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Spirit-led church is a Spirit-formed church. The church is spiritually formed
into Christ-likeness so that she grows into maturity to participate in God’s
mission. Spiritual growth is vital for the mission of the church. Immaturity
brings disruption and destruction within the life of the church. It hurts the
witness of the church in the world. The growth of the church is ultimately the
work of the Spirit. We can plant and water, but only God can make it grow (1
Cor. 3:6). How often we focus on the missionary task in the world but neglect
the missionary work within the church. Christian nurturing is important for
church health. The church must provide a growing context for Christians to
experience the work of the Spirit.
Pastoral
leadership plays a decisive role in this process. Ross Hastings writes, “The
leader’s role, then, is not to take control of the chruch’s growth but rather
to equip the church (its present reality) to be the church (its future hope).
The concern should be to empower people to be who they are—representatives of
the kingdom of God.”[1]
I often think of Paul’s words on discipleship—“Pass on what you heard from
me—the whole congregation saying Amen!—to reliable leaders who are competent to
teach others” (2 Tim. 2:2 The Message). A leader’s task is to produce disciples who can reproduce and raise up next generation to carry out the work of the gospel. To be
a leader is to find a balance between the work of man and the work of the
Spirit. To be a spiritual leader is to rely on the work of the Spirit in the
midst of laboring. “That’s what I’m working so hard at day after day, year
after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously gives me” (Col.
1:29 The Message).
[1] Ross Hastings, Missional God, Missional Church: Hope for
the Re-Evangelizing the West (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2012), p. 300.
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