There is this old saying when referencing a team that is starting to form: “There are too many cooks in the kitchen!” What that means is there are too many people who are trying to control the team. This is, I believe, because people generally believe their opinion is the right one to have! This is true in every context including the church. Everyone has an opinion and they think for some reason they heard from God and the others did not, unless of course they agree! It never fails that when a position comes open people start to posture themselves so they can assume that position. People will even go to the extreme of throwing people under the bus in order to make themselves look better. The question needs to be asked, “Is this right, did Jesus have anything to say about this?” The truth is that Jesus has a lot to say about it. In fact, Jesus deals with His disciples with this very issue ofter. There is one time when things seem to get a little out of hand and two of Jesus disciples who happen to be brothers get their mother involved.
20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:20-28 (ESV)
Did you catch Jesus’ response? He says that if you want to have a position of authority over anything in the Kingdom of God, you have to become the servant of all! As a worship leader, I am constantly getting suggestions from the praise and worship team. Things like: what new songs we should sing, how we should structure rehearsal and what the dress code should or should not be. All of these are from people who have their opinions and in their eyes they are right. However, they are not to trusted with leadership. Jesus says that the one who is to be first, the one who is to have authority and leadership is the one who makes themselves a slave. As a worship leader, I am not looking for the ones who “know it all” I am looking for the one who serves, the one who can be trusted with people’s hearts. The worldly leader rules over people, but the true mark of a godly leader is people that get raised up to a place beyond the original leader’s position
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