Authority is one of the most misunderstood words in church leadership. At the Every Nation’s Regional Leadership Training, Pastor Steve Murrell helped us think rightly about apostolic leadership and authority. Here are a few takeaways for me.
“It Seemed Good,” Not “God Said”
In Acts 15, the phrase “it seemed good” appears three times. This was arguably the most apostolic group in the New Testament, yet they never claimed “God said.” They decided together on how to settle whether Gentile converts had to follow the Law of Moses to be saved. In the next verses, we see how they communicated their decision humbly. The lesson for us is to tone down our language and never present our decisions as if they were infallible as Scripture.
GREATNESS IS SERVANTHOOD
In Matthew 20:20-27, a mother asks that her sons sit at Jesus’ left and right, the seats of authority. Jesus redirects the whole conversation. Biblical leadership is serving, not lording over. It isn’t about who is over or who is under. Greatness is servanthood, and leadership is giving your life for others. That doesn’t mean there is no leadership. There is leadership nonetheless, but it looks like a team of peers, not dictators leading a bunch of minions.
WORST PRACTICES AS WE LEAD
- Overstep. Speaking into things that aren’t our responsibility and usurping others’ authority. Every leader has a lane, and a healthy team depends on each person trusting the others to lead well within theirs. When we step into decisions that belong to someone else, we may think we are helping, but we quietly communicate that we don’t trust them, and we weaken the very people God has entrusted with that responsibility.
- Overwork. Doing more than we’re responsible for. When leadership functions become institutional positions, we have run into problems. We do things that God didn’t call us to do either because we’re too insecure to let others do it or we are addicted to performance.
- Overstay. When we overstay, we get stale. When we don’t raise the next generation of leaders, we end up overstaying either intentionally or accidentally. When it’s time, I pray we learn to step aside to allow the next generation to lead. We lead alongside and become their greatest cheerleaders.
Authority in God’s kingdom is stewarded, never seized. It stays humble in its words, stays in its lane, holds money and positions with open hands, and knows when to step aside.
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