Of course, if one’s view of the church is an organization like the Synagogues, then leadership is narrowly defined as being those individuals who oversee or superintend the organization, especially when they gather into one place. Interestingly, the Greek word archon is used to define Jewish rulers, imperial Rome (Romans 13:3), Christ’s rule (Romans 15:12) or demonic powers (1 Cor. 2:6-8, Eph. 2:2), but never used to describe the leadership in the ekklesia. Paul uses the same word to describe spiritual powers (1 Cor. 2:6-8, Ephesians 2:2).
The Greek word hegemon is widely used as a description of secular authorities and is used once in Hebrews 13:7,17, 24 where hegoumenos describes leaders among God’s people. Another word is used of civic leaders and has military origins (strategos), but neither hegemon, nor strategos occurs in the Pauline corpus. We should have more to write about this in other blogs, i.e., the use of the Greek words for leadership.
Paul uses the Greek, proistimi (leaders, Rom 12:8, 1 Thes. 5:12; 1 Tim. 3:4, 12; 5:17; Tit. 3:8, 14) and its associated noun prostates (Rom. 16:2). In these texts, he is describing those who lead through personal action. In other words, it defines those who are taking charge of their personal accountability and initiate any and all necessary action of service. This word is used to refer to managing a household or used in the sense of giving aid or help (cf. RSV), rather than leading in the sense of “ruling” according to our modern vernacular. Such ruling leadership implies the task of telling people what to do and making decisions for others in the context of a local church. Eliminate the local church organization and you are left with men leading an exemplary life for others to follow. Paul, himself, illustrated this type of leadership in 1 Corinthians 11:1-2 . It reads,
“Be ye imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ. Now I praise you that ye remember me in all things, and hold fast the traditions, even as I delivered them to you” (cf. Phil. 4:9).
Others collaborate with Paul’s teaching. For example, Peter speaks of being an example and not “lording it” over the flock (1 Peter 5:2). Being lords describes one who is lord of another’s faith by controlling what others in your care believe and practice. Again, in a local church application, these leaders make all “business” decisions for the local church organization over which they rule.
The fact that Paul avoids using authoritative terms of power, also, supports the Lord’s teaching of Mathew 20:25-26 where Jesus tells his disciples after their debate about who would be greatest among them, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It will not be so among you.” He, then, proceeds to define true greatness by serving others.
Therefore, when discussing leadership in the ekklesia, we must first understand “ekklesia” before we understand leadership in it. There are two different lenses that give very different perspectives concerning the leadership in the “ekklesia” and in the organization. We hope to demonstrate that the leadership in the church organization does not harmonize with the nature of leadership in the ekklesia as taught in the Scriptures. We intend to show the fallacies of popular thought regarding their work and role among God’s people.