Authority and leadership

[tansy]

I was wondering about the correlation between authority and leadership. This may vary perhaps according to the situation and also perhaps if it's a secular or a Christian situation.
Someone who is a leader may only be in that position for five minutes. For example, if you take children playing together, they will probably in a particular game look to someone (boy or girl) who has more experience than they as to how to play it...that person also, in that sense, has more authority. Or, it could be that a younger child will look to an older one...though not necessarily. But, if the person who knows how to play the game (and he could be brilliant at it) doesn't know how to explain it properly or may not be able to keep them in enough 'order', then the childrenmay very well give up and go to someone with more 'leadership' skills even if they're not really an 'authority' on the game.

Do you think this sort of thing can have a bearing on Christian or church situations? And do you think that that can cause a lot of problems or friction in a church setting? Perhaps someone may have more 'spiritual' authority in some instances than the leader or one who is put into a position of authority, (not that I'm saying the leader has no spiritual authority, but it may be in a different way, and he/she may not understand properly the other person.

 

[Greg J.]

I was wondering about the correlation between authority and leadership.

Each of these is a big topic so how they correlate is also a big topic, so it might be more productive to ask a question with a narrower focus.

This may vary perhaps according to the situation and also perhaps if it's a secular or a Christian situation.
Someone who is a leader may only be in that position for five minutes. For example, if you take children playing together, they will probably in a particular game look to someone (boy or girl) who has more experience than they as to how to play it...that person also, in that sense, has more authority. Or, it could be that a younger child will look to an older one...though not necessarily. But, if the person who knows how to play the game (and he could be brilliant at it) doesn't know how to explain it properly or may not be able to keep them in enough 'order', then the childrenmay very well give up and go to someone with more 'leadership' skills even if they're not really an 'authority' on the game.

Do you think this sort of thing can have a bearing on Christian or church situations?

It definitely has a huge bearing whether people think of it in those terms or not. Being conscious of it makes leadership's job easier and less prone to confusion and mistakes (which generally harm someone).

And do you think that that can cause a lot of problems or friction in a church setting? Perhaps someone may have more 'spiritual' authority in some instances than the leader or one who is put into a position of authority, (not that I'm saying the leader has no spiritual authority, but it may be in a different way, and he/she may not understand properly the other person.

It constantly is causing problems in many churches. It's one of Satan's traps for a local church. Leadership skill, spiritual authority, and other kinds of authority as well as the maturity level of each can all be mutually exclusive to each other, unfortunately.

Paul is trying to steer Timothy away from one of the kinds of problems with:

Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, ... (1 Timothy 5:22a, 1984 NIV)

Authority should not be granted to someone unless he or she has the appropriate capabilities and maturity, both spiritually and socially. One deception is avoided by recognizing that a thorough knowledge of the Word or earthly experience (such as running a business) can often be found in people not particularly spiritually mature. You can see some of this in the qualifications in 1 Timothy 3.

 

[ValleyGal]

In the parenting program I teach, I cover the word "authority". It comes from the original word that means "creator" or "originator". So in reality, there is only one actual "authority" (Author) - God. God has instituted other authorities, such as government, which authors our policies and laws, and the justice system which enforces government authority.

We also have authorities on subjects - those who have created original works or ideas in their field of knowledge, based on their years of study and experience in their area of expertise. In churches, the authority would belong with the board of directors - the board being those with whom the church originated and then succeeded by next generations - likely those who have a certain familiarity or expertise on the church. In a family, it would be with both parents, since children have their origins in both parents, and parents have a God-given and state-given authority over their children. In a workplace, it might be the owner of the business, or a board of directors for a non-profit. When the question of authority comes up, it should always lead to the question "what are the origins/who is the creator?" Answering these questions will tell you who is in "authority."

When it comes to "spiritual authority", there is only one author - God.

Leadership, however, is a whole other thing that has very little to do with authority. Leadership has to do with quality of character, charisma, interpersonal effectiveness, etc. I like John Maxwell's ideas on leadership - some are born that way, some learn by experience and some are taught. Someone in authority may have no leadership skills at all (think about some politicians over the years, or maybe doctors with no bedside manner, etc). Someone who is a natural leader may never end up in a position of authority.

That leads me to the next point - authority is typically appointed by someone else in authority over the one on whom they bestow authority. Leaders, though, are not necessarily appointed. My work supervisor is not a leader, although she is my "superior". However, our manager is both an authority and a leader.

In the church, the authority of the church (board) seeks a higher authority (God or denominational umbrella) in order to appoint a leader (pastor). But the pastor often does not have authority in the church... in fact, the congregation then becomes the final authority, since they are the ones who elect and appoint the board, and they typically vote on leadership recommendations (choosing the pastor). So it's actually the congregation that has authority, since the "church" originates with those who attend.

All this says to me is that the church has been given authority by God, the truth Author (originator). And God gives authority to governments, to parents, and to business owners, etc. Legitimate authority... But there are those who abuse their authority and become authoritarian - dominant, domineering, controlling, punitive. At the other end of that spectrum is the legitimate authority who has or learns leadership skills.

 

[Greg J.]

One minor elaboration: often the ones that have ultimate authority in a local church or a business pass most of their authority on to the Pastor/CEO except retain the right to fire that person. This happens mostly when the Pastor/CEO knows how to do his job better than his bosses.

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

One minor elaboration: often the ones that have ultimate authority in a local church or a business pass most of their authority on to the Pastor/CEO except retain the right to fire that person. This happens mostly when the Pastor/CEO knows how to do his job better than his bosses.

Laodocean times have the majority holding power.

 

[tansy]

In the parenting program I teach, I cover the word "authority". It comes from the original word that means "creator" or "originator". So in reality, there is only one actual "authority" (Author) - God. God has instituted other authorities, such as government, which authors our policies and laws, and the justice system which enforces government authority.

We also have authorities on subjects - those who have created original works or ideas in their field of knowledge, based on their years of study and experience in their area of expertise. In churches, the authority would belong with the board of directors - the board being those with whom the church originated and then succeeded by next generations - likely those who have a certain familiarity or expertise on the church. In a family, it would be with both parents, since children have their origins in both parents, and parents have a God-given and state-given authority over their children. In a workplace, it might be the owner of the business, or a board of directors for a non-profit. When the question of authority comes up, it should always lead to the question "what are the origins/who is the creator?" Answering these questions will tell you who is in "authority."

When it comes to "spiritual authority", there is only one author - God.

Leadership, however, is a whole other thing that has very little to do with authority. Leadership has to do with quality of character, charisma, interpersonal effectiveness, etc. I like John Maxwell's ideas on leadership - some are born that way, some learn by experience and some are taught. Someone in authority may have no leadership skills at all (think about some politicians over the years, or maybe doctors with no bedside manner, etc). Someone who is a natural leader may never end up in a position of authority.

That leads me to the next point - authority is typically appointed by someone else in authority over the one on whom they bestow authority. Leaders, though, are not necessarily appointed. My work supervisor is not a leader, although she is my "superior". However, our manager is both an authority and a leader.

In the church, the authority of the church (board) seeks a higher authority (God or denominational umbrella) in order to appoint a leader (pastor). But the pastor often does not have authority in the church... in fact, the congregation then becomes the final authority, since they are the ones who elect and appoint the board, and they typically vote on leadership recommendations (choosing the pastor). So it's actually the congregation that has authority, since the "church" originates with those who attend.

All this says to me is that the church has been given authority by God, the truth Author (originator). And God gives authority to governments, to parents, and to business owners, etc. Legitimate authority... But there are those who abuse their authority and become authoritarian - dominant, domineering, controlling, punitive. At the other end of that spectrum is the legitimate authority who has or learns leadership skills.

Thanks, that's very well put. But it can all be a bit of a mine-field I think, at least with it all working well together in practice, and aprticularly perhaps in some instances if one's considering in what ways men and women are equal, outside and inside the church.