Building a team without building an empire.

One of the strengths of my local church is the cooperative team leadership. I know a valid argument can be made for strong, one-man leadership. Some of my friends lead their churches this way. But an equally valid argument can be made, I think, for team concensus and collective leadership.

There is strong Biblical evidence supporting the position that the local church is to be led and directed by multiple elders operating as a plurality of leadership rather than by a singular pastor. In fact, while “pastor” is listed as a ministry gift [“pastor-teacher” actually] there is little scriptural support for the office of pastor as currently practiced.

These examples are included for your consideration:

• In Acts 14:23 we are told that “Paul and Barnabas appointed elders [plural] for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them [plural] to the Lord, in whom they [plural] had put their trust.” No mention here of a singular pastor.

• Titus 1:5 — Paul sent Titus to Crete to correct some problems and set up leadership. Paul writes “The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders [plural] in every town, as I directed you.” No mention of a singular pastor here.

• Although we make distinctions between these terms, it is apparent that presbyters (also translated “elders”) and bishops (also translated “overseers”) were used as synonymous terms — in other words, these words refer to the same individuals. In the passage cited above, Titus 1:5, the phrase “appoint elders” is followed (verse 7) by “for a bishop must be blameless.” The transitional “for” in the English connects the two and indicates that bishops are elders/elders are bishops. (Why would Paul inject qualifications for a group not being appointed by Titus?)

• Paul calls the “elders of the church” at Ephesus together for a final meeting in Acts 20:17. In verse 28 he addresses that same group as “overseers” (or bishops). It is therefore reasonable to apply passages that refer to bishops also to elders.

• The terms elder and pastor are not, however, interchangeable. “Elder” is used to denote an office [1st Corinthians 12:7-11] held by virtue of appointment or election, while “pastor” is a spiritual gift [Ephesians 4:11] of the Holy Spirit. It is possible to be given the pastor gift and not serve as an elder; conversely, it is possible to serve in the office of elder without having
the gift of pastor.

• There are only three New Testament passages in which the verb “to pastor” appears in reference to spiritual shepherding:
(1) John 21:16 — Jesus instructs Peter to “shepherd/pastor my sheep.” It is obvious from the context that Peter is not being appointed as a singular leader, but as one of twelve apostles in multiple leadership.
(2) Acts 20:28 — the Holy Spirit tells “the elders” of the church in Ephesus that they [plural] have been made overseers “among the flock to shepherd/pastor the church of God.”
(3) 1 Peter 5:2 — “the elders [plural] who are among you” are exhorted to “shepherd/pastor the floc of God which is among you, overseeing it.”

Each of these three references clearly point to plurality, or shared leadership in the function of shepherding/pastoring.
Though speculative, it may be inferred that the firstcentury leadership model for the local church was the familiar pattern of the Jewish Synagogue. In the Jewish tradition congregations were directed by multiple elders. Further scriptures indicate that there are to be multiple elders (overseers) in each local church:
• Acts 11:30 — elders at the church at Antioch
• Acts 14:23 — Paul and Barnabas appoint “elders in every church”
• Acts 15:2, 4, 5, 22, 23 and 16:4 — elders at the church in Jerusalem
• Acts 20:17, 28 — elders/bishops at the church of Ephesus (verse 17 — “elders of the church”)
• Acts 21:18 — elders at the church in Jerusalem
• Philippians 1:1 — the church at Philippi has bishops and deacons [both plural]
• 1 Timothy 5:17 — e l d e r s at the church of Ephesus
• Titus 1:5 — Titus is to appoint elders in every town
• James 5:14 — call for “the elders of the church”
• 1 Peter 5:1-2 — “the elders among you”

Given that understanding, it is my desire to build a strong leadership team, with shared vision, a common heart-motive, and a genuine sense of cooperative eldership. I try to surround myself as much as possible with people better, smarter, and more talented than I am, and have had some level of success in doing so.

And that leads to a dichotomy.

The building of an incredible ministry team is a step toward becoming the great local church we believe we are destined to be. Walking from the vision into the realization is a mine-field process. We have examples --some right in our city-- of churches that have done so with varying degrees of success. Some are admired and respected; others resented and distrusted.

We seek to be instruments for God's use in a great fellowship, but human nature and historical precedent teach us that more empires than ministries are built. Ego, greed, competition, ambition --- these are the enemies of God's purppose.

Lord, please keeep us out of Your way as You work Your will in us, and with us and through us. Help us to decrease so that You may increase.