One of the powerful concepts seen in our needed interdependence with other leaders, is the constant critique of what I call “isolated” ignorance.
When I say interdependence, I am saying that each of us has been designed by God to be incomplete. The most obvious demonstration of this is the “one flesh” that a man and woman in marriage produce. One without the other will not naturally produce “offspring.”
Paul was equally clear in I Corinthians 12 that one member of the body without other members of the body, is incomplete. As he continues, our physical body is the demonstration of this spiritual interdependence as well.
When we embrace too much of the highly corruptible individual leader “baggage” that comes with the roles of leadership in the church, we run the risk of thinking that we are more important than we actually are. Our isolation in the role puts us at great risk.
We fail to achieve a balance of leadership with others that in turn creates children of God who look more like us than Jesus.
We fail in our primary role, to help the Spirit of God to “birth” disciples who can walk daily with God on their own
We run the risk of thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought. More highly than God has designed a mere “servant” to think.
We run the risk of abusing our “relational” power with people in the church. This in turn, too often, ends up causing arrogance, which, in turn, too often, crosses importance, authority, financial, sexual, etc. lines. We come to think of ourselves as “deserving” something that ought not be.
All leadership in the church is meant to be multiple and exists only to empower Christ’s people to mature in the life of faith, and in telling the Gospel. “Alone at the top” is a corruption!
“Alone at the Top” https://www.dwightpaulsmith.com/books
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