[Biblemat] A>Leading By Example

[Jeff S. Smith]

Leading By Example
By Jeff S. Smith

Jesus Christ set the standard for authority and leadership in becoming  
the Chief Shepherd of his flock – what we usually call the church.
The Holy Spirit says that he “loved the church and gave himself up for  
her,” even though he was her head and master (see Ephesians 5:25,  
1:22). Authority, especially in the home and the church of Christ, is  
not a matter of selfish ambition, self-promotion or self-service, but  
one of selflessness and service to others. So many generations of men  
abused their scriptural headship in the home so that they could  
domineer their wives and intimidate their children, but a closer  
reading of the text reveals a much more emotional attachment. Headship  
was not to be about power, but about promoting the spiritual and  
physical welfare of those in one’s charge. Husbands were admonished to  
love and cherish their wives, to nurture and admonish their children,  
being careful not to alienate their affections or provoke them to  
wrath (see Ephesians 5:22-6:4).
The same principle holds true as it concerns the oversight of local  
congregations. Men are appointed as pastors of the flock according to  
the wisdom of the Holy Spirit so that they might shepherd the  
congregation, “not domineering over those in your charge, but being  
examples to the flock” (First Peter 5:3).
Clinton Hamilton comments upon the verse: “Elders in the discharge of  
their duties in relation to the brethren are not to be autocratic or  
‘bossy.’ There could well be the tendency of elders to want to  
dominate or control with ‘an iron hand’” (Truth Commentaries: First  
Peter, 294).
In his seminal work on the office, Scriptural Elders and Deacons, H.E.  
Phillips wrote, “A shepherd sets the example for the sheep to follow.  
He goes before them and leads rather than drives” (193). He references  
the words of Jesus in John 10:4: “When he has brought out all his own,  
he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his  
voice.” Phillips continues, “The elders are not to be ‘lords’ in their  
rule, as a dictator or pope” and later writes, “The most effective way  
of leading people is to be an example to them. That was the course  
that Christ and his apostles took. Example has a powerful drawing  
element” (194).
Surely the same is true in the home, especially when parents are heard  
to command one of their children while personally exhibiting the  
opposite behavior. A parent who counsels against smoking, drinking,  
gossiping, laziness and anything else will find his teaching severely  
muted if he should practice those very things himself. Children,  
though in subjection, are too smart to be fooled for very long by  
parents who do not practice what they preach. Hypocrisy is the white  
noise that drowns out the pious sounds of an insincere teacher.
Fathers who rule the roost with an iron fist sometimes are rewarded  
with compliance, but later discover that it is only temporary and far  
from genuine. When their charges gain enough maturity or independence  
to rebel, their rebellion is thorough and dramatic. That is why the  
New Testament solemnly warns “Fathers, do not provoke your children,  
lest they become discouraged.” When discipline is arbitrary, self- 
serving or vindictive, a child is discouraged by an apparent lack of  
paternal love and reason.
Lording it over the flock at home is no more effective than lording  
oneself over a local church. The apostle John rebuked one Diotrephes  
who loved to have preeminence among the church, and so refused the  
authority of the apostles with malicious words and a refusal to accept  
anyone who might prove to be a rival for power (see Third John 9-11).
The qualities enumerated twice by Paul in his discussion of the  
eldership are not only minimum requirements for the job, but they are  
prominent areas in which officeholders must already be examples to  
others. As preacher, Timothy had a leadership role in the church at  
Ephesus, especially before bishops were ordained. Paul told him to  
“set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in  
faith, in purity” (First Timothy 4:12). Titus, also charged with  
appointing elders on Crete, was reminded to “Show yourself in all  
respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show  
integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned” (2:7-8).
Christians occasionally find themselves in other positions of  
authority as well – in the military, on the job, in school clubs or  
organizations like the football team and band. The principles of  
leadership embodied in First Peter 5 and John 10 are equally useful  
outside the home and church as well. Leadership that is dictatorial or  
appears to exist for the sole purpose of consolidating power will only  
produce shallow and temporary loyalty. Even slave masters were told to  
“stop your threatening” (Ephesians 6:9) and to treat those in  
subjection “justly and fairly” (Colossians 4:1). If such was true of  
first century slaves and masters, how much more should it be true of  
twenty-first century heads and subjects in whatever their setting?
Fathers, elders, governors and supervisors must all seek to exercise  
their authority as good stewards of that blessing from God (see Romans  
13:1). God intends for leaders to promote the well-being of the led,  
not their own ambition, pride or sensation of power. It is very wise  
to consult the led rather than to rely on the false notion that  
perfect maturity and insight rest only in the few. Just as King  
Rehoboam could have averted division and disaster in Israel by heeding  
the sage advice of his counselors, so today’s leaders are well-served  
by hearing out the thoughts, ideas and concerns of the people they  
lead – their children, the congregation, the team.
Leadership succeeds when it engenders trust, cooperative  
participation  and loyalty. As Phillips suggested, people are more  
likely to follow if they feel they are being led rather than driven.

Jeff S. Smith
Jeff Smith is the preacher for the Woodmont church of Christ and  
publisher of ElectronicGospel and its weekly podcast. Jeff is also the  
Program Director and Head Coach of Burleson Youth Association Buddy  
Ball. The contents of this email are personal and private. Please do  
not forward this communication, in whole or in part, to anyone without  
my express consent.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20080811/c1707d03/attachment-0001.html