Leadership in the Local Church: Discerning Practical Value and Developing Theological Foundations

 

Pentecostal leadership is predicated on human submissiveness to the Holy Spirit, a man or woman’s willingness to listen and to be obedient to the promptings of the Spirit within. Leaders who thus yield themselves in obedience to the Holy Spirit are further aided by special gifts of the Spirit, gifts that supernaturally counteract the devices of Satan and open doors and bring spiritual victories beyond mere human efforts. Herein the church can and does triumph, remaining under the lordship of Christ and being submissive to his Spirit.⁷²

A Pentecostal theology of pastoral leadership is set within the parameters of a Pentecostal perspective of pastoral ministry in general. The underlying meaning and Old Testament background of pastoral terminology, the New Testament model of pastor, the development of pastoral understanding during the patristic age, and the Protestant heritage of pastoral ministry all influence Pentecostal perceptions of a pastor. The biblical role of the pastor, the importance of character in his or her personal life, and an acceptance of the relevance of the pastor’s place in the modern world also inform a Pentecostal perspective of pastoral ministry.⁷³

As is commonly known, the word “pastor” (Greek poimen) is from the same word as “shepherd” and is based on the biblical culture and economy of ancient Israel in the Old and New Testaments. I have been to Israel and watched modern shepherds interacting with their flocks. The shepherding analogy paints a powerful picture for modern pastors. Significantly, the Lord promises to give his people pastors according to his own heart who will care for them properly (Jer. 3:15). Divine judgment is pronounced on unfaithful or inept pastors (23:1-2). Psalm 23 even depicts the Lord himself as a shepherd leading and feeding his flock of people. Clearly “the model of the shepherd and the sheep is integral to the Old Testament understanding of spiritual leadership among the people of God”.⁷⁴

In the New Testament pastoral leadership seems to have been initially charismatic and itinerant. Apostles, prophets, and evangelists carried the gospel to the known nations of their world, while bishops (overseers or supervisors), elders (presbyters), and deacons (servers) carried out their ministries primarily in a local church. Since Ephesians 4:11 lists apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (or perhaps pastor-teachers), but not bishops, elders, or deacons, some overlap appears to have existed between the latter offices and that of pastor. The “first ministers to live with the people and exercise a continuing local ministry were the pastor-teachers”.⁷⁵ Apparently the role of the pastor in the New Testament was primarily the leadership of the local church and that would have included spiritual direction, preaching and teaching, prayer and intercession, administering the sacraments, the care of souls, etc.

The pristine pattern of ministry seems to have been slowly forgotten until by the third century its charismatic nature had been replaced by hierarchic developments.⁷⁶ The earlier one looks into the patristic age, the more likely one is to find stronger resemblance to New Testament patterns of ministry. Conversely, as the patristic age gives way to institutionalism, a form of ministry largely foreign to biblical Christianity appears and becomes preeminent. An episcopal hierarchy of popes, archbishops, bishops, priests, sees, dioceses, and parishes was developed and extended throughout Christendom. The Protestant Reformation brought about the development of new forms of pastoral authority. In addition to the episcopal system, the presbyterian (with authority vested in the eldership) and congregational (with authority vested in the local church) systems were added. All three basic systems seem to have been present in some form in the New Testament. Biblical systems of ministry and church government, however, seem to have been simpler and void of many of the features of some of the elaborate structures later erected.

Tags: church, developing, discerning, foundations, leadership, local, practical, theological

Category: Fall 2010, Ministry