The Bible gives us a template for church leadership that focusses mostly on character. Paul describes this quality as being “above reproach,” which is further defined by qualities like sexual fidelity, temperance, self-control, gentleness, peaceability, respectability, hospitability, righteousness, holiness, and loving what is good.

If we are to continue, and God willing expand, Christian influence, it is vital for us to understand leadership, both for the sake of the church and for our broader understanding of cultural stewardship. Fortunately, the New Testament has much to offer, especially when it comes to leadership in the church.

The three basic character requirements for becoming an elder are craving, character, and competence. If a man gifted by the Holy Spirit reflects these traits, he is entrusted with the high calling of feeding sheep and guarding souls.

By contrast, today’s iconic pastors often seem driven by sales, style, and sentiment. This measure is calibrated to stage presence, which in turn creates broader opportunities for men of low integrity and fails to cultivate the kind of example necessary to inspire the disciplines required for other positions of responsibility.

A faulty understanding of leadership in the church translates into a faulty understanding of leadership in general.

Let us then go back to the template and examine what a New Testament pastor should look like.

Craving

The heart of an elder is summed up in 1 Peter 5:2-3: “Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.”

This means a church leader should desire to do what shepherds do. I know too many examples of men who occupy the pastoral office but only wish to preach. Steve Lawson famously harbored a desire for the stage without embracing the broader role. In general, the larger the audience, whether in person or online, the greater the temptation to outsource responsibilities such as converting, correcting, and counseling, as if those duties were less important.

Alexander Strauch writes in his book Biblical Eldership:

The biblical image of a shepherd caring for his flock-standing long hours ensuring its safety, leading it to fresh pasture and clear water, carrying the weak, seeking the lost, healing the wounded and sick is precious. The whole image of the Palestinian shepherd is characterized by intimacy, tenderness, concern, skill, hard work, suffering, and love. (Kindle Locations 142-145)

The shepherd analogy serves as a vivid reminder of the task church leaders should desire. Paul tells Timothy, “Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task” (1 Timothy 3:1). The Greek word for desire found here, epithumia, can be translated as lust, desire, or passion. What this means for an aspiring elder is that he must first consider his calling and ask himself whether he has a genuine longing, desire, and passion to shepherd God’s flock.

This calling springs from the relationship between the shepherd and the sheep that Christ, the Chief Shepherd, exemplified during his earthly ministry. When a paycheck motivates a church leader, destruction is inevitable. Jesus called such men hirelings because they flee when wolves approach (John 10:12).

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