Five-Fold Ministry: Leadership & Man's Freewill to Choose

God created human beings with a freewill to make their own decisions in life. He went to painstaking lengths to ensure that humans had the ability to choose to love him or choose to serve him.

Why else would He put two trees in the garden? He did not only put the tree of life in the Garden, but He also put the tree of the knowledge of good & evil. He then told Adam not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but that he could eat from any other tree in the garden—including the tree of life.

God allowed Adam to choose to obey and He allowed him to sin. He even had a plan for man’s sin from the foundation of the world—otherwise, Jesus would not be called “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Rev. 13:8). Jesus was not an afterthought. He was a predestined plan for the allowance of man to have the freedom to choose God or to choose sin.

Since God went to such painstaking lengths to ensure man’s ability to make their own choices, those in any kind of leadership or place of authority should also allow for those under them the freedom to make their own choices.

Whether we are parents or in church leadership or working at an office, we should not use control, manipulation, or intimidation to warrant a certain outcome from those under our authority.

This does not mean, however, that we do not lay down definite rules and guidelines that we expect to be followed. We must have rules and systems in place for order and structure in life together as communities. However, we must realize that those under us have the freedom to obey or disobey. There are always consequences for disobedience, and there are greater levels of severity to consequences given the maturity or age of the person (a child or an adult), or given the frequency and severity of the offense.

However, one of the reasons that there has been so much conflict over the restoration of the five-fold ministry is because of the frequent abuse of those in leadership throughout the history of the church. Not only in the church, but in the world and in the family as well. So many people have suffered abuse where someone has taken away their ability to say no and has violated their will and freedom to make choices.

Because of the rampant abuse in our society, many people have extensive wounds regarding authority figures in their lives. As pastors and leaders in the church, we must learn how to shepherd their hearts and allow their shut-down voice to be released while still being firm in our leadership and direction.

It is important to have those in authority so that there is a unified sense of direction. Because of fallen humanity, anarchism is not an option. Systems and government are a necessary evil. However, in the church, God is restoring back the value of true leadership that loves and prefers those under them. We must learn to hold people with a loose hand, and not be possessive with those under us.

Even when giving guidance or counsel, we must be careful to allow those receiving it to weigh it and make decisions for themselves. When giving a prophetic word, we must allow for the person receiving it to test it and discern the true parts and throw away the extra. It must not be delivered in such a way that the person thinks they must believe it and do it or else they are denying God’s will. Also, giving directional words should be done with great care that the person’s freewill to choose is not infringed upon. Likewise, when anything is brought in the way of correction, it should be submitted with love and great prayer, and even anguish from those in leadership.

When James and John asked Jesus if they could sit with him in a place of authority, Jesus first addressed the issue of fellowshipping in His sufferings (Mt. 20, Mk 10). Then as the others were angry over James and John trying to get ahead, Jesus told them all, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:41-45).

Jesus’ example of leadership was one of servant hood and laying down His life. Even though He did such an awesome act of love, He still allows people the freedom to choose Him or to deny the power of the Cross. He came with such acts of service and humility that we should learn to follow His model in the way of loving those that we are appointed to serve.