Ad fontes, a Latin expression of the Protestant Reformation of 1517 calls us to a renewed attention to the Bible as the primary, earliest, and most fundamental source of Christian faith. As with any topic, it is important that we first look to the Scriptures for meaning, for scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). Furthermore, we must look to the earliest Scripture source to discover the true origin and example of a particular practice. This blog will discuss the subject of team leadership as exemplified from the earliest sources in the sacred scriptures.
Team leadership has its origin in the beginning pages of God’s word as Genesis 1:26 states, “Then God said, let us…” Throughout scriptures we understand God to exist as a Trinity, one God in three distinct persons, yet all equal, which makes God the ultimate team/community. The world was created out of this beautiful “team dance” (perichoresis), and we who bear this image of God (imago Dei), must reflect this team dynamic. Furthermore, beauty, creativity, excellence, and shalom comes out when we lead as a team, reflective of God’s created order of the entire world.
Genesis 1:26-28 shows that the first human pair God placed on the earth were created and empowered to work as a team of rulers:
“Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.“ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
Adam and Eve were created to give team-leadership to creation. They were given the mandate to cultivate the earth together. In fact, God realized after creating Adam that he was lonely and needed a partner. Genesis 2:18, 22 states:
The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him… Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
In the same way Adam could not rule the earth alone and was not able to physically multiply without Eve, church leadership and multiplication is difficult without a team. Ephesians 4:11-13 reminds us that all five gifts, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, are necessary to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry and not just a lone-ranger, superstar pastor or teacher as is currently reflected in our church culture. Joel Comiskey asserts, “The day of the lone-ranger leader is over”; our churches must practice the plurality of leadership. Beloved brothers and sisters, let us emulate the ancient biblical norms of team leadership; furthermore, as possessors of the imago Dei, let us reflect the true nature of God, the Ultimate Team.
