Bredfeldt surveys the landscape of leadership models currently popular in the church. The traditional models are hierarchical and heroic, focusing on the authority invested in a leader who has proven by his character his fitness to lead. Newer models trade authority for authenticity, focusing on relationships over structure (14). Bredfeldt rightly argues that the biblical model does not force us into an “either-or” decision about these models. Instead, the Bible bases leadership in the teaching of God’s Word (15).
Bredfeldt’s emphasis on the importance of Bible teaching is refreshing, considering the vast number of books on Christian leadership that only give lip service to Bible teaching before diving into strategies culled from the top organizations in the business world. One only has to look at the greatest of biblical leaders to back up Bredfeldt’s point. Moses may have been a good leader in many respects, but his teaching is what has been passed down to us thousands of years later. David was a warrior, the greatest of Israel’s kings, and a skilled musician, but it was the teaching in his psalms that left the greatest mark on history. Bredfeldt mentions Ezra as a leader who made teaching the top priority and received God’s blessing because of it (40-42). Above all, Scripture tells us that “Jesus came, preaching…” (Matthew 4:17), inaugurating God’s Kingdom through signs, wonders, and his own death and resurrection, but also through his teaching ministry.
Bredfeldt correctly diagnoses one of the main problems in today’s church. Many churches so emphasize programs and activities that the pastor feels guilty for his time spent in study (32-34). The stressful demands of being the main leader of an organization like the church can eat away at the time needed to study and properly prepare for the spiritual feeding of the congregation. Bredfeldt encourages pastors to do what they really want to do – teach and spend time studying the Word. Pastors are discouraged and unfulfilled because they are not able to accomplish their call: preaching and teaching (38-40)!
For biblical support, Bredfeldt points to Acts 6, the story of the apostles appointing deacons to help administer funds and services so that the apostles might continue teaching. This is just one of many passages that Bredfeldt could have chosen to show the biblical justification for his thesis. Paul’s advice to Timothy contains many sayings that could be called “leadership advice,” but the command to always be preparing for preaching (2 Timothy 4:2) seems to trump the rest of his recommendations. Bredfeldt points out that Paul’s instructions to Timothy were not about devoting his time to developing mission statements, strategic planning, leading change, or managing conflicts (even though each of these is good and necessary). Timothy was challenged to give utmost importance to public preaching (1 Timothy 4:13) (38).
Bredfeldt has nothing against formulating a mission statement or discerning God’s vision for the church. But he criticizes a church atmosphere that downplays the significance of solid Bible teaching. Instead of including Bible teaching as just one item in a list of pastoral responsibilities, Bredfeldt claims that all pastoral responsibilities flow predominantly from the teaching ministry (59).
Bredfeldt also corrects a common misquoting of Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” While many leadership gurus use this verse as support for their emphasis on casting a vision for the church, Bredfelt correctly translates the verse, “Where there is no revelation (teaching), the people cast off restraint. (48)” The astute Bible reader can begin recounting biblical scenes of God’s people perishing even under “good” leadership when that leadership came at the expense of the prophetic word – the days of King Saul, the days of the judges, the Golden Calf escapade while Moses, the Teacher, was absent, etc.
written by Trevin Wax © 2007 Kingdom People blog
