We look to leaders for answers, help, guidance, support. We turn to them for encouragement, strength, a model example. We admire them for their steadfastness, courage, discipline. Leaders rise to the top in many areas of life. We see them in the political arena, business world, education system. We watch them on TV, listen to them on the radio, view them on social media. Then one day we wake up, turn on the news, become devastated when scandal hits. Our favorite politician, movie star, athlete, CEO is not who we thought. We begin to question. We modeled parts of our life around people we thought were leaders. But what did we admire about them? Their success? Wealth? Status? Fame? Good looks? What were they leading us too? What responsibility did they place on their leadership status?
Ever hear someone say, “I don’t go to Church anymore because of all the scandals and immoral behavior from leaders.” How heart-breaking is it to hear someone turn away from God because of immoral leadership in the Church? We admire leaders in the secular world, then become devastated to find they are fallen, sinful beings. When a prominent Church or Church leader comes under scandal, some begin to question their beliefs. What were they leading us too? Did they only seek their own glory, fame, leadership status? Did they understand their responsibility as leaders? Did we admire the leader more than whom the leader was preaching about? Have we blended secular leadership qualities into biblical leadership expectations? Do we place leadership of man above God?
Why do I mix secular leadership and biblical leadership? Do the leaders you admire seek to exalt themselves? Do they have your interest in mind? If a Church or Church leader fall under scandal, whose glory where they interested in? Their own or God’s? Do we have a leadership problem, morality problem, responsibility problem? Yes. Exalting oneself and admiring those who exalt themselves is not leadership. When your interests are placed above all else, you are only leading yourself. Admiring this is not following leadership. This is most important in terms of Church leadership.
“As an overseer of God’s household, he must be blameless: not arrogant, not hot-tempered, not an excessive drinker, not a bully, not greedy for money, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy, self-controlled, holding to the faithful message as taught, so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching and to refute those who contradict it” (Titus 1:7-9). Blameless, innocent of wrongdoing. We so often hear of leaders committing wrongful acts, yet sweep it under the rug or kick the can down the road. Maybe we even say, “its for the better good of society.” Jesus says, “Be on your guard. If your brother sins, rebuke him” (Luke 17:3). Do we exalt leaders to such a status and admiration we fail to rebuke them? Do we hold them in such high regard we ignore sin until it is to late?
Jesus said, “The greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matt. 23:11-12). Our Lord Jesus Christ, leader of the True Church, came and humbled himself to all. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Jesus lead by humbling himself. “Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matt. 26:39). He came to do God’s will. He did not place His own needs or wants above God’s. He did not exalt Himself into a position of leadership at the expense of morality, God’s will.
“Remember your leaders who have spoken God’s Word to you. As you carefully observe the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith” (Heb. 13:7). Observe the lives of leaders, imitate their faith. Do we tend to do the opposite? Imitating the lives of leaders, not really seeking or caring what they believe.
I pose a number of questions. But should we not do the same of our leaders? “Holding to the faithful message as taught, so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching and to refute those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9). Is this not leadership? Does this not sum up what leadership is? Hold to the faithful message. This means learning, loving, understanding God’s Word. Spending your day in God’s Word, sharing his Word and Truth. This will enable us to encourage others with sound, Biblical doctrine. Refuting those who speak falsehood. That is leadership. Humbling oneself, serving others, loving the Lord Jesus Christ, His Word, His Truth. We as Christians, children of God the Father, are all leaders of Truth. We serve our Lord Jesus Christ, leader of the True Church.
“Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the Truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me'” (John 14:6). “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8). Our Lord Jesus Christ is Truth. He is never changing. He is our model leader. He is leader of the True Church. As we look to leaders, our standard is Lord Jesus Christ. No one is perfect. No one is righteous. Jesus Christ is both. We certainly can look upon leaders, but admiring the traits in others that we don’t find in our Lord Jesus Christ is a dangerous path. A path toward eternal damnation. Observe their lives, imitate their faith. Knowledge of that faith in God-breathed scripture is our defense against admiration of an exalted leader instead of the creator of all.
Jason Pauley
