AV 14
Leadership
“Trustworthy
is the word: If a man longs for the position of an overseer, he desires a good
work.” (1Tim
3:1)
This begins a new series, one
that examines closely the first seven verses of 1Timothy 3, verses that provide
for us the qualifications necessary for those in a leadership position. I have been too guilty (in the past) of
accepting someone as a leader or teacher, merely because they said they
were. As I studied these verses, clarity
was almost immediate. I pray this series
bless you as well.
A ‘catch phrase’ in most of our
modern religious circles is that ‘the Holy Spirit is my leader and teacher; I
do not need anyone else’, a statement that is in direct contradiction to what
Scripture tells us. It is of interest
that even in the time of the Apostle Paul, overseers and elders where a vital
and critical part of any given assembly or congregation, and that to aspire to
such a position was a good
thing. Depending on the translation you
are reading, the word that is used in our opening verse can be bishop,
overseer, elder, shepherd, superintendent, or congregational leader; all these
titles imply a role of leadership over a group of people.
This concept is nothing new;
Jethro, the father-in-law to Moses, recommended to Moses that he appoint just
such leaders: rulers over thousands, over hundreds, over fifties, and over tens
(see Ex 18:21-22). Many of the
qualifications for leadership listed in 1Tim 3 are similar to those found in Ex
18:20, which is most likely the foundation Paul used as he was writing these
instructions to Timothy. Good leadership
is critical; however, it seems as if there is a dearth (scarcity, lack of) of
qualified, anointed and appointed leadership available today.
Just because someone can speak,
read and write Hebrew does not automatically make them leadership
material. Just because someone’s father
was a Rabbi does not mean the son should be the same. Just because someone excels at public
speaking, and can successfully motivate a crowd, does not mean they are then
qualified to stand behind a podium. An
individual with all these qualifications I have mentioned might be someone to consider in a leadership position;
however, there are still further attributes needed before an appointment can be
made.
Stay tuned for further
installments!
©2021
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