All Scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible 1995 Ed. (NASB95)

As I’ve often lamented, there’s a great problem in the popular conception of church leaders in the West. Most Bible-believing Christians base much of their ideas about the qualifications and excellencies of pastors and elders on worldly virtues of persuasive speaking, managerial prowess, charismatic personality, and business savvy. Yet the model for church leaders in the New Testament Scriptures is almost exactly the opposite from these commonly lauded traits. I contend that four of the most neglected qualities expected to be possessed by godly elders in the New Testament are humility, slave-leadership, teaching proficiency, and an exemplary character.

In a previous article, I pointed out some of the most common manifestations of pride among many western church leaders. Then, I briefly explained the way in which humility should be demonstrated by those who would please the Lord in their leadership positions. In this lesson, I want to show you that the example and requirements given to church leaders by the Lord and the apostles demand that they live out their humility with an attitude and lifestyle of selfless servitude toward those under their leadership.

Jesus summarized this most counter-cultural virtue of godly leaders when he gave this lesson to His apostles:

“Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, ‘You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gneitles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authoroity over them. But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to brcome great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all,. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.’”

In this key passage, our Lord lays out the fundamental characteristics of Christian leadership, in contrast to the type of leadership that is most common among unbelievers. In fact, it’s a sad fact that what He says here contradicts much of what is practiced among western evangelical leaders. In contrast to the world’s, as exemplified by “the Gentiles”, lordly authority in their leaders, Jesus’s leaders manifest a humble, slave-like, servitude of those whose spiritual well-being their entrusted.

Carefully recall what Jesus says here about greatness among believers – to become great, a believer must serve his brethren, and “be slave of all”. In other words, those who are most mature, and most worthy of following, will be those who serve the most, and most often treat their brethren as more important. This can clearly be directly applied to leaders, since they are supposed to be the “greatest,” and “first” among their Christian community.

And notice that Jesus explicitly contrasts such slave-leadership with the “authority” exercised by the Gentiles. This authority is executed through “lording over” the world’s leaders’ followers. This implies that such leadership bases one’s justification of influencing others on one’s vested “authority,” or right to dictate how people behave. In contrast, the authority that the Lord promotes to His apostles is an authority of submission and service. That is, it’s an authority based not on a man’s right to give commands, but based on his submission to Jesus and the needs of others, and his efforts to meet their needs. In other words, the most powerful way that Christian leaders should be exercising their authority is by treating their brethren as more important than themselves. Of course, if you’re familiar with the New Testament letters, this is exactly what Paul enjoins to the Philippians in chapter 2 of that wonderful letter.

Based on this fundamental description of true Christian leadership, I want to go to a couple other passages from the apostles to show you that the elders and pastors of the early body of Christ manifested their authority, not through a perceived belief in their own vested right to impose any moral standard they pleased on followers, but through humble, meek, gentle, and affectionate service of them that patterned itself on the lowly servitude of Jesus.

Your Slave on Behalf of Jesus

It’s unsurprising that one of the most apparent examples of Christian slave-leadership is Paul the apostle. Although he wasn’t a church elder or pastor in the normal sense of that office, he still exercised it in his apostolic leadership of the assemblies that he planted. In one passage addressed to the Corinthians, Paul plainly echoes the Lord’s demands for leaders when he writes:

“For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.” – 2 Cor. 4:5

Unfortunately, the NASB95 obscures the Gospel-allusion of this verse, since the word translated “bond-servants,” is the exact Greek word elsewhere translated “slaves”. Thus, Paul is explicitly calling himself a slave of the Corinthians (along with his missionary co-workers), and a slave for Jesus. He notably prefaces this declaration with his admission that he didn’t view himself as a “lord” or “master” in any sense, but only claimed Jesus to be the Lord of his followers.

In fact, before this passage, Paul tells the Corinthians in the first chapter, and verse 24, this telling confession:

“Not that we lord it over your faith, but are workers with you for your joy . . .”

Here, Paul gives us another example of humble leadership, in that he expresses his desire to avoid ruling or dictating the expression of the Corinthians’ faith. In other words, he wanted them live out their faith according to their consciences, as informed by the teachings of the Lord.

Likewise, in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, he succinctly explains his Christlike method of preaching to unbelievers, as well as of teaching believers:

“For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.” – 1 Cor. 9:19-22

This passage follows Paul’s exemplary argument for his choice to refuse financial support from the brethren whom he served in his missionary work. In this argument, he admits that he has a God-given right to compensated for his missionary work, but he chooses to abstain from this right so that he can do more good for his audiences and followers. Then, he writes what we’ve just read.

In essence, what Paul is saying in this passage is that his resolution is to give up his rights to living in comfortable ways to find more ways to teach God’s Word to others. And he begins his description of this practice by stating that he has made himself “a slave to all”. Again, Paul viewed himself as the slave of those whom he led in understanding the message of Jesus.

Paul further echoes this call of enslavement to those whom we love in one of his instructions to the Galatians:

“For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” – Gal. 5:13

Again, this verse gives us yet another example of the teaching that leaders not to use their offices for self-assertion, or domineering, but for service motivated by love. Although all believers have freedom from oppressive rules and limitations (key word – oppressive), they can’t use this freedom to only serve themselves, but one another. In fact, if we were to literally translate this verse, Paul would be writing, “through love be slaves to one another”. This is because the Greek verb translated “serve” is a derivative of the word for “slave”.

Finally, let’s look at one of the most insightful and encouraging passages on Christian leadership in the New Testament. It’s found in 1 Thessalonians 2, where Paul describes his, Silas’s, and Timothy’s pastoral leadership of the Thessalonians after they were just converted:

“. . . nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority. But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us. For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” – 1 Thess. 2:6-12

In this account, Paul shows us in vivid detail what it means to shepherd and lead Christians according to the example of Jesus. First notice his explicit denial of arrogating authority to himself as a means of ruling over the Thessalonians – they didn’t “seek glory from men.” In contrast, the characteristic manner that the apostles taught and led these people was “gently”, as if they were their mothers. Then, they had affection for them, so that they shared their lives with them. Paul explains that this was worked out through their “working night and day so as not to be a burden.” Again, Paul abstained from receiving financial compensation for his missionary services, so that he could do more good to his converts. And finally, rather than sternly and uncaringly ordering the Thessalonians around, they treated them as their “own children”, so they could teach them to walk “worthy of the God who calls you”.

In this passage, we see three pictures of the slave-leadership of the apostles. First, they acted as gentle “mothers” to the Thessalonians. Second, they worked as diligent laborers for the good of these believers, in that they worked constantly to earn money. Finally, they acted like their spiritual fathers by affectionately and earnestly guiding them in thinking and acting godly.

Nothing about this description necessarily implies that the missionary leaders thought of themselves as better or more important than the Thessalonian converts. On the contrary, this description shows us in many ways in which the apostles gave up their rights and comforts to meet whatever needs they perceived the Thessalonians as having.

Slave-Leadership is Still Leadership

To conclude this overview of some of the key Scriptures teaching the proper attitude and behavior of church leaders towards the assemblies they serve, I want to warn against any misconceptions of what I’ve taught. It could be easily thought that I’m advocating any use of instruction, warning, rebuke, or command from leaders, since some may think I’m implying that elders have no authority. However, what I showed at the beginning was that Christian leaders have an uncommon and spiritual authority. It isn’t merely based on an office or title, but on the elder’s character. This character is humble, self-effacing, and geared toward serving others in preference to oneself. Yet, as Christian leaders who usually hold the office of elder or overseer, they still lead followers in various ways.

As Peter teaches, the chief way that elders lead congregations is through example:

“. . . nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.” – 1 Pet. 5:3

In many places in the New Testament, it’s also undeniable that elders lead by teaching believers how to think and to act in ways pleasing to the Lord. Yet, none of this teaching ever even implies that the New Testament church leaders based their right to instruct people on merely an office that was conferred on them. They often either assert or imply that their right to teach brethren how to live also comes from their Christlike character. And this character is ultimately demonstrated in selfless and sacrificial service of their brothers and sisters. Not even do the apostles usually argue the obligation of their students to obey their commands from their mere office of apostle. This would remove the need to give logical and sensible reasons to obey those commands.

In addition to this, none of the teaching about the assembly leaders that followed the apostles, or elders/overseers, claims that they have the authority to give commands based on a superior rank or status. Everywhere, they’re regarded as complete spiritual equals, but with greater maturity, experience, and wisdom.

All of these arguments point us in the needed direction of making sure that our assembly leaders are acting like slaves and servants, rather than lords, rulers, and masters. We must all make sure that we are treating our brethren as more important than ourselves, and seeking to meet their spiritual and physical needs, so we can please our Lord by putting Him on display more, and bringing more joy to others.