Great Leaders or Great Talkers? (Part 2)

If you haven’t read the first part on this subject of leadership, please read that first because there are four parts to this topic and to miss the first part would give a lopsided view of what a great leader is rather than a great talker.

We have seen too many people grab our attention by what they say rather than by what they do. Whether it’s a politician or a pastor, it’s so easy to be taken in by fancy words, when behind the scenes they are doing things that are in conflict with their words. I don’t believe many of these leaders start out this way, but often, they drift towards saying one thing and doing another because of the pressures around them. I can’t tell you how many Christian leaders I have known through the years that started their ministry of leadership well only to crumble under the pressure and demands of their work. Just recently a young successful pastor in California committed suicide when the pressure got too overwhelming.

The first problem we examined in the last article was concerning man’s freedom to make unwise decisions even though God desires otherwise. Many a king in Israel violated God’s commands and paid a terrible price.  Israel, like the church, often has done the same thing in living with God’s commands in the scripture and yet closing their eyes and mind to double standards for convenience sake.  The church should have challenged the pastor or Christian leader regarding a double standard or double life, but did not because they loved the leaders speaking gift. When are we going to learn that character is more important than a silver tongue?

I spoke about how the wrong understanding of the sovereignty of God corrupts good judgement in the church, thinking that whatever happens in the church is God’s will when it’s never God’s will for us to live contrary to His word. If Satan can’t keep us out of the kingdom of God, he will persuade doctrines of deceptive spirit to corrupt the church.

1 Timothy 4:1 

But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons.

Now I would like to address the second problem regarding the poor quality of Christian Leaders that produce leaders that talk better than they walk. The root cause of the problem is poor or non-existent mentors. Jesus gives his disciples one major command after the resurrection, to go and make disciples of all nations.

Matthew 28:18-20 

Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Every time the church forgets what Jesus told those first disciples the church gets messed up. We end up capitalizing on great speakers, super worship, wonderful children’s ministry, etc. All these ministry gifts are helpful in a church, but the one most important thing is discipleship.

Let’s think, take a moment and look at the most important ministry leader in the church, which is the lead pastor. When Jesus starts his ministry he calls people to “Follow” him. In other words, he called people to listen to what he says and see how he lives. Are his words backed up by his actions?  He didn’t ask people to come to a meeting once a week but to come 24/7 and see if he had the goods. How do we raise up pastors today?  We send them to a college or seminary to listen to professors expound on Christian concepts and doctrine. These students are taken out of real life places and taught knowledge without legs. Instead of pastors raising up new pastors we ship these hungry leaders off to a classroom without legs and feet. Most ministers today, when asked if college prepared them for being shepherds of Gods’ people, would say no.  They taught them to read Hebrew and Greek, not deal with flesh and blood issues of real people. Is it any wonder our churches are full of people who come to hear a message and then go home?

Today, pastors and church leaders are looking to the world to teach them business models of how to grow the church. What will get a crowd? What will double your congregation? Lights, camera and action. Instead of leaders mentoring young potential leaders we just look to get bigger and better.

Proverbs 22:6 

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

2 Timothy 3:16-17 

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

From raising kids to training people in the body of Christ we should be in the business of training through personal example. Let me say right here after 45 years in ministry that if the top leader or pastor is not mentoring people below them so those people can do the same, we don’t have a church as Jesus designed but a business that is religion.

Matthew 13:52 

Jesus said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old.” 

John 8:31-32 

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 

Great leaders are developed when great leaders invest in their lives like Jesus did. Classroom instruction only goes so far. We used to develop great craftsmen through being apprentices of a master. The master would teach the apprentice until they learned not only what to do but how to do it. They would never graduate unless they were able to copy the master abilities. Shouldn’t the church be built under the same model? Tell and show until they get it. Instead, we produce pastors that put more stock in what they know rather than who they know. Is it any wonder why God often is not the one blessing big growth because the reliance is not on Him but on man’s ability.

Anyone can be a good actor and put on a show but few can demonstrate the kind of heart God is looking for in a shepherd of God’s people. The prophet Jeremiah spoke of two kinds of shepherds. One that ruins God’s vineyard and one that tends to God’s people.

Jeremiah 12:10 

“Many shepherds have ruined My vineyard, They have trampled down My field; They have made My pleasant field a desolate wilderness.

Jeremiah 23:4 

“I will also raise up shepherds over them and they will tend them; and they will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the LORD.

Our job as the body of Christ is to pray for our leaders so that they might hear the voice of the Holy Spirit and once again see discipleship as the primary responsibility of a shepherd.

1 Timothy 2:1-4 

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

Questions:

1) Does your pastor see discipleship as his number one responsibility?  Pray for him.

2) Are you discipling or mentoring someone in you church?  Start today by talking to your pastor.

Loving the call of God to disciple all I meet.

Pastor Dale