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The Essential Element of Leadership
In The Lord's Churches
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson

Copyright - Lester Hutson - 1986
This material is copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of Dr. Lester Hutson.

The Essential Element of Leadership In the Lord's Churches

Unit Four -

When It's All Said And Done

I Corinthians 1:26-31

"For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."

Oh, how the heart is prone to self-exaltation and vain-glory. Let a little measure of visible success come, and a man, pastors and whole churches can become really proud of themselves. People can even become proud of their humility. It's not hard at all to be the Pharisee who looks down his nose at the publican in Luke 18:11-12. The one with pride can convince himself that he doesn't have it. The flesh invents ways to veneer and cover an egotistical heart. A preacher can brag on his success, keep bringing attention to what he and his church are doing, always talk about how he's having bigger blessings and more opportunities than anybody else, say that nobody's ever seen it like this before, and that he or his church will never do this or that. He can do these things while he uses lots of phrases like, "the Lord did this for us," "The Lord is really outdoing himself here," and "The Lord has given us so much talent and so much potential." Anytime self, I, me, us, mine, ours, what we are doing or what God is doing for us gets the limelight, chief interest and attention, the pride leaks through like water through a screen door in spite of all the pious talk about what God is doing.

True success doesn't focus one's attention on who he is and what he's doing. Prosperity after the Godly fashion is not egotistical and braggadocios. True Christianity keeps the Lord in the limelight and lays all the credit for any success at his feet. According to Luke 14:11 when the right balance and priorities prevail in any person, or church, self will be abased and the Lord will magnified.

Visible success

Adherence to the concepts advocated in this book tends to produce a good measure of visible success. A conscious effort to be a good leader by implementing sound, Godly practices is obviously prone to greater visible success than an undisciplined, helter-skelter lifestyle. Those who lay solid plans, work with competence to implement their plans and who serve as visible examples of commitment and integrity are far more likely to succeed than those who wander aimlessly without vision, initiative or a plan of attack. Those who really care and serve are going to enjoy a far greater measure of success than their cold, withdrawn counterparts who treat their work as an unwanted chore and bothersome burden. The Lord blesses conscientious, competent hard work. The Bible is very clear that men reap what they sow in Galatians 6:7.

"The laborer is worthy of his hire," Luke 10:7 says.

Psalms 62:12 says, "Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou tenderest to every man according to his work." The great promise of Psalms 126:5-6 is,

"They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."

Jesus said, "Give, and it shall be given unto you," in Luke 6:38. It is impossible to get around the connection between sowing and reaping in the Bible. God promises to bless certain things done in a certain way and curse other things done to His displeasure. When it comes to responsibility, basic honesty, love and service, and the other principles advocated here, they are right, and they tend to result in the blessings of God in a visible way.

Pride

Because visible prosperity is more likely where good leadership is, there is a great tendency for those who experience it to become proud and lose sight of the true source of all blessings. David did. He had a great kingdom, which was his by the strength and hand of God, not by David's genius or finesse. David sought to number his soldiers in II Samuel 24. Why should he gloat in such accomplishments? David seemed to temporarily forget who had made him all he was, and the pride became a great source of chastening and anguish for both David and his people.

What a sad paradox it is that where good leadership prevails and the blessings of God are the most evident, often the leadership has a superiority attitude, and the rank and file lean too heavily upon and admire too much their leadership! This is not always the case, but too often it is, and too often these are the ones who have the greatest trouble at the loss of a good leader.

The biblical antidote to these ungodly tendencies is an humble realization that every good blessing we receive and all the spiritual prosperity we enjoy comes from God. James expressed this truth perfectly in James 1:17. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." God forbid that we who are saved by God's grace, especially we who pastor and lead others, would lose sight of who it is that really provides all we have. He is really our provider and sustainer, not we ourselves. Too often we are like Israel of whom God said in Isaiah 1:3, "The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider."

God knew they, and we, would forget Him and exalt themselves. He warned against it at length in Deuteronomy 8:10-18.

"When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied; Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end; And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth."

Especially note verses 17 and 18. Every good thing we ever accomplish is only by the grace of God, and that is true regardless of our personal input.

Real source of success

Very few truths are emphasized more in scripture than the fact that the real source of all true success is the Lord and not the ability of man. The scriptures say it outright, perhaps no place clearer than Psalms 127:1, "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain."

Psalms 121;1 says, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help."

Then Jeremiah 3:23 declares, "Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel."

Thus Psalms 121:2 continues, "My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth."

John the Baptist affirmed in John 3:27, "A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven."

That is in perfect harmony with what Jesus said in John 15:5, "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing." He had just said in verse 4, "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me."

The apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 2:13, "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure."

This same great apostle asked in I Corinthians 4:7, "For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?"

It would be hard to put it any clearer than it is put in Hebrews 13:20-21,

"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant. Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

Note it well! It is God who makes you perfect in every good work to do His will. It is "God...working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight."

Thank God for good, sound principles. Never forget, however, He gave the principles, and they work only because of His power in us. We're just given the power to implement them, to light the fuse. It's His program and His power. There is absolutely no grounds for pride, self-glory or credit to us. That's the reason you find a scripture like II Corinthians 3:5, "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God."

That's the reason you find scriptures warning like Jeremiah 17:5-6,

"Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heathen in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited."

Any true success and prosperity any of us ever enjoy, we enjoy because of God's generosity, power and grace to us. Paul was keenly aware of that reality, and expressed it without reservation in II Timothy 4:17-18 just a few days prior to his departure for heaven,

"Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray to God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion."

Don't miss it, dear brother! The Lord was the one who brought him where he was. No wonder he told the Corinthians, "But by the grace of God I am what I am," in I Corinthians 15:10.

And the same grace and power of God which made Paul all he was is exactly what every one of us must have, if we're ever to count in terms of eternal value to the cause of Christ. Listen to II Corinthians 9:8 say so, "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work." Here it is again in Philippians 4:19, "But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Who is the enabler? The sole supplier? God! And only God! Not we ourselves. If He's not in it, our success is nothing.

Oh, how clearly rings the great passage in I Corinthians 1:26-31,

"For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."

II Corinthians 10:17 repeats verse 31, which is a partial quote of Jeremiah 9:23-24,

"Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord."

Oh dear brother, regardless of your level of service, don't get proud of yourself and of any prosperity you may enjoy. Be thankful always, but never proud. Be humble before God. Don't let yourself start thinking that it's because of your goodness, your faithfulness, your obedience to Biblical principles, or your humility that you are where you are. The fact is, you are there by the grace of God, and you don't have one single thing about which to brag or feel so smug. God deserves every bit of the credit, not just most. You deserve no glory, and any you ever get that's of real value will come because you rode in on His coattail. It is not you, but "Christ in you the hope of glory," in Colossians 1:27.

Yielded Instruments

It is all of God, yet there is a need for yielded, committed human instruments. Even though God is the exclusive source of all true success and prosperity, still He uses human instruments in His great work among men on earth. He builds His church (Matthew 16:18), yet He uses "many members," as I Corinthians 12:12,14 says. The power is of God, but it is worked out through human instruments. Listen to II Corinthians 4:7 say it, "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us."

God could do it with us, but He doesn't choose to do so. He uses men and works through them to accomplish His purposes. Then, when He does His job, He's the one to whom the credit and glory goes, but He honors His human instruments in the process. Oh, the majesty, generosity and goodness of our God toward us!

Realizing that God is the total reason for any success we enjoy and that He deserves all the glory for it should never make anyone idle or tentative in the service of God. As someone has well said, "Work like everything depends on you; but never lose sight of the fact that everything depends on the Lord." Yes, it does depend on Him, yet He says to us mortals, "Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God," in Romans 6:13.

A few pages later He says, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service," in Romans 12:1.

Oh, there's a need for balance in truth! Let us not sit back and wait for God to do everything while we do nothing. Never! Let us work diligently with unrestrained zeal, implementing every possible principle of biblical success, for maximum prosperity in the work of the Lord. And, while we are doing so let us not think the success is because of what we are doing; humbly look to God for the blessings and success that only He can give.

That's how it works. God uses men who will yield to Him and His ways. That's precisely what the Bible says. Hear it in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." The concept of God's power in yielded mortals is unmistakable. God uses people who care, serve, are responsible, keep growing, and yield in other vital areas. Instead of floating along basically idle while they wait for God to do it all, they work as hard as they can to be all God wants them to be, doing many of the very things advocated in this Book.

Paul is surely an ideal example. It would be hard to imagine anyone working with any more tenacity, diligence, and sacrifice of self than is constantly evident in a look at his life. Listen to II Corinthians 11: 23-28,

"Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches."

Yet, remember, he gave total credit to the Lord in II Timothy 4:17-18 where he said,

"Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion."

Brother, sister, do your best, always! But NEVER, NEVER, NEVER forget that when it's all said and done, all glory and credit belongs to our Lord and Him alone. We are powerless and nothing without Him.

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"