Leadership, Position, and Influence in the Church

Leadership 1 - by svilen001 - at free images.com

Leadership 1 – by svilen001 – at free images.com

John Maxwell says, “Leadership is influence–nothing more, nothing less.”¹  A leader is able to influence others to follow his course.  In a world filled with competition and desire for influence, we often believe that position gives influence.

We aspire to a position, believing it will give us influence.  While there is some truth to this belief, true leadership is not about the position.  How many political leaders have had a position, but no influence and thus they lost their leadership ability.  Military generals can give orders and require obedience, but soldiers will either ridicule them or be blindly loyal to them once they are gone based upon their influence.

When you read through the qualifications of elders and deacons in the church in 1 Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:5-9 this principle appears woven through the text.  For example, a shepherd must be “above reproach,” not a “recent convert,” and someone “well thought of by outsiders.”  The deacons are instructed to hold the faith with a “clear conscience” and to be “tested first” then serving as a deacon after proving themselves.

The Spirit is teaching some valuable lessons for church leadership in these passages. 

  • Don’t appoint a man expecting him to gain influence because he has the position.
  • Don’t be a man aspiring appointment for selfish gain, power, and influence.
  • Choose to be a man of Christian virtue and servanthood so that you have influence to make a kingdom difference.

Leadership is influence!  It is not about the position.  This should give hope to those who have not been selected for whatever reason in their local church.  You don’t need the position to make a difference for the cause of Christ.  Keep your head down and be a servant.  Often times some of the most influential people in the church are those who do not hold a position.  Consider how influential godly women are in the church.  We all can think of  men who did the work of a deacon, in terms of service for the church, but did not have the title because they were not qualified.  Yet these men often have more influence for good than those who have the title and do little work.

Before ending, let me add that preachers should remember this truth as well.  A preacher may have the position in the church, but not the influence.  This is why the preacher should work hard from the day he is hired to be a caring servant.  It is also why a preacher must be assessing his respect and influence as he conducts a longterm ministry.  Once a powerful influence is gone, you need to be making plans for a new work.  Or else you end up being a leader with a position who looks back and no one is following.

What other lessons for the church can you share that come from this principle?

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¹ John Maxwell – p. 17 – “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership”

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3 comments

    • LeAnn Bridges on February 6, 2015 at 2:44 pm

    A good read on leadership. Thanks for sharing Josh.

    • Don Kibler on February 24, 2015 at 9:13 am

    People are influential for different reasons. Some people change their behavior because the person who is ‘influencing them’ has physical strength, political power or financial resources with which to reward or punish. The Christian teacher, evangelist or elder should have influence because the act out of love, are self sacrificially serving and know the Word, Jesus, and know the written word. If they have these attributes they don’t need to seek influence it will be theirs (and may be a burden) whether they want it or not!

    I have read several bits of John Maxwell’s material. I have a very negative view of his approach. What I have noted is his disregard for eldership and a strong emphasis on pragamatism even to the extent of ‘throwing the eldership overboard’. A technique which he recommends I can only classify as manipulation. My perspective.

    Grace and peace,
    Don

      • Josh on February 24, 2015 at 9:24 am
        Author

      Thanks Don, I wasn’t aware of some of Maxwell’s views of the eldership. I appreciate your comments. Thanks, Josh

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