CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: Leadership in House Churches

Introduction

Although an "outside" church planter may function as the initial leader of the church, the ultimate goal is to have two local leaders appointed from the group to serve the church and guide it along the path which God has given. Ideally, both of these leaders are elders, but we have found in practice that usually one elder will be training an emerging leader. Both make up the leadership team. Thus the elder-in-training will usually be a provisional elder or shepherding deacon (for descriptions of these, see Appendices 14 & 15). Two questions arise:
1. How do leaders function in a congregation?
2. How does a leadership team function together?

This chapter addresses the first question. Chapter 19 addresses the second question.

How Leaders in House Churches Lead
As the Fellowship of Church Planters has seen house churches emerge, we have been forced to rethink our philosophy of leadership within the house church. Using a traditional model of leadership in house churches, we often forced a square peg (traditional leader models) into a round hole (house churches), with devastating results. The peg can be forced into the hole, but not without causing severe damage to both the peg and the hole. Such misguided effort subjects the church to unnecessary trauma. Because we are still exploring the house church for our area, we constantly need to search the Scriptures for all aspects of church life and leadership. We have found that unless we made fundamental changes in our idea of church leaders and their functioning, a house church will not survive.

[This chapter is not written to divide the body of Christ by pitting nontraditional and traditional models of the church against each other. Its purpose is to examine a valid, viable, and biblical model of the church. We do not believe that there is any proscribed church leadership model in the Bible. Indeed if today's traditional churches could enter a time capsule and visit the church of the first three centuries, they would find themselves labeled "nontraditional."]

To understand house church leadership needs, it helps to mention four levels of identity with the church that Christians in house churches experience. Their first identity is with gathering meetings in small groups, in a home. Their second identity is with a network of these house gatherings meeting together, as independent house churches or home cell groups of one church. The third identity is with several networks meeting together. (The fellowship of churches in central and northern Rhode Island now gathering together on a quarterly basis illustrates this third level.) Their fourth identity is with the universal, worldwide church.

In this chapter we examine leadership for the church as new believers first identify with it, as it gathers for worship in a home. While this identity may be new to those in traditional models of church, the concept of home churches is not new. Throughout the history of Christianity, believers have met for prayer and worship in their own houses and homes of their friends.

The Church
The New Testament depicts the church as a Christian community made up of "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people" (1 Peter 2:9). An essential feature of this community is the corporate nature of its people. God chooses and covenants not with individual people but with a people collectively, who will bear his name and exist for his purposes. Although we enter the community individually by faith in Jesus Christ, it is nonetheless the corporate church that is God's concern for us in Christ. We are corporately the church, "the called out ones," joined together in common fellowship under the New Covenant, under the lordship of Christ himself, who is head of the church. Because he is head, all other parts of the body of Christ function as parts of that body, both sustained by Christ and growing up into him, as Ephesians 4:11 16 teaches. In these verses, the apostle Paul lays the foundation for body ministry. Paul states that the church has received gifts of "apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers," who have been gifted by God to "equip the saints for the work of the ministry." As the body is equipped for service, its members in turn have the responsibility for ministering to one another. (The "one another" verses in the New Testament, noting carefully who they are written to, help us see this.)

Within this active body, we all, as members of the body, are responsible to function as ministers and priests. All members of the body are gifted to minister according to their gifts and calling. By its very nature, the house church atmosphere enables every member ?? man, woman, and child ?? to find his or her own niche for ministry. Each functioning member is no more important, nor less, than the next. No matter how "small" a person's gift seems to be, it is vital to the proper functioning and health of that body. As all members of that body supply their unique ministry, the body sees and experiences the fullness of being the earthly body of the living Christ. In the Christian family, each member must be kept in mind. Occasionally, each should have a special time of attention. Each member should also know that the needs of the whole family must be met, for the whole family to stay healthy, grow, and reach out to fulfill the Great Commission of our Lord. Because of the small size of a house church, it is necessary to employ everyone. Therefore, this model of church is completely participatory.

Leadership in House Churches
Although the house church requires no professional "clergy," the church still needs identifiable leaders. Their primary functions are nurture and direction. Leaders are an equal part of the church body. Like any other gifted member they have been gifted to perform a certain function necessary for the health and growth of the body. Leaders in the New Testament are not seen as separate from nor above the other members, but simply as a part of the whole, governed by the same set of rules. Their gifts are part of the Spirit's work among the whole people. They are not set apart from the rest of the body by "ordination" or laying on of hands, but are recognized for their particular gifts necessary for leading the body in its growth. Because of their concept of corporate life as the family of God, the New Testament leaders considered themselves not as professionals "ordained" to control the people, but as "gifted" to lead, with one of many gifts of the body. Biblical emphasis is not on their ordination (or authority or title) but on their responsibilities within the body. We ordain elders in our house churches with this understanding. In Ephesians 4 we see the leaders preparing and equipping the church for the work of the ministry of serving one another. So we see leaders not acting separately from the body but functioning as part of the body, doing what they have been called to do. (For more on how leaders facilitate groups see Appendix 8, Consensus Decision Making).

New Testament Examples
Let us examine church leadership in the New Testament Epistles. Significantly, the epistles to churches were addressed to the church as a whole and not specifically to the church leaders. The church leaders are not singled out to do what the letter recommends nor even to see that someone else carries it out. Paul's first letter to the Corinthians vividly illustrates this. As Paul rebukes the flagrant sins of some individuals in the body, he aims his heaviest artillery not at the leaders to rectify these problems but at the church for its failure to deal with them. Paul addresses the real issue at stake ?? the church as a corporate identity and its role as God's representative in Corinth.

In the instances in Paul's epistles to churches where leaders are mentioned (e.g. 1 Thess. 5:12?13; 1 Cor. 16:16), his purpose is to address the communities' attitude as a whole toward them as leaders. (Christian communities in the days of the apostle also had problems with leadership.) In 1 Thessalonians 5:12?13, the community as a whole is called upon to "respect those who labor among you, care for you and admonish you." Paul's exhortation, beginning in verse 14 ("And we exhort you, brethren..."), is addressed to the body as a whole and not only to the leaders. In 1 Corinthians 16:16, Paul urges the Corinthian body to respect those who labor among them. 1 Peter 5:1?4, specifically addresses leaders; Peter instructs them on their attitudes and responsibility toward the rest of the body. [The word translated "allotted" or "entrusted" in v. 3 is the Greek word kleros, from which we get "clergy". From the New Testament perspective, "clergy" and "laity" both refer to the same thing: the whole flock of God.]

These observations do not diminish the role of leaders in the body, but define it. The New Testament
describes leaders as part of the whole body, functioning within that body in service to the rest of the body. They are never described as a separate group from the body. In Mark 10:42?45 Christ states that the leaders of his church will not "lord it over" or "exercise authority over" his body. This establishes the basis in the New Testament for the corporate nature of the community of believers, the body of Christ, the family of God. New Testament teaching impresses upon the whole community their responsibility to live an serve as a body.

Relational Basis for Authority
As we develop a philosophy of leadership in house churches, we again turn to the New Testament to examine the leadership structure in the earliest congregations. The foundation for the church and its leadership was laid by Christ himself, and the apostles and prophets whom he chose and instructed (Eph. 2:20). We suffer difficulties in church life when we overlook specific biblical instruction. There is no "cookie cutter" pattern in Scripture to model the church after. Each local church has ample latitude to develop its particular structure of church government, as long as it heeds the clear commands and principles in the New Testament.

In dealing with leadership, the apostles were more concerned with the character and life of the men they put into leadership then they were about structures of church governance. We do see two kinds of leadership emerging. On the one hand, we see temporary, itinerant teachers, such as Paul who founded churches and exercised leadership in those churches until local leaders were recognized, trained, and put in place. On the other hand, we see local leadership exercised by permanent elders (in every case in the New Testament the word elder is in the plural.

The issue of elders' authority at the local level was of little concern to the apostles. They focused attention not on their "authority" but on their role as those who cared for others. Leaders were responsible for coordinating all that was involved in nurturing the flock. Church government and authority were exercised by the church as a whole (Matt. 18:15?20), under the oversight of the elders. Christ's idea of leadership was foreign to the thinking of the world and to the religious leadership of his day. Nonetheless, Christ obviously teaches that leaders will not assume a lordship role or have authority over his sheep. Where, then, does the authority come from?

Christ answered this question clearly when he stated, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me" (Matt. 28:18; see also Eph. 5:24). Christ himself is the authority in the church. Christ teaches in Matthew 23:8, "You have one Master, and you are all brothers." Here Jesus not only describes his role in the church ("Master") but also teaches the role of the body ("you are all brothers"). He is describing the equality and family affection which should exist among all believers. Our attention is to be focused on the real issue??the relationships that are created in the New Covenant, relationships that involve servanthood and humility among a brotherhood of equals in the church. This clarifies for us that authority resides in the church body rather than in the individual elder.

Scripture emphasizes the importance of leaders fulfilling their God?given responsibilities. In 1 Corinthians 16:16 we see men fulfilling their responsibilities of servanthood ?? "they had devoted themselves to the service of the saints." Paul says these men are deserving of the church's respect or submission. Paul does not command the church to respect them because of any privileged position, but "urges" the people to respect them because of their labor among the church (i.e. carrying out their responsibilities). We also learn that respect is due to "everyone who joins in the work, and labors at it." Respect is for all who labor, whether leaders or not. Respect has to be earned by leaders by fulfilling their responsibilities. In 1 Thessalonians 5:12?13 Paul again urges the body to respect the laborers among them because they are fulfilling their responsibilities.

Authority is granted as respect (submission) is given. Respect is given as responsibility is fulfilled. Respect enables authority; authority does not dictate respect. Respect is something that must be earned as a shepherd labors among the flock. Authority is granted to those who earn the respect of their people because of fulfilling their responsibilities. As a shepherd of the flock fulfills his responsibilities, the respect of the flock can be expected??and willingness to grant "authority" over their lives to the leaders. Authority can never be forced on the flock by an authoritarian leadership without contradicting Christ's teaching. As responsibilities are fulfilled, respect is earned, and then the flock is willing to "obey" and to "submit to their spiritual oversight" (Heb. 13:17), because in this case the servant-leader speaks authoritatively.

Practical Problems
Tension is created by trying to maintain stability on one hand while allowing freedom for a vital body life on the other. How do we avoid leadership that is too authoritarian? How do we maintain the vitality of freedom without being careless theologically?

These two dangers are avoided when each member of the group is given opportunity to fulfill his or her responsibility in the body. This is more rapidly effected in small groups; leaders help members participate fully in those things they have been called and gifted to accomplish. Small groups require more commitment to the body than to the leader. This ensures the survival of the group. No matter what happens to a particular leader, the group will not die if "chain" discipling (2 Timothy 2:2) is being used. If the group is committed to living out sound biblical teaching in the body rather than to the leader, then when a teacher strays from the truth of the Bible, the group can detect and correct the error. As each group is tied closely into a network of churches, it will not follow the bizarre teaching of a poor leader.

Non-seminary trained people at the highest levels of leadership have brought about the spiritual development of the members and helped to recover a family atmosphere reminiscent of the early church. This family quality, desired by some for the close relationships, is not without dangers. A group can become "too loose" or "out of control." A small group can be unstable. It can be lured to drift theologically. There can be "splintering." There is the danger of conflict with "traditional churches." We believe that these dangers are outweighed by the advantages: the quality of group life with its strong orientation toward responsibility and commitment, the effective use of non-seminary trained leaders, and the potential for growth. The structure of the church organization is to be left up to the particular church as long as it builds on biblical foundations.

Because the house church creates an atmosphere that resembles family, the leadership should also resemble family. Because of the closeness of the group, the intimacy of relationships, and the frequency of meeting, each family member is able to see, close?up and firsthand, the life of each other member. As those whom God has called to lead emerge, the group sees the man in his life and observes his character. They see his reactions to difficult everyday family situations. As we know, no one knows us better than our own family. There are no masks or walls to hide behind. Because of the exposure of more facets of the life and character of the man, the group can better assess him, in accordance with the biblical principles of leadership in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.

Conclusion
Governance in New Testament house churches as well as in contemporary house churches is a combination of body control and elder guidance. The body is responsible for decision making, active ministry, shepherding, corporate worship, discipleship, and evangelism. The elders are responsible for leading, keeping the vision alive, oversight, and seeing that proper nurture, teaching, and training is done by themselves or others. (For more on this see chapter 14 "Developing a Vision Statement".)

As we have noted, the New Testament gives no "cookie cutter" pattern for producing churches. The Lord allows each church to decide on its own government structures, as long as it is based on Biblical principles and commands.

Key Principles

1. Leaders in house church are most like fathers of extended families. They lead because they are men of honor not because of a title. Hebrews 13:7,17

2. They lead in the way appropriate to the community rather than what is natural to them. Pr. 22:6

3. They lead for the benefit of the community rather than for themselves. Galatians 5:13, Mt. 20:25-28.

4. Leaders most important function is to serve as an example, a pacesetter. I Peter 5:3, I Timothy 4:12

5. Like fathers they will gladly give up position and prestige, even their own lives, for their children. Cf. John 10:11-13.

Questions for further thought

1. Why do your leaders want to lead? Prayerfully review I Corinthians 3:10-4:5.

2. If your leaders are reluctant, why? What can you do to overcome that reluctance? I Peter 5:1-5.

3. How well do your leaders practice Philippians 2:1-4? Especially when there is disagreement?

4. How good an example are they to the flock? What kind of children are they likely to have?