Watch Out for the Quiet Ones - Openness As a Criterion for Ministry Leadership
One of the functions of church leadership is to prepare others for ministry (Ephesians 4:12).
But, what kind of person should you look for when trying to identify those with leadership potential? This article argues that openness should be one of those criteria.
In other words, it would be unwise to entrust the spiritual care of others into the hands of those who are secretive or closed.
Christianity is an open religion and the church is an open community.
Christ calls his people to let their light shine before the world that it may see their good works and glorify the Father who is in heaven (Mt 5:16).
Christians should conduct ministry by "speaking the truth in love" (Eph 4:15; Cf.
5:25; Galatians 4:16); to speak the truth you have to speak.
Paul contrasts the practice of speaking the truth in love with the "cunning," "craftiness," and "deceitful scheming" of the false teachers (Eph 4:15).
Gnosticism was one of the first false teachings the early church had to deal with, a religious movement that claimed to have hidden knowledge.
God's message is not hidden; it does not slink in the shadows.
It "cries aloud in the street" (Proverbs 1:20).
Ministry leaders must be willing to live publicly and expose their ideas to the critique of dialogue.
This is not to say that naturally quiet people are morally inferior.
They may simply not be ready for the role of leadership.
Those who have a capacity for Christian leadership are open, expressive, and sociable.
But, you may be asking, doesn't the Bible warn us to be slow to speak and quick to listen (James 1:19-20)? Yes, but there is also "a time to speak" (Ecclesiastes 3:5).
Leadership failure doesn't just happen when people speak when they should remain silent.
It also happens when they remain silent--when they should speak.
When the Scriptures describe wicked people, they often refer to their secrecy and stealth.
Herod the Great devised plans in secret to kill the baby Jesus (Matthew 2:7).
The leaders in Jerusalem "secretly" sought out false witnesses against Stephen (Acts 6:11).
Peter warns of the false teachers who "secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master" (2 Peter 2:1).
The pagans are said to commit their shameful deeds "in secret" (Eph 5:12).
The meddlers in the church of Galatia infiltrated the community "secretly" (Gal 2:4).
To act covertly does not reflect the open nature of the new life in Christ.
One of the effects of this new life is that it allows believers to remove their veil (2 Corinthians 3:13-16).
The reference is to Moses, whose face, after having met God on the Mountain of Sinai, acquired a mysterious glow.
This strange glow caused people to respond to Moses with awe.
Over time, however, the glow faded, but the leader of Israel kept the veil on his face so people would not realize that the glory was fading.
Paul's point was that the message of Jesus has a radiance that does not fade with time.
When we turn to the Lord, we are free to remove the veil.
We are free to be open, to live no longer in hiding (Genesis 3:10).
"All of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord.
And the Lord-who is the Spirit-makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image" (2 Cor 3:18, NLT).
So, when looking for a potential ministry trainee, look for someone who has removed the veil.
Look for someone who is easy to read, someone who is exactly what he or she appears to be.
But, what kind of person should you look for when trying to identify those with leadership potential? This article argues that openness should be one of those criteria.
In other words, it would be unwise to entrust the spiritual care of others into the hands of those who are secretive or closed.
Christianity is an open religion and the church is an open community.
Christ calls his people to let their light shine before the world that it may see their good works and glorify the Father who is in heaven (Mt 5:16).
Christians should conduct ministry by "speaking the truth in love" (Eph 4:15; Cf.
5:25; Galatians 4:16); to speak the truth you have to speak.
Paul contrasts the practice of speaking the truth in love with the "cunning," "craftiness," and "deceitful scheming" of the false teachers (Eph 4:15).
Gnosticism was one of the first false teachings the early church had to deal with, a religious movement that claimed to have hidden knowledge.
God's message is not hidden; it does not slink in the shadows.
It "cries aloud in the street" (Proverbs 1:20).
Ministry leaders must be willing to live publicly and expose their ideas to the critique of dialogue.
This is not to say that naturally quiet people are morally inferior.
They may simply not be ready for the role of leadership.
Those who have a capacity for Christian leadership are open, expressive, and sociable.
But, you may be asking, doesn't the Bible warn us to be slow to speak and quick to listen (James 1:19-20)? Yes, but there is also "a time to speak" (Ecclesiastes 3:5).
Leadership failure doesn't just happen when people speak when they should remain silent.
It also happens when they remain silent--when they should speak.
When the Scriptures describe wicked people, they often refer to their secrecy and stealth.
Herod the Great devised plans in secret to kill the baby Jesus (Matthew 2:7).
The leaders in Jerusalem "secretly" sought out false witnesses against Stephen (Acts 6:11).
Peter warns of the false teachers who "secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master" (2 Peter 2:1).
The pagans are said to commit their shameful deeds "in secret" (Eph 5:12).
The meddlers in the church of Galatia infiltrated the community "secretly" (Gal 2:4).
To act covertly does not reflect the open nature of the new life in Christ.
One of the effects of this new life is that it allows believers to remove their veil (2 Corinthians 3:13-16).
The reference is to Moses, whose face, after having met God on the Mountain of Sinai, acquired a mysterious glow.
This strange glow caused people to respond to Moses with awe.
Over time, however, the glow faded, but the leader of Israel kept the veil on his face so people would not realize that the glory was fading.
Paul's point was that the message of Jesus has a radiance that does not fade with time.
When we turn to the Lord, we are free to remove the veil.
We are free to be open, to live no longer in hiding (Genesis 3:10).
"All of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord.
And the Lord-who is the Spirit-makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image" (2 Cor 3:18, NLT).
So, when looking for a potential ministry trainee, look for someone who has removed the veil.
Look for someone who is easy to read, someone who is exactly what he or she appears to be.
