A New Leadership Model as Old as the New Testament

By Scott Cromer

In 2001, New Life Church of Christ in Bellville, Ohio, stood at a crossroads. The traditional leadership model where elders and deacons voted on church business at board meetings was no longer serving the needs of our congregation. After several months of prayer and study, the other elders and I made the shift to a shepherding leadership model, and it has had a positive impact on the atmosphere at New Life.

 

THREE STEPS

We accomplished this shift in three steps. First, we abandoned our traditional roles of elders and deacons, and with them, the concept of a board, a chairman, and voting. The six of us called ourselves elder/shepherds and began to spend the majority of our time and energies building relationships””caring for, praying for, maturing, equipping, and mentoring the families under our care. We currently have 10 other men who assist in shepherding.

Second, we delegated responsibilities. We appointed our preacher””who is naturally gifted in leadership, goal setting, and vision casting””to do just that. We view our preacher as being first among equals. He leads us, but he doesn”t tell us what to do. He has relational authority, not positional authority. We have open communication with him, and he is free to make most decisions in these areas. Because our preacher is more visible, he usually relays these decisions to the congregation for us; however, the other elder/shepherds and I take turns writing letters, writing articles for the newsletter, and making announcements.

All administrative decisions regarding facility management, policy implementation, staffing, and budgeting are the responsibility of a group called the “navigation team.” This team consists of two elder/shepherds, one staff member, and two men from the congregation who are gifted in administration. The vision of our church””to be a source of help, hope, and home to our community””is carried out by men and women who organize and lead the various ministry teams to accomplish the goals of their ministries.

Lastly, and most importantly, we empower every leader to do his or her work. Because we no longer want to be perceived as permission grantors or withholders, and because the people in leadership at New Life have integrity, they operate with little control. The shepherds get out of their way and let them serve.

 

MEANINGFUL MEETINGS

Thanks to these three steps, meetings are no longer time consuming. The six elder/shepherds and three staff members meet quarterly to discuss upcoming community projects, progress in training the congregation in discipleship, and the overall spiritual direction of the church.

These meetings are low-key. We try hard to honor and respect individual opinions by placing a high emphasis on understanding one another. Egos are checked at the door. We”re confident that if nine people””all with varying personalities, backgrounds, and abilities””can reach consensus regarding a course of action, then the Holy Spirit was involved in our planning. If discussion drags, we table the matter until later to allow more time for prayer and reflection.

Sometimes””very rarely, actually””we use a mechanism called a “negative poll.” One of us will ask, “Is there anyone who cannot live with this?” If there is, we don”t move forward with the decision. This has been an effective system for us.

We make sure no one dominates the discussion and that all have a voice. If one of the guys is quiet for a long time, someone will ask him what he thinks. Many times one sentence from a quiet person is what the Holy Spirit wants us to hear.

All 16 shepherds meet once a month in what we call a “shepherds” circle.” We pray with members of our various flocks. We hear requests for physical and spiritual healing, for encouragement, and also offer thanksgiving, recognition, and praise.

 

SHARED LIFE

The shepherding leadership model echoes Paul”s concept of the “shared life” in 1 Thessalonians 2:8. We”ve found it takes time to be intentional with people. It goes beyond just “being there” for the major events of life; it also means taking in soccer games and piano recitals. It means going to car shows and cutting firewood and attending concerts with people to learn more about them.

Sharing life with our flock has greatly increased our unity among our church members. People have real relationships at New Life””we care for one another””and our attendance reflects this. As we help people become spiritually mature, they begin to disciple others. Many people have felt empowered to start ministries the church has never tried before.

The shepherding leadership model is one that leaders at other churches should consider. It is a major reason New Life””a church that had been on the brink””is now a thriving, loving community.

 

 

 

Recommended Reading

The following books have guided and helped us as we have changed our approach to serving as elders at New Life Church of Christ:

Lynn Anderson, They Smell Like Sheep (Howard, 1997).

Mary K. Sellon, Daniel P. Smith, and Gail F. Grossman, Redeveloping the Congregation: A How-To for Lasting Change (Alban Institute, 2002).

Alexander Strauch, Biblical Eldership (Lewis & Roth, 1995).

Ted Waller, With the Sheep in the Wilderness (20th Century Christian, 1991).

 

 

 

Scott Cromer is an elder/shepherd at New Life Church of Christ in Bellville, Ohio.