There are THREE SIGNIFICANT OBSTACLES to sharing the gospel. These barriers hinder the evangelization of individuals who have yet to hear the wonderful message of what Jesus Christ has accomplished for the salvation and blessing of all nations. These obstacles are:
• CATHEDRAL BUILDING
In this segment titled “How to Train Church Leaders,” you will discover strategies to combat clericalism, while the other two topics will be covered in later sections.
By embracing the biblical approach to countering clericalism, you can play a vital role in assisting Jesus in building His Church. Notably, 2.5 million Israelites followed Moses as he led them out of Egypt and into the wilderness, and the significant shortcomings in Moses’ leadership style serve as an example of clericalism.
“And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening. “And when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did…, he said, What is this… why do you sit judging the people without others to help… ?
” And Moses said unto his father-in-law, Because the people come unto me to inquire of God: When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I teach them the statutes of God, and his laws.
“And Moses’ father-in-law said unto him, The thing that you do is not good. You will surely wear away, both you, and this people…: for this thing is too heavy for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself alone.
“Do what I say, I will give you counsel, and God shall be with you: bring the causes [needs] of the people unto God:
“And teach the people God’s ordinances and laws, and show them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.
“In addition, choose out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:
“And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every difficult matter they shall bring unto you, but every simple matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for you, and they shall bear the burden with you” (Exo 18:13-22).
Clericalism involves attempting to fulfill the mission God has entrusted to you on your own, without seeking guidance or assistance from others. It is the act of elevating oneself above others rather than embracing the role of a servant to those around you.
“And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matt 20:27;23:11).
Those who remain trapped in Clericalism will struggle to achieve the true calling of a church leader.
To address Clericalism, we must embrace the principles of multiplying ministry exemplified by Jesus and the Apostle Paul in the New Testament. The answer lies in building a strong team.
Dedicate your time and resources to this team, and allow them to support you in fulfilling God’s mission. Your efforts in team-building will be fruitful if you apply the principles that God, through Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, provided to him.
Without these guidelines, Moses would have faltered, and the same applies to church leaders today. We will explore the five principles shared with Moses, which offer a pathway to overcoming Clericalism.
