In his letter to Philemon, Paul says, “…Though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you…” (vv. 8,9).
This admission by the apostle Paul is amazing! It gives us an insight into Christian leadership that separates it from marketplace leadership. Usually bosses and managers will use any method necessary to get people to do what is required. The church is different. Ministers, teachers, pastors, elders, deacons, ministry leaders, etc.: we all can take a lesson from Paul.
Think of the power of love as an appeal. Brothers and sisters in Christ respond to appeals coming from a heart of love. Several times in Paul’s letters, and other New Testament writers, the notion of “boldness” is held forth as a Christian virtue. We are to be bold when we approach the throne of grace, etc. However, in this case it is different.
Boldness gets interpreted as brashness, crassness, manipulation, coercion, etc. Christian leadership understands the human heart. That heart is sensitive, sinful, broken, wounded, and hurting. No human heart is exempt. Only the blood of Jesus can heal the human heart, but that healing is often incarnational through the human touch of Christian leaders.
We all who claim to be in leadership/serving roles in the life of the church have our work cut out for us! We could command people to do what is required. But the power of love is stronger than any authoritative command!
Whether we like it or not, the health of the body of Christ is dependent upon our appeals based on the power of love. When people do not feel loved, no amount of appeals or commands will work. On the other hand, when brothers and sisters in Christ feel that they “are our very heart,” a loving response is usually forthcoming.
This admission by the apostle Paul is amazing! It gives us an insight into Christian leadership that separates it from marketplace leadership. Usually bosses and managers will use any method necessary to get people to do what is required. The church is different. Ministers, teachers, pastors, elders, deacons, ministry leaders, etc.: we all can take a lesson from Paul.
Think of the power of love as an appeal. Brothers and sisters in Christ respond to appeals coming from a heart of love. Several times in Paul’s letters, and other New Testament writers, the notion of “boldness” is held forth as a Christian virtue. We are to be bold when we approach the throne of grace, etc. However, in this case it is different.
Boldness gets interpreted as brashness, crassness, manipulation, coercion, etc. Christian leadership understands the human heart. That heart is sensitive, sinful, broken, wounded, and hurting. No human heart is exempt. Only the blood of Jesus can heal the human heart, but that healing is often incarnational through the human touch of Christian leaders.
We all who claim to be in leadership/serving roles in the life of the church have our work cut out for us! We could command people to do what is required. But the power of love is stronger than any authoritative command!
Whether we like it or not, the health of the body of Christ is dependent upon our appeals based on the power of love. When people do not feel loved, no amount of appeals or commands will work. On the other hand, when brothers and sisters in Christ feel that they “are our very heart,” a loving response is usually forthcoming.
In Christian love, Curtis
