Chosen

Succession is a big deal, whether it's in the context of a government's leaders, a corporation's senior management, or a church's pastors.  Many people think that leaders should be, and are chosen by popular vote.  But most times, that's not really the case. 

The appointment of Prime Minister isn't by popular vote.  Only a select group of party members choose who the leader of a political party is, and if the party wins at elections, then that person pretty much automatically becomes Prime Minister.  The same goes for the CEOs of most companies.  The directors of the board, especially the nominating committee, sit around a table and decide who should be the CEO, and also appoint the other senior members of the management team.  It's not supposed to be a popularity contest.

And so it is with church leadership as well.  One might ask, hey, don't I get a vote?  No, I'm afraid you don't.  You pay your taxes, but you don't get to choose your PM (yes I know some countries vote directly for their head of state, but you see as well I do, the mixed results of that approach).  You contribute your effort and ingenuity at work, but you don't get to choose your CEO.  And you make your tithes and offerings to church, but you don't get to choose your pastor.

Why?  Because democracy is, at its heart, institutionalised mob rule.  I don't say this in an unqualified bad way.  There is often wisdom in the crowd, manifested in utilitarianism, in seeking net benefit for the majority.  So, to be clear - democracy is a good thing.  But it is not a universal truth, and it doesn't always work. 

Here's the problem.  The interest of the majority isn't always a good idea.  If there is a racial or religious majority, then minorities are subject to oppression.  What about long-term interests?  The present generation is always in the majority!  Utilitarianism in practice can often result in short term measures to benefit the immediate stakeholders, who are by definition, in the majority.  This is what political commentators call populist politics.

For this reason, while democracy works well to solve for many situations (particularly immediate, urgent issues), succession is a matter that is almost definitionally unsuitable for democratic selection.  Succession is about the long term future.  Democratic utilitarianism is often about immediate populism.

It is this problem that results in the conclusion by some that a virtuous king (which unfortunately most struggle to find!) makes a better leader than the crowd's demagogue.  Yet human autocracy is also instinctively unpalatable.  If neither democracy nor autocracy, then what?  This is a tough problem to crack.  One of my favourite authors, Douglas Adams, who wrote the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, wrote half-seriously:

"It is a well-known fact that those people who must want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it... anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job." :D

Thankfully, there is one key difference when it comes to ecclesiastical appointment, as opposed to secular appointments.  The church obviously also makes mistakes, but definitionally - the church answers to God - the ultimate virtuous ruler!  It takes a long term view - eternity! So it's quite clear that in the case of the church, democratic demagoguery is utterly unsuitable.

But how do we know if the leader the church picks has all the abilities and virtues that we need?

The truth is, we don't.  While the leader will certainly have many qualities and virtues, the bad news is, whoever is picked likely has all sorts of faults as well - like anyone of us.  But the good news is, God uses the humble and broken better than He could use the proud and able.

This week, for the first time, we will see a transition in leadership for our church from our founding pastor and his team, to his son and his team.  For those of us who grew up with the existing leadership, we have been used to their strong and familiar hand.  Now, we'll learn new ways from those younger than us.  What is our response?  We know better?  Or to humbly recognise that we can learn?

For those of us who are younger and grew up as peers with our new young leader, you may have seen his faults and omissions at close quarters.  I remember when I was in school, my friends and I would often goof off.  When we started work, some became lawyers, some became doctors, some became engineers, some became businessmen, some became teachers.  I remember thinking, whoa that guy was always making up stuff in Biology class.  How can he be a doctor, holding lives in his hands?  Or, wow that guy got a "C" in Contract, and now he's drafting them for a living.  How can I trust him?  And that fellow?  He got caned, but now he's a teacher!  But the fact is, today they are great doctors and lawyers and engineers and teachers.  Because they grow and get better with practice.

Now, it's time for the next generation to step up, and for us to support them as they take hold of the great challenge before them.  One of our current pastors said this really well at this week's service.  If any one of us is a leader, then it is because God has specifically called us to that vocation.  It's not about our ability, but our willingness to surrender to His ability.  Lead because God has chosen you.  Conversely, if any one of us is a follower, then it is because God has specifically called our leader to that vocation.  It's not about our leader's ability, but our willingness to trust in God's ability.  Follow because God has chosen them.

So I look ahead to this week's installation service for our new senior pastor with great hope in God's choice.  If I'm being honest, I didn't agree with everything our current senior pastor did.  Sometimes he was abrasive, sometimes he did things I didn't see the logic for, sometimes he really did make mistakes.  He did all this without fear of whether we liked him for it or not.  And I respected him all the more for it, because the only people who don't make mistakes are the people who don't try.  I saw that he cared immensely - immensely enough to try, to dare, to challenge us, without feeling the need to be popular.  So I followed his lead into challenges, sometimes into victory, and sometimes into mistakes.  It was awesome.  Now it's time for the next generation to take up the baton.

Pastor Daniel - I know you're not perfect.  But God, who chose you, is.  There will be challenges, there will be mistakes.  But I know you have seen your father's work at first hand, and how he has absolutely poured out his life - blood, sweat and tears - to serve God.  You have seen the price he paid, and are choosing to pay that same price - so I salute you :)  And I know that you, who stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before you, will by God's grace lead us into even bigger and better things for the glory of His name.

As I have served your parents in the church all these years in my small ways, I choose to serve you and your family too - by God's grace, even more effectively!  God bless you with wisdom and joy and favour, to be the leader God has chosen you to be.  We love you, and are praying for you!