Commitment and Leadership

There are seven parts to this series on leadership. We've looked at "Calling" and "Cost." What about the Commitment of Leadership? Any leader, Christian or otherwise, will only be successful if he/she is willing to take on responsibility and carry out the tasks of that leadership position to their conclusion. 

Very often the lack of leadership in a church or community results from the fact that potential leaders did not count the cost, made a grudging or uniformed commitment – then backed out. When the going gets tough; the uncommitted get going. They either simply don’t show up; don’t do the job; or sometimes, leave the fellowship altogether.  We’ll look at this quickly, but please note that this idea of commitment to Christian leadership is neither like the models you’ll find in the leadership books at Barnes & Noble; nor is even focused on the leader himself or herself. Christian leadership is focused on God.

Commitment is, in part, about truth telling. Jesus said, “Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” (Matthew 5:37). James reiterated this when he wrote, “Above all, my brothers, do not swear--not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned.” (James 5:12). If we tell someone – especially God – that we’re going to do something, we need to carry it out if it is at all possible. Yes, I recognize that sometimes it isn’t possible. But consider these verses: 1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 3:17; Colossians 3:23.

    

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men… We need to remember who it is we’re serving when we serve the church. It’s God. We are to offer up our work; our leadership; as an offering to God. Was He half-hearted when He went to the cross on our behalf?

Romans 12:1 says, "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Can we do this part-time? Can we offer ourselves up as a grudging offering?"

If you're going to take on a leadership role in the church, count the cost. The you either in or you're out.