Acts 6:1-7

         We see that amid great spiritual victories, we should not be surprised to find opposition from outside the church and challenges from within. With the rapid growth and increased resources of the church came difficulties. Rapid growth and increased resources are good problems but notice how the leaders and people handled these challenges. They focused on getting the right leaders in place. Jim Collins' classic business book, 'Good to Great,' relays the principle we find here in Scripture - get the right people on the bus. Then decide where to drive - not the other way around.

Rumblings of discontent originate from lots of sources. Sometimes it is organizational change, and sometimes it is from treating employees poorly. As a leader, do not ignore these rumblings. Whenever people interact, you can expect friction. It's part of the human condition. In this Acts church case, there were rumblings of discontent because of prejudice and discrimination. Do you have dissatisfaction in your family, church, or organization?  You are not alone. The good news is that we have a great example to follow to find solutions.

Leaders know this: the rumbling is NOT the problem. That is a symptom of the problem. That's the same with the church today. We have massive issues, but we fail to obey God in our approach to solving them.

         We must follow the apostles' example to address discrimination, nepotism, abuse, partiality, and hypocrisy. We must have the right people leading and the right people managing critical areas of responsibility. And we must not cover up problems. We must address them head-on with valuable solutions. When we call our meetings, God will give His people great answers. We trust God to provide us with wise words that will bring healing and joy. When we cover up problems, we show our lack of faith in God.

         And note, thank God, the church leaders did not act in executive council or secret. Instead, the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. This is key. Call gatherings of all believers. Do not be afraid to meet and address problems. When was the last time your church called a meeting of all the believers to address concerns, to let people openly voice concerns, speak with great ideas, and follow this example of the Acts church?  Yes, it's risky. But have faith that God will show up and show you like He did with the Acts church, those who are to serve and lead.

         Jesus didn't have dozens or hundreds of apostles. Just 12. It's a biblical number (12 tribes of Israel) and a pragmatic number. Jesus knew the impact he could make from the leadership of these twelve men - each unique and qualified with different abilities. We can and should learn from Jesus' example. In church leadership and in organizational design and mentoring. I believe 12 should be the church's standard for an organization's maximum number of leaders. We don't have to be legalistic about it. But it's an excellent standard.

                In many cases, Jesus sent out his followers two by two. That buddy system should be the example for many situations - the principle of working in teams, small teams. The leadership needs of an organization or a program vary significantly due to requirements and complexity. But the Bible is replete with wisdom to have many advisors and to get good counsel. And yet we often see churches today managed by one or two leaders making all the decisions, or, at the other extreme, 30 board member organizations - that's a nightmare. As we see in this Scripture, it was appropriate to have seven servant leaders run the food distribution program. Too few leaders can bring trouble; too many are sure to breed dysfunction. Dysfunction is the devil's tool. The Creator mandates function! Organization and good governance. We can use similar standards for spans of control. That is, having more than seven people reporting to you gets to be an awful lot. The max, I would say, using Jesus' example, is 12. Ok, let's move on.

         Note that the apostles spoke clearly and simply. Let's not be worried about broadcasting our knowledge with complicated messages. Good leaders call meetings with clear agendas and simple questions. There is nothing wrong with simplicity. It's good. And great leaders make their yes, yes, and their no, no. Let's apply this principle in each of our lives and for each of our organizations. It is critical to establish (1) what we should do and (2) what we should not do. For our organizations, we ask, "what is our business" and "what should our business be and not be." In this case, the answer for the apostles was 'yes' to teaching the word of God and prayer and 'no' to running a food program. Don't forget that the example of the apostles is always hard work. Remember Paul working alongside those he was ministering to.

And note what happens next. The Twelve said, "And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom." I love this. We need much, much more of this in the church. It is our character that matters first and foremost. Let's ask how a man or woman is respected in their family, community, and church. The example of the Acts church is to look seriously at a leader's credentials. It matters.

         The Twelve set the standard for leadership responsibility. We have to have experience and many relationships to be well respected. And people must speak up on our behalf. You can see if someone is full of the Holy Spirit by how they talk, act, and pray. There is no excuse for the church failing to test those it puts into leadership.

                The Twelve's solution was well received; everyone liked it. Seven leaders is a considerable number. But it shows us an excellent example of a broad distribution of experience and viewpoints. The governing characteristics of Christian leaders are always: obedience to God (holiness and being well-respected because of how we treat others and fear God) and Holy Spirit-filled wisdom. To lead well, you must have those characteristics.

Once the believers selected their leaders (seven men from Greek and Hebrew backgrounds), they presented them to the Twelve for prayer. That's the Christian example of delegation. The top Twelve are servant prayer leaders and teachers. This is just as Jesus required it. His apostles knew this. And so should we.

         Lord Jesus, please help us. Help us to have the wisdom to choose leaders with good, godly reputations earned through experience and obedience to you. Help us to spread the Father's message and to convert many to be believers in the One True God. Amen.

Twelve Apostles - York Minster.