Volume 11 Post/Email 6 – Lukewarm Leadership
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 and Hebrews 13:17 instruct churches to hold their leaders in highest regard, respecting and obeying them. Leadership is vital to the life, health, and successfulness of the church of our Lord. Jesus spent 3 years training 12 men for kingdom leadership. Paul's letters to churches often include instructions regarding what qualities to look for in spiritual leaders, and what priorities by which spiritual leaders should focus. With all of this in consideration, some people called to serve and function as leaders fail to operate God's way. They may be people of character and good motives, but they neglect to grow and adapt to God's will regarding their role in the flock.
Therefore, some churches suffer from lukewarm leadership. Lukewarm leaders have at best a vague clue as to what the church is to be, but even less any sense of how to move people in the intended direction. Lukewarm leaders do not have a plan, do not have any pretense of implementation, and lack an undergirding philosophy. As examples, an elder might concentrate on the specific tasks of deacons, rather than the expanded role and responsibility of shepherds, or a minister might choose to do tasks that others could do and neglect his specific role of teaching and equipping. The congregation suffers because the leaders are not developing and maximizing the potential of the whole.
What are some consequences of vacuous, lukewarm leadership?
-Followers grow more cynical and discouraged by the day (low morale)
-Wasted energy / wasted time / wasted resources / wasted talent
-The church's potential goes unrealized
Can you think of any other consequences?
Reflection: For those in church leadership, accept the challenge to lead intentionally with a shared vision and strategy. Do not be directionless, passive, complacent, or lazy. Do not be lacking in prayer nor priorities. Be diligent to lead the members, nurture and equip the members, to promote and build upon the positives in the culture, and love them enough to lead change regarding any negatives embedded in your specific congregation's culture.
-Brian
