I Peter 5:1-7

I Peter 5:1-7

Church leadership can be challenging in the best of times. There are always difficult decisions and people to be dealt with, no matter the circumstances. In difficult times, church leadership is even more problematic. The church was about to face growing persecution, and in such times leadership within the church would be perhaps the single most important factor in whether the church survives, thrives, or dwindles. The church, the local congregation, will never grow beyond its leaders. You can never have a great congregation with mediocre leadership.

The terms Peter uses to describe the work of the leaders, shepherds, and overseers are terms that require personal involvement. Church leadership is no distant and remote administrative job. It is literally a hands-on. The shepherd physically handles each sheep, checking for wounds and its general condition. The person who oversees something must be close enough to not merely be looking at it, but to be able to tell the condition and notice any changes. The work of a pastor may be compensated, but that compensation must never be the motive. If a man desires the role of ministry as the career path for job security and wealth, he is unqualified. In the earliest church, most ministers were bi-vocational if they were paid at all. The reward for their faithful service and oversight was not experienced in the life here but when the Lord, the ultimate shepherd, returns.

Peter makes a point that a pastor must be a self-starter and not one who serves because he is pressured to do so. If a minister, pastor, or elder serves because he is only externally motivated, in the hard times, he will either not serve or will take the course of least resistance. In either case, he will be a failure. Strong, determined leadership will not cop out even during persecution.

It is worth noting that the only group within the church that Peter addresses in regard to the relationship of the elders is young men. With young, motivated, and strong-willed young men, any sense of weak leadership will invite their excited plans. Peter does not stifle their energy but rather directs it to be put to use under the mature, clear-headed guidance of an older, wiser soul. The wisdom of age and the strength of youth can be a beautiful combination and a powerful asset for the church.

“Lord, help me to be supportive of godly leaders whatever my role may be. AMEN”