Questions for Church Leaders (1)
“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and a servant to be like his master.” Matthew 10.24, 25
Disciples all
All who have come to believe in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins must regard themselves as disciples of the Lord. We are disciples, every one of us who believes. The challenge we face each day is not whether as believers we will be disciples; rather, the question is: What kind of disciples will we be?
Faithful and fruitful? Or fearful and feckless? Loving and life-giving? Or indifferent and unconcerned? Caring and compassionate, or cold and complacent? Will we be like our Master? Or like we choose to be? What kind of disciple are you, and what account of your discipleship will you give to the Lord, on that day when He calls for a reckoning of our works?
This is a serious question, perhaps the most serious question you will face any given day. The Scriptures are emphatic that, as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, we must not be content with the status quo, with merely coasting through life with a minimum of trouble or inconvenience, a free ticket to heaven tucked safely in our Bibles. Somewhere.
Disciples are called to grow in the Lord (2 Pet. 3.18); to seek the Kingdom and righteousness of God (Matt. 6.33); to be witnesses for Christ and make other disciples (Acts 1.8; Matt. 28.18-20); to abide in Jesus Christ and bear much fruit for Him (Jn. 15.1-6); to love one another as Christ has loved us (Jn. 13.1-15); and to take up such works of ministry as will build up the local church of our Lord (Eph. 4.11, 12). This is what it means to be a disciple, and since we are disciples—believers in Jesus Christ—it may be time to get busy about becoming what we’ve been called to be.
Not in this alone
Disciples do not undertake this calling alone. We are part of a community of other disciples, and we can be of much help to one another in fulfilling our calling (Gal. 6.1-10; Heb. 10.24).
But in a very real sense, as our Lord Jesus explained, the quality of our discipleship will be shaped by the quality of those who lead us by their understanding of, commitment to, and practice of the life of faith as taught by the apostles. Jesus said that no disciple will rise above the level of his or her teachers. If our leaders are disciples—or if we as church leaders are disciples—and if they understand and are committed to building a community of disciples, then we may expect, increasingly, to realize more of the promise and power that come with following Jesus into the Kingdom of God.
It is our duty as disciples to pray for and encourage those who lead us to lead us as well as they can. One way we can do this is by urging them to reflect on key matters concerning the church they are called to lead—matters such as we have been considering in this study of “The Church”—so that they and we may join together with clear understanding and firm conviction concerning the work we’ve been given to do.
The first question
So, in this final installment of our study, we’ll be considering seven questions to ask the leaders of our local churches, questions that can help them be more the leaders God has called them to be, so that we can be more the disciples He desires. And the first question is foundational: Who are we? We need to make sure the leaders of our churches have a clear sense of who we are as believers in Jesus Christ, and of what it means to believe the Gospel and to become one who bears the name disciple.
We should not hesitate to ask leaders in our church, “Who are we?” A thoughtful leader will seek more clarity: “What do you mean?” Here’s an opportunity to share what you have been learning about discipleship and the church. Be a bit more specific: “Who are we as followers of Jesus Christ? And who are we as a congregation, this church, this group of friends? Who are we?”
You’ll want to listen carefully. The answer a thoughtful leader will give may include one or more of these: We are the salt of the earth and light of the world (Matt. 5.13-16). We are the holy City of the Lord, the joy of our community and the beauty of the earth (Ps. 48.1-3). We are a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, called to declare His excellencies to the world (1 Pet. 2.9; Acts 1.8). We are the Body of Christ and members of Him and one another (1 Cor. 12.7-11). We are the Temple of the Lord, being built by the Spirit of God as a community growing strong in love (Eph. 2.19-22; Eph. 4.11-16). We are the sign and outpost of the Kingdom of God, committed to turning our world rightside-up for Jesus Christ (Acts 17.1-9). We are the Lord’s workers, His holy army, His pilgrim travelers, His witnesses and disciples (1 Cor. 3.5-9; Eph. 6.10-20; Heb. 12.1, 2; Acts 1.8; Matt. 28.18-20). We are the mercy-born people of the living God (1 Pet. 2.10).Thank your church leader for any of these answers, and give thanks to God for leaders like this. Pray for your church leaders, that you may grow together increasingly into the image and mission of the church which Jesus has appointed for us.
For reflection or discussion
1. What is the duty of church members toward the leaders of their church? How often do you pray for your church leaders?
2. What is the duty of church leaders toward the members of the church? Where should they be seeking to lead your church?
3. At this time, as best you can tell, how is the question, “Who are we?”, being answered in your church?
Next steps—Demonstration: Make a list of all the leaders in your church you can think of off the top of your head. Begin praying daily for your church’s leaders. As you have opportunity, seek prayer requests from them, and tell them that you pray for them.
T. M. Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
A good supplement to this ongoing study on the Church is our free PDF book, Pray for Your Church. Download your copy from The Ailbe Bookstore by clicking here. Also, we encourage you to visit our ReThinking Church page, where you’ll see a variety of free resources to help you church.
This week: Our Read Moore podcast begins a new series of readings from our book, The Joy and Rejoicing of My Heart. In our Crosfigell teaching letter, we will finish our study of the state of pastors and churches during the period of the Celtic Revival. And in our daily Scriptorium column we are studying the Gospel of Matthew. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
And please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe with your prayers and gifts. You can contribute online, via PayPal or Anedot, or by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.
