What makes a true leader? The early church faced this question when rapid growth sparked a crisis. Their response revolutionized leadership—and their insights are just as vital today.

What does a leader look like? In a traditional Zambian court, observers once noticed that a chief’s advisor looked more like a chief than the actual chief himself. This illustrates a profound truth: leaders don’t fit a particular mold or necessarily hold specific titles. They come in all shapes and sizes. The one distinguishing mark of leadership is influence – the power to affect others’ thinking or actions through argument, example, or force of personality.

As President Truman once observed, “A leader is a person who has the ability to get others to do what they don’t want to do and like it.” This capacity for positive influence becomes critically important in church growth, whether leading choirs, children’s classes, or entire congregations.

When Growth Creates Challenges

The early church faced a critical leadership challenge when rapid growth led to overlooked needs within the congregation. Cultural prejudices emerged, and cliques formed. Some Greek-speaking widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food, while Hebrew-speaking widows received care (Acts 6:1).

This crisis provides timeless insights about servant leadership in the local church.

The Leadership Response

The apostles’ handling of this situation offers a masterclass in servant leadership. They drew wisdom from Moses’ experience, who had learned from his father-in-law that going alone isn’t good (Exodus 18:17). Just as Moses appointed capable, God-fearing men to serve who loved truth and hated dishonest gain (Exodus 18:21), the early church needed appoint deacons to expand its leadership base.

The apostles recognized three key principles:

First, they couldn’t meet every need alone (6:1). As church growth accelerates, leadership must expand. This isn’t a sign of failure but of healthy growth.

Second, they needed to involve the congregation rather than making unilateral decisions (6:2-3). Notably, they didn’t refer the problem to some distant headquarters but engaged the local body in the solution.

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