Which Christian leader has ever been as honest as Paul? “We were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death.” Paul sees God’s hand in all of this: “But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:8-9).

I’m blown away by Paul’s honesty in 2 Corinthians.

People in Corinth expected leaders to look successful. They didn’t have a category for someone like Paul. Weakness wasn’t in their leadership vocabulary.

Paul refused to play that game. Just as Jesus taught his disciples about a Messiah who suffers, Paul teaches the Corinthians (and us) about Christian leaders who struggle. He lists his sufferings (2 Corinthians 11:23-28). He boasts not in his strengths but his weaknesses (2 Corinthians 11:30). He sees his sufferings as both a messenger from Satan and a means of experiencing God’s power (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

Which Christian leader has ever been as honest as Paul? “We were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death.” Paul sees God’s hand in all of this: “But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:8-9).

Rethinking Leadership Models

I’m convinced our most common leadership model within the North American church resembles that of the Corinthians. We long for the so-called super-apostles. We want the gifted, the successful, the articulate, the men and women who get things done. Our leaders are allowed to suffer, but only in the past tense. We want winners, people who’ve beat the odds.

I do too.

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