Expression 6: Committed to Leadership

Expression 6: Committed to Leadership

“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” - Hebrews 13:17 

Church membership is about the elders making a promise to those in the church, as well as the members of the church making a promise to the elders.

The promise of Eldership

The promise from the elders is to try to lead in as godly a manner as possible. We say ‘try’, because the elders aren’t perfect, and although we long to lead as well as we can, there will be mistakes because we are human.

It is from scripture that eldership authority comes, not from our own ideas, charisma or gifting.

God is the chief shepherd, and we believe elders are called by God to be under-shepherds, and we want to lead the church more and more into the things of God. We want to lead in a way that makes us available to church members. The elders are part of the family, and we have the privilege of fathering the flock - drawing alongside those that are going through difficulty, praying for the sick, sharing life and setting an example of what it is to love Christ and follow Him.

The promise of Membership

The promise of Members is that we will try to follow in as godly a way as possible. Again, we say ‘try’ because none of us are perfect. In the passage cited, it says that we should obey our leaders so that it would be a joy for them to lead. Scripture calls members to be a joy to the elders. And so, as members, we commit to saying yes and submitting to the leadership of the church. Submission doesn’t mean that we simply do whatever we’re told, but it does mean that if the leadership is going in a direction that aligns with scripture and doesn’t make us compromise our conscience, then yes we will follow, go and support.