House Church Talk - Questions concerning leadership

[Glenn Frank]

Hi Scott and Dan,

I am interested to hear more about your thoughts on leadership in a 'house
church' setting. My family has just recently (in the past few months)
started gathering with some other believers in a home church form and
stopped attending a institutional church. Everyone in the group is new to
this idea of a home church gathering. We all came out of the same
institutional church because we saw that all the traditional man-made things
in the IC were not needed and the real fellowship and ministry could take
place in a house church setting.

Myself and the other husband of the other family were both involved in the
leadership of the previous IC church, and we both understood the ideas of an
eldership team that were servant leaders... Lead by the Head of the church
Jesus... Not the hierarchy of the human leadership. The church we were a
part of used to practice a form of team/eldership leadership... But has
since slipped back to doing the 'head pastor' thing. (one main reason we
left).

But now... I guess I am having trouble seeing how the truths I have learned
about eldership / team leadership / servant leadership etc are walked out in
a house church setting. We want to see all people participate in the group
and grow and contribute and be an active part of the body... But it seems we
have set aside any kind of leadership structure altogether. I almost wonder
if we threw the baby out with the bathwater in regards to leadership because
I agree that the Lord is not apposed to leadership. (Leader-less in the
human sense is not what the scriptures describe).


Scott Dowlen wrote:
 
> The group that stands out as false are those who say 'I am your leader -
> follow me' and forbid or dissuade the following of any others who may also
> be raised up to lead/serve.

I agree if this is an rule that says there is one leader (head pastor) to
the exclusion of all others... But on the other hand Paul told the people he
wrote to that they should follow his example as he followed Christ. So there
is a place for a leader saying to follow his EXAMPLE as he follows Christ...
But like you said not excluding leadership by others.

Anyway... I look forward to hearing more thoughts on this topic and trying
to be a part of the discussion myself since it is particularly relevant to
our new little house church group.


Glenn Frank