Marc Cortez has a post on what we, the church, expect of seminaries based on notes he took from a Leith Anderson lecture. The seven points are standard offerings, but one in particular struck me.
The church is Christ's body with Him as the head. As such, those placed as shepherds over the local flock are to be those who can follow and apply the Scriptures through careful discipleship and instruction. They are given the task of feeding and caring for the flock, ever pointing to the Lord Jesus. Scripture is clear on what to teach, how to teach, and what the collective role of overseer is intended to be.
This living example (commonly called servant-leadership) is performed under the scrutiny and direction of the triune God according to His plan and purposes, which, again, have been clearly stated in His Word. Instill these precepts properly in the local body and the self-imposed stress caused by vision and planning will diminish greatly as people naturally walk in those good works that God has prepared for them to do.
3. Leaders who can leadAs the quote states, this one seems obvious, but on further reflection the emphasis is all wrong, because it is based on a faulty concept of assembly leadership principles. What the church and the seminary began doing several centuries ago is incorporate secular leadership styles into the local assembly expecting similar organizational efficiencies. Such thinking was and is wrong-headed. The thesis point should be Leaders who can follow.
This one seems obvious, but its among the hardest to address. The trick here is that the church doesn’t need people who know about leading; the church needs people who can actually lead. Those are two very different things. And, since many students enter seminary with little leadership experience, seminaries need to give students opportunities to start and lead something, anything. The classroom provides the necessary time and distance to reflect critically on leadership experiences, but real leadership only develops in the field.
The church is Christ's body with Him as the head. As such, those placed as shepherds over the local flock are to be those who can follow and apply the Scriptures through careful discipleship and instruction. They are given the task of feeding and caring for the flock, ever pointing to the Lord Jesus. Scripture is clear on what to teach, how to teach, and what the collective role of overseer is intended to be.
You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. (2 Tim 2:1-2)This is a far cry from being a "vision-caster." Seminaries are to teach that leading is by example:
Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. (1 Tim 4:12)
Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. (Titus 2:7-8)
(See also Philippians 3:17; 2 Thessalonians 3:9; 1 Timothy 1:16)
This living example (commonly called servant-leadership) is performed under the scrutiny and direction of the triune God according to His plan and purposes, which, again, have been clearly stated in His Word. Instill these precepts properly in the local body and the self-imposed stress caused by vision and planning will diminish greatly as people naturally walk in those good works that God has prepared for them to do.
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