The Church Doesn’t Have a Leadership Problem, We Have a Discipleship Problem

 

In the past 3 years, I’ve now watched 5 Christian leaders whom I had deep respect for have to come forward with confessions of sexual misconduct (2 in the past few weeks). These individuals were mentors to my mentors, and shaped the church that my generation is now leading. Much of what I know about how to succeed in ministry was taught to me by individuals who now no longer seem so successful. And these for sure aren’t the only 4, there have been countless others who have come undone by fame, fortune or inappropriate sexual behaviour.

I’m not sure any one of us is able to fully process all that we’re experiencing right now, and many individuals have spoken publicly that this is a season of God refining His Church. My most honest reflections in this season have left me feeling deeply sad:

•  Saddened for these leaders who had a broken piece of them they felt they needed to hide to stay in the spot light that their ministry success had afforded them
• Saddened for the individuals who were victimized, or personally affected by these leaders
• Saddened for the churches who now have to process their faith in God and trust with His Church because of the mess they have walked through/are walking through in the fall out of it all.

I’ve also been reflecting on how focused the past generation of church has been on leadership rather than discipleship. No one could argue that any of these men were not great leaders. Most of them built the biggest churches and ministries in their countries, and for some, in the world. But it was in fact their success in leadership that caused their down fall in personal discipleship. 

Our greatest calling as followers of Jesus is not to lead, but to follow. To become a disciple. To be one with the Father, Son and Spirit and they are one. All of the success of life amount to nothing if we fail at this one goal. I greatly admire their giftedness to build organizations, structure their church, teach the people, inspire others and be true innovators for Christians culture. So did millions of others around the world. So much so that it put these individuals on a pedestal that is not to be desired are disciple.

Luke 22:26

“But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant.

I have not been able to wrap my head around faulting these leaders, because if I were flown around the world, paid enormous sums of money to speak to groups of hundreds of thousands, and told I was changing lives just by what I said or prayed, I’m not so sure I would not be just as susceptible to failure as they did. After all, the human soul at it’s core, is in a season of brokenness, experiencing wholeness only in part through Christ, awaiting perfection in eternity.

These men are also no worse that King David, who was described as a man after God’s heart, who would do only what God wanted him to do (Acts 13:22). But King David too took advantage of the privilege afforded him as King, and forced Bathsheba into a relationship with him that was never deserved.

I can’t help but reflect that worldly success makes it infinitely more challenging to be a successful disciple. It builds my respect of the individuals who I see have lived their careers with success, and ended still faithful to God, their spouses, and laser focused on becoming less as God becomes greater in their lives.

What we have is a discipleship problem. Too many of us make choices as Church leaders that build our kingdom, with good intentions albeit, genuinely planning that as we build our kingdom we will have more opportunity to build God’s Kingdom. But time and again we have seen this model wrought with challenges that none of us should aspire to. 

As church leaders, there is a massive tension we need to manage in the coming season. How can we build ministries large enough to have influence in a world that desperately needs to see Jesus love demonstrated, but don’t create followings for us as individuals that put us at risk for the same fate as others, or take away our ability to be a truly great disciple that is functioning as the servant of all.