Leadership Development

When Christ was on the Earth, He spent most of His time with a small group of followers we know as disciples. Some among them He called directly while others followed on their own. Among the small group our Lord took twelve and developed a holy sense of leadership they would need to lead the Church once He returned to His Throne in Heaven.

As we know, not all the original twelve became Apostles. Judas committed suicide after he betrayed the Lord to the elites. That did not stop the Church from carrying on the leadership roles of the Church. Once Christ returned to His Throne and the Twelve Apostles (now eleven since Judas was dead) were leading the Church, they put into motion what Christ had taught them.

In those days, the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away; and when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaios and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. In those days Peter stood up among the brethren (the company of persons was in all about a hundred and twenty), and said, “Brethren, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David, concerning Judas who was guide to those who arrested Jesus. For he was numbered among us, and was allotted his share in this ministry. “So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us — one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justos, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, “Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show which one of these two thou hast chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside, to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was enrolled with the eleven apostles.

Acts 1.12-17, 21-26

In today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles we get a basis for Christin leadership. Leaders should not be rookies. They should have been around long enough to witness the work they are leading. Christ had spent nearly three years teaching the disciples the precepts of what was needed to lead the Church. A rookie, no matter how faithful at the time, just didn’t have enough background developed to lead the Church. In the case of Church hierarchy, we call this Apostolic Succession. Matthias succeeded the ministry of Judas.

There are many in the Church today that join with profound faith. It is tempting to bring them forward as potential leaders. I would caution against such practices. First and foremost, faith must be tested by life. One of the important leadership lessons that Christ taught was the Parable of the Sower. (See Matthew 13) Faith that has not been tested has no roots. Leadership requires roots deep enough to hold others up. Having rookies wait for leadership roles also develops humility. Few things are more dangerous than leadership without humility. You can’t preach “Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Christ,” if you are not first willing to deny yourself when it comes to leadership.

Think of those who have been in your ‘circle’ at Church over the past few years. Some have come and gone. Others have remained. A leader stays through the hard times. The Apostles believed it was important for leaders to have experienced the faith from the beginning. It is impossible to have leaders that are over two thousand years old. It is possible to have leaders with experience in the Church long enough to have been tested by fire.

If you want to serve the Church in leadership learn from Saint Mattias. Spend time in the Church. Learn the lessons of humility and faith that have been tested by the fire of faith in the Church. If you are a leader of the Church, develop leadership in others. Teach them humility. Help them develop deep roots of faith through trying times. Christ and the Apostles set the standard.