Being a Worship Leader - 2

Worship Leaders by John A. White Contributing Writer July 04, 2011

In Table 1 we see similarities between Jesus' mission and the Church's mission. If we consider that these gifts are needed until the Church is unified in the faith (which has never been the case since the Church's inception), then we can assume that God is still giving these gifts (Eph 4:7-16). While there are many ways of looking at spiritual gifts, thinking of them in terms of gift clusters can be useful.

Rarely is any one gift singularly expressed. For example, Gregg Laurie and Billy Graham are evangelists that preach Biblical lessons to demonstrate people's need for salvation. They combine the gift of evangelism with preaching and teaching. A shepherd will use the Bible to console, comfort and encourage the flock. He combines shepherding with teaching and helps. Knowing what ministry gifts you have may help to clarify God's call on your life. At the end of this section is a Gift Assessment Survey that can help to identify the gifts you are currently using. This tool is not prophetic, so don't expect it to determine the gifts you may have in the future or identify gifts that are currently dormant in you. It will most likely identify the your prominent gifts in your current situation.

I would like to briefly address women in leadership. Because there remains a gender bias that was introduced in the Church after its formation, many women have not assumed their leadership callings. As a result, I believe the church suffers.

Table 2 shows Biblical examples of women as effective leaders in Israel and in the Church. Contrary to some church traditions, these women exercised leadership over men. If we maintain a theology limiting the gifts in Table 1 to men only, we need to ask ourselves if the Biblical examples in Table 2 are "unbiblical" in our theology. If so, we should consider overhauling our theology. Nowhere does the Bible indicate that God was sorry for His choice of women leaders. If fact, He chooses and anoints women over and over again. Any gender bias goes against the many Biblical examples we're given and against Gal 3:28. Having said that, we must not overlook the Biblical mandate that woman in leadership must remain in proper authority relationships to the church (1 Cor 11:3, 1 Tim 2:14). There remains a delicate Biblical balance of authority for women; authority to lead while remaining in submission to church authority. And men need to help find this delicate balance, not merely quietly support, or passively tolerate women leaders. I do not want to belabor this point, so I will defer this conversation to the many books on this subject that could help bring balance to women's authority, like J. Lee Grady' book entitled "10 Lies the Church Tells Women".

Table 2 – Women in Leadership

Regardless of gender, the Christian leader is chosen and empowered by God as a result of God's sovereign will. God does not choose people because of their experience, aptitude, unique skills, social position or politics like man does. In fact, when you consider Moses' preparation to lead nations as Pharoh' son, you realize that God's calling is overwhelmingly greater than any skills a person may possess. So what qualifies people to be God's leaders? Leaders are called because, in their humble obedience to God, they will naturally produce the supernatural gifts of Godly leadership. If there is one thing leaders should remember, it is that God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

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