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Top Down Or Bottom Up?

For generations, churches have relied on familiar leadership models, where decisions and direction flow from those with titles, degrees, and full-time commitments. This approach has provided order and stability, especially as churches grew within structured denominational frameworks. But here’s a question worth asking: Is our current way of leading the church truly fulfilling God’s purpose, or are we simply operating within an accepted framework?

The landscape of church leadership today largely divides into three main models. Each has strengths and weaknesses, but each also reveals something about how leadership shapes our relationship with God, one another, and the world.


1. Institutional Leadership: Stability with Structure


Many denominational churches embody what we call Institutional Leadership—a model that prioritizes stability and continuity. Policies, hierarchies, and programs are well-defined, with decisions made by a few and communicated downward. People know what to expect; everything has its place, and there’s a process for every decision.


Institutional leadership provides stability, but it can be rigid. Congregations may feel like passive participants rather than active co-laborers. People “join” rather than fully belong, and the culture tends to become more about tradition than transformation. For some, this structure offers familiarity and comfort. For others, especially younger generations, it can feel like an invitation to watch rather than engage in God’s work.


2. Staff-Driven Leadership: Engaged, but Exclusive


Today, many churches adopt Staff-Driven Leadership, where a mix of pastors, full-time staff, and sometimes elders lead the congregation. Staff bring energy, focus, and expertise to the church’s mission. Highly educated and deeply committed, they handle daily challenges and adapt quickly to the needs of the congregation. This model is especially effective in large churches, where structure and coordination are essential.


Yet, this approach can create an “insider-outsider” dynamic. While staff are engaged, skilled, and passionate, the congregation’s role can become limited to receiving rather than participating. Staff and leaders often carry the vision, the knowledge, and the plans, while the congregation steps in to support. This structure delivers high-quality programs and services, but it may unintentionally limit the congregation’s role, making them more spectators than true partners in God’s mission.


3. God-Centric Leadership: Embracing Spirit-Led Participation


Now, consider a third model—one less common and often misunderstood. This approach, God-Centric Leadership, starts with a different premise: that every believer is called and equipped by God for a unique role within the church. In this model, leadership begins not with programs or staff but with God’s direction for each believer’s life. Elders serve as gatherers, not just of ideas but of callings, actively seeking out how God is working through each person. They listen, guide, and shape a unified vision drawn from the diverse gifts and callings of the entire congregation.


Imagine elders gathering the church, not just to share announcements but to listen and discern God’s call within the congregation. Imagine callings that shape the church’s mission and vision, with resources dedicated to support these unique roles. Elders don’t dictate; they cultivate. They guide the church in God’s direction, setting the stage for a cycle of Spirit-led growth and real multiplication.


Natural Resistance to God-Centric Leadership


Why don’t we see more churches embracing God-centric leadership? The answer isn’t simple, but several barriers are clear:


“Why Change What’s Working?” Institutional and staff-led structures are tested and familiar. They create stability, clarity, and predictability—qualities that are hard to part with. But should stability come at the expense of listening to God’s call on each believer? Is “working” the same as being fully alive in God’s purpose?

Education and Expertise: Many paid staff have invested years mastering ministry, building their expertise on traditional leadership models. Their training has taught them to lead, and it’s challenging to consider a model that relies on each believer’s call rather than centralized leadership.

Apathy and Habit: Congregations can seem apathetic, accustomed to passivity after years of limited engagement. Many are content with volunteering a few hours here and there. To shift toward God-centric leadership, however, would mean creating a new culture where each member actively seeks and answers God’s call—a step that requires a radical shift from occasional involvement to meaningful discipleship.

The Risk of the Unknown: God-centric leadership is uncharted for many churches. There’s no formula, and letting go of institutional control can feel unsettling. But this is where faith meets leadership. Are we willing to trust God to lead through the voices of His people?


A Path Forward: Educating and Empowering the Congregation


Transitioning to God-centric leadership isn’t instantaneous. It begins with elders who recognize the biblical foundation of this approach and trust God to work through each believer. But the next essential step is educating and training the congregation. Members must move from passive attendance to actively discerning and responding to God’s call in their lives.


Elders must teach what it means to hear from God, respond in faith, and embrace each believer’s calling. This isn’t just a few workshops; it’s a shift in discipleship that empowers every believer to listen and act. Imagine a congregation where members contribute beyond a few hours—they bring their whole selves to serve God’s purpose. When the church reaches a critical mass of understanding, they don’t simply attend; they participate.


From Directive to Servant Leadership: The Role of Paid Staff in a God-Centric Model


As God-centric leadership takes root, the role of paid staff naturally shifts from directive to servant leadership. Instead of directing each program, staff use their knowledge and training to serve the congregation’s callings, maximizing the effectiveness of each member’s role. Pastors and staff become mentors, facilitators, and resources rather than program directors.


This approach transforms the church’s impact. Paid staff are no longer the primary visionaries but multipliers of God’s work, using their skills to nurture and empower the congregation. They become partners in God’s work rather than the center of it, helping the church to thrive in Spirit-led participation, producing lasting fruit.


Conclusion: Faith in Action, Led by God Through Every Believer


God-centric leadership may seem idealistic, even radical. But it calls us back to a biblical model where the body of Christ operates as a fully engaged and empowered community, led by God through each believer.


So, here’s the question: Is it possible to trust God so deeply that our church isn’t led from the top down, but by God’s Spirit working through His people? For those willing to take this journey, the reward is a church where every person has a place and purpose, thriving together to glorify and enjoy God.


With a bit more narrative polish, relatable insights, and practical examples, this version is designed to draw readers in and inspire. Let me know if it hits the mark—I’ll be listening for those (silent) claps!

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