“Culturally-Correct” or Called Church Lay Leaders

There is much written about leadership from both secular and religious viewpoints. Of what I have read, most of these books focus on the qualities of a leader, developing leaders, etc. Such books are certainly needed. However, I have not found much written about situations where it is wise not to choose a leader, especially lay leaders in churches.

Let's say there is a position open in your church for an elder or deacon. How often does that position go unfulfilled when you know of individuals in the church who could be elected or appointed to such a position? In my memory, I cannot remember a time in any church I have attended when such a position went unfilled.

This raises a significant issue: are such positions filled because the individual is spiritually qualified (see I Timothy 3:1-13), or are such positions filled because of culturally based qualifications (e.g. having the right social standing, the right occupation, influence, etc.), or because the individual is simply willing and available?

In my profession, university departments often conduct searches for qualified faculty. These credentials include having the appropriate degree and field specialty, ability to conduct research, ability to teach, and collegiality. Often a person with excellent credentials may apply for such a position, but not have the field specialty we need (for example, we need someone whose specialty is in Public Policy, but a candidate's specialty is in American Government). Other times, an individual may apply who lacks other qualities (e.g. ability to teach university students), thus indicating this candidate may not be successful if appointed to the faculty position. I have seen such cases where the department decided not to hire anyone because of such concerns. Usually, the faculty position is advertised again in the future.

This is critical because if someone is hired to a faculty position who is not qualified, he may not only lose his job in the future, but also cause the department to suffer in the meantime.

What about churches? The process for finding and appointing a pastor is different from identifying and appointing a lay leader in a church. Pastors can be called from within a congregation, or promoted from within a church. However, pastors are often called outside the church, while lay leaders are recruited from within the church body.

Therefore, unqualified pastors are often more obvious to the church because they stand out during the interview process, and thus are not hired to begin with, or can be removed after some time if appointed. Likewise, if a person is elected or appointed to a lay leader position and subsequently violates ethical standards, such individuals can be removed or disciplined. There are usually provisions for such situations.

However, what about a person who is elected or appointed to a lay leader position who is spiritually unqualified, and yet in all other ways is ethical and competent from a cultural standpoint (for example, he is a successful businessman, breaks no laws, does not cause problems in the church, etc.)? How often are such people removed from church leadership because they lack spiritual calling?

Spiritual leaders who take their spiritual calling seriously make mistakes and fail, but their direction in leadership continues towards the goal: Jesus Christ. To be like Him is their calling, and they take it seriously. It brings a sense of humility individually to all leaders who have this goal because they realize that all Christians fail daily in this calling. Therefore, such Christians find that they must live by grace (Galatians 3: 1-6).

Yet, lay leaders who are appointed based on culturally based criteria have no need for humility because they already fulfill the cultural standards daily. Therefore, on what basis would such a person be removed or disciplined? After all, these people are ethical and successful.

The point here is that it may be wiser and easier not to fill an open lay leader position than it would be to remove a spiritually unqualified lay leader (who is otherwise ethical) once elected or appointed. In such cases, I propose it is better to wait for the Lord to bring the right person for the position than to appoint a “culturally-correct” person who just does not have the Lord's calling.

This means it is critical for church leaders to review the criteria they use to select lay leaders. Not only should current church leaders review explicit criteria, but also implicit criteria that stems from the culture in which the church lives (Galatians 1:10). Are we looking for someone who has a spiritual calling, or a person who is successful in his or her occupation and will not "rock the boat." In other words, shouldn't we ask if the person has both the external calling of the church and the internal calling from the Lord?

What do you think?

A prayer appropriate for our times.

Edmund Calamy the Elder was an English Presbyterian leader and a member of the Westminster Assembly of Divines during the turbulent days of 17th century in England. After Charles II was restored to the throne, Calamy was forced from his pulpit, as were many other Christian ministers in England, on “Black Bartholomew's Day” in 1662 for not conforming to the government's edict regarding conformity to the state church. The following prayer, though several hundred years old, could be prayed today, modified for our own nation.

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Edmund Calamy's Prayer at Aldermanbury, 1662:

Oh most Holy, thou ever blessed Lord God, thou fillest heaven and earth with thy presence. We pray thee fill all our hearts with the presence of thy grace, and let it appear that thou art in the midst of us, with that powerful assistance of thy Spirit, that we may receive a token of love from thee at this time. It is a singular favour that the doors of thy sanctuary are open to us and that we might meet together in thy name. We pray thee continue it to us, and sanctify it to us, that every Sabbath may add to our stature in Jesus Christ.

Oh most Holy, thou ever blessed Lord God, thou fillest heaven and earth with thy presence. We pray thee fill all our hearts with the presence of thy grace, and let it appear that thou art in the midst of us, with that powerful assistance of thy Spirit, that we may receive a token of love from thee at this time. It is a singular favour that the doors of thy sanctuary are open to us and that we might meet together in thy name. We pray thee continue it to us, and sanctify it to us, that every Sabbath may add to our stature in Jesus Christ. 

We confess we have forfeited all our mercies; we have heard much of God, Christ and heaven with our ears, but there is little of God, Christ and heaven in our hearts. We confess, many of us by hearing sermons, are grown sermon-proof; we know how to scoff and mock at sermons, but we know not how to live sermons. 

It is a miracle of free grace thou hast not taken thy gospel from us ere this time, but thou art a merciful God, and though we cannot please thee, yet mercy pleases thee; and we have no argument to bring along with us to beg thy favour but thy mercy in Jesus Christ. We pray thee that thou wilt glorify thy sovereignty, in being gracious to us, and pardon our many and great transgressions. 

Thou makest use of the malice of men for thy glory; thou killest Goliath with his own sword. Oh, help us to put our trust in thee, thou that canst kill, and cure by killing. 

Bless these nations of England, Scotland and Ireland, and find out yet a way to save us. Pour down thy blessing upon the head and heart of our sovereign, Charles, by thy grace, King of Great Britain. Thou hast done great things for him; let him do great things for thee. Bless him in his royal consort, in his royal relations, in his council; bless the magistrates and ministers of this realm. 

Lord, forgive us, for we live as if we had been delivered to work wickedness. We cannot sin at so cheap a rate as others do. We pray thee humble us under our great and grievous sins. Give us repentance unto salvation and a lively faith through the blood of Jesus Christ. Quicken our graces, forgive our sins, make alive our souls. Let us be such as thou wilt have us to be. Make us Christians not only by outward profession, but an inward heart-experience, that we may live in heaven while we are on earth and come to heaven when we shall leave the earth. 

To that purpose bless thy Word unto us at this time, and give us all grace to make conscience of what we hear and how we hear; and all for Jesus Christ's sake, to whom with all thy blessed self and Spirit be all glory and honour, Amen.

- from Sermons of the Great Ejection, New & Revised Edition, The Banner of Truth Trust, 2012, p. 5-6. ISBN: 978-1848711525

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I am most impressed how Calamy did not seek scapegoats for this situation, but rather, humbled himself before God. Indeed, in this prayer he leads the congregation in humbling themselves before God. 

Rather than curse the King, notice how Calamy prays for blessings on him.

Today, there are plenty of politicians and radio hosts who strive to make people angry. They seek scapegoats on which to blame the ills of our day. They stereotype their political opponents and further flame the fires of their ire. 

I pray the Lord moves our ministers to take on Calamy’s attitude and lead Christians to humble ourselves before the Lord.