I am nearing the end of thinking about and applying Colossians 1:15-23, seriously a passage that if you have a pulse will blow your mind! 

 Colossians 1:18 says, “And he is the head of the body, the church.”  This same Jesus who is the center and focus of all things, this same Jesus through whom the Father is reconciling all things to himself, is the same Jesus who sits at the head of the universal Church!  I want to talk about four leadership principles and concepts I pick up from this passage:

#1  Pastors, teachers and leaders within the church have to be humble.  They answer to Christ!  And ultimately, if Christ is in charge of the church and is revealing his desires for his church via the Holy Spirit, leaders have to be sensitive to his voice and his call. 

I believe God has called me to the ministry and my BIGGEST FEAR about going into the ministry is to stand before a church and not have a message from God.  Or to stand before a church casting some sort of vision that comes from my ideals and not Christ’s passion.  God is looking for people who will do according to what is in his heart and his mind 1 Samuel 2:35!

#2  The church ought to be centered on Christ’s personality and not our own.  I remember reading a blogger bash a certain church in Texas.  But one of his or her critiques was right on point.  They said something like, “This church is too centered on the personality of the pastor.”  All I’ll say about this is, IT IS A PROBLEM when my principle reason for going to a church’s worship service is to hear from the pastor and not from my Savior.

#3  Christ will take care of his church!  While we make provisions for discipleship, it is Christ’s Spirit – the Holy Spirit – who takes residence within each believer allowing us to grow step by step, day by day just like I talked about yesterday.  The Holy Spirit works within us to present us holy, blameless and above reproach.

#4  Christ will defend his church!  I say this to myself (yeah I talk to myself) all the time:  When it comes to ministry, I am dealing with  PEOPLE!!!  People with pasts, people with pain, people who have the right intentions, and people who may just be out to hurt the cause.  When someone makes a decision for Christ they become a member of CHRIST’S flock.  To the leader who might intentionally harm CHRIST’S flock I recommend changing course immediately or brace yourself!  Christ is the unmoved head while leaders are constantly being raised up or humbled.

Hope this helped or challenged someone today!