Who is leading your leader?

Recent history is full of ‘spiritual’ leaders who were truly ‘the blind leading the blind!’ Some made tragic headlines. Remember the Rev. Jim Jones, the fiery orator and community activist from San Francisco who took his congregation to Guyana and led them to mass suicide? Vernon Howell, whom you probably remember as David Koresh, thought himself a prophet. He eventually found a home among a schismatic group called the Branch Davidians. His grandiosity (he came to believe he was Christ and above all human law) eventually caused the FBI to raid the Waco, Texas ranch he called home and we all remember the horror of the fiery raid that brought the death of 76 members including 17 children.

Most lost leaders don’t cause such sensational tragedies, but all leaderless leaders leave wrecked lives in their wake. Spiritual leaders who fail to stay submitted to Christ Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, and in a place of humble service to Body of Christ, will cause others to become disillusioned with the things of the Lord. They will ruin local churches by causing strife and will use natural strategies of power and intimidation to hold onto their position.

Jude wrote to the Church with this reminder. "Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord." (Jude 3-4, NIV) "These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage." (Jude 16, NIV)

Thousands of churches are led by good people, natural leaders with great skills, who are religious careerists, not called servants of Christ Jesus. They have great abilities that allow them to build remarkable organizations, but does their work produce disciples of Christ? It’s very difficult for the person in the pew, who wants to believe the best about the man who leads his church, to ask the hard questions about that man’s character and walk with God. But, you must. If you don’t, you risk being led by a leaderless leader! The pastor who is called by God and walking with Christ may find your scrutiny uncomfortable, but he will allow it, for he has nothing to hide.

Who is leading your pastor, disciple?
Does his life show evidence of a heart for God, that he is actively following Jesus Christ, allowing the Spirit to guide him from day to day?

Jude goes on to write, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit." (Jude 17-19, NIV)

Here’s a word from the Word. May it inspire you to build a strong church, led by those who are led by Christ!

"But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love." (Jude 20-21, NLT)
"Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen." (Jude 24-25, NLT)

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The Church's one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is His new creation
By water and the word.
From heav'n He came and sought her
To be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her,
And for her life He died.

Elect from ev'ry nation,
Yet one o'er all the earth,
Her charter of salvation
One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy name she blesses;
Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses,
With ev'ry grace endued.

The Church's One Foundation
Stone, Samuel J. / Wesley, Samuel S.
© Public Domain