SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP AND AUTHORITY

Spiritual leadership and authority is crucial to God in His purpose and to the administration of His church, but this authority has either been abused or grossly misunderstood by men of unstable minds who have used leadership and authority to exploit God’s people, enlarge their appetite and short-change the purpose of God for His church and the nations.

The popular and promotion of celebrity Christianity  and mega-pastors  syndrome is going to erode the New Testament concept of servant leadership taught and spelt out in the New Testament, we would do well to pay attention to these principles today. Spiritual leadership and authority does not necessarily have to do with age, sex, title, status or position but with influence, 1 Tim. 4:12. Leadership has to do with moving God’s people or influencing God’s people towards God given goals for the group.

IMPERATIVES FOR SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP

Spiritual leadership is crucial and important because they are executors of His will, programme and agenda. God will always tie his authority His will; therefore, spiritual leaders must be sensitive to God’s purpose for His people and their heart must beat with God’s heart because when His purpose is not discovered, abuse is inevitable. What we have is domineering, destroying and damaging leadership that focus on self-glorification and exaltation, the agenda and the programme of God is relegated to the background for pursuit of selfish, carnal and worldly goals. Though some of these projects and programme is said to be done for the glory of God; deep down, it is just to gratify the ego of the man of God, they are just tower of babel; much of what we celebrate in church today are just abomination before God. Man of God, can you really say that God is in that white elephant project and programme, are you passionate about God’s glory or you are consumed about projecting and propagating your name and legacy; are you not out of tune with God’s will and purpose, the real reason why God conferred His authority over you?

Another crucial purpose for spiritual leadership and authority is to checkmate the devil and arrest the darkness in our world and generation; the darkness of sin, worldliness and godlessness, one of the crucial reasons why God confers leadership and authority; but today men who are supposed to checkmate the devil are already boot-licking on the altar of Baal and mammon. Men like Elijah who can stand for God in the land and challenge godlessness is rare, the darkness is growing thicker by the day such that even the church of God is not spared. The Church no longer sets the tone for the world in conduct, music, fashion and lifestyle anymore, but rather follows the worldly trend and pattern. God is working the seven thousand, who has not put their knee down for Baal and mammon in church politics, economy, banking education and marriage.

Daniel and his friends were able to checkmate the corruption and decadence of Babylon even at the risk of their lives, they will rather burn than bow; such would be resolved of a spiritual leader wherever they found themselves in King’s palaces in Susa or Babylon or in sex saturated Potiphar’s court. Spiritual authority must be used to checkmate and arrest the darkness of sin, carnality, worldliness, immorality and corruption Dan. 6:3. Do you desire to be a spiritual leader? How strong are you to advance against the gate of hell? How can you run with horses when you cannot compete with men, can you please take time to sort your inner man that has been wounded and injured by the blow of sin and immorality, settle the spiritual confusion around you before you begin to parade yourself as Pastor, Deacon, Bishop or even Missionary. Spiritual leadership is not about title or status but about inner strength and stamina to checkmate the devil and that is what you lack. The bogus title and collar are just make-up and cosmetics both of which the devil can see through.

Anywhere there is spiritual leader there must be order because authority is used to enthrone divine order, and in God’s economy, there must not be confusion 1 Cor. 14:33, Tit. 1:5. There must not be a vacuum that the devil can exploit in our lives and ministry to create confusion.

The life, action and conduct of a spiritual leader must be unambiguous so as not to send wrong signals to his group 1 Tim. 3:1, integrity and accountability must be his watchword. A spiritual leader must be bold to take a right decision and leave the consequence to God though the decision may hurt the others, his family, his associates, his church, or his financial supporters. And when a crack become noticeable, it must be quickly be dealt with the way Paul confronted Peter about his hypocrisy in the Galatian church, and the way it was dealt with it in the case of Ananias and Saphira.

One of the crucial role of spiritual leaders is the capacity to manage God’s resources, spiritual leaders have the responsibility to receive and distribute resources on God’s behalf Ex. 25:1, Num. 7:5, Acts 4:37 and except a man’s heart has been properly circumcised, he may not be able to distribute appropriately, he may be deceived that, that which he received on God’s behalf is his own.

Though they laid those materials at the apostle’s feet, the apostle did not impound for their own selfish needs. In distribution of God’s resources, the sharing formula is ministry first. The work of ministry must get huge chunk of God’s money; that is what you told your church and financial supporters before they gave you the money. So use it for the work, not to enlarge your appetite.

The second most crucial one is the need of men and women that you lead; your associates who are sacrificing their lives, time and gifting’s for the work, see to it that their needs are not overlooked or neglected or else, you will push them out into arbitrary ministry that they are not called to. Don’t just use them to advance your personal agenda and private accumulation of things Lk. 12:15 and leave them in the cold with their future jeopardized.

Lastly is the set-man himself who must take his ration and only what is needful for life and ministry. There must be a clear separation between ministry and personal finance and properties. Spiritual authority is primarily not meant for bogus and affluent lifestyle, gadgets, an unbridled and large appetite contradicts the lifestyle man of God. Even if a man of God is blessed, stewardship demands spiritual and judicious use of those blessings to the glory of God and edification of his people. Bishop, that the pool of cars and unnecessary gadgets, is creating unnecessary tension in your team and you raise indiscriminate offerings to maintain your carnal worldly lifestyle and status that is diametrically opposed to that of the cross. Repent and return to modest and moderate lifestyle befitting a spiritual leader that you are.

AUTHORITY OF LEADERS

The authority of his calling – Spiritual leader’s first line of authority is his calling under God; an inner conviction that God has placed his hand upon him and that He has prepared us for the task of leadership. Many in leadership today do not have the conviction to be there, they are only imposed or selected by questionable process; such men cannot function well in authority 1 Thess. 2:4.

Authority of God’s word - Leaders must first submit their life to the authority if God’s word in every areas of life. Their lives must be shaped by its teaching and their ministry enlisted and empowered by its dynamic effects, before they are able to teach, reprove, correct and train on the basis of the authority of God’s word. Spiritual leaders cannot speak authoritatively other than in those areas where scripture speaks clearly.

Authority of moral example – Authentic spiritual leadership is when the Spirit, Word and Life combine as they did in the life of apostle Paul, this carries the integrity and consistency for which people are searching, so our first responsibility is to sustain and develop our own spiritual and moral life. Spiritual leaders will earn authority if their lives are strong moral examples to others, not just pronouncements on the pulpit. 1 Tim. 4:12, 15, 16.

Authority of Relationship – Spiritual leaders are not to be disconnected from their people, shepherds must smell the sheep. New Testament is not a distant relationship, so we have the responsibility to share our lives and bear the burden of our people. Eloquence, Homiletical skill and Bible knowledge are not enough, but personal engagement and relationship responsibility towards your people will make you beneficial, responsive and responsible.