LEADERSHIPS

A talk given by Bishop Jim Leftwich at the Anglican gathering in Perth in October '03

Christians are called to share in the task of the Church.

There are many different roles we play in our ministry of the Church and the motion of Shared Leadership becomes a vital key in the whole process.

Shared Leadership gives a basis for a powerful ministry in the Church if power is used in the right way. Jesus called his disciples to follow him, they were people of different backgrounds. They (except one) followed him faithfully, this became a team ministry that began the early church. Among these disciples were many skills and strengths, also many weaknesses by some of the leading disciples. Jesus was able to identify the gifts of the spirit in each disciple as he called them to Himself. Some of these gifts we read in Galantians 5:22. Love, humility, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control the power of God’s love in these gifts which we all share as Christians in our community.

Like the disciples we to carry heavy burdens. The Lumko Shared Ministry Program speaks about carrying burden. It says “Following Christ is wonderful, but it can also be like a burden”. The lifestyle which Christ expects of all Christians is often highly demanding and we experience it like a burden, however, Christ calls the Church leaders to carry this burden side by side with all members of the Church. We are strengthened by the words in Matthew 11:28-29 “Come to me all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads and I will give you rest. Take my yoke and put it on you and learn from me, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light”.
Jesus taught his disciples how to find out whether the Holy Spirit is at work or discerning God’s will for them. In 1 John 4:1-3 John gives us a role of discerning the spirit but it is not easy, because even such false prophets will profess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. John also gives us a guide for discernment in 1 John 4:16, he says, “... anyone who lives in love lives in God, for God is love”. It is clear that John does not mean which is called “love” by people. He means true love not just any love. True love can be recognised by unselfishness. Any insincere love is selfish seeks it’s own advantage. True love is humble, while untrue love shows off, wants to be seen and wants to be heard.

AUTHORITY. Jesus himself spoke with authority, this means he respected others and approached each situation with great love and care even when he challenged the puffed up pride of the pharises. Leaders must have authority in working together with other brothers and sisters but this authority is not to be abused. “Serve your brethren as I have served you”. We see a foreman on a job site, with some workers under him and he probably had a master over him. How does he behave when he deals with his workers? And how does he behave when he deals with his master? The important thing is how does his master make sure that he will respect his authority? How does he himself make sure that the workers respect him? How we deal with these questions helps us to understand what God requires of us in our Authoritative Leadership role. The disciples who became the apostles had to learn this kind of authority to exercise their ministry to the Jews as well as the Gentiles. God wants us to work with him and not for him as we do a company boss.

Ghandi was a man who had great authority over his people. His authority was that similar to Christ. He earned the respect of his people by simple practical leadership whilst, he was a great leader, he was a humble man who showed great love and care for his people in a community sense, not in a dominating way. Many leaders in our society today can take a leaf out of this kind of leadership. However, many leaders today want to dominate others thus causing great trouble and confusion. I find this unfortunate but challenging when we as leaders seek to put everything in its perspective’s.