I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.
Sunday’s section of this week’s Sabbath School lesson states, “In some cultures, there is a tendency to distrust and challenge leadership; in others, to blindly submit to it. How has your own culture’s attitude toward authority impacted the church in your area?”
In an interview with David Frost, Richard Nixon, a former United States President, forced to resign due to a scandal, defended himself by saying, “If the President does it, then it is not illegal.” This bold statement shocked David Frost, and every other competent thinker! I believe, in the United States, people really started to question their leaders after Nixon’s downfall.
I believe we keep a healthy balance of respect for leadership, without blind submission, when we ask for accountability and checks and balances. In the United States we have a constitution the President must hold to. The Constitution also declares who ultimately has the authority. It reads, “We the people.” Not “me the president” or “me Thomas Jefferson, or James Madison, or Ronald Regan or Barak Obama.” The power and authority of the constitution comes from ‘The People!” Therefore our president is not above the law.
In the church we have the Scriptures as our sole authority, and our leaders must be held accountable. Also the church as a body has authority,
”God has ordained that the representatives of His church from all parts of the earth, when assembled in a General Conference, shall have authority.” –Last Day Events, page 56.
Just like in the United States, the President is not above the people, likewise church leaders are not above the church.
“The church is built upon Christ as its foundation; it is to obey Christ as its head. It is not to depend upon man, or be controlled by man. Many claim that a position of trust in the church gives them authority to dictate what other men shall believe and what they shall do. This claim God does not sanction. …. Upon no finite being can we depend for guidance. The Rock of faith is the living presence of Christ in the church. Upon this the weakest may depend, and those who think themselves the strongest will prove to be the weakest, unless they make Christ their efficiency. “Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm.” The Lord “is the Rock, His work is perfect.” “Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.” Jeremiah 17:5; Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 2:12.- Desire of Ages, Page 414.
Many years ago, I heard the testimony of a church leader, defending himself for some shady deals, saying his boss told him to do it, therefore he had no choice but to obey his boss who had “authority.” I am sure Joab was thinking the same thing when King David told him to put Uriah on the front lines of the war. Please read what God’s messenger has to say about Joab’s rationale.
“And Joab, whose allegiance had been given to the king rather than to God, transgressed God’s law because the king commanded it. David’s power had been given him by God, but to be exercised only in harmony with the divine law. When he commanded that which was contrary to God’s law, it became sin to obey. “The powers that be are ordained of God” (Romans 13:1), but we are not to obey them contrary to God’s law. The apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthians, sets forth the principle by which we should be governed. He says, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1. –Patriarchs and Prophets, Page 719.
We need to be respectful of authority, but remember where authority ultimately comes from. And while respecting those in leadership, and even being in leadership, we must remember we are accountable to the Scriptures and God’s church, of which Christ is the Head.
I would also like to share a parting thought. In my years of Gospel Work around the country, I have met people who are afraid to speak up in board meetings or Church business meetings, because they feel they are too young or poor, and their influence would not be felt. I have also observed people abusing their age or money to hurt others. So this is what I say to all. No matter how young, old, rich or poor you are, you need to speak your mind in these meetings. And, no matter how young, old rich or poor you are, you need to be nice when you do. Everyone has a right to speak, and everyone has a responsibility to be nice when they do so.
In Light of The Cross 
thanks William, i am in full agreement
I’m with glenn 🙂
Sadly its true. Wonder what our Conference leaders think about this one….
Very good write up! So many times people are afraid to speak, or worse, they just ‘assume’ the leadership is akin to God with all the answers. This happens in the church and in the employment arena as well. I learned early on that sometimes challenging authority can get you a bad rap. We are to be Bereans, proving all things. We all make mistakes, succumb to temptations of various sorts, and just don’t get things right at times. It’s not wront to challenge or question what you have learned or heard. No human position of authority is infallible. Question everything, prove everything, and continue to learn and grow. Relying on others to fill your thinking cap with ideas and answers will only leave you like the 5 virgins without oil.
correction: ** It’s not WRONG to challenge or question what yo uhave learned or heard.**
Regarding leadership: we recently had lunch with our conference president and when I was trying to explain to our group the relationship between our church and the conference, I said the conference was over our church. Right away I was corrected and told that our church is part of the conference. Our current conference leaders have always treated us as co-workers.
Recently, we talked with someone over the issue of church leadership and we were told that the person wanted to do whatever he wanted to do and didn’t want to be told anything by “leaders”.
I have sat on church boards for about 20 years. I have not found it a problem for people to speak their minds. I find that people can be dogmatic and want their own agenda fulfilled. I remember discussing a certain child who needed care because his mother went in the hospital. People on the board wanted to have the child taken away from the mother and several of the women said they would take the child for only one night while the mother was in the hospital. I couldn’t believe the discussion I heard. I volunteered to take the child for the whole time and it turned out to be two weeks. We put the boy on the floor in our son’s bedroom and he wet the bedding every night. I treated him as if he were my own. We were blessed with this boy’s visit.
Anyway, our current board is very nice to each other and it is a blessing. Thanks William for the great post.
thanks for posting the video!
Thank you all for your kind words and comments. Jane, the clip is from the movie “Frost-Nixon” but you can also find videos on youtube from the acutal interview too. I did not link them because they all seemed to be too long or too short.