Leading from Behind

LEADING FROM BEHIND

With the rise in popularity of CEO’s, COO’s and Executive Ministry Presidents, it seems as if the leadership role of the Pastor is becoming synonymous to that of running a fortune 500 company. T. David Gordon, professor at Grove City College in Grove City, PA in his article, “Your Pastor: Shepherd or CEO” stated that the biblical model of a pastor has been replaced with a worldly view of a manager (Gordon, T., 2002). Most business leaders lead from the front with their vision, mission and goals. A strategic plan is created or adopted that incorporates the ideology of the business that is birthed from the visionary. Contrarily, the church already has a visionary who is Jesus. As a matter of fact, the church has a mission as well as goals that were identified by its leader (Luke 4:18). Utilizing various business models as defined by secular constructs are helpful for the church. However, it should not be the only resource or take precedence in what is employed. The church is a spiritual living organism that bears witness of God's love for humanity. While there is much to be gleaned from entrepreneurs such as Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford, Dr. Dre, Oprah Winfrey and countless others, there is even more to learn from the church's book called the Bible.

A Pastor is a shepherd. A shepherd is “a person who tends and rears sheep (Oxford Dictionary, 2014).” Jesus stated that He is the 'Good Shepherd' (John 10 NIV). The Pastor serves the flock of God at the pleasure of the Good Shepherd. In this sense, the Pastor is an under-shepherd of the Shepherd of all humanity (Ezekiel 34:11-16; Hebrews 13:20). Perhaps it would be in the best interest of the sheep and the Pastor for them to lead his or her flock not from the front but from the rear. This is performed so that one can watch the sheep graze peacefully while being on the lookout for the wolf. If this approach is favored biblically, then the secular systemic hierarchical structures may not be the best fit for the church. In this brief article, let's examine the different polarities of the secular and biblical styles of leadership and explore seven biblical ways that the Pastor can lead from behind.

1. Be a faithful dispenser of the Gospel. Many Christians view the church as a business. Yet a business tends to be engrossed in a capitalistic economy. The glorification of self-actualization or the accumulation of wealth, trinkets and treasures should not be the priority of the church, but it should be the saving of souls. I strongly believe that the priority of the Pastor is to preach the Gospel and bring people to Christ so that humanity might be converted (Acts 6:2-4). A CEO promotes their agenda, but a Pastor promotes God's agenda.

2. Keep in mind that parishioners are not just church members, but they are sheep. If the shepherd leads from the front with an expectation that the sheep are going to follow his or her every move, then their naivety will leave them bewildered when one sheep gets distracted and veers off. If one sheep goes astray, others may unintentionally follow. The shepherd must always be on watch so that the flock can stay together. Leading from the front of the flock will cause the Shepherd to regularly turn around to see if every sheep is accounted for. How can one move forward when they are always looking behind them. This will take time, energy and great patience. However, if the shepherd leads from the rear, then he or she can utilize the staff (Psalm 23) and kindly nudge the sheep in the proper direction. Not only that, but the staff has a hook that can be used as a loving arm to bring them back. Though the sheep may look the same, every sheep matters (Isaiah 40:11). While the Shepherd is concerned about every sheep of the flock moving in concert, the CEO can care less. The CEO views their staff either as an asset or a liability. If it is the latter, then they are terminated.

3. Pastors should remember that sheep are easily distracted. Sheep usually do not pay attention to danger, Shepherds do. Unfortunately the sheep seem to be oblivious to the evil wolf lurking behind the bushes waiting to devour it. The sheep will go to places that are enticing and seem pleasurable to the flesh without thinking about the negative consequences (1 Peter 2:25). In 2006 in eastern Turkey, over 400 sheep lost their lives as they followed one sheep that attempted to cross a 15-meter deep ravine (Schoenian, S., 2011). Since the Shepherd is physically taller than the sheep, he or she has a different view. There are spiritual dangers that the Shepherd can help the sheep avoid. While the Shepherd looks out for the interest of others, the CEO looks out for the interest of themselves. For example, questions such as, "What is the bottom line? Is my company in the black or in the red?" are raised. If the company is in the red, then cuts are made. If the cut is employees, then so be it.

4. Don't move too fast Sheep don’t run fast, they move slow. The Shepherd must be willing to take short steps and be patient with moving the flock in the right direction. If God is patient with humanity (2 Peter 3:9), surely the Pastor can be patient with the sheep. After all, patience is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Again, the view is different between the Pastor and sheep. The Pastor may be able to see the still waters and green pastures that is beyond the ditch and above the bushes while the sheep can only see the bushes. They can only see what is in front of them. The shepherd should practice patience in moving the flock slowly to their destination. Pastors would do well to remember that sheep have short legs. CEOs are not concerned about every employee moving in concert. Stragglers are simply left behind to fend for themselves.

5. Sheep begat sheep. Sheep reproduce themselves. Shepherds do not have the ability to create more sheep. Jesus said that the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few (Matthew 9:37, 48). Jesus had all power to reach every person in the world, but He chose to make fishers of men so that humanity could play a vital role in the reconciliation process. Jesus chose to enter into partnership with us because no one can tell our stories of redemption like us. No one can testify about what the Lord has done for you better than you. People are waiting to hear the Gospel from our perspective and experience. I believe that God is looking for an authentic witness who is not afraid to tell their story. Like the woman who dropped the waterpot (John 4) and went into the town, encouraging people to come meet a man, we too must share our encounter with Jesus. John Wesley said that if you catch on fire, people will come to see you burn (Wesley, J., n.d.). Conversely, when the shepherd leads the flock to green pastures where they are able to feed upon the sustenance that God has provided, then they grow healthy. If they grow healthy, then they are more apt to reproduce. This begs the question, what are we feeding the flock of God that our pew benches are empty? CEOs feed their people by encouraging professional development so that the employee can make the company wealthier. However Pastors feed the flock (John 21:17) in order to strengthen the relationship between the sheep and its Shepherd.

6. Sheep know the voice of their shepherd Sheep know the voice of their Shepherd (John 10:27). Jesus boldly said that the sheep know His voice, and that they do not answer the voice of another. I believe that His statement is true because He took the time to know every hair on His sheep’s head. In other words, Jesus showed interest that was intimately personal with each sheep. Not only did He address the sheep as a flock but also as individuals. In order to lead from behind, the Pastor must take the time to get to know each parishioner in their charge (Proverbs 27:23). One on one pastoral sessions are critical to the strengthening of the flock. As a father of four, I know firsthand of what a difference it is to spend time with each child away from the other children. Each lights up with joy because they feel that daddy is giving them uninterrupted attention. The same can apply to pastoral visits. CEOs typically do not have the time to develop relationships with every employee. Their concern is that the employee does their job and that he or she should be happy to get a paycheck.

7. Sheep will carry the sent of the shepherd Sheep will smell like the Pastor when he or she spends a considerable amount of time nurturing, teaching, feeding and bathing it. At some point, the sheep will take on some of the mannerisms and characteristics of the Under-Shepherd. Hopefully, the Under-Shepherd is modeling the characteristics of Christ (Philippians 2:1-18). The Apostle Paul suggests to the Church of Phillippi to follow his example in the same epistle that he admonishes the church to imitate Christ. Paul never hesitated to direct the focus of the people to Jesus. He preached Christ crucified and stayed on message. He did not fleece the flock, nor was he a hireling. He spoke and lived God's truth in love and humility. He took no credit for himself, but always glorified the Lord. His administration was not of a secular persuasion, but of a Spirit-led movement where Christ was the epicenter of all that was accomplished. As the tent maker smelled like Christ, his sheep smelled like him. They carried the scent of love, selflessness, humbleness, meekness, integrity and other fruit of the Spirit. Paul encouraged the sheep to find joy in the midst of their suffering as he did. Paul did not use tricks or gimmicks to convince people of the truth. However, he did become all things to all men that he might win one. Somehow the sheep begat more sheep. Thousands and thousands were added daily. Yet he never changed his message or mission. I believe that Paul recognized that the message and mission did not belong to him. That he was part of something much greater than him. Perhaps he understood that his purpose was to be used as a pen by God to write on the hearts of humanity. If so, then truly Paul had the scent of Christ and he instructs the church to do the same. Should the Pastor run the church as a Fortune 500 company or employ the gift of administration to oversee the affairs of the flock of God. Is God calling the Pastor to be successful or faithful? Let's keep the main thing, the main thing which is the preaching of the unadulterated word of God. John Wesley once said, "Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not whether they be clergymen or laymen, they alone will shake the gates of Hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven upon Earth!" Let us preach our conviction and stay true to the Gospel of reconciliation.

REFERENCES

Gordon, T. (2002, May 1). Your Pastor: Shepherd or CEO? Retrieved November 25, 2014, from http://www.opc.org/new_horizons/NH02/05d.html

Shepherd. (n.d.). Retrieved November 25, 2014, from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/shepherd?searchDictCode=all

Schoenian, S. (2011). Sheep 201: a beginners guide to raising sheep. Retrieved January 5, 2015 from http://www.sheep101.info/201/behavior.html

Wesley, J. (N.d.) John Wesley Quotes. Retrieved January 5, 2015 from http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/151350.John_Wesley

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