Qualities of Leadership
By Jim Durkin
Deacon, Leader and Elder usually refer to the same function in the church. In many cases, these offices have not been fully understood and not been allowed to operate adequately, causing the church to be weak. This is a crucial part of the ministry designed to equip the saints to minister, and it is Jesus’ Body ministering to itself in love, to spread to the world the good news. Every part of the Body has to be involved in the function of expressing the life of Christ. God wants His Body to speak one message, one Lord, one mind, one baptism. The Body of Christ has to be organized as the human Body is organized to demonstrate this truth, with Christ as the head. The whole Body must respond to the command of the head in unity. If something is wrong with the Body, it cannot do what the head wants, and it becomes disconnected.
When we search the Word of God and allow the various functions to respond naturally, it becomes efficient and can be effectively led by God to accomplish His will in this world. In 1 Timothy 1: 1-. Paul tells Timothy to set certain things in order because there were men who derailed the church’s purpose. There is always pressure working on God’s church to cause division, usually by men who refuse to accept God’s order of things. There is a divine order for things on the earth, and the Lord wishes to teach something through the Body; to fulfill this mission, the church has to avoid this division. Christ our Lord and Saviour lives in us, and through us, the Body becomes diseased when we are cut off from the life in us or when it is infected. Paul asks Timothy to teach no other doctrine and not allow himself to be deterred by prophecy and genealogy.
We are encouraged to strive to be good servants of God if we are called to be a bishop/elder. 1 Timothy 3:1-7, describes how a person in this office should conduct himself, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, hospitable, able to teach, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle. Not quarrelsome, not covetous, one who rules his house well, having his children in submission with all reverence, not a novice, lest he become up with pride, and fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
There is an order of authority ordained by God in the church, and 1 Timothy 3:8, talks about the Deacon’s qualities. This office is vital as it relieves some of the pressure from the church elders. They are servants, not to be double-tongued, given too much wine, greedy for money, but holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscious for those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus”. Deacons are servants and will do what has to be done in the physical and the spiritual to make the body function. The Deacon should be allowed to make his own decisions and a specific allowance granted for mistakes. Once his heart is right, he will learn by experience how to do the work of God. Experience is the best teacher, and the church will learn how to live together, learn together, suffer together, grow together and rejoice together. Deacons need to do their jobs efficiently to free up the other offices so that they may do their jobs well, which is to equip the saints for the ministry’s work.
We are encouraged to strive to be good servants of God if we are called to be a bishop/elder. 1 Timothy 3:1-7, describes how a person in this office should conduct himself, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, hospitable, able to teach, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle. Not quarrelsome, not covetous, one who rules his house well, having his children in submission with all reverence, not a novice, lest he become up with pride, and fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
There is an order of authority ordained by God in the church, and 1 Timothy 3:8, talks about the Deacon’s qualities. This office is vital as it relieves some of the pressure from the church elders. They are servants, not to be double-tongued, given too much wine, greedy for money, but holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscious for those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus”. Deacons are servants and will do what has to be done in the physical and the spiritual to make the body function. The Deacon should be allowed to make his own decisions and a specific allowance granted for mistakes. Once his heart is right, he will learn by experience how to do the work of God. Experience is the best teacher, and the church will learn how to live together, learn together, suffer together, grow together and rejoice together. Deacons need to do their jobs efficiently to free up the other offices so that they may do their jobs well, which is to equip the saints for the ministry’s work.
