A Pilgrimage Of Faith, J.B. Toews, 1993

is a shared function of a group of persons; it is not exercised independently by one individual apart. Leaders are accountable to their leader-col- leagues and the members of the congregation/church, C. The first impression a congregation/church should have of its leader(s) is the image of a sacrificial servant-a servant engaged in teaching, enabling and shepherding; these activities undergird and support the other ministries 228 HOW SHALL WE THEN BE LED? of the church, and in this sense have first place. D. The congregation/church freely entrusts its leaders with the necessary authority and power to exercise their role (not office) of ministry. E. Full-time, "professional" leaders are those individuals the church/congregation chooses to support financially so that it can more fully utiiize their gifts for the common good, both within the context of the local congregation and the broader church, R The church is responsible to discern, call and appoint leaders under the lordship of Christ. G. The church/congregation, under God, is responsible for the character, service and discipline of its leaders. H. The church/congregation must follow the spiritually sound and biblically founded guidance of its leadership in a freely expressed attitude of submission, obedience and respect. I. The church/congregation is responsible for the ade- quate support and maintenance of its leaders. J. Leaders and followers are equally called to submit to the lordship of Christ as corporately discerned through the Holy Spirit and the examination of Scripture, If we want our leading and following to be consistent with these principles, we must live in the spirit of covenant. This spirit is symbolized by the basin and the towel our Lord used as he introduced the New Testament. This new covenant was the covenant of the suffering ser- vant, sacrificing himself for the redemption and healing of his fellows. Leaders in a fellowship of that covenant must minister in that same sacrificial spirit. Followers in such a fellowship must remember that the servant is not greater than the master, nor the pupil greater than the teacher.18 LEADERSHIP RECRUITMENT A significant casualty of the blinding cultural changes de- 229 A PILGRIMAGE OF FAITH scribed earlier is the process churches use to call out new leaders from the church body. This is not surprising, given the loss of "social glue" and intimacy in most congregations. The wide variation of professions and occupations in which members find themselves through the week has decreased so- ciological cohesiveness. Families