Who Leads the Church?

On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came, and the disciples were in one accord (Acts 2:1). The key to church growth is the Holy Spirit working in the church. A necessary ingredient for the Spirit to move is unity. As I stated in my last article, I have never witnessed the Holy Spirit moving in a divisive church.

If "everything rises and falls on leadership", the Pastor is the one who sets the pace for unity. According to the Scriptures, Jesus is the head of the church (Ephesians 5:23). The church is the body of Christ (Ephesians 5:23). Christ delegates much of His authority to the church body (as a whole). The church delegates much of its authority to its Pastor (Hebrews 13:17). The Pastor then delegates authority to the pastoral staff. The pastoral staff then passes along the authority to lay leaders. The Pastor's leadership will shape the atmosphere of the church.

A Good Match
It is extremely important that the church choose a pastor wisely. My relationship with my church has been a great marriage from the start. One of the keys to making this happen was a pre-vote "Question and Answer" session that I had with the church, the afternoon prior to the church-wide vote.

Our church had a wonderful Pastor Search Committee. However, since the committee always disbands after the vote, it is vital that the church and Pastor understand each other before his tenure begins.

At this church-wide meeting, it was stated that more than anything, the church needed a "leader". They asked me to explain what I felt was needed to lead a church.

Three Things Needed to Lead
The Pastor must have three things if he is to truly lead:

1. The major input on hiring, firing, and salaries of personnel. The people that are closest to us will determine our level of success. For example, a football coach needs to choose his assistants. There are many good coaches around, but he looks for those who have the same philosophy, are loyal, and will be an extension of his coaching. The same is true in choosing a staff. There are many good ministers, but a Pastor must have people around him that will model the message and mission he is preaching.
2. The major input to the finances. One cannot expect a staff member to do the job without proper funding. The Pastor must lead the church to invest the offerings into the areas of ministry that will grow the church. This is not the time "to be fair to all ministries. We must be fair to God by placing the money into the area where He is working. If you cannot trust your Pastor to lead financially, then why is He still your Pastor?
3. The major input in choosing lay leaders. The lay leaders will greatly determine the fruitfulness of any ministry. Every Pastor needs lay leaders who are faithful, teachable, on the team, and have a great attitude.The church is the Pastor's stewardship. He will give an account for the church's effectiveness.

Leading with a strong, but caring heart is vital to unity. I believe the Pastor needs to lead the
church, like he would his family. He should love them, place them before himself (Philippians 2:3,4), and share the ministry with others in a spirit of trust.

As the Pastor lives by the Scriptures, loves the people, and obeys the Lord, he will be laying the foundation of unity and an atmosphere for the Spirit to move. Until next time.