Do You See What I See?

Photo by nine koepfer on Unsplash

Well, hello. I’m back from a bit of a break as we moved out and then back into our house this past summer. In January, we noticed a leak under the refrigerator. Ultimately it popped the wood floors in the kitchen. So, nine months later we finally finished what turned out to be a HUGE project. Bigger than I anticipated. And thus, no Substack newsletters of late.

But that’s enough about our woe du jour.

While plodding up and down the stairs carrying life’s accumulations (multiple times), I began thinking (and praying) about godly leadership. I’ve been wondering of late if the small “c” (local) church reflects what Christ intended. You may have noticed when I write about the “Church” I use a capital “C.” That’s intentional. I’m referring to the broader, kingdom idea. It’s intentional because I’m not convinced that the authoritative structures in the big box (or even little box) churches dotted across the American landscape are what Jesus instituted when He was here on earth. To be honest, I believe what we see more often reflects the type of leadership Christ railed against rather than fought evil and principalities for.

One of the incidents of excessive leadership authority that prompted my contemplation happened while I was in the process of leaving our previous church. When I asked to be removed from the membership roll, my request was denied. Our leadership believed they had the authority to refuse. In fact, all North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council (NAPARC) churches share this same belief. The “permission” they’ll give a member who wants to leave is if they transfer to another, “approved” church. This is not only an inappropriate, far-reaching abuse of authority, it’s against the law. In America, freedom of religion guarantees our privilege of choosing the religious institution in which to become a member and choosing when to resign. By requiring me to remain in their membership, my church leadership came perilously close to violating my constitutional rights. So, I wrote a letter using strong language to remind my elders¹ they were in danger of illegal behavior.²

Now, arguably, I made those “membership vows”³ in an “official” service in front of the congregation. One might challenge that my request to remove was a failure in fulfilling my commitment. However, in 2008, when I verbalized those vows, our church was staffed by an almost entirely different senior leadership team. I knew very little about the men replacing my former pastors and, knowing what I know about them now, I would never have taken a vow to submit to their type of authority.⁴

Pondering this situation led me to investigate Scripture for what it says about leadership. What, exactly, does God say the “authority” of a leader encompasses? Who and what are we (as church members) required to submit to (Hebrews 13:17)? Similar to the question I have about marital submission, are we required to do everything a leader says? Imitate everything they do? Do whatever they ask? Is blanket trust required simply because these men have been ordained? Since the Bible has much to say about leadership, perhaps it would be a helpful organizing structure for understanding church membership submission. If you think about it, if we can comprehend the “how” of leadership, we may better understand the “what” of submission. Consider this list, derived from Scripture, specifically related to the characteristics of leaders,

Exodus

Able

Fear God

Trustworthy

Hate a bribe

Jeremiah

Have God’s own heart

Feed with knowledge and understanding

Ezekiel

Prophesy against shepherds who only feed themselves

Feed the flock

Strengthen sickly

Heal the diseased

Bind broken

Bring back scattered

Seek lost

Do not severely dominate the sheep

Don’t be absent

Protect the flock

Care for the herd

Deliver them from where they were scattered

Gather them to their own land

Feed the flock

Provide them with rest

Remove the harmful beasts

Provide a secure place for the flock

Shower them with blessing

Break the bars of their yokes

Deliver them from slavery

Protect the flock from fear

Provide sustenance

Protect the flock from the insults of the culture

Matthew

Be a servant

Beware of falsely prophesying

Mark

Do not lord over

Do not exercise authority over

Become a slave of all

Serve

Give life

Acts (of the Apostles)

Pay careful attention to yourself

Pay careful attention to the flock

Care for the church of God

Romans

Pay honor to whom honor is owed

Pay respect to whom respect is owed

1 Corinthians

Imitate Christ

Remember Christ

Maintain the traditions

Pursue love

Desire spiritual gifts

Desire higher gifts

Teach/preach

Prophecy

Heal

Help

Administrate

Be worthy of imitation

Ephesians

Walk in a manner worthy of the calling

Don’t provoke children

Bring up children with the discipline and instruction of the Lord

Love wife

Give self up for wife

Equip the saints

Build up the body

Speak the truth in love

1 Timothy

Set an example in speech

Set an example in conduct

Set an example in love

Set an example in purity

Set an example in faith

Pray

Lift holy hands without anger or quarreling

Desires a noble task

Above reproach

Husband of one wife

Soberminded

Self-controlled

Respectable

Hospitable

Able to teach

Not a drunkard

Not violent

Gentle

Not quarrelsome

Not a lover of money

Manage a household well

Accomplish all with all dignity

Keep children submissive

Don’t hastily lay hands on one another

Don’t take part in the sins of others

Keep yourself pure

Rule well to be considered worthy of double honor

Watch yourself closely

Watch your teaching closely

Persist in these things

2 Timothy

Present oneself as approved

Have no need for shame

Handle the word of truth rightly

Remember Christ

Endure for the sake of the elect

Titus

Teach what accords with sound doctrine

Above reproach

Not arrogant

Not quick tempered

Not drunk

Not violent

Not greedy for gain

Hospitable

Lover of good

Self-controlled

Upright

Holy

Disciplined

Hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught to him

Give instruction in sound doctrine

Rebuke those who contradict sound doctrine

Be sober minded

Be dignified

Sound in faith

Sound in love

Sound in steadfastness

Model good works

Teach with integrity

Teach with dignity

Hebrews

Obey leaders

Submit to leaders

Watch over people’s soul

Have joy

Don’t groan

Consider leaders outcome of life

Imitate leaders’ faith

James

Teach carefully

1 Peter

Live with wife in understanding way

Show honor to the woman

There’s likely a whole lot more that might be added to this list, but the point is, to the degree a leader is not exhibiting these characteristics, a member is not required to submit. We are not obliged to submit to sinful behavior. Of course, everybody sins. But do we truly believe that just because men are ordained as leaders, we must imitate them in everything?

Authority, in Scripture, is limited. Only Christ has ultimate authority, all other authority is derived (Matt. 28:18). And, as we can see from the list above, authority is purposed for human flourishing over those whom leadership serves. Evidence of the value in implementing leadership authority in these ways will be manifest in the fruit. What fruit is your church authoritative structure producing in your church membership?

¹³ You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. ¹⁴ For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  ¹⁵ If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

¹⁶ So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹ The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

(Galatians 5:13-25 NIV).

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1. I was (foolishly?) under the impression that, yes, my leaders will give an account for my soul…however, as a member, I also have authority. Consider this mutuality as Jonathan Leeman articulates member’s responsibility in his book on Church Membership, [Members] “should not allow an elder who has disqualified himself to continue serving.” Leeman, Jonathan. Church Membership (9Marks: Building Healthy Churches) (pp. 105-106). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

2. What happened next defies comprehension. I was accused of threatening a lawsuit. Basically, I was slandered by someone who, by the very nature of his profession, knew better. See these posts here and here for more information regarding church membership rights and restrictions. If your church refuses to “let you leave,” (in what other context does that even happen?) you, as a US citizen, have the freedom to remind your leadership they are violating your constitutional rights and may even be violating the laws of your state by requiring your membership in a non-profit that requests donations. Additionally, Scripture supports deference to the civil magistrate for protection of the rights of a citizen (Acts 22:22-29).

3. I’m struck by how quickly people join churches. If we were talking about marriage, we’d advise taking a lot more time getting to know the person we are making vows to.

4. Truth be told, if I knew most of what I now know about the previous leadership I shouldn’t have ever taken those vows.