Dr. D's Devotional
Title: Discipleship 27
by Dennis Reschke
When God calls a team to work together, this has been termed
a Presbyterian government. This constitutes a team of leaders who discern
His voice together. We see this team leadership modeled many times in both
the Old and New Testament. Moses and Aaron and Miriam worked together as
a team in Exodus. Acts 16:4 speak of apostles and leaders, in the plural.
In 1 Pet 5:1, the plural term elders is used again. In Titus 1:5, Paul exhorts
Titus to appoint elders in every town; Paul and Barnabas appointed elders
in every church (Acts 14:23) and worked with them as an eldership team.
The down side of this method is if a team of elders cannot come to a unanimous
decision, the final result could be that no decision is made.
When God speaks through His people in the local church, this is termed a
congregational government. In Acts 15, James listened to the people in the
congregation at Jerusalem before he and his team made a final decision.
In Acts 6:1-7, the people chose seven men. Leaders must value their people!
Problem with this method is that when you take a vote, someone nearly always
loses. The healthy biblical pattern for church government and decision-making
is theocracy - God speaking through chosen leaders HE has appointed. However,
leaders need to recognize that the people of God they are leading are also
hearing from the Lord.
How do leaders and teams work together to make biblical decisions. First,
acknowledge the Lord. Second, guard your hearts from selfishness. James
3:13-17 - "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his
good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. Third,
avoid the rule of the negative: one nay, negates all the yahs. A leader
must make/discern a decision.
Spiritual fathers provide an outside court of appeal. The primary leader
often finds his greatest emotional need is affirmation from the team members.
Assistant cell leaders need to affirm the call on their cell leader's life
(1Thes 5:12-13). A wife needs to affirm the call of God on her husband's
life (Eph 5:33). Those who serve on the team often find their greatest emotional
need is for the primary leader to give them relationship and communication.
Wise leaders will be proactive in "sharing their hearts" with their team.
This provides an atmosphere of trust, relationship, openness and security
(1Pet 5:1-3).
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