Over the 31 years I spent as a contractor to the Department of Energy, I was able to observe and participate in an interesting evolution in management theory. Early on, everyone wanted to advance to be a manager, to be in charge, and there was plenty of literature to help you learn how to be a manager. Most of the literature focused on how to get people to do what you want, and there were aids like Herzog's theory and X-Y Theory on how to evaluate yourself as a manager.
The literature then evolved to an approach centered on becoming more like a father figure. Many managers embraced that approach because they were no longer seen as the bad guy. When your people messed up, it was OK, and they would just do better next time.
During about the last decade of those 31 years, the management literature turned to being a leader. Everyone wanted to be a leader, and most would say they were leaders but continued to do the same techniques they used as managers.
At about that time, I spent several years in an industry program organized by the
Society of Information Management that was designed to take high-performing mid-level managers and prepare them for Board-level executive positions. You were trained and mentored by current Board-level executives in corporate leadership. The starting position of the program was "You can't lead others if you can't lead yourself." An amazing amount of time was spent on self-leadership.
This is the same place that Dietrich Bonhoeffer found himself in 1933 when Adolf Hitler was elected Chancellor of Germany. He found himself writing and speaking about real leadership as opposed to leadership by a Fuhrer (the Leader). Dietric provided a radio address just two days after Hitler was elected titled, "The Younger Generations Altered Concept of Leadership." There is little-to-no known evidence that the radio address was a response to the election of Hitler, it was just timing.
“The difference between real leadership and the false leadership of the Leader was this: real leadership derived its authority from God, the source of all goodness…But the authority of the Fuhrer was submitted to nothing. It was self-derived and autocratic, and therefore had a messianic aspect.” Bonhoeffer, Metaxas, page 141
We may even sense that "real leadership" derives its authority from God and performance. A favorite scripture for messages among pastors is the Parable of the Minas, found in Luke 19. We see the concept of authority as each of the servants is given an amount to manage. The two servants who successfully manage what they were given are given more.
“Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.” Luke 19:17
“Likewise he said to him [the second servant], ‘You also be over five cities.’” Luke 19:19
Considering "real leadership," this can be a challenging teaching. Even in light of some recent teachings focused on "love thy neighbor," it can start to seem unfair in "man's view." Particularly when Jesus somewhat sums it up with,
“For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given, and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.” Luke 19:26
We can see repeatedly in scripture the principle of being given a level of authority by God and, based on performance, that authority being increased or even decreased. As part of his message on leadership, Bonhoeffer stated,
“A true leader must know the limitations of his authority.”
Many of the troubles that people run into result from overstepping the authority they have been given. Often, the trouble comes from trying to take authority over areas in other people's lives that they have yet to take authority over in their own lives. Ultimately telling people they need to do things they would not do themselves.
I delivered a message in August 2018 titled "You Are The Bishop of Your Own Heart." The message focused on 1 Timothy 3,
“It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer [bishop], it is a fine work he desires to do.
An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, skillful in teaching,
not overindulging in wine, not a bully, but gentle, not contentious, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity
(but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?),
and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into condemnation incurred by the devil.
And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into disgrace and the snare of the devil.” 1 Timothy 3:1-7
Rather than use this scripture for self-evaluation, many people use it to judge those in authority. A key part of this scripture gets to the point, "if you can't lead yourself, you can't lead others."
1 Timothy 3:5 states, "But if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?" You must be able to lead yourself first. This is a key principle of our Christian heritage. Once someone learns to lead themselves, they can start to understand servant leadership, which is again a key principle of our Christian heritage.
“The good leader serves others and leads others to maturity…Another word for maturity is discipleship.” Bonhoeffer, Metaxas, page 142
True leadership and discipleship seem to be missing in much of the Body of Christ today. In some cases, there is no discipleship at all. Perhaps an answer to this loss of leadership and discipleship can be found in Bonhoeffer's radio address in 1933.
“this solitude of man’s position before God, this subjection to an ultimate authority, is destroyed when the authority of the Leader or the office is seen as ultimate authority…Leaders or offices which set themselves up as gods mock God and the individual who stands alone before him, and must perish.” Bonhoeffer, Metaxas, page 142
Often, those who cannot lead themselves but want to manage or direct others (they like to use the term leader) will take scripture out of context to create fear. Their model is to create fear of not listening to them. A favorite is 1 Chronicles 16: 21-22, which, in context, addresses kings (civil authority) that would come against the people of God. It is part of a Song of Thanksgiving written at the direction of King David.
“He allowed no one to oppress them,
And He rebuked kings for their sakes, saying,“Do not touch My anointed ones,
And do not harm My prophets.” 1 Chronicles 16: 21-22
Or they will go to the New Testament with the Apostle Paul, who was speaking to the Body of Christ in Rome about the civil authority. He didn't want the Body of Christ to appear as a band of rebels, which would justify the civil authority's execution of them.
Can you imagine a servant leader, a true leader, a good leader telling followers that they must be subjected to them?
“Every person is to be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.” Romans 13:1
Servant leaders, true leaders, and good leaders who are placed in authority deserve honor in their position. However, they must earn respect. Perhaps a closer scripture that may or may not be slightly out of context is the Fourth Commandment, "Honor your mother and your father," as Bonhoeffer compares it to a good leader and discipleship,
“as a good parent does a child, wishing to lead the child to someday be a good parent.” Bonhoeffer, Metaxas, Page 142
In the Body of Christ and in the world, Bonhoeffer summed it up very well when he preached at Trinity Church in Berlin four weeks later.
“The church has only one altar, the altar of the Almighty…before which all creatures must kneel. The church has only one pulpit, and from that pulpit, faith in God will be preached, and no other faith, and no other will than the will of God, however well-intentioned.” Bonhoeffer, Metaxas, page 144
"However well-intentioned" does not justify poor leadership in the Body of Christ or the world. It sets those who would presume to lead over those who follow and ultimately fails the test of disciplining, as well as perpetuates the problem. Let's posture ourselves to:
ONE ALTAR, THE ALTAR TO THE ALMIGHTY!!
ONE PULPIT, FROM THAT PULPIT, ONLY FAITH IN GOD WILL BE PREACHED!!!
THAT IS OUR HERITAGE!!!!
