A leader who brags that he is in the perfect church is like the man who brags that he is in the perfect marriage—somebody else is doing the heavy lifting.
The only thing perfect in the Church of Christ is the One for whom it is named. Otherwise, perfect churches, like perfect leaders, don’t exist. In practical terms, Christlike maturity is the closest thing to perfection that any of us will witness this side of heaven.
If you have been blessed to be around mature Christians, you are to be envied. These are the godly souls who have sustained us through the worst of times, while simultaneously making the best of times possible. They inspire the church to “be perfect as their Heavenly Father is perfect” by keeping the perfect Christ up-front-and-centre.
From the beginning, they teach that the spiritual state of perfection that is gifted at baptism, is maintained daily by the cleansing blood of Christ. All the while, these pillars of faith are saying, “Follow me as I follow Christ.” However, good churches can become too safe for some. It is not unusual for Christians amidst such security to think themselves perfect in knowledge and deed. With Bible held high in the air, they judge everyone as anything but perfect. Leaders must gently move them on from this imperfection. Yes, the church teaches the perfect word of God, but we are hardly perfect examples or teachers of it. A striving to “accurately handle the Word” would cure us of both pride and ignorance in our efforts to enlighten the lost.
Don’t miss this: Leaders do not surrender to imperfection. Instead, they create an environment where any saint can grow if they want to.
John Staiger
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