Church leadership: top down or bottom up?

When people think about leadership, ‘up’ is good and ‘down’ is bad. People want to be ‘over’ others, the ‘top dog’, the ‘pinnacle’ of power. They want to move ‘up’ the ladder, not be ‘under’ others, the ‘low’ man on the totem pole, at the ‘bottom’ rung.

Scripture uses spatial metaphors this way too. ‘God reigns over the nations’ (Ps. 47:8). His throne is ‘high and lifted up’ (Isa.6:1). Elders have ‘oversight’ (1 Peter 5:2). The up/ down language makes sense. To lead, you need a view of the landscape.

Yet here’s the thing: being a good leader also means learning how to lead from the bottom up. It means being a foundation, a buttress, a platform for others. You employ your authority to help others to run, to work, to minister. You become the platform on which they live, the stage on which they dance.