 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE OF A CHURCH LEADER
FAITH
Spiritual leaders should have a strong and
active faith, sold out to the reality of the truth and the power of God, committed to the faith; they must be devoted to prayer;
people should find encouragement, comfort and hope in them. (Red flags: they do not pray for themselves or for others, or they do it very nominally or only officially; they
are overly tolerant of other religions or false teachings; they are uncertain in their faith, or have no vision). KNOWLEDGE
Spiritual leaders must know enough to minister
to people; they must know the contents of the Bible, theology, its ramifications, how others understand it, and how it is
to be used; they must know the traditions of the Church, the heresies, and the current issues the Church faces. (Red flags: they are ignorant of the contents of the Bible; unable to
think theologically or to use the Scriptures in theological discussion; indifferent to spiritual growth for their faith). SANCTIFICATION
Spiritual leaders must exhibit a growth into
Christ-likeness, be properly related to the Holy Spirit (=spiritual), and show the fruit of the Spirit; they must not live
in bondage to sin, but be filled with the Spirit, seeking to live in obedience to God's Word; when they fail, they must confess
and seek correction with the help of God's people, so that all may learn what it means to grow in the grace and knowledge
of the Lord. (Red flags: they show no concern for spiritual growth but actually may be living a worldly
existence, if not with unconfessed and uncorrected sin; they show no evidence whatsoever of the sanctifying affect of the
Holy Spirit in their lives). WORSHIP Spiritual leaders with a strong faith that is growing in the Word will be devout worshipers; they are responsible
for leading corporate worship and inspiring family worship; they must understand worship, its liturgy, music, ritual, the
piety, and certainly what fellowship is all about; they must be leaders of the body of confessing believers. (Red flags: they may have no sense whatever of how all of it works together
and what it means; they may be more interested in other phases of the work than worship, which may be seen as a drudgery;
they may be more given to programs than to developing spiritual gifts in a worshiping community).
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