I think the church needs more ministers. I also think that the church needs fewer “ministers.”
That is, I’m convinced that the church needs fewer men whose goal is to lead the church, who want titles like “senior minister” or “senior pastor,” who want power and authority.
I’m equally convinced that we need men who remember that the word translated “minister” in the New Testament is the word diakonos, which means servant. We need men who are called to serve the church, to minister to her in the true sense of the word.
It’s interesting to note that the Bible teaches more about what it is to be a follower than it does what it is to be a leader. It tells us to serve and to not “lord it over.” Much of what is said about leadership is negative, what a leader shouldn’t do or be.
When we focus on service, leadership will naturally grow out of that. When we focus on leadership, service often gets left by the wayside.
To those on staff at a church, I give you this reminder: you weren’t called to lead the church, at least not primarily. You were called to serve it. Even those called to be pastors must remember that a pastor’s ability to guide the sheep grows out of his ability to serve the sheep.
I agree, most today think leadership is telling someone else what to do, leadership is taking the lead. “Take up your cross, and follow me.” like the Sargent in the foxhole ” come on men, follow me” not “you guys go ahead, I’ll catch up”.