We have already looked at several biblical ways that leaders were chosen in the book of Acts. Some leaders were chosen by divine commissioning. Others were chosen by the people while some were simply appointed by the founders. In some cases, there was a mix of different methods. Now we will examine a final way that leaders were chosen, best illustrated from the life of Paul. “He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer” (Acts 19:22).

What was happening in this situation? Paul was raising up leaders and developing Timothy and Erastus. Then he sent them to lead in Macedonia. Servant leaders can learn from Paul to choose leaders by developing people.

The process of choosing by people development. How did Paul choose leaders by developing people? Paul’s DNA included a passion for church planting but the fuel for his amazing impact was his pattern of multiplication and people development. Everywhere he went he went with a team of people that he was developing. He chose leaders from those he had developed. This process of developing and commissioning people as leaders is one of the reasons for the Apostle Paul’s lasting influence on the church.

It appears that Paul was not developing people for specific positions, he simply developed people, then chose them for roles that suited their calling. (See Acts 18:19 for another example.) Some may argue that they were not given official roles or positions of leadership. But Paul sent them with the authority to lead and act on his behalf.

Servant leaders see the process of people development as a part of their call from God. They recognized that our world needs leaders and they seek to develop them with or without positions. Developing others is at the heart of servant leadership.

The power of choosing by people development. This method of choosing leaders has several advantages. This is perhaps the most proactive approach to appointing leaders. The other methods we have examined require a leader to be present and then he or she is chosen.

Paul didn’t wait for leaders to develop, he invested in their lives! As he developed leaders, he had a group from which to select leaders needed for a specific location or assignment. This way of choosing leaders provides much time for the potential leader to be well known by the current leader. No interview is needed, they have been working closely together for a long time! There is a strong relational bond between Paul and those he developed.

Servant leaders acknowledge the power of choosing leaders from those they have developed. They see the way this can multiply leaders for God’s purposes, and they follow Paul’s example by investing in developing those around them.

 The pitfalls of choosing by people development. There can also be challenges with this approach. Some leaders may develop people only to fill their own agendas or to accomplish their own visions. This is ultimately a selfish motive and may lead to unhealthy patterns of relating. Another danger is that a leader may not look beyond the persons he or she knows personally when selecting a leader. They may overlook others with great potential. Servant leaders wisely avoid the pitfalls of choosing by developing people as they follow the example of Paul.

Servant leaders see the option of choosing by people development as one of the ways God can direct the building of their team. But they continually seek God’s direction for the process of selecting leaders. They seek to follow His direction in every situation and are careful to recognize that at different times, God may lead in a way that is not their preferred method. They acknowledge that there is more than one biblical way to choose leaders.

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

For further reflection and discussion:

• How have my previous experiences and the thinking of those around me shaped my view on whether or not choosing by people development is a good way to choose leaders?
• How likely am I to use choosing by people development to choose a leader? If I am very likely to use it, have I consciously avoided the pitfalls of this method? If I am unlikely to use it, in what ways might God be calling me to consider this method as a practical option for my situation?
• In what situations might choosing by people development be the best choice for me to choose leaders? In what situations might choosing by people development be a poor choice for me?        

(To fully comprehend the methods Paul used to develop others, there will be a future series on this subject.)

In the next issue, we’ll examine The ABC’s of Transition!

Getting the right person in the right place is one of the greatest challenges of leadership. We could look at the selection of leaders from a human resources position and examine resumes or CVs.

Servant leaders certainly can use these resources, but they also want their selections to follow God’s direction. Many will point to the early church to validate their preferred style for choosing leaders as the ‘biblical’ style and the best approach. But what does Acts teach servant leaders about the correct method of choosing leaders?

There are at least four distinct ways leaders were chosen in the early church. We have already examined “divine commission” and “popular selection” as different ways leaders were chosen in the early church. But here is another way. “²¹They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, ²² strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. ‘We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,’ they said. ²³ Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust” (Acts 14:21-23).

In this situation, Paul and Barnabas as the church leader appointed elders in each church. Let’s reflect on this kind of leadership appointment.

The process of choosing by leadership appointment. The process used by Paul and Barnabas seems quite simple, they just “appointed elders” in these churches. It does not appear that they asked for input from the church members and they did not hold an election. However, they did include “prayer and fasting” as a part of this process.

Servant leaders learn from their example that when choosing leaders this way it is helpful to seek God’s direction. Servant leaders do not use this method to put their friends or family members in leadership roles. They use this method as an act of service to those who will be under the newly appointed leaders. When servant leaders use this process in the marketplace, they are careful to consider the impact of their decision on those who will follow.

The power of choosing by leadership appointment. There are several advantages of choosing leaders by appointment. It is a simple method and can be done quickly if there is an urgent need for action. In some situations, the leader doing the appointing may have a better assessment of the person’s gifts, calling, and capacity than those who are following.

In the case of these churches, Paul and Barnabas may have realized the level of maturity in the new believers was not yet strong enough to choose the right leaders. So, this method may be an advantage in a young group. The leaders who were chosen in this way had the clear support of Paul and Barnabas, the founders of the church, and would be seen as their representatives.

Servant leaders learn from this example to carefully consider the gifts and calling of an individual and to seek God’s guidance before taking any action. Then they confidently appoint leaders for the good of all.

The pitfalls of choosing by leadership appointment. While there seems to be no problem with the appointments made by Paul and Barnabas, this approach needs to be used with caution. The power to appoint with no input from others can feed a leader’s ego and lead to bad appointments. Leaving people out of the process may work in some situations but in other contexts will result in resentment towards the leader chosen. And the loyalty of the appointed leader may be more towards the person who appointed them instead of a commitment to serve those under them.

Servant leaders wisely avoid the pitfalls of leadership appointments. Like Paul and Barnabas, they seek direction from God and appoint a team instead of individuals. They don’t allow this to be the only way leaders are ever selected.

Servant leaders see the option of choosing by leadership appointment as one of the ways God can direct the building of their team. But they also recognize that there are times that God will lead them to choose another method. In the next issue, we’ll look at the last method of choosing leaders.

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

For further reflection and discussion:

• How have my previous experiences and the thoughts of those around me shaped my view of the benefits or disadvantages of appointing leaders?
• How likely am I to use appointing leaders to choose a leader? If I am very likely to use it, have I consciously avoided the pitfalls of this method? If I am unlikely to use it, in what ways might God be calling me to consider this method as a practical option for my situation?
• In what situations might appointing leaders be the best choice for me to choose leaders? In what situations might appointing leaders be a poor choice for me?

In the next issue, we’ll look at selecting leaders by people development.

Leaders choose other leaders to join their team and help carry out the vision. But the process they use to choose varies depending on the context.

The Book of Acts provides at least four different ways that the early church selected leaders. One of them was used when the need arose for the role of deacons.

“¹In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. ²So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. ³Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them ⁴and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” ⁵This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism” (Acts 6:1-5).

Servant leaders recognize that empowering others to make a decision may sometimes be the best way to choose leaders.

The process of choosing by popular selection. In this situation, seven deacons were chosen. But the apostles did not make the selection; they invited the group to select the individuals who would become the leaders. This was popular selection, close to what we might call a democratic process in which a vote is taken. This could have been a frightening step for the apostles. What if the people choose the wrong person?

This method is used in many churches where votes are counted, and the ‘winner’ is announced. This may not happen often in a business, but a servant leader who is the owner or leader may invite others to participate in the process by giving their thoughts, feedback or evaluation. Even if the ultimate decision is not determined by a vote, a servant leader is willing to allow others into the process. This method requires humility and deep faith in the people and God! Servant leaders are willing to release their power to others.

The power of choosing by popular selection. This method has several advantages. One obvious advantage is that those who will be led are empowered by being involved. “This proposal pleased the whole group.” When people are involved in a decision, they are less likely to complain about the outcome!

Not only this, but the leaders chosen by this method feel the support of those that they will lead from the very beginning. They begin leading with the confidence that those they are leading want them to serve in that role. Another advantage of this method is that the people making the decision are likely closer to the potential leaders than the leaders who are at the top of the organization. Servant leaders acknowledge that they are not the only ones who can choose leaders and that others may wisely be involved.

The pitfalls of choosing by popular selection. Servant leaders acknowledge that there are some practical dangers in the democratic system. One danger is that popular selection may leave God out of the process! The choice can become a popularity contest.

Another danger is that the focus on pleasing people may become more important than the call to lead people. This is a danger especially for those whose personalities love to please others.

But servant leaders can wisely influence and guide the selection process even when others make the decisions. The apostles did set some parameters here before the vote; they required candidates that were “full of the Spirit and wisdom.” Leaders can call for fasting and prayer before and during the process. They can also provide instruction on what kind of leaders are needed.

Servant leaders see the option of choosing by popular selection as one of the ways God can direct the building of their team. But they also recognize that there are times God will lead them to choose another method. In the next issue, we’ll look at one of these: appointments.

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

For further reflection and discussion:

• How have my previous experiences and the thinking of those around me shaped my view of whether or not popular selection is a good way to choose leaders?
• How likely am I to use popular selection to choose a leader? If I am very likely to use it, have I consciously avoided the pitfalls of this method? If I am unlikely to use it, in what ways might God be calling me to consider this method as a practical option for my situation?
• In what situations might popular selection be the best choice for me to choose leaders? In what situations might popular selection be a poor choice for me?    

Copyright, Global Disciples 2020.

Choosing other leaders is one of the greatest challenges of leadership. Most leaders have had some success and likely some failure in this area. The ‘cost’ of failure is high when the selection process does not bring the right person. What is the best approach to find others who will build the team and help carry out the vision?

Many times, our cultural environment combined with our previous experiences, both positive and negative, shape our approach to how we choose leaders. Business leaders may learn to rely on a proven system of screening potential candidates to get the right person. Church leaders may lean towards a more ‘spiritual’ method that works well for their context. Then they will point to the early church to validate this method as the ‘biblical’ approach. But a look at the early church in Acts teaches servant leaders that there are at least four distinct ways leaders were chosen.

Servant leaders learn that all of them can be useful when applied in the right context and manner.

The first method of choosing leaders in the book of Acts is when God called a leader directly. This happened to Paul at the time of his conversion (see Acts 9:15-16) and again when he and Barnabas were commissioned for mission work while in Antioch.

²While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ³So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off (Acts 13:2-3).

The process of choosing by divine commission. With this method, there is no direct human intervention in the selection process. God spoke clearly through the Spirit and called Barnabas and Saul. Yes, they were uniquely qualified and already proven in leadership, but there was no application process for the role and no vote was taken!

Servant leaders acknowledge that God ultimately directs the choice of leaders. They are willing to spend time fasting and praying for His guidance. And when God speaks clearly, they lay hands on the person and bless them!

The power of choosing by divine commission. Divine commission has an obvious advantage: God has spoken! Who can argue with that? This method may be more commonly used in churches than in business environments. But even in the business realm, when servant leaders seek to follow the direction of God’s Spirit, there may be times when God’s voice overrides the voice of the Human Resource department!

Servant leaders acknowledge that God is the ultimate authority and when His direction is clear, they willingly obey!

The pitfalls of choosing by divine commission. Choosing leaders by divine commission also has some clear challenges.

First is the challenge of correctly and clearly hearing God’s voice. Much damage can be done when a leader uses the language of divine commission to give credibility to a personal choice. Servant leaders should be very cautious about saying alone, “God told me that this person should be the leader.” In Antioch, there was discernment by a group.

Another danger of using this method of divine commissioning is when a leader chooses this method simply because they don’t want to do the difficult work of discerning who the right person is. They aren’t willing or are not equipped to evaluate gifts, experience and calling of a potential leader. So, they give the choice back to God!

Interestingly, in Acts 1, Matthias was chosen by casting lots, a divine process. But first, the apostles set criteria for the role and chose two persons who met the qualifications. Then they allowed God to make the final selection through the casting of lots. Servant leaders learn from this that if the basic qualifications are not met, they will be in a ‘lot’ of trouble with this method!

Servant leaders see the option of choosing by divine commission as one of the ways God can direct the building of their team. But they also recognize that there are times that God will lead them to choose another method. In the next issue, we’ll look at one of these: popular selection.

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

For further reflection and discussion:

• How have my previous experiences and the thinking of those around me shaped my view of whether divine commission is a good way to choose leaders or not?
• How likely am I to use divine commission to choose a leader? If I am very likely to use it, have I consciously avoided the pitfalls of this method? If I am unlikely to use it, in what ways might God be calling me to consider this method as a practical option for my situation?
• In what situations might divine commissioning be the best choice for me to choose leaders? In what situations might divine commissioning be a poor choice for me?            

In the next issue, we’ll look at choosing leaders by popular selection.

Copyright, Global Disciples 2020.

¹ Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. ² The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’ ³ Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained….

¹⁷ “Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. ¹⁸ When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’” ¹⁹ Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands. ²⁰ The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” ²¹ While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled (Judges 7:1-3; 17-21).

At this point in his leadership journey, Gideon was beginning to share his potential with others. Servant leaders learn from Gideon that they cannot fully reach their own potential until they are helping others reach theirs. God gives potential to leaders so that they will share it with others.

Potential is shared by choosing others to join. Gideon chose others to be on his team. He called them to join his cause and to follow the vision he had just received from God. A few days before, these men were at their homes afraid to do anything. Gideon helps them to see their potential as God helped him to see his own. By choosing them, he communicates that “If God can use me, He can also use you!”

Servant leaders choose others because they see potential warriors. Gideon first accepted all who were willing. But he followed God’s instructions and finally reduced the number to only 300, the right people to be on his team. Servant leaders realize that while numbers are important, size is not the measure of success; obedience is. All leaders select others; servant leaders allow God to guide them in the process of choosing their team. They share their potential by choosing others to join with them.

Potential is shared by calling others to act. “Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead.” Gideon was not being arrogant or proud, he was simply calling others to act. He shared his vision with them and now calls them to join in the action. His vision becomes a shared vision.

Gideon’s first leadership action was alone; now he shares his potential by inviting others to act. A “mighty warrior” can act alone but a mighty leader calls others to action. Servant leaders share their potential by calling others to act on the shared vision.

Potential is shared by challenging others to grow. Gideon calls the men to an attack in the middle of the night, a difficult assignment. He shares potential with others by giving them challenging assignments that will help them grow and develop confidence in their own abilities. Servant leaders deliberately give assignments to others to help them develop their own potential. And together they win the victory! God called Gideon a “mighty warrior.” Now Gideon calls forth 300 mighty warriors. Servant leaders are not just called to be warriors, but to raise up other warriors. They share their potential with others.

Share your potential with your team, whether that is a handful in your family, a small group that you lead, employees in your business, a church or community group. Choose them, call them to act and challenge them to grow. With God’s help, your team will accomplish the dream together.

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

For further reflection and discussion:

• Do I most often act alone or empower others to act? What is the result of my leadership?
• Who is the ‘army’ God is calling me to develop? Do I see the potential in others as God saw potential in me? What hinders me from seeing the potential in others?
• Have I chosen the right people to be on my team? Have I followed God’s guidance in the process or only relied on my own wisdom?
• In what way have I shared my vision with the team that will help us carry it out? Have they accepted it as their vision?
• Is there a specific person whom I should call and challenge to grow? When will I do this?
• Gideon’s first leadership act was at night because of fear. Now he calls his team to a nighttime attack. What is the difference in these two times and what does it show about Gideon’s growth as a leader?

Copyright, Global Disciples, 2018.