Theology & Leadership

Leadership Track At Camp In Spain

This summer while I was in Spain I was meeting with a group of young men & women in their late teens & 20's. The potential in that room was undeniable. They have a huge desire to be used by God & to be a part of a fresh movement in the church & through the church. However, they are running into obstacles. Many of them come from churches that don't have a lot in the way resources, but the most troubling obstacle many of them face is connected to the theological grid in many of their churches. When we were talking about the concept of godly leadership in ministry they shared a common sentiment found in their churches:"We don't need leadership, God does miracles."

While I understand that we don't want to exercise leadership in the same way or with the same values that we often see in the business world, we also don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water. Just because leadership isn't exercised in some arenas in a way that honors God doesn't mean that God's people should abandon it hoping that God will just magically accomplish His plan while we sit around & sing songs.

So I shared with this group of young potential leaders example after example of God using leaders to accomplish His purposes. I pointed them to people like Noah, Abraham, Gideon, Nehemiah, David, & Jesus' disciples as clear pictures of God using godly men & women to partner with Him in advancing His Kingdom & expanding His glory. Then to answer the whole question of why do we need leadership when God does miracles, I shared with them this important truth about the connection between the power of God & the leadership of God's people:

"The Bible Is Packed With God Using Leaders To Advance His Kingdom.

In Fact, That's Part Of The Miracle"

The miraculous power of God & the leadership skills of His people aren't mutually exclusive concepts. Throughout history God has been reaching out to us seeking to have a relationship with us. It's a relationship that saves us, but it's also a relationship that invites us into a partnership with God. As we follow God, He invites us to advance the Gospel & to expand His Kingdom to the ends of the earth. However, He doesn't just snap His fingers & make it happen. Instead, He empowers His people to be witnesses. He invites us to demonstrate the power of the Gospel through our lives & to share the Gospel with others when we have the opportunity. It's only by the miraculous power of God that such a diverse, dysfunctional group as the church could continue to be a force in the world.

Our theology must have a place for godly leadership. A theological system that leaves no room for God to use us not only isn't founded upon Scripture, it's just lazy.