Ministries’ 35 churches, I have been accused of being an abusive spiritual dictator for simply following clear and biblical church discipline procedures to correct or remove unqualified pastors within our network. Recently, when I removed a pastor from our ministry for refusal to repent of sin and comply with our ministry policy, I felt the need to let our broader network know. There was nothing said about his sinful behavior or that he had been removed for wrongdoing. I simply said that this pastor “has chosen to leave Sozo Ministries International and will no longer be representing our ministry in any capacity.”

This, however, was met by a personal attack from someone outside of our ministry, who knew the pastor, but not the full details of his sin. They claimed I had made a direct attack on this pastor, intending to destroy his future in ministry, and accused me of unbiblically elevating myself over others, whereas (in their opinion) God has made everyone equal. According to this person, no ministry leader has the right to pass judgement (i.e. attempt to correct the sinfulness) of other leaders who serve under or alongside them.

I am not sharing this story to justify the actions I have taken within our ministry. I believe the Bible when it says I will stand before God and be held to a higher standard for how I have led my ministry (James 3:1), and I do not take that reality lightly. I am simply using this experience to point out how some want to throw off any spiritual leadership, as though God’s intentions were to invest all authority into individual Christians privately, rather than to publicly call leaders to stand as overseers of His church.

God Appoints Leaders

The truth is that God’s original plan was that every individual would be equal, and would be led by Himself alone. However, since the day sin entered into the world, God has appointed leaders among humanity.

He appointed the man to be the leader in his home (Genesis 3:16).
He appointed the formation of nations (Genesis 11:8, Deuteronomy 32:8), and the establishment of national leaders (Genesis 17:4, Daniel 2:21).
He began to raise up righteous men to stand in positions of leadership for the benefit of His people, like Joseph (Genesis 41:44 and 50:19-20) and Daniel (Daniel 2:47-48).
He appointed men who would be deliverers and defenders of His people, Israel (Moses, David, Nehemiah).
He appointed the Judges (male and female) to defend His people, and keep the peace within Israel.
He appointed Priests to act as mediators between Himself and sinful humanity.
He appointed Prophets (male and female) to declare His Word and call His people to faithfulness and repentance.
He appointed Kings to lead the nation of Israel in righteousness.
In the New Testament, Jesus appointed the 12 Apostles to build the church He established, after He returned to heaven.
Later, He gave to the church apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (male and female in each category) to lead the church until we all, finally, reach maturity in Christ (Ephesians 4:11-16). (I believe this will happen at His return.)

While it is true that at the final judgement men will cast all their crowns (authority) at the feet of Jesus, we cannot deny that until that day comes, God looks for, calls, and appoints men and women who will lead in every area of life, including the church.

Am I Called by God?

One of the most challenging questions we must ask ourselves, if we are to take on a role in spiritual leadership, is whether or not God has called us to that role, and if we are qualified to step into the work.

As we move ahead in this series, we will discuss the qualifications for spiritual leadership, at length. For now, let me focus on the “called” question.

I am convinced that God’s “calling” of people into ministry hinges as much on our own willingness and desires, as it does on His sovereign appointment. For example, in the Old Testament, God often speaks of “searching for a man” who had a heart to seek God and lead the people:

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”
Isaiah 6:8

(God says) And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.
Ezekiel 22:30

(In anointing King David) But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him…
2 Chronicles 16:9

Of course, we know that the leaders God called – Isaiah, David, Ezekiel, and others – had been moved in their spiritual pursuits by the Holy Spirit, to lead them into the place of willingness to lead. Yet, it was ultimately their response to the love and calling from God which made them acceptable to be appointed.

As we begin to look at the appointment of spiritual leaders within the New Testament church, Paul writes to Timothy,

The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.
1 Timothy 3:1

This implies that being “called” into the position of a pastor or elder has as much to do with your own desire and pursuit, as it does with Jesus’ calling.

Discussing this verse, Simon J. Robinson says,

“The word ‘aspires’ is the translation of a word which describes someone who is taking specific steps towards a goal he has in mind and the word ‘desires’ refers to the passion that drives him. Paul is not talking about someone who might like to be a leader because of the status it brings, but about a man who has a conviction that God has called him to this ‘noble task’.”
^{Simon J. Robinson, Opening up 1 Timothy, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2004), 55–56.}

The first step to knowing you might have a calling from God to ministry is that you have within you a desire and a willingness to serve God’s people without seeking personal glory or benefit. This is a rare characteristic to be sure, yet as Paul continues to list the necessary qualities these men and women must demonstrate (1 Timothy 3:2-13 and Titus 1:5-9), and this selfless lifestyle shines through in each one of them.

Am I Called By The Church?

A second question that must be asked, which is also under attack in the modern world, is “has my calling by God been verified by the church?” Meaning, if you say that God has called you, has this been confirmed by the men and women who have led you in the faith throughout the course of your Christian life.

One of the qualifications we will discuss in a future post is that they “must not be a recent convert” (1 Timothy 3:6). There is a need for them to have been discipled and raised up to maturity in the faith.

From the examples given in the Old Testament, continuing throughout the history of the church, there has been a process of “ordination,” where a persons gifts and callings are recognized by the church, and hands are laid on them, commissioning them into public ministry. We see this in Acts 13:

Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers…While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
Acts 13:1-3

This was the public recognition of God’s ministry calling on Paul and Barnabas by existing church leadership. Yet verse 4 says of this ordination ceremony that, they were “being sent out by the Holy Spirit.”

Paul also reminds Timothy of the time when the elders laid hands on him, appointing and releasing gifts into him for ministry.

Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.
1 Timothy 4:14

Paul later writes to Timothy that as he appoints elders in the church not to prejudge what he sees or to show partiality in this work. He specifically commands him, “Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands…” (1 Timothy 5:22).

Self-Appointed Leaders

Biblically speaking there cannot be legitimate spiritual authority that has been established on it’s own. If there is a call to lead God’s people publicly, there will first be recognition and release by existing church leaders who have seen you grow in spiritual maturity, develop your gifts, and discover the calling on your life.

There is a major crisis in the modern church in this regard! On the one hand, we have many self-proclaimed apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, overseers, bishops, and more, whose giftings have never been publicly recognized or verified by the broader church body. These men and women simply take on the title for themselves, and enter ministry without support or connection with others.

Right now, one of our Sozo Ministries’ pastors in Uganda has been handed the reigns of a church which was founded and built by a self-appointed “prophet.” This man was able to use deceptive means (and likely a lot of witchcraft) to build a big following in the name of Jesus, but by the grace God, the truth about this man was revealed, and he was chased out of the community. Our pastor is now working with this large, but spiritually immature group of people to disciple them into true Christianity. It has proved to be a difficult task, as the faith they have been taught has no foundation in truth. We must be wary of any spiritual leaders who have not been affirmed by spiritual fathers and mothers in the faith

On the other hand, the crisis in the church extends to the fact that many called and appointed leaders remain ignorant and insecure in their spiritual authority, and they do not attempt to raise up and release other leaders into public ministry. Either they do not know the responsibility they have to equip leaders in the church, or worse, they blatantly ignore it because they fear it would threaten their own leadership role if other anointed men and women are raised up.

Let’s Look at Leadership

As we spend the next few weeks looking at the requirements for biblical leadership, it is my desire to call all men and women of God to rise up and meet the qualifications of mature Christianity. If you are already in a spiritual leadership role, it is my desire to spur you on in your personal growth and development in Christ, as He leads you to repent and/or further affirms your standing in the church.

If you are desiring to step into a spiritual leadership role, then I pray you discover what it means to truly be a man or woman of God who leads from truth and integrity, rather than simply relying on the fact that “God called me.” After all, “many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14).

If you are someone who despises the thought of spiritual leadership, I hope you can see that the bible not only mandates it, but also gives guidelines to keep it healthy and on track. On the other hand, if you are currently in submission to bad spiritual authority, I hope you will discover God’s true plan for His leaders, and can be set free to submit yourself to better pastors and overseers, who will represent Jesus well.

Whether you feel a calling to ministry or not, I encourage you to stay tuned to this series, as spiritual leadership will affect your life in some way or another. Let’s seek to find out how to live in submission and in authority, biblically.

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May 25 2019

The Best Productivity System (IMHO).

A. Scott Ingram Book Recommendations, Gospel Leadership, Productivity Free to Focus, leadership, Living Forward, Michael Hyatt, planning, systems, time managment, Your Best Year Ever 0

As we seek to fight the destructive forces of busyness at work in our lives, we have discussed the need to find our identity in Christ, instead of what we do. We have also looked at how to follow the Holy Spirit as He guides our calendar and daily activities. Now, if you can find a good productivity system to pull it all together, and stay organized, you will be able to have victory over “busy.”

I want to share with you the general productivity system that I currently use. Since I have put it into use, it has been a game-changer for me and my ministry! I continually recommend it to my leadership team and to others I coach and mentor. Now, I am happy to recommend it to you.

Let me preface by saying that other than a small kick back from Amazon, I do not get any financial or other benefit from recommending these products to you. I am sincerely recommending this system to those who struggle to maintain their course, accomplish their goals, and organize their day-to-day life. My ability to get things done has been revolutionized by this sytem. I am not an affiliate; I am just a fan.

The system I have been using for the last few years comes from Michael Hyatt. He is a former C.E.O. of Thomas Nelson publishers turned blogger and productivity guru. I discovered his blog many years ago, and I was always encouraged by his practical advice. However, I never went much deeper into his products, except for the occasional free webinar.

Over the last two years, however, I have engaged with some of his tools, and my life has been completely transformed by what I have learned. I am happy to share it with you.

Step 1: Creating a Life Plan

Though I casually followed Hyatt’s blog and leadership podcast from time to time, it all changed when I found one of his books on a clearance rack in my local bookstore. This book, “Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get The Life You Want” (with co-writer Daniel Harkavy), walks through all of the practical steps necessary to create a “life plan.” Like a GPS, a life plan is a personal guide to help you determine who you want to be in life, and how to get there day after day.

This book came into my life at the perfect time. I was already being impacted by a teaching from Andy Stanley, called “A New You Resolution.” The main point Andy made was, “it is always a mistake to determine what you will do, before you decide who you will be.” I had also recently been thinking through the life planning idea after walking through “Storyline: Finding Your Subplot in God’s Story” by Donald Miller.

It all came together for me as I worked through the steps in Living Forward. I wrote my own eulogy. I determined what mattered to me in life, and thought through the purpose of each area. This tool helped me to reverse engineer my life, in order to stay on course to get to where I want to be. This is the best $3 purchase I have made in the last decade!

Step 2: Setting and Achieving Annual Goals

As I began to spend more time on Hyatt’s various free resources, it wasn’t long before I began hearing about certain strategic seminars that he offered. One had to do with setting goals and achieving them in a practical, methodical system, and the other dealt with finding freedom in your busy schedule to do what matters most in your life. Unfortunately, at the time, I couldn’t afford the costs of those seminars.

To my delight, however, it wasn’t long until Hyatt released the first of those seminars in book form, titled “Your Best Year Ever: A 5-Step Plan for Achieving Your Most Important Goals.”

I had always been one who sits down at the beginning of the year and set goals for myself. Someone gave me a Franklin Covey planning system in college. I have tried various productivity systems, since then, to keep focus and get things done. However, my failure rate was always much higher than my success rates. Over the course of time, distractions would come in, priorities would shift, and I’d end the year saying, “I’ll do better next time.”

Please note that I am not pointing blame at the various productivity systems I tried. It was my own inability to make them work for me. But they say the best productivity system is the one you will actually use.

Upon reading Your Best Year Ever, I found the best system for me! My thinking on fulfilling goals radically shifted. The way Hyatt differentiated between goals and projects already made sense to me. It was the practical side of breaking down your annual goals into smaller timeframes and achievable actions that pushed me forward.

Throughout the course of the year, you may have 8-10 goals you want to achieve. However, Hyatt urges you to divide them down into quarterly goals. You break these 2-3 goals each quarter down into actionable tasks. You then follow through on them by choosing a weekly “Big 3,” which are the tasks you must do that week to complete the goals on time. Then again, you divided those out into your daily “Big 3.”

As you keep your goals in front of you, take actionable steps, do weekly reviews, and intentionally move forward, it builds a momentum that keeps you going until you achieve success.

Personally, I have accomplished more of my goals in the last couple of years, after reading and applying the principles in Best Year Ever, than ever before.

Step 3: Managing Your Time

At the same time I read Best Year Ever, I was introduced to Michael Hyatt’s physical, daily planner, which is designed around his teachings. This planner helps you manage your goals, your weekly and daily “Big 3’s” and complete the weekly review.

It is called, “The Full Focus Planner,” and even in my work in Africa (where it is difficult to get them delivered), the FFP has become my daily companion for tracking my goals, my to-do’s and managing my time.

On the one hand, having a paper planner might seem like a hassle. However, what I have found is that it sets me free from my digital addictions, it keeps all my planning and note-taking needs in one place, and it has actually helped me to focus more on a moment-to-moment basis, because I can simply write down the mental distractions that come up, and delegate them to a future slot in my calendar for review.

For some, the cost of the Full Focus Planner might seem a bit prohibitive, at first. I understand the feeling. I can honestly say, however, as someone who runs an international ministry on a shoestring budget, that this planner is one of those rare things which are worth every dollar you spend, because of the return on investment it offers.

Step 4: Focusing on What Matters Most

Even putting the Full Focus Planner system into use, and using it daily for almost two years, now, I was still struggling to minimize my distractions, and clear unnecessary, burdensome tasks from my schedule.

Once again, in perfect timing to help me on this journey to productivity, Hyatt has released the second seminar as an easy to follow book called, “Free to Focus: A Total Productivity System to Achieve More by Doing Less.”

After reading this book a couple of months ago, I am loving the process of eliminating, automating, and delegating tasks that hinder me from doing the work that matters most. I can already say with confidence that what I have learned from this book has filled in the gaps for me, and the areas I was struggling in are now coming under control.

I have put together daily rituals and designed my ideal week, and have been able to get more accomplished (that matters) in the last month, than any other in recent history. It has helped me find clarity on the work that requires my personal touch, and what can be given away. It has also helped me become a better leader and mentor to my ministry team.

Just last week, while my team handled some legal issues and oversaw a lot of day-to-day items that used to bother me, I was able to finish writing and editing an 80 page training manual, and then lead over 100 pastors in our area in the training the book provides.

Once again, I do not have an affiliation with Michael Hyatt, and do not benefit from recommending these resources to you. However, after writing on overcoming busyness in our lives for the past couple of weeks, I have been asked multiple times how I personally have been able to achieve this.

I can honestly tell you, that without the Full Focus Planner and the affiliated books which teach the system, I would be completely overwhelmed and burned out. As our family transitioned to Africa full-time last year, and with all of the demands on my time and resources, this system has been a great source of sanity.

I am so thankful to Michael Hyatt and his team. I am also happy to see a Christian business flourish, with integrity and true care for their customer. So it is simply out of that gratitude and a changed life that I can point you in their direction for the absolute best productivity system I have found.

Even if you are not interested in Michael Hyatt’s system, you can download my own goal planning worksheet for free. I use this worksheet every December to think through my goals, before writing them in the Full Focus Planner.

Download My Free Goal Planning Worksheet

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April 19 2019

Level 2 Discipleship: The Basics of Faith

A. Scott Ingram Gospel Leadership, Make Disciples Great commission, leadership 0

(Click here for an Overview of the 4 Levels of Discipleship.)

What are the marks of a mature believer in Christ?

This is a question that every leader in the Body of Christ should ask. We must find the answer in the Bible, with the help of the Holy Spirit, and apply it to the current setting in which we live. And then we must see this as the basis for our discipleship for new believers.

As I think through the question, there are many traits that come to mind. Things like knowing their identity in Christ, as well as running to God rather than away from Him when we sin. As we seek to answer this question, looking at those we deem strong men and women of God around us, we will begin to get a general picture of what a mature believer looks like.

As we turn our attention from leading people to Christ – Level 1 Discipleship – to helping them begin their new walk in Christ productively, we must keep these marks of maturity in mind, in order to impart them to the new disciples.

While it is true that every church and leader may place different levels of importance on different characteristics of a Christian, the goal of this post is to get you thinking about your own discipleship teachings, and to help you form a plan for your own church or ministry. What are the first steps we must lead new believers in, to get them started toward maturity?

I said in a previous post that one of the best ways to help a new believer start their walk in Christ is to lead them in some topical-based teachings, which is what I want to look at today. I call this Level 2 Discipleship.

These topical teachings will hit specific points of orthodox theology and practical Christian life, in order to help new believers gain a Christian worldview and begin to live in a manner worthy of the call on their lives (see Ephesians 4:1).

I want to share 9 topical-based discipleship themes to get you started in the process of developing new believers in their Christian walk toward maturity. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but is simply to set the example of things to be discussed to get new disciples moving in the Christian life.

Salvation and Repentance

The fundamental need for all people is to understand that salvation is a gift of God, given through faith and by grace. It is not dependent on good works. It is only dependent on the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. When we come to Him seeking forgiveness, it is always given! We must ensure that new believers are trusting in Christ alone, and not in their own ability to gain favor with God.

Repentance, then, is the process of turning aside from our own striving and away from everything which offends the Lord, and coming into our new identity in Him. It is a changing of mindsets wherein we begin to understand Jesus’ way of life and godliness as opposed to our old way of living, and then allowing our actions to come into alignment with His reality.

Hearing God’s Voice and Prayer

New believers must be taught that God is not far away or that He ignores His people. Salvation is entering into renewed relationship with God, and He wants to have personal, intimate encounters with us as His children. Therefore, early on in the Christian life, believers must learn to pray to Him for guidance and to hear Him when He speaks. We must learn that God is not angry with us when we fail, but He will lead us every day of our life, as we are conformed to His image, if we simply draw close to Him in prayer, listen and obey.

Bible Study

New believers must also be taught to value the Word of God — to read it, study it, and live by it. It is not a rule book to earn God’s favor, but a love letter to us revealing the destiny and favor He has already given to us in Christ. It must become the basis of our faith-walk, as the only source of reliable truth as God’s revelation to man. (We will discuss this topic more in our next post.)

Worship

New believers must learn to worship the Lord with their lives, as well as in church services and songs. The Bible says that the Lord is enthroned on the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3), which means there is a greater spiritual reality that comes into our lives, releasing the power of God, when we humble ourselves to worship Him. The whole of the Christian life should be worship.

Church Involvement – Becoming a Part of the Body of Christ

New believers must be taught the importance of the body of Christ and their role within the community of faith. They must not only be taught that church attendance is important, but must understand why they should be connected as part of the community of faith. This includes helping them understand the need to serve and love other believers in unity, as God empowers them.

Baptism and Communion

New believers must learn to walk in obedience to the Lord’s commands. The first of which is to be baptized as a public testimony and prophetic declaration that they have died with Christ and risen to new life in Him.

They must also learn the value of the Lord’s supper; what it means to come before the Lord with a clear conscience, and to realize our place in His story, somewhere between the first establishment of the passover meal and the future marriage supper of the Lamb.

Baptism in the Holy Spirit

Just as Paul asked the Ephesian church, “have you received the Holy Spirit,” we must also ensure that new believers are empowered by the Holy Spirit to walk in power and holiness. Without the baptism of the Holy Spirit, people will not be able to live a victorious Christian life. Of course, different parts of the body of Christ hold different beliefs about this baptism. Nevertheless, it must not be overlooked in our discipleship.

Spiritual Warfare and Deliverance

We must ensure new believers also understand that there is an enemy who hates them and wants to drag them back to every sinful way they have left behind. Some of them will need deliverance as they enter the Christian life, but more than that, all believers must be equipped to live a lifestyle of victory spiritual warfare, ensuring the enemy will never be able to win them back or hold them down.

The Kingdom of God

As people grow in the Lord, we must teach people how to live as ambassadors in the Kingdom of God, seeking to see revival and awakening come into this world. We must teach them to pray that the Kingdom will come “on earth as it is in heaven;” to know what the Kingdom looks like, and how to live as representatives of that Kingdom in their communities.

We must show them their role in reaching others with the gospel early on, so that it will become a natural part of their Christian walk, throughout their lives.

In conclusion, please realize that this is just a general list of new discipleship topics to get you started. I am sure there are plenty of great pre-written curriculums available online or in Christian book shops near you that can help you go further in this area, but at least now you are thinking about the marks of a mature believer, and beginning to see what it will take to lead people there.

In our next post we will discuss Level 3 Discipleship, in which we help people to begin maturing themselves through personal bible study and prayer.

Photo by Timothy Meinberg on Unsplash

January 28 2019

Leadership: The 3-12-72 Principle

A. Scott Ingram Gospel Leadership, Practical Ministry Discipleship, Jesus & The Gospel, leadership, mentoring, ministry 3

I love leadership. I love growing as a leader. I love raising up other leaders around me. I have attended conferences on leadership, taken online courses in leadership, and read many books, by some of the greatest leadership authors of our time and from the past. However, one of the greatest leadership lessons I have learned, actually came to me when I was reading the Bible. I was taking note of how Jesus organized those He led around Himself, and found this very helpful principle for my own leadership, and I believe, as it does come from the greatest leader in (and out) of history, it is relevant for anyone in leadership to understand.

Jesus Loved and Served Everyone

The first thing we must understand about Jesus is that He loved everyone He came in contact with, ministered with compassion to all, and demonstrated grace to everyone, even the ones everyone else loathed. It is His nature to love, and his desire to save everyone. However, as He walked the earth in a human body, Jesus seemingly realized that His physical limitations would prevent Him from giving equal time to everyone. Equal grace, love, and dignity for all? Yes. Equal face time? No.

When Jesus called His disciples, He called 12 men to drop everything and come follow Him. These 12 had a unique leadership connection to Jesus as He commissioned them for ministry (Matthew 10:1-15). These 12 men were there for it all, and they received special times with the Lord behind closed doors, when Jesus would go deeper in His teachings about the Kingdom of God.

However, among the twelve, Jesus held an even closer relationship with three men, who have been dubbed the inner circle, made up of Peter, James (or Jacob) and John. Jesus allowed these three men to walk with him in some of the most intimate and personal times of His life and ministry, such as when He met with Moses and Elijah on the mountaintop, called the ‘transfiguration’ (Matthew 17:1-8), or in the Garden of Gethsemane as He called out to God in prayer the night before His crucifixion (Matthew 26:36-38). The rest of the 12 apostles just did not get this same access to Jesus.

Beyond just the 12, we also know that Jesus had more disciples who were with Him regularly, and heard His teachings often, because He later sends out 72 people to do ministry themselves in the towns He would soon be going to (Luke 10:1-12). These 72 must have been following Him for a while and learned the basics of ministry from Him in order for Him to be willing to send them out like this. Still, though, these did not get the same relationship or access to Jesus as the 12, or the 3.

More than this, we also know that beyond these 72, Jesus was followed by multitudes of people hearing His teaching and becoming His disciples. There were so many in this crowd that at one point He had to get in a boat and push away from shore a bit to be able to teach them all (Matthew 13:1-9). We also know that this number of people ran into the thousands, because even the disciples began to be concerned for the crowd’s well-being, asking Jesus to send them away so they could find food (Matthew 14:13-15).

Lesson for Leadership: “The 3-12-72 Principle”

It is clear that while He was on earth, Jesus had a great ministry that reached thousands of people, in a day when technology, internet, and great sound systems hadn’t even been thought up yet. Nevertheless, despite His love for every one of them, Jesus devoted Himself first and foremost to the 3, to the 12, and the 72, because they would be the next generation of leaders when He moved on.

There is an important lesson demonstrated by Jesus’ disciple-making, that every leader must come to terms with, and that is you cannot – and should not – make an attempt to mentor and develop every person who comes to you one-on-one. You do not have the time, energy, or even the ability to do so.

For any organization to grow and thrive, the senior leader must identify a few key leaders whom he can train and raise up well, and then send them out to train and mentor more in the same way. Just like Jesus, every leader should have a very small group of people who have full access to them, to learn and be equipped at the highest level. This group will go beyond just being mentors/mentees, to having a very intimate friendship built on the sharing of life together. For Jesus this number was three; for many other great leaders, it is often only one or two at a time.

After the commitment to pour fully into this small group, each leader should have another group around them (the 12) who are high-level leaders within the organization, and are therefore getting regular, ongoing, personal development, that is not intended for everyone in the organization. These men and women may not have full access to the leader’s life like the inner circle does, but they should have a high level of understanding as to how the organization functions and be given some authority within the organization to lead various teams, projects, or divisions.

Next, a great leader will still find ways to train and equip the next tier of leadership (the 72), to ensure success in their work, as well as giving regularly communicating vision, values and mission to the multitudes who make up the organization as a whole. These people may not have private meetings with the top leader very often, but he should at least know their names, what they are good at, and be building them up along the way.

Finally, though the leader will be making his biggest investments into the 3, the 12, and the 72, it must remain a priority for him or her to regularly be casting the vision, demonstrating the values, and clarifying the mission priorities of the organization to the ‘multitudes’ who work for the organization or have a stake in its success. Though the leader will not have the time or energy to be training these people one-on-one — which is the job of the 3, 12, and 72 — he or she should still see a personal need to invest in them as a group when time and resources allow.

If a leader will develop this tiered structure of leadership development, and determine his or her personal level of investment in each group, the equipping given to each will be immensely greater than if the leader tried to treat everyone the same and give them equal time and training.

The hard reality is that as leaders to go higher, the numbers get smaller. You cannot expect the multitudes to function at the same level as the inner circle, nor will they all have the same giftings and drive as those making up ‘the 12.’ You have to identify the right people to invest in at each level of leadership around you.

A Note for Growing Leaders

While this principle definitely sounds unfair to someone wanting to grow in leadership, who may be one of the 72 or even just a face in the crowds, it is, nevertheless, true and necessary. What every person serving under a leader must come to terms with is that not everyone gets a seat at the front of the table. Demanding or usurping authority that is not given to you undermines the leadership you are trying to learn from. Submission means that we are willing to step up when called upon, and to step back otherwise.

Learning to grow as a leader takes time and effort, not only on your part, but on those that will mentor you. We must either submit and step back sometimes, or find another leader to follow who will train us.

If you’re enjoying the content I produce, a little caffeine to keep me going would be appreciated!

3 Keys for True Kingdom Promotion

A. Scott Ingram Gospel Leadership, Leadership Character Church, competition, Gospel, Kingdom of God, leadership, ministry, promotion 0

Recently, I was discussing the idea of Kingdom ” promotion ” and advancing in ministry life with a fellow missionary and friend. We were discussing all the great things we see God doing in our ministries, and dreaming of the ” more ” we are believing will come. As we discussed where God was taking us, though, we also began sharing how we see God using other people around us, who seem to be a little farther on the journey than we are. These are people we look up to as examples, and who we aspire to emulate in certain ways. However, the dark side of comparison soon came into play in the conversation as well. After doing a little heart-check, it became clear that there are obstacles in our own hearts that keep us from the ” promotions ” in ministry and God’s Kingdom which he wants to move us into. Before we can get our promotions, we must first deal with our hearts concerning two chronic problems in the body of Christ today: criticism and jealousy.

Two Hinderances to Kingdom Promotion

The first heart problem – criticism – creeps in when we judge someone who ministers differently than we think they should be doing it, or we devalue their ministry because it does not measure up to our standards and preferences. These criticisms may be because their ministry isn’t doing as well as our own, and therefore we think they haven’t figured out what we have, or it may be because their ministry is thriving and growing, and as ours is not doing as well, so we assume they must not really be as faithful to the gospel as we are, and are simply entertaining people in order to draw a crowd.

The second heart-problem – jealousy – comes into play when someone has something we don’t or has achieved a level of success which we think we deserve more than they do. This could be invitations to speak at prestigious events, or public recognition they receive from the community, media, or internet traffic. It could be as little as them raising their support for their small mission field assignment quicker than we do. Jealousy can hit us at all levels of ministry, large or small.

Not only are these problems destructive to our own ministry and what God wants to do through us; they are detrimental to the mission of God in the world. When these two problems rise in our hearts, they reveal a judgmental spirit at work in us, which seeks to break unity in the universal body of Christ, thereby hindering the fulfillment of God’s gospel commission.

Identifying Jealousy and Criticism

Jealousy and criticisms among ministers are not new things. Just look at the disciples. They were constantly arguing about which one is greater (Luke 22:24; Matthew 18:1) and seeking an opportunity to sit at Jesus’ side when the Kingdom is fully come (Mark 10:37), while also trying to hold down those who were not one of the group (Mark 9:38-40). These were issues then, just as they are now, and they were issues that Jesus immediately sought to correct in them.

Secondly, we must all admit that this isn’t just an “out there” problem. The truth is we all deal with these tendencies on occasion.

I recently had lunch with my senior pastor, a church planter, his associate pastor, and seminary student. In the course of conversation there was name-dropping of ministers we associate with (or would like to). There was some talk of church sizes, number of salvations, and programs — you know, all the normal minister-to-minister conversation stuff. I am not downplaying that it was an enjoyable lunch.

However, if I am honest about encounters like these, it is sometimes too easy for me to walk away looking at the good things God is doing in someone else’s life and ministry and be overcome with a jealous desire for Him to do it for me; even ignoring the things He is doing in my own life already. Now, that isn’t my heart 99% of the time. The truth is, most of the time I don’t even think to look for self-promotion. I want people to see Jesus, not me. Yet there are times when I am feeling like things aren’t going the way they are supposed to, or at least as good as they could be, and the jealousy bug creeps in.

Three Keys for True Kingdom Promotion

As I began to pray about this issue and ask God how we should protect our hearts from jealousy in the Kingdom of God, He gave me a few key things that are vital to not only preventing criticism and jealousy from taking root, but are vital for us in receiving the legitimate promotions in our ministries which the Lord wants us to receive.

1. Intimacy

John 15:4 — Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
English Standard Version

If we really want to fulfill the destiny that God has created us for (Ephesians 2:10), we won’t find it by looking at what other ministers are doing and how God is using them. Instead, we must look only to God and see what He wants to do in us. It is in intimacy with Him that we find out who we are and what we are called to do. (Check out this video I did on “the heart of intimacy.”)

2. Faithfulness

Luke 16:10 — “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.”
Luke 12:48 — “…Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.”
English Standard Version

Once we have been in the secret place with the Lord and received our individual assignments from the Holy Spirit, the key to receiving more opportunities, and bigger, bolder assignments, is that we first be faithful in what He has called us to today. It is great to dream about the future and to ask God to give you big visions for where He is taking you. However, we cannot pursue the visions of the future so much, that we neglect to act on His directions for today.

Our faithfulness today builds a trust in us in the Kingdom of God, demonstrating that we can be trusted with more!

3. Honor

Matthew 10:41 — The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.
English Standard Version

It is a well-established principle in scripture that shows when you honor what God is doing in another, it opens up a supernatural pathway for Him to do the same for you. I believe one of the primary reasons our enemy stirs us up to jealousy and criticism in our hearts is because he knows that dishonor will block us from receiving that blessing for ourselves.

To me, this fact is the most interesting reality concerning jealousy! We get jealous because we want what they have, yet the Bible teaches that the way God intends us to receive what they have is by first honoring that God is doing it with them! Jealousy and criticism are the Devil’s sinful alternative to God’s calling on us to show honor, created to block us from receiving an impartation of what they have. Romans 12:10 actually teaches us that if we want a competition in the Kingdom of God it is to “outdo one another in showing honor.”

I believe it is time for the church to seek unity, be faithful in our own callings, and to grow in honoring God’s hand on others. It is time to be building one another up and reaching out in fellowship, rather than criticizing and giving into jealousy which tears down and only looks inward.

It is time for each of us to fight these judgmental spirits in ourselves. It is time for us to seek intimacy with the Lord, be faithful in whatever He calls us to do, and to honor His work in others. Then we can celebrate together as He promotes each of us upward in His timing, for the sake of the Kingdom of God.

(This post was originally published July 27, 2015. It has been revised and edited for reposting.)

Photo by Jake Hills on Unsplash

Tag: leadership

Jump to:

Part 1: What Does “Submission” Mean?

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The most common word for “submit” is ὑποτάσσω (hypotassō).

We First Submit to God

There is a Submission within Families

We Submit to Governmental Authority

We Submit to the Church

Mutual Submission Between Fellow Believers:

Submission to Our Predecessors/Forerunners in Christ:

Mutual Submission Between Fellow Ministers:

Submission to “Elders:”

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There is another word in the Bible that some translators use as “submit.” It is the Greek word εἴκω (eikō) or ὑπείκω (hypeikō).

Who are these leaders?

The only other biblical example of this word for “yielding” or “submission” is in Galatians 2:4-5 wherein Paul recounts his first public visit to Jerusalem:

There is one other Greek word for which English translations use the word “Submit”: δογματίζω (dogmatizō).2

The only example of this word in scripture is found in Colossians 2:20-21:

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Let’s Get Practical

1. Does the person hold to and teach true biblical doctrine?

2. Does this person’s reputation as a Christian, their faithfulness to Jesus, and their maturity as a disciple make them credible as a mentor in the faith?

3. Does this person have delegated authority from God within the church that I am biblically mandated to submit to (hypotassō)?

And just as importantly, has the local body of Christ been persuaded (hypeikō) that this person carries the gifts and callings of God, which grants them the reputation to be a church leader?

In Conclusion

We should never submit to “one person” as our sole spiritual authority. That is dangerous!

Christians Must Seek Out Quality Mentors from within the Body of Christ

We must determine which church leaders God has ordained us to follow.

Footnotes:

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Disclaimer

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Statement: “Christians Must Submit to Their Pastor.”

But first…

I would like to hear from you.

Please let me know in the comments.

This is Part 7 of the Biblical Leadership Series. Click here to go to Part 1.

Capability Qualification 1: Holds to the Word of God (Titus 1:9)

Capability Qualification 2: Holds the Mystery of Faith with a Clear Conscience (1 Timothy 3:9)

Capability Qualification 3: Sets the Example (1 Peter 5:3)

Capability Qualification 4: Exercises Oversight (1 Peter 5:2)

Capability Qualification 5: Not Domineering Over the Flock (1 Peter 5:3)

Capability Qualification 6: Able or “Apt” to teach (1 Timothy 3:2)

Capability Qualification 7: Able to instruct in doctrine (Titus 1:9)

Capability Qualification 8: Able to rebuke unfaithful believers (Titus 1:9)

Capability Qualification 9: Hospitable (1 Timothy 3:2, Titus 1:8)

In Summary

Let’s Connect

This is Part 6 of the Biblical Leadership Series. Click here to go to Part 1.

Qualification 1: Desires the Role of Overseer (1 Timothy 3:1)

Your Desire Determines Your Passion.

Qualification 2: Not Under Compulsion, but Willing (1 Peter 5:2)

Fear of Being Out Front

My Journey Into Evangelism

Qualification 3: Not Leading For Personal Gain (1 Peter 5:2)

Qualification 4: Identifies as God’s Steward of the Whole Church (Titus 1:7)

“You love my pastor. Why don’t you love me?”

In Summary

Let’s Connect

Declaring Spiritual Independence

God Appoints Leaders

Am I Called by God?

Am I Called By The Church?

Self-Appointed Leaders

Let’s Look at Leadership

Let’s Connect

Step 1: Creating a Life Plan

Step 2: Setting and Achieving Annual Goals

Step 3: Managing Your Time

Step 4: Focusing on What Matters Most

Why I Recommend This Productivity System

Let’s Connect

Salvation and Repentance

Hearing God’s Voice and Prayer

Bible Study

Worship

Church Involvement – Becoming a Part of the Body of Christ

Baptism and Communion

Baptism in the Holy Spirit

There is one other Greek word for which English translations use the word “Submit”: δογματίζω (dogmatizō).²