Church Leadership 2

    What approaches to leadership do we see in the New Testament?  What leadership environment and style is modeled by the leaders of the church at the beginning?  I will look at what is in evidence from narrative accounts in the book of Acts and what the writers say about how they approached leadership situations.  Right up front I will say that the view I get of these leaders is that they had a much more authoritarian approach to leadership than we would be comfortable with in the modern American church.  The view is a bit narrow in that the only leaders in view are apostles who, by definition, have a higher degree of authority than a church elder.  But, since these are the only leaders described in action, this will have to do for now.
    - In Acts 4-5 we see the members of the Jerusalem congregation bringing money for the church and laying it at the apostles’ feet.  I recognize that this may be a cultural idiom, but it sure gives me the picture of high authority.  Laying something at another’s feet is something you would expect of a subject doing to a king.
    - Paul talks in his letters as one with a great deal of authority.  I am not talking about his laying down of doctrine, we would expect that from an apostle.  I am talking of his direction with regard to specific issues for churches or individuals.  Examples that come to mind are the Corinthian church (I Cor 5) and when he tells Philemon that he could command him to do what he wishes with regard to Onesimus (Philemon 8). 
    - In III John, the Apostle John speaks negatively of Diotrephes who does not acknowledge his authority.
    This is a limited view because we don’t see much in the way of leadership in action other than Apostolic preaching and exercising of doctrinal authority.  Next entry I will look at what directives are given to church leaders about how they are to lead.  And, I will try not to let as much time elapse between posts as I did with this one.