Rob Witham

I found this quote atttibuted to Henri Nouwen (I do not know where it was originally published):

“…I am deeply convinced that the Christian leader of the future is called to be completely irrelevant and to stand in this world with nothing to offer but his or her own vulnerable self.”

An interesting thought and certainly quite at odds with what they taught us in Bible College…. I know, I can already hear the arguments:

• “We cannot possibly lead from a position of nothingness and vulnerability!”
• “Christian leaders must be somewhat inaccessible and mysterious. They must not be too close to anyone in their congregation.”

Several thought spring to mind though. Here is a sampling:

• “Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2.5-7 WEB)
• “However, what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for Christ. Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death; if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3.7-11 WEB)
• “You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you must shall be your servant. Whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant, even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20.25-28 WEB)

It is ironic that we train Christian leaders to utilize the world’s leadership system rather than God’s leadership system and then are surprised when it does not work. Adopting the world’s system may build a great empire; adopting God’s system will build a great kingdom!