Why it Matters and How to Follow Well
“In your spiritual life, you need to know how to relate to spiritual leadership; how to emulate spiritual leadership, how to support, judge, discern, and hopefully give spiritual leadership in the platform God has given you.” – Pastor DJ Horton | Scripture Reference: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9
Growing up, many of us heard the phrase or some variation of “Well if your friend jumped off a cliff, would you do it too?” This would be said after you or I choose to make decisions based on something our friends were doing or participating in. In one sense, we were following their lead.
Who and what we allow to lead us matters. It matters because you and I were designed to be led by someone or something. Let’s put it into a practical sense. Students are led by the teacher who is privileged to educate them, while you are led by the person you report to at your job. We have leaders placed in political positions to make informed decisions and laws for our cities, counties, states and nations. Though we have many leaders in our lives and most of them would say that their intentions are good, they too will fail us. Not because they inherently want to, but because they’re human. They are leaders that are overseeing man-made institutions and organizations. Failure is bound to happen in the hands of humanity. So we must be careful of who we allow to lead us. In other words, apply wisdom before acting on someone’s words literally.
But shouldn’t this motivate us? Shouldn’t this encourage us to desire and seek better? Don’t we long for better leaders? Better leadership? Someone better to follow? We should because spiritual leadership matters. Here are four reasons why spiritual leadership matters:
Why Spiritual Leadership Matters
- We need It
- We are commanded to submit to it
- We are to be a blessing to those giving it
- We are to hold them accountable
- We are to emulate their lives
Who we follow and how we follow them matters. The writer of Hebrews calls for this, that imitating them and being guided by them often produces joy (Hebrews 13:7, 17).
So how do we do that? How do we healthily follow and encourage the spiritual leaders in our lives? It starts with a proper perspective.
1 Corinthians 3:1-9 provides a framework for how to view spiritual leadership and how to interact with those in spiritual leadership (1 Corinthians 3:5-9). The passage gives us a proper perspective on those who are ministers, the process of spiritual maturity, and an overarching view of ministry.
Above all of these things, there is one crucial theme to remember: It’s not about individuals. It’s not about a personality. It’s about the Lord. Regardless of who holds spiritual leadership, what group they oversee, or where that group is, the Lord remains the ultimate leader.
The Lord sets the direction and pace of every spiritual leader. He leads those being led AND their leaders. He provides the ability for those not in leadership to come to a place where they have the ability to lead. He provides the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6). Practically speaking, one of the main ways God leads us is through faithful leaders who follow Him. He wants us to follow leaders that are faithful to Him as a symbol of honor, humility, and obedience. In life, however, there is a right way to follow and a wrong way to follow. So, how can we follow well?
The Right Way to Follow | 1 Corinthians 3:1-5
No matter who you are following or how well they lead, it’s important to follow correctly. Following spiritual leaders is no exception. Jesus has allowed us to be under them. It’s important that we follow spiritual leaders as an overflow of how we follow the Lord.
1 Corinthians 3:1-5 shows us what it looks like to follow spiritual leaders the right way. Paul provides guidelines for how the believers in Corinth were to follow their spiritual leaders, giving us cues in how to do the same today. He prescribes the right way to regard spiritual leadership, refuse sinful judgment, and remember God’s judgment.
The Right Way to Regard Spiritual Leaders | 1 Corinthians 3:1-2
God has not asked you to measure your life by the results you see. He’s asked you to be faithful. Our perspective, or the way we regard spiritual leaders matters. It matters because throughout the writings of Paul, God has given us pictures of what spiritual leaders in our lives should look like. Spiritual leaders are called to be both servants and stewards. As servants, they prioritize the spiritual needs of the people entrusted to them above their own. As stewards, they lead with humility and care, recognizing that their leadership is a gift from God and given to oversee people, places, and resources that already belong to Him. Spiritual leadership is ultimately about faithfully caring for what is God’s in the first place.
How does God measure “success” in spiritual leadership? He measures it by faithfulness. The world defines success by numbers, speed, and visible results. God’s standard is simple: obedience and diligence in whatever area of leadership He has entrusted to you (Colossians 3:17). Whether you’re called to full-time ministry, serving in kids ministry, sharing your faith at work, or discipling your family at home, God’s desire is the same: remain faithful.
Don’t ever see spiritual leaders as powerless. They have the most powerful thing in the world: they work for The King. But also, don’t ever put them on a pedestal and begin to place your faith in their performance, innovation, or creativity. They’re just servants like you.
The Right Way to Refuse Sinful Judgement | 1 Corinthians 3:3-4
Even when spiritual leadership is regarded in the right way, there will always be critics, naysayers, people who have something to say against spiritual leadership or the way someone is leading. We have to ask ourselves then: “what do we do?” What is the right way to assess, or judge, spiritual leadership?
Two things must be considered: our motif and our method. We must be discerning in how we communicate our feelings and sentiments towards spiritual leadership. There is an appropriate time, place and means to express right, and sometimes wrong, critiques of spiritual leadership.
At the same time, motif matters. We have to consider whether or not we hold these feelings and thoughts out of spite, immaturity, pride or greed. Or do we seek good and to live at peace as much as it depends on us (Romans 12:18)?
But what if we are on the receiving end of sinful judgement? What if those of us who are spiritual leaders receive criticism or judgment from others? How do we handle it?
Again, consider two things: Keep the judgment of others in perspective and keep the judgement of yourself in check. If others speak in sinful or critical ways, Paul reminds us that their words pale in comparison to what God has said. In the same way, we shouldn’t elevate our own opinions or self-criticism above God’s truth about us. His perspective is perfect and pure. He sees who we are and how we lead through the lens of Christ.
The Right Way to Remember God’s judgment | 1 Corinthians 3:5
If God’s judgment is to be valued the most, then it’s important we have a right perspective of His judgment. Ask it this way, what does His judgment mean? It means three things: He will return, reveal, and recognize. Christ has promised His return, His discernment of actions and motifs, and recognition of how we spiritually lead others. This is the judgment that matters. This is the judgment we must remember.
We’re not home yet!
When remembering all these things in following spiritual leaders, we have to remember it’s temporary. It’s not permanent. This isn’t our home. We are not home yet. Our home is with The Lord and under His leadership. Until then, let’s follow the spiritual leaders He has given for us.
