The Unseen Battle in Ministry Leadership
As leaders in the household of faith, we are not only builders but also soldiers on the front lines of a spiritual war. While we focus on evangelism, discipleship, and church growth, we must also strategize for the battles that rage within and around us.
The Danger of Spiritual Pride
Spiritual pride can leave us exposed to attack, making us vulnerable to the enemy’s tactics. No leader is immune to this danger, regardless of their theological knowledge, gifts, or experience. In fact, these very things can distort our view of ourselves, leading us to believe we are invincible.
The Importance of Humility
Humility is perhaps the greatest defense against spiritual attack. Recognizing our constant need for God’s protective and empowering grace, we are motivated to watch for danger and cry out for help. This humility also leads us to surround ourselves with leaders who will challenge and confront us when necessary.
The Enemy’s Tactics
The enemy seeks to damage the church and its leaders, often using ministry itself as a tool for attack. Ministry can be fraught with temptations that play to our desires and motivations, causing us to become vulnerable to deception and seduction. Our sense of identity can become distorted, leading us to redefine ourselves in ways that make us susceptible to attack.
The Role of the Leadership Community
As a leadership community, we must recognize the importance of honest and protective conversations about the spiritual war we face. We must be willing to listen carefully and speak with wisdom, comfort, and warning. We must also be prepared to stand against a leader who is under attack or has been deceived, refusing to endorse or support anything that is spiritually dangerous.
The Victory of Our Captain
The victory of our captain, Jesus Christ, welcomes us to be humbly honest and functionally courageous. We must live and lead together with this victory in view, recognizing that the primary tool the enemy uses to attack us is ministry itself. By being alert and ready to use divine tools to defeat the enemy, we can protect ourselves and our leadership community from harm.
Key Principles for Leadership
- A leader must be above reproach, held accountable for the care of those entrusted to them.
- Humility is essential for defense against spiritual attack.
- The leadership community plays a vital role in protecting its members from spiritual harm.
- Honest and protective conversations about the spiritual war are crucial for leadership communities.
- Leaders must be willing to stand against anything that is spiritually dangerous.
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