Pastors often confuse leadership with discipleship. Our infatuation with leaders has stunted the development of disciples in our churches.
Pastors often confuse leadership with discipleship. Our infatuation with leaders has stunted the development of disciples in our churches.
I agree with it nearly 99%, and the 1% is the part that is the obvious and necessary thing, that obviously not all discipleship is stunted, and I know thats not what Mark is trying to say. So the real discussion, I wonder how much of this problem is because of how much churches borrow from the corporate world. On the one hand, I think there are a lot of great principles that should be brought over to running a church, but we often emulate businesses so much, reuse their buzzwords in our own circles, etc. I can see a progression in churches from discipling, to mentoring, to training, to growing as a leader.
@BenjaminRead:disqus The irony of that? Well, what’s hot in leadership circles are really just good Christian leadership practices. Servant leadership, upside down thinking, serving people with love, etc.
If I could read into Mark’s words I think it has a lot to do with output. We think a person is developing in their relationship with Jesus when they exhibit “leadership” in the church. They pray out loud, they serve in a ministry, they join a committee or show up to a work day. In other words… pastors tend to get most excited about people becoming THEIR disciple who serves their ministry/purposes.
People are mature, in their pastors eyes, when they serve the church a lot. Unfortunately, the NT doesn’t measure maturity quite that cleanly.