Please note that this article is the second part of a three-part teaching series on Leadership within the Local Church given in Bermondsey Gospel Hall, the audio of which can be found here.
So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 1 Peter 5:1-4
We have all had various experiences and encounters with different types of leadership. A glance through this week’s news shows us a range of different kinds of leaders. Garth Southgate, ‘the nice-guy leader’, Theresa May, ‘the try and please everybody leader’, Vladimir Putin, ‘the eliminate anybody who disagrees with me leader’ and of course, Donald Trump, ‘the never know what he is going to say next leader’. But when it comes to the local church, when it comes to leading as set out in God’s Word, what is the manner of leadership?
We have turned to the final chapter of 1 Peter, an epistle written by the Apostle Peter to Christians who were scattered throughout Asia Minor (1 Peter 1:1). Perhaps a little like today in the secular West, these Christians were starting to feel increasingly marginalised and maligned by the communities in which lived. While Peter was writing prior to the first widespread persecution of Christians, the heat had been turned up. Things were tough for these believers and they were about to get tougher. Peter opens the letter with the well-known words ‘In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ.’ (1 Peter 1:6-7). Trials and testing was upon these Christians and Peter meets it head on, with suffering for Christ’s sake a key theme the whole way through the book. We come into the letter at the start of chapter five, when Peter is on the home straight giving the last exhortations for these Christians. The first of which is aimed at the elders in these local churches. ‘So I exhort the elders among you…shepherd the flock of God that is among you…’.
If last week we seen that leaders are needed to care for God’s church, this week we see that leaders provide that care by shepherding, shepherding like God’s Son. The Motive of Leadership – Leaders are needed to care for God’s church. The Manner of Leadership - Leaders care by shepherding like God’s Son.
Leaders care by shepherding
I’m not sure that any of the leaders we have seen on the front pages of the newspaper will go down in history as great leaders. Unless Gareth Southgate leads England to win the next World Cup, Theresa May manages to straighten out Brexit or Donald Trump changes drastically, I imagine that they will all be answers to tricky quiz questions in one hundred years’ time, rather than etched on the memory of the nation. If none of these individuals are likely to make it as great leaders, who would? Perhaps when you think of great leaders you think of Winston Churchill, almost single headedly carrying the hopes and burdens of the nation during the darkest days of World War Two. George Washington or Abraham Lincoln, both pivitol figures in the founding and flourishing of the America, leading the new nation through the war for independence and the civil war respectively. What about Alexander the Great or one of the Roman emperors, like Julius Caesar, who conquered and controlled vast territories? Perhaps you think of Martin Luther King Junior, championing civil rights in the USA or Martin Luther leading the Reformation in the 17th century. From a more dangerous perspective, Hitler, Stalin or Napoleon surely could all be described as effective, as well as wicked, leaders. Or what about controversial ones, like Mandela, Muhammad or Ghandi. There are so many that come to mind that it is hard to pick who might be the greatest.
When we look at leaders within the Bible, similarly it is hard to find the greatest from all those presented to us (unless of course you include Jesus). With Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Nehemiah and Ezra, there is no shortage of great leaders in the Old Testament, even if each of them were flawed. God used kings of kingdoms, priests in temples and prophets to nations in order to lead his people in the Old Testament. However, none of these models of leadership are carried over into the New Testament as the type of leadership required in the local church.
We have found that shepherding is the central idea in Paul’s model of church leadership in Acts 20. Therefore, it is unsurprising that we find it at the heart of Peter’s concept of church leadership in 1 Peter 5. Indeed, throughout the Bible if there is one picture that is used most often to describe the kind of leadership required in the local church, it is that of a shepherd. Being a leader in the local church is not like being king of a kingdom, or a priest in a temple or a prophet to a nation. Ultimately the church is led by a prophet, a priest and a king, but that leader is Jesus, not an elder. The manner of leadership required of overseers is that of a shepherd. Shepherd leadership is what is necessary in the local church.
Shepherding is what Peter exhorts the elders in these local churches to do, ‘So I exhort the elders among you…shepherd the flock of God…’(verse 2). We have seen that shepherding consists of two principle activities – protecting and providing. Sheep need to be protected from wolves and they need to be provided with food and water. Paul focuses on these two aspects of the role of a shepherd in the local church in two separate passages both related to Ephesus. To the Ephesian elders in Acts 20, Paul speaks about the need to protect the flock from wolves, false leaders coming into the flock or arising from among the flock teaching false doctrine (Acts 20:28-30). Elders need to protect the flock from danger. To the Ephesian congregation in Ephesians 4, Paul writes about the purpose of shepherds being ‘to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ…’(Ephesians 4:11-12). Elders need to provide the flock with what it needs to mature and develop as it ought.
All the duties that an elder performs fall into one of these two categories. Whether they are speaking to potential new members, teaching a Bible class, discipling a new Christian or leading through change in the local church, they are either protecting or providing, and often they will do both at once. Protecting and providing is shepherding. That is the work to which our leaders in the local church are called.
Thinking of shepherding in this dual way not only helps us summarise it, but also helps leaders to realise it. When facing a certain circumstance or challenge, these two aspects can be used as a filter in order to decide on the best course of action. Asking ‘How can we protect, guard and shield our members?’ and ‘How can best develop, cultivate and provide for our members?’ are the two questions that church leaders should ask themselves in every situation. When a decision requires godly discernment, leaders can use these two diagnostic questions in order to best lead the local church into the future.
Peter exhorts the elders to shepherd leadership. However, Peter doesn’t stop there, but instead presses on to exhort the elders to exercise oversight, that is oversee, watch or look diligently over, just like a shepherd would his flock, in a certain way. This leadership is more than a method, it has a certain manner about it. Peter not only says that the method of leadership matters, but the manner in which you lead matters as well.
This is of course true of all activities in the Christian life. God does not desire dry, dutiful, dreary obedience. God would have us service him joyfully. Paul calls the Romans to perform ‘acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.’ (Romans 12:8). In 2 Corinthians he reminds the Corinthians that when giving they must not do so ‘reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.’ (2 Corinthians 9:7). John Piper summarises this thought by saying that ‘God does not delight in reluctant, disinclined obedience.’ The Psalmist summarises it to when he exhorts us to ‘Serve the Lord with gladness.’ (Psalm 100:2). God doesn’t just demand that we do our duty, he desires that we would do it with delight.
We have acknowledged this in our Doctrinal Statement, where we state that ‘elders are responsible for shepherding, caring for and leading the local assembly. They are to labour diligently and joyfully among the believers; ruling, teaching and preaching, exhorting and refuting, setting an example for all and keeping watch over souls.’ If diligent labour is protecting and providing for God’s flock, the method of leadership, we shall see that joyful labour is leading in a manner that is voluntary, virtuous and inviting.
Shepherds are called to shepherd, to oversee God’s flock, in a certain manner. Peter identifies this manner by using three negatives and three positives. John Calvin sees these are three vices, three possible dangers, facing leaders in the way in which they carry out their leadership. The elders among us therefore must take note of these dangers. On the other side of the coin, contrasting with each danger, Peter presents the true manner in which leadership should be performed.
1. VOLUNTARILY – Not under compulsion but willingly
There is nothing worse than being made to do something you don’t want to do. That’s what Peter is referring to here, being under compulsion. Wayne Grudem explains that it would be doing the job simply out of obligation. Such an attitude could arise from what we were considering about the necessity of leadership. ‘The job needs to be done, somebody needs to do it. I suppose it will have to be me.’ Christians should never be compelled or coerced into the role of eldership, whether by circumstances or other individuals. If there is one way to ensure that any service in this regard is dry, dreary and dutiful obedience, this is surely it.
Peter says that that a desire to lead is the starting point for shepherd leadership. Paul implies the same thing when speaking about eldership to Timothy. Before Paul discusses the qualification of a leader, he tells Timothy that, ‘If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.’ (1 Timothy 3:1). We should expect our leaders to want to lead us. They should desire and decide to do it by themselves. We shouldn’t be suspicious of those who desire to become elders in the local church, as if they are trying to take over or present a danger to us. If they are qualified and desire to lead, we should see them as the gift that they are, a gift given from Christ to us as shepherds (Ephesians 4:11-12). To do anything else would be to reject a gift from Christ.
Both Peter and Paul tell us that shepherd leadership, eldership in the local church, must be done voluntarily. Leaders must have a desire to lead and freely decide to do so. Peter says leaders choose to lead.
2. VIRTUOUSLY – Not for shameful gain but eagerly
Peter tells us not only must elders desire and freely decide to shepherd the flock, but they must desire and decide to do it for the right reasons. As Paul tells Timothy, eldership is a noble task. Therefore, any desire to perform this task must be equally as noble. Not only must a leader have desire, but they must have a virtuous desire.
When reading this passage it is important to understand what Peter is saying correctly. Peter is not saying that elders should not desire to gain from eldership. In fact, he says the very opposite. Peter holds out the promise of an unfading crown of glory to incentivise and motivate these elders (1 Peter 5:4). It is not wrong to want to gain. Paul himself would sum up the essence of the Christian life as suffering the loss of all things so that he may gain Christ. As C S Lewis would explain, ‘there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I submit that this notion has crept in from Kant and the Stoics and is no part of the Christian faith. Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.’ (Weight of Glory, C S Lewis). Having desire is not the problem, directing our desires towards the wrong things and not desiring virtuous things enough is the problem.
We can see that in our text. The problem Peter has is not with desire for gain, but rather desire for shameful gain. Desiring that which is not honourable, is not virtuous. Not only should such a desire not characterise the manner of leadership in the local church, but it should not characterise the men of leadership in the local church. In fact, Paul says a desire for shameful gain characterises those ‘insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers’, false leaders and teachers, ‘teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach’ (Titus 1:10-11).
The problem with such desires is that we can’t provide a list of exactly what may be. These shameful desires are not set or predetermined. They will differ between people and in different situations. It may be a desire to receive more recognition for the work you do, to be known as an elder in a certain church. That might be a shameful desire. But then again such a desire may also be virtuous, if you desire to be better known in order to care for and teach in a wider sphere for others good. A desire to receive some kind of financial support, whether a set salary or irregular contributions, may be shameful. But then again, it is virtuous if you desire to do that in order to be able to give more of your time and energy to the work. Desiring to know more details of the gritty individual’s lives as they come for counselling and advice may be shameful. But such a desire may also be virtuous, if you desire to know more in order that you may help more.
All we can say is that leaders must keep a close watch on their hearts. We have seen that Paul told the Ephesian elders to keep watch on themselves as well as the flock (Acts 20:28). Paul says the same to Timothy (1 Timothy 4:16). Leaders need to look into their own motivations and desires and keep a check on anything shameful that may be festering there. Leaders must also keep watch on each other. It is a privilege to be able to serve as a plurality of leaders, and it is biblical, but unfortunately very few elders in the history of the church have been able to do so. Those who exercise leadership should be able to vocalise their desires to each other, or to other close companions. If you can’t vocalise your desires without feeling ashamed, then it may be that such desires are shameful. And if shameful desires do lurk inside your heart, kill them before (as John Owen would say) they kill you, and not only you but through your leadership the flock under your care.
3. INVITINGLY – Not domineering but exemplary
Just as leaders must freely desire and decide to lead for the right reasons, those who follow must do the same. Peter has already said that the manner of this leadership is that leaders desire and decide freely to shepherd the flock for the right reasons. Now he says that rather than dictate that people follow them, leaders should invite others to do so. It is clear that leaders aren’t really leaders if nobody is following them. They might be elders in name or title, but not in reality. But how do leaders lead in a way that encourages people to follow? What is the manner in which leader leads to enable others to follow?
Peter says that leadership is not achieved by dominating or dictating. The phrase Peter uses here means to bring into subjection by the use of force. It is clear evidence of effects of sin that such behaviour is most often seen in the relationships designed to most clearly show us who God and Christ are. An abusive father or husband dominates the home, subjecting others within it, by force. Anyone who has had exposure to such scenarios will know that physical force, if it is a factor, is far less powerful than the emotional and physiological pressure exerted on the family or wife. Far more powerful than any locks on the door or physical strength is the emotional pressure and physiological fear exerted on individuals to keep them in subjection.
Not many of us may have seen physical force used in a local church to keep the members subject to authority. But many of us will have seen emotional and physiological pressure put on members to follow somebody’s lead. Whether it is to stay when they want to leave or leave when they want to stay, to do a certain thing or not do a certain thing, to change a certain way or, in experience probably more likely, not change a certain way. The voice is either raised or lowered, the leader is portrayed as either a victim or a trusted strongman, they either cause tears or will display them themselves. Such is the way of leadership in the world and unfortunately in many churches which would balk at the thought that they are worldly. Jesus says it well when he turns to his disciples, the future leaders of the church, and says ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you.’ (Matthew 20:25)
Peter was one of those leaders who heard those words, and he tells us here that leaders should not compel others not by force of emotion, but compel others by force of example. The secret to leadership found here is not to coldly hold yourself aloof from others, to refuse to try and bring others along with you, a lone ranger leader who leads on no matter if anybody will following. Remember a leader is not a leader is nobody is following. Instead, Peter callus to live out such a powerful testimony before the eyes of the local church that it invites others to follow you. Others look at the life you lead, the way you care and serve the flock and say ‘I want to follow that leader’. A life that is so compelling, so attractive, that invites others to follow you in where you are going.
When a child does something that is wrong, and you tell them not to do it, the words you never want to hear in response are ‘But I see you doing it.’ No matter what you say in that moment, the wrong answer to say is surely, ‘Do what I say, not what I do’. That isn’t how leadership works. Leaders must first of all live the life they are trying to lead others into. Leaders lead by the power of example, inviting others to follow them. That is why the writer of Hebrews can command his readers to look at their leaders, ‘consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.’ (Hebrews 13:7). Just as leaders freely choose to lead, their followers must also freely choose to follow.
That is of course not everything to say on the matter. For congregations are commanded to follow their leaders. Peter himself will turn in verse 5 to exhort his readers to be subject to their elders. The writer of Hebrews will likewise command us to ‘Obey your leaders and submit to them…’ (Hebrews 13:17). We will be thinking more about such things in the next leadership lesson. However, it is enough to note that Peter does not that such commands are contrary to the manner of leadership. In fact, you could argue that the presence of a command implies the presence of a choice. If they did not have a choice there would be no need for a command. However, the command elevates that choice to a choice not only to follow an elder or not, but to obey God’s word or not.
Leaders care by shepherding like God’s Son
Peter calls elders within the church to shepherd the flock, protecting and providing for them. Not only does he call them to a certain method of leadership, but he calls them to a certain manner of leadership. Leadership that is voluntary, virtuous and inviting. However, perhaps far more importantly than provide the method or the manner, Peter gives us a model to follow. Not a model as in a plan, but a model that is a person. An example for leaders to follow even as they would seek to set an example themselves.
Most pick up that Peter offers himself as an example for elders to follow in this respect. Peter exhorts these elders to shepherd the flock among them ‘as a fellow elder’ (Verse 1). Peter holds himself out as an elder, one who can understand the task ahead of them, one who was shepherding God’s church. Paul will do the same on occasions as well (1 Corinthians 4:16; 11:1).
However, far more important than to see Peter as an elder, is to see him as a witness, a witness ‘of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed.’ (Verse 1). He picks up on this again, looking at Christ and the glory to be revealed to us in the future from the standpoint of elders when he states in verse 4, ‘And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.’ This one that Peter seen suffer and die will be the one to appear in the future, a future that will see leaders in the local church partake in a particular aspect of the glory of God.
It is in this context that Peter identifies Christ as ‘the chief Shepherd’. Christ is identified as the great shepherd (Hebrews 13:20) and the good shepherd (John 10:11-16) elsewhere in the New Testament. And the Old Testament prophesises of the coming Messiah as a shepherd (Genesis 49:24; Psalms 23:1; 80:1; Ezekiel 34:11; Micah 7:14; Zechariah 13:7). However, here Peter concentrates on Christ being the chief Shepherd. That is the, Christ is the head, principle and first shepherd. The word can be used to describe superiority in order, time, place or rank. Christ is the superior shepherd in those respects to elders, shepherds in the local church. Peter may be a fellow elder, but Christ is the foremost shepherd.
Peter has already drawn attention to this in his epistle, perhaps in anticipation of his usage here. In 1 Peter 2:21, Peter tells his readers that ‘because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps…’. He then, a few verses later says that ‘you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls’ (1 Peter 2:25).
Christ, the overseer and shepherd of all of our souls, has not only left us an example to follow with regards to suffering, but also in relation to shepherding, so that our shepherds may follow in his steps. Christ is the chief Shepherd, the one who perfectly patterns and meticulously models what it is to lead God’s people.
We can see this in the manner of his leadership. First, Christ chose to become our leader not under compulsion, but willingly. He would declare, ‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep…. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.’ (John 10:11,18)
Not only was Christ leadership voluntary, but it is virtuous. He exercises his leadership not for shameful gain, but eagerly for honourable gain. For the glorious gain of the praise of his glory. The writer to the Hebrews records, ‘Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)’
Christ’s leadership is also voluntary and virtuous, but it is also inviting. Christ does not reign and rule over his people like a dictator. Christ is Lord over us, but he does not lord over us. After the mother of John and James had her request for her two sons to be enthroned beside Jesus in the coming kingdom, Jesus gathered his disciples together and explained, ‘"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."’ (Matthew 20:25-28)
Leadership in the local church is shepherding. Shepherding is protecting and providing for the flock. However, the manner of leadership matters as much as the method. In Christ we have a perfect model of the voluntary, virtuous and inviting leadership that Peter calls elders to perform in the local church. Leaders care by shepherding like God’s Son.
ALEXANDER ARRELL