Tag: ministry

SUBMISSION-1

Follow the Leader: What Does “Submission” Mean?

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Jump to:
“Follow the Leader” Series Intro

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.

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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.

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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).

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.

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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.”

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© Anthony Scott Ingram 2023. All Rights Reserved.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Please note that I do get a small kickback from Amazon for any purchases made using the links on this post. Should you choose to purchase from them, I just want to say thank you for further supporting my work in ministry!

Follow-Intro

Follow The Leader – Series Intro

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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.

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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!



© Anthony Scott Ingram 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Please note that I do get a small kickback from Amazon for any purchases made using the links on this post. Should you choose to purchase from them, I just want to say thank you for further supporting my work in ministry!

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Orthopraxy: Welcoming Visitors

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Many of the topics we will discuss in this series have strong biblical foundations. For example, practices such as corporate prayer, intercession, and fellowship all have theological roots in scripture, which regulate how we participate in them. However, other things we will look at are things most churches practice, yet the biblical links are minimal. That isn’t to say they are unbiblical or not good, only that they are often more culturally-based than scripturally. Despite this fact, I want to go deep into everything we do as a church and see how the Bible does imply we should view those activities.

One of these practices, which we will look at today, seems to be a regular part of church life everywhere in the world I have been privileged to visit and ministry. That is our practice of welcoming guests.

Current Trends

How we welcome guests varies from one culture to another. For example, in America, many churches have a designated area to meet with guests, either before or after services. Some give first-time visitors gifts, such as coffee cups with the church name, a bag of candies, or some other small trinket, as well as ask the guests to fill out some form of information card. In addition, volunteers are usually available at the entry or in various places around the church to answer any questions guests may have or to simply greet them and make them feel welcomed.

While most churches in the U.S. will take a moment in the service to welcome visitors, they are usually asked to meet with someone in the designated guest area after the service, rather than having any pressure put on them to move or speak at that moment.

This is very different from what I have seen in East Africa, where I live and work as a missionary. Instead, in Uganda and Kenya, time is made in the service to welcome guests, who are usually asked to stand and receive some kind of personal greeting from the whole church.

In fact, in most small to medium-sized churches, visitors are usually asked to speak, telling the church who they are, where they come from, if they are born-again, where they usually “pray from,” and what brought them to the service that day. Giving the visitors this opportunity to speak is a culturally appropriate way to honor them and show that the church values them.

In the U.S., asking first-time visitors to speak would be quite awkward for them, making them feel put on the spot. Most guests would rather not have everyone’s attention put on them. However, an informal request to fill out an informational card would make guests in East Africa feel undervalued. That culture takes pride in giving time to people, whether personally or in group settings. 

The point is that while every culture is different, churches everywhere want to make guests feel welcomed.

What Does the Bible Say?

While the Bible does not have anything specific to say about how we greet guests in our services, it does have a lot to say about hospitality and welcoming outsiders.

The Church is Commanded to Show Hospitality

The Lexham Bible Dictionary defines hospitality as “the generous and gracious treatment of guests.” (1) This is why the author of Hebrews commands the church:

“Let brotherly love continue [which deals with biblical fellowship]. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” 

Hebrews 13:1–2 (emphasis mine)

In the same way, Paul explains what the culture of the church ought to be in the book of Romans:

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” 

Romans 12:9–13 (emphasis mine)

In many places in scripture, it is clear that, though we are members of the local church fellowship and care for one another, we should also be conscious of how we treat strangers (or we might say, “newcomers”), as we welcome them with grace and hospitality.

Church Leaders are Commanded to Value Outsiders

If it is not enough that the church is commanded to show hospitality, the Apostle Paul also, very clearly, instructs church leadership to value and show hospitality to outsiders. He writes to Timothy, the pastor at Ephesus:

“Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach… Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.” 

1 Timothy 3:3,7 (emphasis mine)

And again, he writes to Titus, the Pastor at Crete:

“For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.” 

Titus 1:7–8 (emphasis mine)

Even in the way a church service runs, especially the use of spiritual gifts, Paul wants to make sure we are aware of the impact it has on visitors:

“If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all…” 

1 Corinthians 14:23–24 (emphasis mine)

We will come back to this passage in a minute.

Let’s Get Practical

It is clear from all of this that when the church meets together, it should pay attention to guests and make sure they feel welcomed and valued. The question is, in light of all the reasons the church gathers, how should we treat guests, and is there a limit?

Again, the cultural background of the church will have a lot to say about specifics. However, I think there are some general guidelines we can use to ensure our guests are valued appropriately.

1. Jesus Must Be the Focus

While we want to make guests feel at home among us, the truth is that non-believers should see Jesus exalted in prayer and worship, hear the gospel preached, and be confronted with their need for salvation. Unfortunately, many churches have moved too far into the “seeker-sensitive” realm and refuse to talk about sin, the cross, or God’s judgment, because those topics might make people uncomfortable.

When we come into the church, we must always keep in mind that Jesus is the focus; not the visitors. Though we are happy to have them and should go out of our way to welcome them, the service is not about them or even for them. In the same way, it is not about us, people’s comfort, meeting needs, or anything else. It is about Jesus. It is for Him.

When too much emphasis is on visitors and their comfort, the church becomes another social club rather than a house of God. However, when Jesus is the focus, we will see the lost get saved. We will see the church grow. We will see lives changed. And so much more.

2. Visitors Are Guests of Jesus

Although we should not center our service around visitors and their needs or comfort, we also must make sure we view them in light of God’s grace and mission. We must have a healthy respect for God’s sovereignty and the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives, and understand that He is ultimately the one who brought them into our services. They are His guests first; ours second.

As such, our attitudes toward visitors should be guided by the realization that Jesus has big plans for them, and the Holy Spirit should guide our actions toward them. This is what Paul was talking about when he wrote to the Corinthian church:

“But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.” 

1 Corinthians 14:24–25

This means that, while we may have great volunteers to greet guests, welcome gifts for them to take home, or special time in the service for them to introduce themselves, our ultimate goal should be to be the hands, feet, and mouth of Jesus toward them. The best care we can offer to guests is that they would have an encounter with Jesus.

It’s All About Jesus. Seek Him and Follow His Lead.

I would highly encourage you to pray and ask the Holy Spirit how your church can better welcome guests prophetically. In other words, ask Him how He would welcome guests if He were leading the service, then do that. After all, it is His church, and the service is for Him. They are His guests, and we are His servants. 

As I am fond of saying, the goal of everything in the Christian life is “listen to God, and do what He says.” Greeting visitors is no different. We will do well, therefore, if we can keep our focus on Jesus and follow His leading toward His guests.

Let’s Connect

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Endnotes

1 Douglas K. Wilson, “Hospitality,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).

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© Anthony Scott Ingram 2021. All Rights Reserved.

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

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Family Qualifications

The Family Qualifications for Leadership

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This is Part 8 of the Biblical Leadership Series. Click here to go to Part 1.

So far we have discussed the spiritual, calling, and capability qualifications for Christian leadership, which all deal with the person’s outward life. However, in this post, and the next two, we will turn our attention inward, at the personal life and character of the leader.

Today, as we focus on the family life of the leader, we will touch on some issues that are controversial to modern thought. As people have gone through the “sexual liberation” of the 1960’s, and global media pushes the boundaries of what is acceptable further and further from biblical standards, it becomes difficult to speak truth in the darkness. However, as Christian leaders, we must understand and believe that culture-driven and/or self-determined morality do not take precedent over biblical commands. God’s Word is the standard for life and godliness, and as we will see, there are reasons behind every command God has given to our sexuality and family life.

Every person has a right to their own opinion, and every person has autonomy over what they do with their bodies. They can believe and practice whatever they want. However, if you desire to be a mature Christian and serve as a leader in the body of Christ, you must submit yourself to the Word of God, and live by its standards. Though you might see it as hate speech or “intolerant,” the Bible is clear about these things. Any compromise in the areas we discuss in this post are disqualifying for ministry.

Family Qualification 1: Must Have a Biblical Marriage (1 Timothy 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6)

Near the beginning of Paul’s list of qualifications for church oversight to Timothy, he makes a statement that has been controversial to almost every culture that has read his words:

“Therefore an overseer must be… the husband of one wife.”

1 Timothy 3:2

The number of questions this one statement brings up in every leadership training I hold is incredible. It is also justifiable. In one statement, Paul seems to cut out many people from leadership, including women, unmarried men, homosexuals, divorcees and those in polygamist cultures.

The truth is, however, that there is some nuance in who can lead in the Body of Christ which must take Paul’s words into consideration through the light of other scriptural commands. We will deal with each of these five groups shortly, but first, let’s look at the heart of what Paul commanded here.

“A One Woman Man”

The phrase “husband of one wife” literally means “a man of one woman.” This means that before a man can be the caretaker of the Bride of Christ (the church), he must first be fully committed to his own wife. How he loves and serves his own bride will demonstrate his care for the church.

Not only does a husband’s care for his wife give credibility to his capability to lead the church, but how he loves his bride is also a picture of how Christ loves the church, as a living testimony to those around them. We should see this leadership qualification as a need to be exemplary in how we fulfill Paul’s call on all husbands:

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Ephesians 5:25-33

The Christian leader must be fully committed in his marriage and love for his wife. He should want to be with her even more than he wants to be ministering or enjoying other hobbies. This will protect his testimony in front of others, and ensure he is mentally committed to her alone.

When this level of commitment is kept, there will be no wandering eyes. There will be no temptation to lust for others or desire slipping into his heart to walk away. This ability to withstand temptation will not just deter you from other women, but will give a built-in desire to guard your eyes from temptation-inducing materials in the culture. This includes an aversion to pornography and even a careful attitude for what movies you watch or music you listen to.

This is the essence of biblical marriage. You must be fully committed to your spouse with the same love and care Christ has for the church, or else you will not demonstrate Him to His bride in your ministry.

What About Singles?

If the call and the qualification must include a biblical marriage, then what happens to singles? Well, again, we must take other passages of scripture into account if we are going to get a clear answer. Fortunately, Paul has a lot to say about singleness, and much of it is very favorable toward singles in ministry. After all, Paul himself was a single man in the ministry.

To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am. But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

1 Corinthians 7:8-9

In this verse, he expresses that singleness is more desirable than marriage for Christian service, so long as you can keep your physical passions in check. He goes on a few verses later to explain that this is because singles are able to give their full attention to the things of God, while married people’s cares are split between the things of God and their family affairs.

I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.

1 Corinthians 7:32-35

With this in mind, I do not find any place in scripture that disqualifies an unmarried person from serving in Christian leadership. However, they must remain pure in their sexuality in order to be qualified. Lust, fornication, pornography addictions, and the like are disqualifying factors. If they cannot control themselves, they should seek a spouse and be settled into marriage before pursuing any leadership role in the ministry.

What About Women?

Another question that arises is that if an overseer must “be husband of one wife,” then what about women in leadership, whether single or married?

This has been a major point of disagreement among biblical scholars all throughout history. Certain scriptures seem to say that women cannot have any leadership in the church, while another seems to be saying the complete opposite.

Though this brief post is not the place to look at each of those scriptures in depth, let me simply point out a few biblical truths which must guide us.

Man is Head of the Home

No matter where you land on women in public ministry, it cannot be denied that the man is the head of the household. Even if you allow for women in ministry, in the home, she must be submitted to her husband’s leadership in life and family affairs (Genesis 3:16, Ephesians 5:23).

As a side note, I would argue that this does not give him the right to usurp her authority given by the body of Christ. If she meets the biblical qualifications to lead the church and he does not, then her leadership stands among the greater body of Christ, even as he must grow in maturity to be recognized.

God Has Raised Up Women Leadership in Every Other Area of Creation.

Moving beyond leadership in the home, God has appointed godly women in every other area of senior leadership, both inside the family of God and in the secular world. Just a brief overview of scripture will show:

  • Female Judges — Deborah (Judges 4-5)
  • Female Prophets — Miriam (Exodus 15:20), Deborah (Judges 4:4), Abigail (1 Samuel 25:3), Huldah (2 Kings 22:14), the unnamed wife of Isaiah (Isaiah 8:3), Anna (Luke 2:36), and Philip’s four daughters (Acts 21:9). (Based on Joel’s prophecy in Joel 2:28-29, we should expect more female prophets as Jesus’ return approaches.)
  • Female Governmental Rulers — The Queen of Sheba (2 Chronicles 9:1-9), Queen Esther of Persia, who delivered the Jews because of her position (Book of Esther), Queen Candace of Ethiopia (Acts 8:27)
  • Other Powerful Women Who Guided Governmental Leaders — Sarah, the mother of Israel (Genesis 17:15-16), Huldah (2 Kings 22:14).
  • Jesus’ own companions in ministry — Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna and others (Luke 8:2-3) as well as others like Mary and Martha (John 11:5).
  • Female Apostles, Evangelists, and other church leaders — Priscilla (Acts 18:2 and Romans 16:3), Phoebe (Romans 16:1), Mary (Romans 16:6), Junia (Romans 16:7), Euodia and Syntyche (Philippians 4:2)

Many more names could be added to this list of women in leadership positions throughout scripture, but again, that is a longer study for another time and place. Suffice it to say that Paul, the other Apostles, Jesus, and God Himself have all affirmed female leadership in the church. It is very difficult, then, to use their words in minor verses to disqualify women from service.

I do not believe the exclusion of women should even be attempted. After all Peter quotes the prophecy from Joel on Pentecost that we are now in the epoch where God’s Spirit is being poured out on all flesh – men and women – for God’s service (Acts 2:16-18). Then Paul goes out of his way to show that within the church, men and women are of equal standing, just as jews and gentiles have been made equal in the eyes of God.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:28

What About Divorcees

This question may be the most difficult to answer, as believers in every generation have openly held differing opinions. For instance, among the early church fathers, Pope Innocent I and St. Augustine both taught that being divorced and remarried was 100% disqualifying for ordination. Jerome, translator of the Latin Vulgate, however, believed that if your divorce happened before you were saved, then the grace of God covered you, and you could still qualify for leadership.1

I, personally, agree with Jerome. I do not believe that any sin, including that of divorce, which was committed before your life is transformed through the grace of God in salvation, can be held against you after your salvation. If it could, then no one would qualify for leadership according to the biblical qualifications (Romans 3:23-24).

Cases of Adultery

The 100% disqualifying stance is also difficult to hold as the Bible gives two scenarios where divorce was tolerated among God’s people. The first was in the giving of the Law, where Moses allowed for divorce by those whose spouse had committed adultery (Deuteronomy 24:1-4). (I do understand that Jesus contradicted the heart behind this allowance, yet He echos this same legal command in Matthew 19:9.)

Please do not hear me saying I support divorce. For the Christian, we shouldn’t be quick to throw away our spouse when they sin. Even in the matter of adultery, according to Jesus words in Matthew 19:3-9, forgiveness and reconciliation are more desirable than divorce, as this shows the heart of God.

Unequally Yoked Divorces

For the believer, however, Paul makes one other allowance for divorce (though he specifically says it is a matter of practicality, and not a prophetic command). If an unbeliever divorces a believer due to their faith, then the believer should let them go.

To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him… But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace.

1 Corinthians 7:12-13, 15

This is the situation I have faced in our ministry, in the area of divorce, more than any other. My wife was married prior to us knowing one another. However, shortly after their daughter was born, God miraculously worked in my wife’s life and she was saved, sanctified, and changed. Within a week, her unbelieving husband chose to leave. After seeking reconciliation for some time, she finally had to let him go. When we met a couple of years later, it was clear that she had received a fresh start by the grace of God, and I do not believe we are living in sin in our marriage.

The same story is true of my spiritual father, who shortly into his ministry career had his wife reject the faith and him, and walked away. Thankfully, through the support of other ministers around him, he was encouraged to follow the Lord, and the fruit in his life has since touched millions around the world through salvation and a healing gift.

Just recently, I met with another female pastor in our ministry whose Muslim husband has decided he can no longer tolerate her Christian faith, and has sent her away. Though I have encouraged her to take time away from ministry as she is still seeking reconciliation, and trying to put her home in order, I do not believe his choice to leave disqualifies her from serving in the church.

What About Homosexuals?

This, again, is another area where the cultural prerogative is being used to justify an overthrow of scriptural truth. However, as we survey the relevant passages of scripture, homosexuality is always called a sin, and is therefore disqualifying for church leadership. (See Leviticus 18:22, 1 Corinthians 6:9, 1 Timothy 1:8-11, Romans 1:26-28.)

Does this mean that homosexuals cannot be saved? Absolutely not. And I wholeheartedly support churches and leaders to be welcoming of those who struggle with homosexuality, gender dysphoria, and other abnormal sexual desires, and to press them toward Jesus Christ with love, compassion, and the power of the Holy Spirit. However, someone who sees their sin as an identity does not demonstrate the biblical lifestyle necessary to be a leader over God’s people (i.e. “I am a homosexual” versus “I struggle with same-sex desires.”)

What About Polygamist Cultures?

From God’s plan in the beginning we see that God designed marriage to be between one man and one woman. Even before humanity entered into sin, God declared:

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

Genesis 2:24

Once again, throughout the ages, human culture has indulged personal passions and preference, leading to polygamy and even a system of unmarried concubines to be acceptable in many times and places. This, however, is not the case in a biblical marriage, which is the qualifier for Christian leadership.

At the end of the discussion, we must remember that our marriages are to be examples to others, and pointing to a bigger reality, which is Christ and His Bride, the church.

Family Qualification 2: No accusation of debauchery (Titus 1:6)

Coming back to the other family qualifications for leadership, the second qualification goes hand in hand with the first. If you are going to be committed to a biblical marriage, there cannot be a public reputation of “debauchery.”

Historically, the word debauchery has meant “extreme indulgence in sensuality,”2 though in modern usages it means “excessive indulgence in sex, alcohol, or drugs.”3 Both of these definitions are appropriate here.

This goes back to living one way in church, but another way in your personal life. This disconnect cannot happen in the life of a leader. Not only are you to be committed to a biblical marriage, but there cannot be a hint of sexual promiscuity or a “partying” lifestyle in your public reputation.

This issue also plays into many of the heretical cults that have arisen in many cultures throughout history, which, while claiming to be Christian, idolize their leaders and require participation in public orgies and other sexual perversities. In the end, this is a doorway for the demonic to enter into the group and actually lead them away from Christ.

As Christians, and especially as leaders, our lives should be marked by purity!

Family Qualification 3: Manages the Home Well and With Dignity (1 Timothy 3:4)

The word Paul uses for “manage” literally means “to exercise a position of leadership, rule, direct, be at the head (of), to have an interest in, show concern for, care for, give aid.”4

Although it does carry the general idea that you are an overseer of your family, I believe that more specifically it means you are mindful of the daily goings-on of your family.

All too often, I see ministers happily sacrificing their family on the altar of the ministry. They are willing to spend the majority of they daily activities caring for the needs of God’s flock, only to come home with nothing left to give of themselves to their spouse and children.

It seems that if your calling is apostolic or evangelistic in nature, the expectation is that you should sacrifice weeks or even months at a time, traveling to various cities and nations, equipping the people of God, while abandoning your spouse to lead your family all alone.

Do not be deceived. This is sin!

Before God will allow you to lead His family, He first requires you to give the best of yourself to your own family. This is a holy calling. In fact, when Paul uses the word, “dignity,” it is synonymous with the word “holiness.”

If you do not set yourself apart (holy) for the work of managing your home, you will never prove holy enough to be an overseer to God’s people.

The word “dignity” is also synonymous with the word “majestic.” It implies that when you step up to the task of loving and leading your family well, it gives you an air of majesty in how you are recognized as a leader in the church.

Family Qualification 4: Disciplined Children (1 Timothy 3:4, 12)

Paul says that one requirement for Christian leadership is that a person must “keep his children submissive” and “manage their children.” Once again, the personal life qualifications mirror your public duties as a minister. As we have already discussed, one of the capability qualifications of the leader is the ability to rebuke and correct wayward believers. However, the Bible says that before you can help bring discipline to God’s family, you must demonstrate a competency and ability to discipline your own family, first.

The root word for “discipline” is “disciple.” This qualification, therefore, does not mean that a leader learns to beat their children into submission, just as you do not beat the church into submission. Rather, this means that a leader must patiently raise their children according to the gospel and the Word of God. This takes grace and a whole lot of humility. Yet, again, this is training for dealing with the people of God, who also, often, act like irresponsible children in their obedience to Christ.

This qualification goes hand-in-hand with the next.

Family Qualification 5: Children are Believers (Titus 1:6)

It seems like a difficult qualification to put the salvation of another person onto the leader, in order for them to lead the church. However, I am not exactly sure it is that simple. Obviously once your children reach maturity and begin taking responsibility for their own lives, they will come to the place of choosing to follow Christ or walk away from Him. At that point, I don’t think their personal decision affects your calling and qualification for service.

However, when your children are young and living in your care, they should demonstrate in their own lives the fact that you are discipling them into Christ behind the scenes. The way they act in public will directly correlate to how they are raised in the home.

By way of example, if your children are allowed to run around undisciplined, using fowl language, watching inappropriate movies on TV, and spend their time with openly sinful friends, this is a direct reflection on your ability to raise them as believers. On the other hand, if your children are respectful to people, kind and loving in their words, and happy to pray for people, sing worship songs, or talk about Jesus, it is a sign that you are a good spiritual father or mother, as well as just being a good parent.

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 22:6

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

The question of whether or not your children are (and will remain) believers, is dependent, in many ways, on how you raise them.

In Summary

The Bible talks about the Christian community as a family. We are the Bride of Christ, and the Children of God. The reason the Lord requires so much of us in our roles as spouse and parent, is because how we do in our own home, will reflect on how much we are truly bearing the image of God as Father and Bridegroom. Not only will this demonstrate our capability of being spiritual guardians within the church, but it will also be a living testimony (or obvious challenge) to the truth of the Word we preach.

Let’s Connect

In the next post we will look at the “emotional qualifications” for biblical leadership. As we will see, the way your mind works internally will directly affect your ability to lead. 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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1 “Oceanus, a Roman nobleman zealous for the faith, had asked Jerome to back him in a protest against Carterius a Spanish bishop who contrary to the apostolic rule that a bishop is to be “the husband of one wife” had married a second time. Jerome refuses to take the line suggested on the ground that Carterius’s first marriage having preceded his baptism cannot be taken into account. He therefore advises Oceanus to let the matter drop. The date of the letter is 397 A.D.” (Quoted from Jerome, “The Letters of St. Jerome,” in *St. Jerome: Letters and Select Works*, ed. Philip Schaff and Henry Wace, trans. W. H. Fremantle, G. Lewis, and W. G. Martley, vol. 6, A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, Second Series (New York: Christian Literature Company, 1893), 141.)

2 Inc Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. (Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003).

3 Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson, eds., Concise Oxford English Dictionary (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004).

4 William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 870.

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

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Leadership: The 3-12-72 Principle

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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). 

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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.

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© Anthony Scott Ingram 2019. All Rights Reserved.

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

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(This post was originally published March 3, 2011. It has been revised and edited for reposting.)

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3 Keys for True Kingdom Promotion

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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

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