Good Leaders, Bad Leaders

Welcome to the New Life Ministries podcast. What makes someone good or bad at leading? Part of it is their motivation. Why are they doing it and what do they expect to get out of it? In today’s passage, we consider leading that is really about the well-being of others.

We also look at an appropriate response to that type of leading. Let’s join our service as we look at 1 Peter chapter 5. So we’re going to talk about leadership today as we near the end of the book of 1 Peter that we’ve been at all fall. There are different kinds of leaders.

There is a church, we have a group of elders, you know, Pam and Christina and myself, we have a board. But there are leaders at work, your manager, a boss, a CEO or upper management. There are leaders in the realms of sports, coaches and general managers.

In the realm of entertainment, you’ve got directors and conductors and organizational boards. There might even be an informal leader in your friendship group. This week, I read an article called leading when the pressure is on by Tim Stevenson, and he wrote about leadership lessons from General George C. Marshall, who was the chief of staff of the United States Army a week after Pearl Harbor.

And along with some of the positive traits that George Marshall looked for in people, the article talked about negative traits that were disqualifiers. Those traits that General Marshall felt made a person unfit for command. So I got about five of them, and I’m quoting heavily from Tim Stevenson’s article.

The first one was someone who was self-seeking and looking for promotion. That person was disqualified from leadership because that he said that person is looking out for number one, instead of a commitment to the success of the mission. The second one is the leader who is always trying to pass the buck.

The person who never takes responsibility when something goes wrong. He said they just don’t carry their weight and their credibility rapidly drains away. Which is true, right? If someone never can take responsibility, never, ever, it’s hard to follow that person.

The third one is the officer who tries to do everything themselves and consequently gets bogged down in details. It’s unhelpful for leadership. And he said this sentence, effectiveness is not determined by how much you do, but by how much gets done because of what you do.

That’s a great sentence. Effectiveness is not determined by how much you do, but by how much gets done because of what you do. So fourth one, this one I love.

Men who shouted and pounded the desk were unacceptable as men in leadership because they had too great a love of limelight. He said this comment cuts against the military stereotype of a superior officer dressing down a subordinate in the loudest volume with language laced in four-letter words. General Marshall believed that such behavior marks a person as egocentric.

This out-of-control behavior by a leader is a way of saying it’s all about me. And again, effective leaders are about the mission. So I just love that one.

And then the fifth one, he could not abide a pessimist. They said it’s impossible to be a successful leader if you’re a pessimist and you’re always looking at how bad things are. So I thought it was interesting that these military disqualifiers from 60 years ago are exactly the complaints we have still about bad leaders, right? People who are pessimists or bang the table or who try to do everything themselves, who are always avoiding responsibility, and they’re always looking for promotion.

Like those are awful leaders. So today we’re going to talk about leadership. And leadership is not an easy thing.

And in today’s passage, Peter gives some brief instruction to church elders and then to others in the community. And he wants the elders, he wants the community to hear what’s told to the elders, and he wants the elders to hear what’s told to the community. You with me? Let me offer a prayer, and we’ll look at this.

Father, help us to see what is in this passage, please, and help us to be drawn to a deeper understanding of what it means to be community together, what it means to be church together, as we understand what you call leaders to. Speak to us in the areas we need to learn and draw our attention to you and the goodness you pour out on us. We love you.

Amen. So 1st Peter chapter 5 verses 1 through 7. Not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.

And when the great shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor. In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another.

For God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares for you.

We’ll stop there. So my first question in reading this passage is, why is this here? Because the whole book of 1st Peter has been about how to live under persecution and suffering, how to respond to what’s happening, how to think about what’s going on so you endure, how to be church together. And then all of a sudden there’s this comment to the elder group, which would be a very small group in the whole community.

But then I thought, consider what it’s like to be responsible for a community of believers when folks might get persecuted and suffer for their faith. When lives of folks at your church, like those lives are at risk, they might die because of their faith. How do you be a leader in that? Which is why I was led to military leadership, yeah.

Well, first, you wouldn’t want an elder who took the responsibility lightly. You’d want them to have their head in the game. And you’d also want the leaders to be really focused on what’s most important.

So this is not, you know, elders groups that get together and say, how did the music go on Sunday? Or how is our youth group? This is an elder group that says, is our group of believers being changed into the image of Jesus? And are they living the message of Jesus faithfully out in their world, helping others discover Jesus? Like very focused. And it would take intrepid leadership, like courageous, bold, clear-headed, truthful leaders. So I read that it was possible that elders and church leaders were more the target for persecution, that that’s who would get taken out.

I can’t confirm that, but I think we know that the evil one knows where the weak points in a church are. And that the evil one knows what will increase strain, what will make people afraid, and make people want to give up. So obviously the evil one’s going to go after what will do the most damage.

So Peter is speaking to these elders, these folks in charge of this church. And he’s talking to people who are responsible for the spiritual life of others. So if he was writing to new life, you know, in our elder group, in our context, consider the words that he would say.

So verse two, care for the flock God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly, not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.

And when the great shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor. So when I first read it, I thought Peter’s probably correcting people who are a little egocentric. People who are like, you know, I’m in charge, what do I get out of this? This is, you know, my show.

And Peter’s saying, you know, get rid of the pride, approach this in humility, you know, be willing, volunteer, lead by example. But then again, I pondered, what are these words to someone who’s being persecuted? And the risk and the vulnerability of being persecuted. And I can imagine someone being an elder and thinking, I will lead because someone has to do this.

But I hope, I hope I get a reward or get paid for this because I am putting myself at risk. And then the same person saying, I need folks at church to really obey and fall in line because we can’t have rogue soldiers causing trouble for the community. So when we’re under pressure, that stress doesn’t always bring out the best responses in people.

So I think we can offer compassion to these leaders who are trying to do their best. But Peter’s perspective is, for the people given to you, for you to care for, watch over them because you’re willing. Have an attitude that says, yes, I can serve Jesus in this way.

It is my pleasure to serve Jesus in the responsibility he’s given to me. And then I will lead by my example. So when I think of being an elder here, I have three concerns that I’m normally watching for.

When I think of you, each of you individually at New Life, and I’m praying for you, I have three things I’m thinking about. And using the language of taking care of sheep, I think, yeah, don’t go there. I think about your food and your exercise and diseases.

Like that’s what I’m thinking about. Because I assume if an animal gets good food, regular exercise, and is free from disease, they’re going to live their life well, whatever their life’s going to be. So in general, in general, food, I’m asking, are they ingesting scripture? Are they learning what is true? Are they responding to scripture and what God teaches? Like, are they listening? I’m also looking for where they might be eating junk food instead of quality food.

So are they listening to a lot of teachings that have no connection to reality or are about situations they’re not involved in in any way? Or are they responding with superstition and kind of like walking with God as if it was magic? Like I’m looking for what is the junk food they might be hearing? Because sheep need good food. I’m looking for their exercise. Are they engaged with the actual life they have in front of them? Like are they trying to apply what they’re learning to their life? Are they working their knowledge into wisdom? Are they working a statement of faith into a living trust of God? And many of you here have this deep living trust of God, which is fantastic.

But I’m looking for the question, is someone trying to use Jesus to avoid the hard work of discipleship and life change and living? So when I hear that a person here is learning to pray and ask God for help when crisis happens, I’m like, that’s good exercise. Or when I hear a person at New Life is going to help another person, particularly when they’re helping someone at New Life they don’t know very well, but they’re trying to address needs and care for them. I’m like, yes, that’s good exercise.

Our spiritual life and our physical life are deeply connected. We use our body to express our faith. So I’m looking for how people use their body, how they live, to express their faith.

And then third, I look for diseases. What’s getting in the way of normal growth with Jesus? Because we all have lies we believe about ourselves or lies that we believe about God that cause frustration and stall us out. So when I hear someone say something akin to, I keep asking God to do something and he’s not doing it.

Well, why? Like that’s a, hmm, there’s a lie there. I keep asking God to take away my anger and he’s not. Why not? I keep asking God to make my neighbor apologize to me.

My neighbor’s not. What’s going on? Like, yeah, there’s a lie in there. There’s a disease.

So I pay attention to how folks are doing in their relationship with Jesus because I have to give account to Jesus for you and your well-being. And Jesus is concerned about the integrity of your faith. Now, I thought this might be a different understanding than what you thought elders were supposed to be paying attention to.

Like, if you’re thinking, I thought elders were supposed to come to my house for a visit every six months and see if I have any needs. Well, that’s not what I’m doing. Or I thought elders were supposed to take care of the church and the stuff in the church.

That’s not what this is about. And some people would probably say, I really have no idea what elders do, but I never expected that they were concerned about the integrity of my walk with Jesus because that’s really vulnerable. So if you’re really independent and keep to yourself and you don’t want anyone knowing what’s going on in your soul, this is probably a bit uncomfortable to hear.

And if you’re on the opposite side where you want someone to just take care of your life for you, please, then this is also a little bit uncomfortable for you to hear. And there’s a real tension between elders trying to do what they believe God is calling them to do and trying to satisfy the expectations of people who have a different understanding of what elders do. And we have to learn to navigate that tension and sometimes say no, and sometimes say, well, for this particular story, we need to change our perspective, or change how we do things.

So this passage reminds us that as elders, we have to give account to the great shepherd, that the flock of disciples given to our care belong to Jesus. And in the Old Testament, there are some real strong words of warning not to be sloppy in this work and not to be inattentive to the sheep, because there is an evaluation and a judgment of us that is a bit stricter than the average disciple. So in Jeremiah 23, in verse 2, it says, there’s a prophet critiquing the shepherds, and the prophet says, instead of speaking for God, instead of caring for my flock and leading them to safety, you’ve deserted them and driven them to destruction.

Now I will pour out my judgment on you for the evil you have done to them. Like that’s a terrifying sentence to have a prophet of God say, I’m going to bring out judgment on you. In the book of Acts, as Paul is leaving Ephesus never to see his friends again, he says, I declare today that I’ve been faithful.

If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault, for I didn’t shrink back from declaring all that God wants you to know. Like that’s kind of Paul’s perspective. I want you to be part of the kingdom of God.

I’ve got to teach you all that I know. In James chapter 3, verse 1, it says, Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. It’s just very sobering to think, for me, I will be judged more strictly because I am in this chair and saying these words.

And if you want to have a really good read, spend time with Ezekiel 34 in the Old Testament, where there’s a very long list of all the things shepherds of God’s people do wrong. That’s very scary. Followed by Jesus saying, I’m the good shepherd.

This is how I’m making it right. So leaders and elders put themselves at risk for you, for the community. So one of the things I do, and the elders here do, is that we pray for you, and we present to Jesus how we observe how the sheep are doing.

And then we ask him for help, where we can identify that there is help. So if that’s the comment to elders, in verse 5, we get the comment to younger folks, and then to everybody else. In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders, and all of you dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another.

For God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. So Peter adds this instruction to the young, really almost probably to the young men, but language doesn’t quite give us that. In times of persecution and suffering, what are young men and women prone to do historically? They’re the most likely to rebel, to try radical and extreme measures to fix problems in society.

They’re more likely to act in a way without thinking of the big picture consequences to a church community. And the passion for change is not bad, and strength and boldness can be good, but they might put the church at risk. And so rather than saying, oh those older elders have no idea what’s going on, they’re settled, they’re out of touch, they’ve given up, this is a warning saying, slow down, heed the elders advice and counsel.

Because as we age, and as we mature, we learn there are nuances to human behavior, and we learn that some problems are very complex and layered. When we’re young, our thinking can be a little bit black and white, a little bit extreme, and it doesn’t, this passage doesn’t say don’t be involved, but it’s saying when you get involved, like we know this, when you get involved, people might not respond the way you expect. People might actually start fighting against you, or there might be unseen consequences that bring harm to greater communities.

So just pay attention to what your elders are saying, just check in with them. So when it says accept the authority of the elders, it does not say they control everything you do. It does not say do everything that they tell you to do.

It does not say they don’t make mistakes. It just says be inclined to listen to them, like don’t dismiss them as irrelevant or ignorant. It means don’t bad mouth them, don’t complain about them, because we’re all in this story together, and that’s why it ends with be humble towards each other.

We are not the center of our story. So to the elders, yes, it’s hard to lead, especially through hardship and suffering. Be willing to take it on as a way to serve Jesus and the responsibility he gives to you.

The role is to oversee God’s flock. So we ask, are the sheep eating good food? Are they learning truth and putting it into practice? Are they getting exercise? And then is there any disease holding them back? We want to help each other grow in the integrity of our faith. Elders have to give account to Jesus for the sheep.

And then to the young, enthusiasm is good. Persecution and suffering is not good. As you make your plans to engage with the world, give heed to your elders.

They have perspective and insight on human behavior. They might be thinking about more than you are thinking about. We’re in this church thing together, so be humble towards each other.

So where does this passage catch your attention? Where does it strike you? Or where does it challenge you? Maybe you can clarify something for me. Yep. There’s a fair amount of talk of judgment in this passage.

Go on. It’s scripture says there’s no judgment for those who are in Christ. And yet we are evaluated more strictly, because that is also in there.

And it makes sense. So, yeah, you and I are going to be on the same page. Judgment does not mean condemnation, right? And the idea that if a pastor or a teacher says something that is not true, if the link is an automatic, well, then you’re condemned eternally.

Nobody would ever do this job. Ever, never. But, yeah, there’s a consequence to this.

I see that. But I think a lot of people hear the word judgment, there’s a problem. Yep.

And they hear it with the wrong lens. Yep. Totally agree with him.

Interestingly enough, it was the call to be humble that kind of caught me. When he was talking to the elders, he says, basically, humble yourselves. Do this because it’s the right thing to do, because this is the thing that you want to do.

Not because you’re going to get something out of it. To the young people, he says, be humble. Accept the leadership of the people that I’ve placed over you.

You know, don’t go and chase after your own thing. And he finishes it off with so humble yourselves under the mighty power of God. And at the right time, he will lift you up, because that seems to be what everybody was waiting for.

Yeah. My reward. This is what do I get out of this? If I rebel, maybe we’ll win.

If I lord it over people, maybe I’ll have power. And he says, no, no, no. Hold back on the reward and just wait and be patient.

And in that, be humble. Yeah, it was beautiful. Yeah.

Well, it picks up, uh, echoes where the service started. This idea of sitting in suspense and waiting for, as God in time works us to where he wants us to go and to sit in that waiting. Yeah.

That’s great. The thing that came to mind for me was along the same lines as Barry, where I was thinking about the judgment upon those who have been called to lead is more strict. And it makes sense when you put somebody in charge of a group of kids, that person is in charge.

If somebody breaks the window, that person is in charge. It’s not on the kid. It’s on that person.

For me, it felt really important because it’s a caution to join leadership wisely. And you have to learn to be a leader before you become a leader. Learning on the fly is, is a great and wonderful thing, except when other people’s lives are in danger.

You don’t become a pilot in an afternoon. Yeah. And so thinking back on like my first foray into leadership, I was a junior counselor at Bible camp and the system was in place because you couldn’t become a leader without learning to do so first.

I was just thinking this morning about how important it is to have good leaders in place so that people who, who are called to become leaders have something to look at, to be like, that’s, that’s the goal. And then you could talk to those people and say, this is, I think is, I’m being called to this, I think is the end goal. So what do I do? And so that’s what I was, what was buzzing around in my very broken brain.

It’s good. I love that idea of, of you don’t have someone pilot a jet right away. Like that’s just, because the risk is too high.

Let me offer a prayer and we’ll close with a song. Father, father, this is yeah, it’s an intimidating passage sitting in this chair. And I thank you that as the great shepherd, you are deeply involved with every sheep and you are in many ways guiding us as elders to learn how to do our work, even as you call us to our work.

May we care for the people at New Life well and draw each other to a deep integrity in our faith that this would be a community that is grounded and settled and grounded and settled and walking with you in reality as we walk in our world. And in that may people discover you, may people praise you and give you thanks for our example. May you be glorified in the people.

We love you. Amen. Thank you for listening to our podcast today.

New Life Ministries is located in Winnipeg, Manitoba. You are invited to join our service in person or over zoom. Please use the contact us link to send an email to the church office and request the address or zoom link.

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