How Should We Respond to Church Leadership?

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. Hebrews 13:17 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. Acts 20:28

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, Matthew 20:26

Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Hebrews 13:7 Leadership in the World is decidedly different than Leadership within the church. In the United States, we elect our leaders, and as such, we usually expect something from those we elect to oversee the governing of our cities, states, and country. It shouldn't surprise us, then, when the governing bodies don't act accordingly, that we see people up in arms, protesting, and, at times, getting violent when hopes for officials and reality do not agree. In the church, however, there should not be elected officials at all. It is governed by Elders who are appointed, usually by prior elders, church planters, or evangelists, to see about the governing and leadership of the church. What is more, the Elders themselves are governed by Christ through leadership of the Holy Spirit, and there are ministers, deacons, and others who fulfill the vision as granted by the Elders of the Church. At least, this is the way it's outlined in Scripture. So why do we see Church splits? Why do we hear complaints, and see people try to overrule elders, preachers, ministers, and the work of the deacons? At times, church leaders get away from the bible, and so must be removed, but perhaps, much of the time, it's because we're trying to enact our will in to the church instead of following Scripture. Scripture calls for Biblical Leaders to serve the body of Christ, and it calls for the body of Christ to humbly submit to the leaders. If we did this, would we see disunity in the church? Perhaps, but not as much. What needs to happen, though, is we need to explore the word of God, and do things, as it were, by the book. We need to stop looking at how local state and country government works (it never truly has worked, which is why it's reinvented every few hundred years), and look to the Biblical model of the church. We need to submit to those God has placed under us, and let the Bile be our guide for governance. Jesus is Lord, and so we need to do things His way. His way requires more patience, and is difficult, but is always best. Submit, then, and examine the church through the lens of Scripture.