This week the blog is sponsored by Desiring God and the post is written by David Mathis. Some doomsdayers might say the church has a leadership crisis. Perhaps a previous generation gave its presidents (and pastors) too much benefit of the doubt. But is that still our temptation today? Our criticisms of recognized leaders, cynicism toward them, conflicts with them, and controversies about them fill our feeds, queues, and real-life conversations. Are we becoming a society of discontents trying to take it to the man? Whether in the world or in the church, both a fascination with and a negative mood toward our leaders and celebrities (we’re increasingly unable to draw clear lines between them) pervades our age. Many today are confused, and for good reason. Stories of use and abuse abound, and multiply, with the aid of our technologies. While our list of what to beware grows longer and longer, do we have any corresponding list of (more positively) what to look for, and pray for, in our leaders? No Confusion from Christ For Christians, we have our conflicts and controversies to grieve and address, but the risen Christ has not left us to confusion for what to expect, pray for, and hold our leaders to account for. Scripture has a lot to say about our current crisis. To my count, 1 Timothy 3 provides fifteen requirements for pastor-elders — the lead or teaching office in the church. Another list (again I count fifteen) comes just pages later in Titus 1, with most of … Continue reading Christ’s Words for Our Leadership Crisis