Numbers 11 and a Pentecostal Theology of Church Leadership

Thus, as Stronstad has also pointed out,⁸ a divinely initiated, prophetic-speech event in both Numbers 11 and Acts 2 was clearly presented as evidence to the observers that the Spirit was working in those chosen for a ministry function. Therefore, I conclude that Numbers 11 strongly supports a concept of initial, observable evidence of the empowering of a believer to fulfill God’s purpose as a witness for the Lord. The public demonstration in Numbers 11was a one-time occurrence for a sign (verse 25). However, Levine makes a good point that, “Their ecstasy was a passing experience, but their status, and presumably their new competence, were permanent.”⁹

The biblical idea of prophetic speech was that it was a communication flowing from an intimate communion with the Lord. Prophets were people who were privileged to have such intimate contact with God that they were allowed to be his spokespersons. The experience of God’s Spirit coming upon a person for ministry and mission is shown consistently to be a prophetic one of intimate communion with the Lord in the Spirit and communication from him by the Spirit.

The eighth point that needs to be made is that leaders must not think we can or need to control the distribution of the Spirit. In Numbers 11, not all who received this experience of the Spirit did so in the official way, at the designated place. God had called them to come before the place of his presence at the Tabernacle, before the congregation, but two did not make it. However, God still put his Spirit on them in the camp. Joshua called for Moses to stop them (verse 28). In contrast, Moses made it clear that there was no need to be jealous for his authority and he expressed the wish that all God’s people would be prophetically empowered by the Spirit. Therefore, all leaders should relinquish self-serving, narrow-minded restrictions over who may minister. Of course, all workers and leaders must be proven, solid disciples, but we must not fail to release people to the ministries God wants for them because of our insecurities and clinging to control. Sometimes only 10 percent are doing all the work because leaders have an unhealthy need to be indispensable. We must be open to God working in ways that cut across our pride and rigid traditions. Pentecost has always offended extremely controlling types. Real freedom from the stresses of ministry comes when we give control over to God. Leaders are to bring order and direction to a group but they must not make those decisions on their own and must never think or act as though they have the power in themselves. We should simply act as obedient messengers from the Lord. Furthermore, no human is given authority to control the transfer of the Spirit to others. God transferred the Spirit from Moses to the seventy; Moses did not do it.

Tags: 11, church, featured, leadership, numbers, pentecostal, theology

Category: Biblical Studies, Summer 2009