As elders of Spring Meadows Church of Christ, we want you to have a clear understanding of the philosophy by which we try to live and lead. The touchstone of our leadership style is Peter's admonition to his fellow-elders in the early church:
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"Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers - not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." - 1 Peter 5:2-3 |
Elders sometimes have been perceived as a board of directors: authoritarian, autocratic, and even dictatorial. That is not a leadership style described in the New Testament when talking of bishops. Instead, New Testament elders are shepherds of the flock of God. They are committed to leading and nurturing, not lording over, to demonstrating rather than demanding, to inspiring rather than intimidating. They are concerned for every member of the congregation just as Jesus is concerned for each of us even when we are lost in our sinfulness.
We do not claim to have fully acquired these desirable qualities of care and concern. However, we do pledge ourselves to keep learning and growing in the fine art and spiritual gifts of shepherding. To give us more time for shepherding, we will try to delegate as many things as possible. Deacons, staff members, and willing volunteers all shoulder much of the responsibility of the church. We do not seek to control people or make them what we want them to be. We do seek to empower people, so that they may be all that God wants them to be. When we must make decisions necessary for the direction of the church's journey with God, we do so with consideration for the views of God's people, prayers for God's guidance, and respect for His will as He has revealed it. At the discussion level we do not always agree with one another, but once a decision is made by the elders as a group, we all accept and support it. We believe our collective judgment is superior to the individual judgment of any one of us, and the means by which God directs His people here.
Please pray for God to bless us as we lead, that we may "...prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up". - Ephesians 4:11-12