Who can serve as leaders? The easy answer is those whom God has called and equipped. If God arranged his chosen leaders to be born with a big birthmark shaped like a checkmark on their foreheads, it would be easier. Instead we rely on “discernment.” Here is a concern. In individualist cultures, it appears we allow leaders to “discern” on his/her own or we “discern” as leaders those who stand out, that is, those who have unique gifts or have new ideas, perhaps those who don’t seem to need to depend on others. Are these qualifications to be a biblical leader or to be an individualist?
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