Shepherds of the Flock
1 Peter 5:2-4 tells the reader to remember that leading a flock should be done with God given oversight (direction) and not human compulsion. Also it tells the reader to not dominate the flock but to be an example to them in said leadership. No one wants a leader who is telling you what to do and not being a good example of that. If my leader says that we should serve and read the word, and they don't serve or read the word, then they aren't being a good leader nor are they being a good example to the flock. We need flock leaders to hold themselves accountable and also be held accountable.
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We Need Strong Leaders
Paul begins this letter to Titus (another church leader and supposed mentee) with instruction, similar like what he told Timothy. In Titus 1:7-8 Paul says "For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined." In other words the church leaders (deacons, pastors, priests, etc) need to not be like "everyone else" so to speak. They need to have a higher sense of morale and hold themselves to a higher standard than many others would. They need to have self control and not be drunkards nor be quick to get angry. When the leaders hold themselves to a higher standard, they set the example for other believers.
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Being an Overseer
When it comes to leadership that is respectable, not everyone is qualified. Some may say that seems or sounds judgemental, but isn't it true? Have you ever had a boss that wasn't a very good leader or a supervisor that was not a very good leader. There are certain qualities and character traits that a leader would need to have to be a good leader for you. In the church, the same type of rules apply. In 1 Timothy 3:1-7 we see that a good overseer must be above reproach, in other words the hold themselves to a high standard that keeps them from trouble. Also a good overseer will only have one wife, not multiple. This could be related to polygamy or numerous marriages or marital fidelity or all three. An overseer is also even temperate, self controlled, etc. If these are the kind of people that we are looking for to lead us at church, then these are also examples of the type of people that we should seek to be around us in our private lives.
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Pray for the Leaders
Based on my Facebook feed, I find that in the year of an election (America is 7 months away from a new president) many people are focused what a good and bad leader. They know what the current President has done wrong and predict what the next President will do right. I wonder how many of us who are upset with the current leadership and are hopeful for the next one or love the current leadership and love or are fearful of the next leader, do you pray for any of them? It is one thing to "pray" someone isn't an idiot, but that is not prayer. Submit and humble yourself to God and unite with other Christ followers and lift up our leaders to the will of God. Sure we cannot make people make certain decisions, but if you have faith in God then you know that prayer can change things. Paul tells us 1 Timothy 2:1-2 that we are to pray for our leaders. So, before you complain about the current or possible future leadership of America or where ever you dwell, did you pray for them?
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Holding All Things Together
As Paul starts off just about each letter to each new church he writes to, there are always salutations. He also always includes his background by mentioning that he has overcome his own tribulation and trials (not by his own power) but by the Holy Spirit. He tells us in verses 15-23 about the preeminence (leadership that surpasses other) of Christ. In verse 17 though, Paul writes "And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." This means that Jesus (being that he is God in the flesh) is the "unifying principle and the personal sustainer of all
creation (Dave Guzik). Apart for Christ we can do nothing.
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Christlike, Leadership and Unity
Paul starts off in verse 1 by stating something so simple, but yet it is so deep. He says "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." He shows his leader ship and authority but also shows that he is under authority under Christ. Imagine working for a big company and your boss is the president but the president also has a boss which is the CEO/owner. Paul has authority but is not the ultimate authority.
The word "head" in this section as a simple understanding means source. So, when Paul says God is the head of man and man is the head of woman, that means that from x came y. If you go back to Genesis and read about the creation of man and woman then you see where that comes from. But head also meant authority, not as in controlling but as in leader or lead. This verse (3) is where people get confused and refer to the Bible as sexist and what not, but this is a farce as there are plenty of women God has used to do wonderful things in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 11:20-21 calls out the believers who were not united in the church when it came to eating. He says people were having different meals when they used to share a common meal. He calls them out for having different meals and getting drunk at church to show proof that they were not unified.
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