This is the third in a series of five. There exists formal research data that reveals that incompetent leadership is a major cause of decline in the Evangelical Church. In my work as a church consultant my observation and research confirm this to be true.
I have often been robustly criticized for including competence in the profile we developed for leaders. Well the opposite is incompetence. God does not delight in incompetence or a lack of excellence. He is worthy of the highest level of competence we can achieve. It is not something we manufacture. We depend completely upon Him and actively seek competence in the execution of ministry that will bring honor and glory to Him.
When Solomon built the temple, he sought and enlisted the finest craftsmen available. Paul struggled to always invest his efforts at maximum levels of dependence upon God and to maximize achievement. Competence is not self-sufficiency. On the contrary, true competence is a profound awareness of our total dependence upon God and inter-dependence on one another as we make up the Body of Christ. We do well to serve with that mentality.
Ex. 36:1-2 Now Bezalel and Oholiab, and every skillful person in whom the LORD has put skill and understanding to know how to perform all the work in the construction of the sanctuary, shall perform in accordance with all that the LORD has commanded." Then Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every skillful person in whom the LORD had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him, to come to the work to perform it.
1 Kings 7:13-14 Now King Solomon sent and brought Hiram from Tyre. He was a widow's son from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze, and he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill for doing any work in bronze. So he came to King Solomon and performed all his work.
I Cor. 9:24-27 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
All TRUTH is God's TRUTH. When there is incompetence in leadership roles in the church that church will not accomplish the Great Commission. That church will not effectively make disciples. I urge my readers to honestly assess those that bear the title 'Leader' in the church where you worship. Do they lead with competence? If not, they need to confess, repent, and seek to acquire those skills that enable them to lead with competence.
Read "Always Reforming" every Tuesday in the print edition of The Cullman Tribune.
