I recently heard an amazing thing about starfish that helps picture the true leadership of Jesus in His Church. It came from a book titled "The Spider and the Star Fish", by Brafman and Beckstrom. The book refers to "leaderless ogranizations", but in truth it does not imply lack of a leader, rather, an organic or catalytic leadership culture that draws on the ownership and strengths of all members and maximizes both the body and the individual at the same time.
The DNA for this is uniquely present in the Church of Jesus Christ, which is really organized not by external definition but by the supernatural presence of its one "head" in every member.
"Christ in you, the hope of glory" Colossians 1:27
"Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world." 1John 4:4
While the Bible records that Jesus is the "head", it also locates Him in every believer, so that like a starfish, which has the ability to replicate itself from every part of its body, every believer has the ability to spark expansion of the Kingdom of God where they live and work. This understanding leaves no room for many of the traditions that have crippled the Church for so many centuries:
- Professionalized ministry - Every member has full ownership and capacity for moving the Kingdom forward;
- Dualism - There is no way to divide our lives between religious and secular, church and private life, percentages for God and percentages for us;
- Leaders and Followers - Everyone follows God and the Lordship of Christ, as well as those that serve with greater responsibility, but everyone also leads, having the Head guy residing in them and empowering them by grace and the gifts of His Spirit.
There is no way to put this aside. It is solidly established in the gospel itself. Let this saok in for a season...I see that it will transform faith as we know it.
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