Some reading this might initially ask, “What leaders, masked man?” to paraphrase the great TV warrior, Tonto. 

The scriptures make it super clear that God is into the expansion of the Church.  This expansion is not an issue that teachers have so often tried to spiritualize, making it something that is a matter that has no measurable components to it. As with all things in life and ministry, there are chasms at either extreme of the path we walk, of course.  No measures is a bit silly, but measuring everything is nearly akin to the behavior of the Pharisees.

As one new believer friend of mine put it in his simple way of viewing things, (you have to love the utter simplicity of a new believer!) “What if we just walked in the middle of the path instead of using extreme examples…”  Middle of the path - wow - what a concept! 

Secondly, it follows that this expansion happens through special people who have been touched by God, remarkable, profound, gifted leaders who are filled with both maturity as well as God’s Spirit (roughly what Paul describes in Titus and 1 Timothy regarding leaders). 

I recently sat through a two-day “retreat” (I call those the “R” word - there isn’t much about them that I can tolerate, much less like!).  The topic of this was “The Development of Elders.”  At the high point of the teaching the person in charge made the statement, after studying Paul’s numerous statements regarding elders, deacons, bishops, etc., “So you see, no matter what sort of leader you are, in Paul’s mind, all leadership roles are strictly a matter of character…”  Upon hearing this I looked up with the same look of a dog that realizes that he misheard what the trip to the vet was all about. What he thought was “You’re going to be tutored” was actually, “You’re going to be neutered.” I was shocked and amazed at the stupendous lack of biblical insight I was hearing. Further I was super disappointed at the attitude I heard being shared, that we don’t really need the power, the gifts, the presence of God’s Spirit to be effective leaders. 

Yet, it is apparent in my travels around the Church in the US especially, that this is the understanding of most lead pastors in our country.  My oh my, what a sad state of affairs we are living in.