The idea of separating authority from the office bearer is controversial, but empirically logical..
In the previous article I said that Authority is not a person, but a principle. I wish to explore that further, using a few relevant examples. The examples I have chosen are biblically defined authority structures.
The first is Slavemasters. The term, as such, is no longer relevant, but the principle relates to business leaders. Peter was quick to say that we should submit to these, even when they are harsh and I support that, in principle. Harsh leadership has its place in every leadership context for those who define and preserve boundaries, but I will speak later on leadership styles and roles.
A business leader is empowered by defined terms of reference that are independent of the office bearer. In business we always referred to “the job”, not the “incumbent”. The job is mandated and sanctioned by the organization and its shareholders. The mandate and its compensation is job specific, not specific to the office holder. It ultimately relates back to the stewardship of shareholder value. The authority to do the job is defined within the terms of reference. These are readily accepted principles in business circles, but it surprises me that we cannot translate the principle to other leadership contexts.
When a business leader fulfils his or her given mandate and delivers to their terms of reference, they have authority. I do believe that such authority is more than a human mantle. God nominated such leaders as a legitimate class of authority and I have seen how an intangible spirit of authority seems to accompany appointed leaders. However, I have also seen leaders walk in and out of authority, for they can exceed themselves. Thus, when leaders (be they Christians or not) consciously or unconsciously apply biblical principles, things work. Fairness, equity, integrity, honesty and other timeless principles come to mind and great leaders swear by them. But of equal importance is faithful stewardship of their terms of reference.
A scriptural example of how authority can waver, relates to Joshua. Whilst clearly anointed of God to lead Israel, his authority was diminished by sin within the camp, the sin of Achan. God withdrew His power until the sin was resolved, for the people had effectively stepped outside of His authority. Sin here could be a proxy for corruption, inequity, double-dealing or violation of terms of reference: namely, “disobedience”.
Parental authority
As with the previous discussion, this is another defined biblical authority that carries divine weight. A Father has authority within the home, power to impose discipline and the ability to instill values. It is an intangible spirit of authority that comes from God, regardless of race or creed, but it is specific to Fathers. Mothers also have authority, but it is specific to their role. I frequently hear women express frustration with child discipline and other unnatural roles, but I rarely see men battling with their own natural roles.
However, I have seen men lose authority by stepping outside their mandate and I have also seen at least some of that same authority gradually pass to their wives, by default. A father can and does lose the respect of his wife and children when he fails to live up to God’s terms of reference. I think far too many men are currently disempowered and are being left behind because they do not understand their authority or invoke it. It doesn’t matter how theologians cut or slice this issue, the reality is that despite the defined authority of fatherhood, fathers will suffer diminished authority through sin and misappropriation of God’s mandate.
I once had a major sin issue in my household, but as for Joshua the sin was concealed. I found myself struggling in almost every area of my life because of this, because God held me accountable, just as Joshua was accountable for Israel. When I confronted and resolved those issues, I regained authority in my home and in society. I actually felt very disempowered and ineffective as a man until the issues were resolved.
Church authority
I am amazed at how all the foregoing is held to be valid, but somehow breaks down within church leadership. There are clear biblical principles for leadership that represent the separate mandate of authority. Leaders who live within their mandates, thrive and invoke the power implied by their terms of reference, but leaders who exceed their mandates forever struggle with discipline, submission and support. As someone once said, “If you keep hitting brick walls, you are probably doing something wrong”. That is true for leadership. There is a right way and a high way of leadership, but violations of our divine mandate, always undermine our ability to lead.
To make any form of submission reasonable, it is important that those who lead are themselves in submission: to Godly principle, the Word and to the “pattern” that God prescribed for His church. I do not celebrate many of the original ideas that leaders love to introduce in their pursuit of numbers and popularity, for it will be tough to stand before our King one day and explain how, like Saul, we grew impatient with His way and did it our way. I have limited regard for big ideas like vision or strategy. Jesus set the example, when He said, “I came to do your will O’ God.”
Simply put, if leaders are not accountable to God’s mandate and to those who cover them, then they will battle to command authority for by their actions they step outside their mandate into the realm of self-power, an authority that actually usurps divine authority, aligns with God’s enemy, frustrates the purpose of the Kingdom and turns a six thousand year legacy into a personal fiefdom.
Personal authority
The upshot of all that I have said relates ultimately to personal authority. Satan is an illegitimate authority, who assumes legitimacy because we allow his to do so. As rock beats scissors and scissors beat paper and paper beats rock, so anyone who has a right standing in God’s Word will find authority to overcome sin, Satan and the world. We can step into that mandate and step out of it, but the authority is an expression of God that outlives our comings and goings. Divine authority is ordained of God and we need to learn how to live within it if we are ever to be effective as believers. Indeed, whilst the world emphasizes personal charisma as a basis for power, God separates the locus of power and declares that those who live by His Word will prosper in spite of other more obvious limitations: how I thank God then that my success or failure is not something predefined by my birth, my looks, my height or my strength, but by His Word in me.
In the previous article I said that Authority is not a person, but a principle. I wish to explore that further, using a few relevant examples. The examples I have chosen are biblically defined authority structures.
The first is Slavemasters. The term, as such, is no longer relevant, but the principle relates to business leaders. Peter was quick to say that we should submit to these, even when they are harsh and I support that, in principle. Harsh leadership has its place in every leadership context for those who define and preserve boundaries, but I will speak later on leadership styles and roles.
A business leader is empowered by defined terms of reference that are independent of the office bearer. In business we always referred to “the job”, not the “incumbent”. The job is mandated and sanctioned by the organization and its shareholders. The mandate and its compensation is job specific, not specific to the office holder. It ultimately relates back to the stewardship of shareholder value. The authority to do the job is defined within the terms of reference. These are readily accepted principles in business circles, but it surprises me that we cannot translate the principle to other leadership contexts.
When a business leader fulfils his or her given mandate and delivers to their terms of reference, they have authority. I do believe that such authority is more than a human mantle. God nominated such leaders as a legitimate class of authority and I have seen how an intangible spirit of authority seems to accompany appointed leaders. However, I have also seen leaders walk in and out of authority, for they can exceed themselves. Thus, when leaders (be they Christians or not) consciously or unconsciously apply biblical principles, things work. Fairness, equity, integrity, honesty and other timeless principles come to mind and great leaders swear by them. But of equal importance is faithful stewardship of their terms of reference.
A scriptural example of how authority can waver, relates to Joshua. Whilst clearly anointed of God to lead Israel, his authority was diminished by sin within the camp, the sin of Achan. God withdrew His power until the sin was resolved, for the people had effectively stepped outside of His authority. Sin here could be a proxy for corruption, inequity, double-dealing or violation of terms of reference: namely, “disobedience”.
Parental authority
As with the previous discussion, this is another defined biblical authority that carries divine weight. A Father has authority within the home, power to impose discipline and the ability to instill values. It is an intangible spirit of authority that comes from God, regardless of race or creed, but it is specific to Fathers. Mothers also have authority, but it is specific to their role. I frequently hear women express frustration with child discipline and other unnatural roles, but I rarely see men battling with their own natural roles.
However, I have seen men lose authority by stepping outside their mandate and I have also seen at least some of that same authority gradually pass to their wives, by default. A father can and does lose the respect of his wife and children when he fails to live up to God’s terms of reference. I think far too many men are currently disempowered and are being left behind because they do not understand their authority or invoke it. It doesn’t matter how theologians cut or slice this issue, the reality is that despite the defined authority of fatherhood, fathers will suffer diminished authority through sin and misappropriation of God’s mandate.
I once had a major sin issue in my household, but as for Joshua the sin was concealed. I found myself struggling in almost every area of my life because of this, because God held me accountable, just as Joshua was accountable for Israel. When I confronted and resolved those issues, I regained authority in my home and in society. I actually felt very disempowered and ineffective as a man until the issues were resolved.
Church authority
I am amazed at how all the foregoing is held to be valid, but somehow breaks down within church leadership. There are clear biblical principles for leadership that represent the separate mandate of authority. Leaders who live within their mandates, thrive and invoke the power implied by their terms of reference, but leaders who exceed their mandates forever struggle with discipline, submission and support. As someone once said, “If you keep hitting brick walls, you are probably doing something wrong”. That is true for leadership. There is a right way and a high way of leadership, but violations of our divine mandate, always undermine our ability to lead.
To make any form of submission reasonable, it is important that those who lead are themselves in submission: to Godly principle, the Word and to the “pattern” that God prescribed for His church. I do not celebrate many of the original ideas that leaders love to introduce in their pursuit of numbers and popularity, for it will be tough to stand before our King one day and explain how, like Saul, we grew impatient with His way and did it our way. I have limited regard for big ideas like vision or strategy. Jesus set the example, when He said, “I came to do your will O’ God.”
Simply put, if leaders are not accountable to God’s mandate and to those who cover them, then they will battle to command authority for by their actions they step outside their mandate into the realm of self-power, an authority that actually usurps divine authority, aligns with God’s enemy, frustrates the purpose of the Kingdom and turns a six thousand year legacy into a personal fiefdom.
Personal authority
The upshot of all that I have said relates ultimately to personal authority. Satan is an illegitimate authority, who assumes legitimacy because we allow his to do so. As rock beats scissors and scissors beat paper and paper beats rock, so anyone who has a right standing in God’s Word will find authority to overcome sin, Satan and the world. We can step into that mandate and step out of it, but the authority is an expression of God that outlives our comings and goings. Divine authority is ordained of God and we need to learn how to live within it if we are ever to be effective as believers. Indeed, whilst the world emphasizes personal charisma as a basis for power, God separates the locus of power and declares that those who live by His Word will prosper in spite of other more obvious limitations: how I thank God then that my success or failure is not something predefined by my birth, my looks, my height or my strength, but by His Word in me.
(c) Peter Eleazar at www.bethelstone.com
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