Leadership, chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

Marks of a Leader-Meeting challenges within the ranks

When Satan approached Eve in the garden, he began by planting a doubt in her mind as to the leadership of God. He intimated that perhaps God didn’t really have man’s best interest at heart and had no greater thing in store for him than to keep him in subjection by keeping him ignorant. This propensity to question authority and leadership still plagues the human race. Children challenge parental authority. Kings and governments are defied and overthrown. Demonstrators crash through police barricades. Riots destroy cities and nations. Truly, the ‘mystery of iniquity’ (lawlessness) is at work.
2 Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

It is not surprising that this spirit of rebellion has found its way into the Lord’s work, after all, it started there!
Moses had been chosen and appointed by God to lead Israel. Aaron had been given a great deal of responsibility as high priest, but he was not the leader of the people. Miriam, the sister of Moses, also had a lot of influence among the women of Israel, but the task of guiding the nation was not hers. Korah, as head of one of the families of Kohath, was a man who had been given the honor of serving in the Tabernacle, but he had not been singled out to be the leader. At one time or another each one of these tried to usurp the position in which God had placed one man, Moses. It always ended with disastrous results to themselves, the people, or both.

How are such challenges to be met?
The correct response requires great courage and implicit faith in one’s call to the place of leadership. Too often, leaders give in to the temptation to simply abandon the position and let others assume the responsibility, since they seem so desirous of having it. It is much easier to say, ‘In the interest of fellowship, I will step down’ than to say, ‘God has given me this task and by His grace I’ll continue.’ What would the latter history of Israel have been, had Moses allowed Korah, Miriam or even Aaron to take over?

In Korah’s case, it seems that most, if not all, of the congregation was ready to join the rebellion, according to the account found in Numbers chapter 16.

In Moses’ handling of the situation, several steps stand out.

1. He did not yield his position, because he was thoroughly convinced that Jehovah had placed him in it. When one finds himself challenged as to his right to lead, he must ask himself, ‘Did God place me in this position?’ If He did not, then he has no right to the position and should step down immediately. The cause of Christ is far more important than any one person. However, if a man is sure that in accordance with Acts 20:28 [Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.]
The Holy Spirit has made him the overseer of the flock, he has no right to abandon his post. He must remember that he must, someday give account to the Master Shepherd for the flock placed in his care.

2. Moses was willing to place himself between a wrathful God and a people worthy of destruction, and to plead for them.
They were still in his charge even though they had turned against him! If people did not sometimes need protection from their own mistakes, they would need no leader; whatever they decided would be the proper course of action.

As Moses pleaded with God, it was not for the leaders of the insurrection, but for those who had been duped into following them. The purpose of the ensuing events was not that Moses might be avenged, but that God’s people might be protected from false leaders and that others with similar ambitions might be warned in ages to come.

One of the most difficult of all personal challenges, is to maintain the proper perspective. It is easy to fall into the trap of fighting to ‘protect ones ministry’ when one should be more concerned with protecting the flock to which he ministers. Moses saw this clearly. God had not called him to leave Egypt and go to the land of milk and honey. He had called Israel to do that and Moses had been called to lead them. If Israel failed to reach her goal, then Moses would have failed, but even more importantly, God would have failed to keep his promise to his own! Remember, you are not in this work on your own, and God has a bigger stake in the successful conclusion of it than you do. We often hear of Moses’ bravery in standing between God and Israel. It was much more than an act of courage. It was an act of complete faith, as he called upon God to fulfill His promise. Too often we fail, simply because we lack the fortitude to claim God’s promises.

3. When the congregation rallied to his side, Moses had the courage to oversee the complete eradication of the rebellion. He directed the people, upon the Lord’s command, to remove themselves from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram, so that God might send judgment on the few, without hurt to the whole. Is this just an example of harsh, Old Testament justice or do we have anything to compare with it in the New Testament?
As Paul ended his letter to the Romans, with teachings concerning the maintaining of fellowship in the body, he left instructions as to those who would destroy that fellowship. ‘Now I beseech you, brethren, mark (keep your eye on) them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you have learned and avoid them.’ Rom. 16:17.
To a young pastor, Titus, his instructions are, ‘A man that is an heretic (divisive person) after the first and second admonition, reject.’ Titus 3:10.
If one desires a place of preeminence which God has not ordered ,or attempts to usurp the place God has given to another, he is guilty of the very worst sort of covetousness. The instructions on what to do with fornicators, covetous, idolaters, railers, drunkards and extortioners is found in
1 Cor. 5:11-13. 1 Cor 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
1 Cor 5:12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
1 Cor 5:13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
Noteworthy, is the express statement that, ‘God judgeth them that are without (outside).’ It is as if God were repeating what he said to Israel concerning Korah, ‘Depart from the tents of these wicked men.’

Does this sound too harsh? Remember how Jesus said he hated Nicolaitainism? Rev 2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate. & Rev 2:15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.
He not only told of his hatred of it, but said in Rev 2:16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
Nicolaitainism is precisely the sin of which Korah was guilty. It is the lustful desire to be in the place of leadership over God’s people when God has not placed one so.

Another thought to be considered in meeting such challenges, is that a real leader spends no time arguing over who has the right to lead. He just does it. You see, in the eyes of the onlookers at least, a debate signifies the possibility that either side might be right. A police officer would only look foolish if he wasted time debating with the lawbreaker, his right to enforce the law, and a judge doesn’t spend time explaining that he has a right to keep order in the court room. Each simply does his job. The same principle holds true for our Sunday School teachers, song leaders and church custodians. Why should the pastor then, be expected to spend time defending his right to pastor, or a missionary to do mission work, when they alone, among all these job holders have been placed in their positions by God?

If God had any doubts about Moses, Gideon, David, Paul or any other leader He called, He would not have selected him.

It is true that at times, even God-called leaders have disqualified themselves, and must be set aside. Paul expressed his own fear of being made ineligible in 1 Cor. 9:27, ‘But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.’
When a leader does become unfit, either morally or doctrinally, it will be because he has gone contrary to specific Scripture and will become apparent. It will not be vague charges that ,`He’s gotta go, he’s been here too long.’ nor, perhaps the most insidious of all, `If you knew what I know ‘. No wonder the Holy Spirit found it necessary to inspire Paul to write, ‘Against an elder receive not an accusation but before two or three witnesses.’ 1 Tim. 5:19

If God has chosen you for a position in His service, then FILL THAT POSITION! You may make many errors as you move forward in leadership, but none will be as grievous as abandoning your job to someone to whom God did not give it! Read I Cor 9:16,17 and you will see that even if you walk away, God will still hold you responsible for it! For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.