Core Value #1: Shared Leadership

Studying the church at Antioch brings us to a clear conclusion on what an essential core value is of a Biblically sound church.  This core value is shared leadership.  The leaders were gathered together worshipping the Lord and the Holy Spirit spoke to the leadership team to set apart Paul and Barnabas to send them out on their missionary journey.  The interesting thing about the lead team at Antioch is there was great diversity among the group.

First, just simply consider the ethnicity of all of the leaders:

• Barnabas was from Cyprus and a Hellenistic Jew.
• Simeon (Niger) was black.
• Lucius from Cyrene was an African.
• Manaen from Palestine was a Grecian/Herodian
• Saul (Paul) was from Tarsus and a Hebraic Jew.

Never in a million years would we think to assemble such a "motley crue" group together.  This is the power of the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit of God unites the hearts of people with different backgrounds in order to carry out the great commission for his glory and honor.  In God's economy he does not just choose one type of person to be a leader, but he raises people up from every nation, every tribe and every tongue.

In addition to their diverse ethnic backgrounds clearly different gifts exist among the group.  Some were prophets and teachers.  Paul was an apostle and a missionary.  Barnabas was given the missionary gift as well.  God gives different gifts according to the grace given to each person.  It is our duty to band together with those individuals that have very different gifts and all exercise our gifts for the glory of God.  This is what was taking place at the church.

God does not want his leaders to go out as "lone rangers"!  We are called to band together with other godly leaders and charge forward as a unified group.  We are to be unified even in the midst of our diversity.   It response to my last blog post our good friend Becca Carr shared some very insightful thoughts on this concept of "Unity in Diversity":

What strikes me is the "unity in diversity" that was, and can only truly be, accomplished in Jesus that was displayed in the church then. how beautiful, and how really glorifying to God it is when we can sincerely neglect to take into account each other's backgrounds, levels of education, ethnic culture, or whatever differences we may have, and see and treat each other for what we really are - fellow sinners saved by God's grace and mercy. it's so liberating to forfeit any competition we may feel with each other, and know that His value of us isn't effected by how we are evaluated by others. i think when we allow the Holy Spirit to show us how deeply dependent we are on His power to do anything good, how incapable we are in ourselves, it won't be difficult to have that sincere humility and selflessness that Paul and Barnabas had.

This shared leadership concept is a core value for me in my ministry.  For one thing I know that I have way to many weaknesses to build a sound ministry as a "one man show."  It just won't work.  This is why the Bible time and time again calls for a plurality of overseers to lead and direct the church.  I am earnestly praying and on the lookout for leaders who feel called to unite together for a common vision and purpose reaching people for Christ.  Identify the way that God has uniquely equipped and called you and go and fulfill that calling!