Spiritual Leadership: Jesus Must Increase, But I Must Decrease

In the Kingdom of God, there are principles we can apply when it comes to leadership. First of all, we must know our gifts and callings to be effective and successful in ministry, not to blindly copy some concepts and formulas of other churches and ministries. There are general callings for all believers but there are specific roles and functions entrusted only to some in the Church.

For example, the primary call for all believers is to “stand in the gap”: to intercede and evangelize to our unsaved friends and loved ones. While we are all called to be witnesses unto Christ, not every one of us is called to stand in the office of an evangelist as such (according to Ephesians 4:11). And even when one is called to be an evangelist, he needs to know when and where to go to hold crusades, and whether or not God has specially instructed him to also preach over the media or enter into other vehicles of outreach. The sphere of influence of one evangelist will usually be different from another. It is not a question of which evangelist is more important, but how one is exercising faith and faithfulness in the area of responsibility and the place of ministry where God leads. This same principle of faith and faithfulness can also be applied to any other ministry gifts and callings God has entrusted us.

Some of you listening to me might or might not be called to be an evangelist or another office in the “fivefold” ministry, but you can still be effective and fruitful in serving the Lord in a vital supportive role. All too often, Christians want to fulfill a particular ministry or office they like when God has never called them in the first place. However, as God calls you into a ministry, you will have the inward witness in your spirit and the anointing to carry out the tasks that come with it. People can confirm your ministry but God alone chooses your role in the Body of Christ. God is not impressed with people having offices, positions and titles for self-glory but He is looking for those who will build up the corporate Body of Christ. The ultimate aim is not to build our own kingdoms, enterprises or empires, but to empower the local church and evangelize our communities for Christ.

We need to discern and distinguish whether it is a general responsibility or a specific commission. We must neither underestimate nor overestimate ourselves. We must know the times and seasons of the Holy Spirit. We must know when to enter an area of ministry, and when to exit. We must know when to move in, when to move on. The true foundation and cornerstone for spiritual success is still the grace and gift of God.

For those of us in ministry and know the voice of our Master, we have the privilege and joy of not only being stewards and servants of Christ, but friends as well. By the grace of God, as our church and ministry grows and expands, we should be fulfilled not because of the success of our efforts, but because we are fulfilling the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ and that many are drawn to follow Him.

John 3:30 says, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” The attitude and cry of John the Baptist must be ours as well. Jesus Christ must be pre-eminent and supreme in our lives and ministries, not our church, our denomination, our organization or our titles. We must hide ourselves behind the cross of Christ!