“What is empowering leadership?”During our Saturday dinner time, I overheard a sister-in-Christ asking Pastor this question. His answer was that it had to do with the spirit anointing. I thought this is a very important question and so set myself to think about this more.
Talk about “empowering” and the song, “empower me” appears in my mind. I guess that is where Pastor got his word coin up for the theme of year 2009 for Bethany PCES. But is this word used in the Bible? I check the concordance and it is not used in the bible. Next, I search the dictionary and this is what it means: - to invest with power, especially legal power or official authority. Who give the power? What is this power? For Christian leadership, it must be the Holy Spirit who gives the power base on my memory of Acts 1:8.
1. Old Testament Example
Is there any example of Spirit empowering leadership in the Bible? From memory, I think there is, somewhere in the Book of Numbers where God’s spirit come on the elders and they prophesied. Checking it up, it is Num 11: 16-29
The LORD said to Moses: "Bring me seventy of Israel's elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the Tent of Meeting, that they may stand there with you. I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have to carry it alone. (v16, 17)
(verse 24-29)
So Moses went out and told the people what the LORD had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the Tent. Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took of the Spirit that was on him and put the Spirit on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they did not do so again. However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the Tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. A young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp." Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses' aide since youth, spoke up and said, "Moses, my lord, stop them!" But Moses replied, "Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the LORD's people were prophets and that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!"
The leaders were bestowed with the spirit (presumably godly knowledge and wisdom to govern) of Moses by God. With that, more leaders are able to do the work of Moses as he has been complaining to God of his burden (Num 11: 11-15). This is the principles of leader reproduce leaders. There is now more Moses. BCPES need more worship leaders, more BSG leaders, and more youth leaders. Where to find? When God did it, it is instant, just get the spirit of Casey (or Isaac, Ginnette…) and put it on Amos, Grace, … and there you have more worship leaders. But this is divine intervention, humanly impossible. So how? Go the slower way, teach, train, practice, practice, practice, evaluate and improve.
Notice that Moses’ spirit is put on the elders and leaders, not anybody. So, choosing the right person is important. How do we know that we have chosen the right leaders?
Spiritual leaders are not elected, appointed, or created by synods or churchly assemblies. God alone makes them – Oswald Sanders, Spiritual leadership, page 18
2. New Testament Encounter
The church of Antioch gave us a pattern how they choose leaders: (Acts 13:1-3)
In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
The prophets and teachers were praying, worshipping and fasting, and the Holy Spirit spoke (presumably through the prophets) to choose Barnabas and Saul for the work. But BPCES got no prophets what. Never mind about whether we have prophets or not, that is God’s initiative to occasionally send one or some. Our task at hand is to pray, worship and fast when seeking God for leadership. Not just pass a nomination form and sign your name.
3. Personal Experience
I am always against the way we elect our English Service Committee members. It is not right just to pass the nomination form and usually those who sign it will be by default elected into the committee. I feel that we should really spend some time praying about our needs for leadership. It may sound stupid or naïve but if this is God’s house, He will do something. In February this year, I was spending a lot of time praying for the new election of committee and also for my two Sunday sermons. I asked God a very simple question: “Who should be in the English Service committee?” After many days and weeks of praying, the spirit within me prompted a name that I least expected. But what should I do, “Why tell me, God?” Because you care to pray.
When Jenny approached me with the nomination form, I casually told her to approach Luh Sy also. Not sure whether she got my hint and did approach her. At the last day of nomination, Elder Rosie came to me to get my signature. I told her that she should approach Luh Sy.
“No lah! She’s so busy. She is the chairperson of the Child Care you know.”
“OK, you are right” I replied.
Guess, God got the wrong person this time. Or, was it that I heard wrongly? But at least, I have done my duty and convey the message to Elder. Many years ago, I too have a similar message and Su Lynn joined the English Service committee. Could this time be wrong? It doesn’t matter, my task is to pray. I am no prophet so not to worry whether the message is right or wrong.
Care to join me in prayer?
“Call to me and I will answer you and will tell you …”
Serving Him with you,
Mark Lim
No comments:
Post a Comment