Be a Joiner, a Team Player, and a Collaborator
This is a team; not a competition among individuals. Most of the best ideas won’t come from you, and that’s probably for the best. Excellent teams are not the ones with the great ideas; they are the ones with the most energy behind the good ones. Having an entire leadership team aligned around a B- initiative is more than enough to help a church flourish. Don’t let perfection get in the way. Just join.
Encourage the Ones Who Currently Serve
This is not like Congress, where the way to get a seat is by criticizing the incumbent. The current shepherds may not be smarter than everyone else, but they do know more about the role. Great shepherds are encouragers; aspiring leaders should start exercising that muscle.
Show Up
One of the most important things an elder can do is simply be present. Presence has a way of validating the importance of birthdays, baptisms, small groups, retreats, and graduation parties. People will forget the church’s 5-year strategic plan, but they will remember who attended their mother’s funeral.
“People will forget the church’s 5-year strategic plan, but they will remember who attended their mother’s funeral.”
Be Humble
The room already has enough intelligence without you. Most groups need each person to be an expert about 5% of the time. There will be moments when a person with fundraising experience is asked to shape a campaign, or someone with real estate expertise helps orchestrate a property sale or acquisition. The rest of the time, it is best to assume the same level of expertise as everyone else in the room. 
Be a Teacher, Not a Scholar
It’s highly unlikely that an eldership needs another Bible scholar. But churches desperately need people who can teach. Imagine if every church had shepherds who taught the qualities listed in 1 Timothy 3:1–7: integrity, faithfulness in marriage, self-control, sobriety, hospitality, gentleness, financial generosity, effective parenting, and a good reputation in the community. There is no mention of reading Aramaic, understanding Philistine warfare, or speculating on proto-Gnostic influences in the New Testament. We need practical theology—those who can reflect on their life of faith and help others in theirs.
Have a Short Memory
Yes, shepherds are often the historians who have been around a long time. Shouldn’t they remember everything? Perhaps. But this Sunday’s church will be a group that has never existed before. What worked yesterday may not matter tomorrow. Let go of old assumptions and reconcile old grievances. It’s time to embrace the unknown future.
“Let go of old assumptions and reconcile old grievances.”
Care for the Minister/s
Whether we like it or not, the most formative person in many churches will be a minister, not an individual shepherd. That doesn’t minimize the role of shepherds; it elevates it. Shepherds must help ensure that every minister is accountable, healthy, and spiritually attuned. Recent history is filled with stories of ministerial abuse, exploitation, financial misconduct, and sexual impropriety. A minister on an ego trip can poison a church. So should shepherds try to compete for the control of the church? No. Instead, they should steward their influence wisely, by guiding, supporting, and, when necessary, intervening. If the minister is not the right person for the role, then make the hard decision to remove them. But going in the opposite direction of the minister rarely ends well for the church. A great shepherd focuses more on shaping the heart of the minister than on controlling the identity of the church.
Say Yes
If you are asked, say yes. There are certainly seasons of life and family circumstances that can make the work difficult. But in most cases, it is worth saying yes. This doesn’t have to be a lifetime appointment. Serve for five years, then step away with grace. But step into it. It can be deeply spiritually formative.
From Bob Turner’s “Stationery” site. Used with permission.
