Leadership Teams Led by the Spirit

If we as individuals are to walk by the Spirit, then surely the eldership of a local assembly is to be led by the Spirit! So how would this look? What would they do when they came together to ensure the decisions they make are Spirit-led?

Spirit-led five-fold teams experience more complete revelation and move forward when in unity.

The best of human decision-making is inadequate. 

1. We must forsake the traditions of men (Mk. 7:8,9).
2. We must forsake man’s knowledge (Isa. 55:8-11; Jas. 3:14-18).
3. We agree the Spirit gives life and the flesh profits nothing (Jn. 6:63).

We choose to expect that God will speak and lead us continually as we listen.

1. My sheep hear My voice (Jn. 10:27).
2. We will walk and live by the Spirit (Gal. 5:25).
3. We acknowledge a four-step pattern for hearing God’s voice which involves quieting ourselves down, coming into His presence by fixing our eyes upon Jesus, tuning to His voice which is sensed as spontaneous flowing thoughts, and recording what we are receiving.

Foundational skills required of those in the eldership team:

1. Able to hear God’s voice, having experienced healing so they can focus on others’ needs.
2. Trained to honor one another, including differences in giftings (1 Pet. 2:17).
3. Releasing the five heart motivations underlying the 5 fold ministry team (Eph. 4:7,11-16):

• Apostle – heart for servant leadership which ensures that all the voices are heard, honored and integrated into the final decision
• Prophet – heart for divine creativity
• Evangelist – heart for sharing the good news
• Pastor – heart for loving people
• Teacher – heart that passionately seeks out truth

The decision-making process involves:

1. Taking time to wait on God, not demanding an answer immediately but prayerfully reflecting.
2. Sharing only what God has revealed, and not man's ideas.
3. Honoring others enough to listen attentively to what each one is saying, while asking God to show you the truth in what is being said, and how that fills in, completes or adjusts the final picture/decision. Affirming and sharing the integration you see.
4. Coming into unity, at which time you know you have received the full counsel of God and using the Leaders’ Paradigm (i.e. congruence of six ways God speaks to us) for all major decisions.

Resources

• Many of the above ideas are further developed in the doctoral dissertation “Corporate Discernment: Together Hearing God’s Voice” by Ray D. Hock. Please contact Ray Hock directly for a copy of his excellent dissertation.
• How to Build a Winning Team - Five-fold teams that are led by the Spirit
• Gifted to Succeed - Discover your heart motivation(s), and the heart motivation(s) of others.
• Your Winning Team CARD - keep it on your desk! This 5.5 X 8.5 inch card is a simple reminder to know and look to several people God has provided you who together comprise the five heart motivations which underlie the five-fold team God speaks about in Ephesians 4:7-11. 
• 4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice - The easiest approach available for learning to hear God's voice
• Blog: You Can Begin a Spirit-Led Home Group!