Leadership in the Simple Church

This is a blog from Simple Church leader Harold Behr. I find it encouraging and sobering at the same time.

Responsible Commissioning 1 Timothy 5:22

I believe one of the darker truths about Simple Church Development these days is the almost cavalier disregard for what the Apostle Paul learned and wrote Timothy as found in 1 Tim. 5:22 (MsgB) Don't appoint people to church leadership positions too hastily. If a person is involved in some serious sins, you don't want to become an unwitting accomplice.---." History teaches this mistake resulting in shipwrecked lives in the midst of most "moves" of God over the centuries and yet-----here we go again.

This was brought home to me again recently when a all around very popular & gifted younger SC leader candidate that we launched (with probation) then within removed from leadership shortly later because of some serious personal daliences with sin (non repentant), (with much questioning from onlookers). This was a few years ago and admittedly there was significant second "guessing" and doubt as whether "Did we do the right thing", until yesterday when this brother was arrested for, and confessed to sexual abuse with a live in child. After the sadness passed and was replaced with sobriety I realized the approach God led us towards exhasustive Assessment in northwest and southwest Friends (myself) are requiring for any SC leaders we commission for the SC Network we undershepherd is in the spirit of what Paul is referring to in this passage. Immediately some of you might say "there they go again" that is,adding restrictions that stifle the spontaneous expansion of the Church.

The Truth is just the opposite. Apostolic Oversight in the Spirit of Ephesians 4:11 speaks explicitly to the contrary. At times I believe in our zeal to see a "movement" emerge we are being deceived, substituting simplistic perspective and naievity for the simple truths of church multiplication. Let's be responsive to the Spirit of discernment and be careful to "build carefully" in accordance to Paul's word in 1 Cor. 3. Because the work of disciplemaking in the SC world is that of "impartation" rather then transference of information---we want leaders in place that are pursuing Christ and the holiness He imparts. Harold here saying let's not repeat the mistakes of past revivals! We want to join Paul in having SC overseers be able to say with clear conscience "Follow Christ as you see me do".



posted by Harold Behr