Brian Edwards on Biblical Christian Leadership

At yesterday's West Country Reformed Ministers' Fraternal, Brian Edwards spoke on Biblical Christian Leadership, taking as his starting point Paul's words in 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12. Here are some notes. They don't give a full flavour of Brian's engaging and challenging talk, just a little taste. But that's better than nothing.

The apostle Paul is a role model for leaders. His New Testament letters were addressed to real people in  real life situations, which makes them all the more relevant to us.

1. Paul's spiritual depth

Pastors are first and foremost Christians who are called to live for glory of Jesus,  Philippians 3:10-11. Paul's prayers provide a model for our private and public prayers, Ephesians 1:15-23, 3:14-21. A passion for Christ is essential for leadership. We must enjoy and love Christ above all, more than theological study, preaching etc. We need to be  'venturesome leaders', who trust in promises of God.

2. Moral integrity

Paul handled monetary gifts in such a way that no accusation of personal enrichment could be made against him, 2 Corinthians 8-9. Elders must have a good reputation with outsiders, 1 Timothy 3:7. The world is watching us, examining our behaviour. There must not be even a hint of sexual impropriety in the church, Ephesians 5:3. Husbands and wives should guard one another in this respect. Also we must show integrity with regard to matters like pirated software, CD/DVDs, copyright for songs etc.

3. Personal courage

We need to show courage in the face of suffering, 2 Corinthians 11. But also we need to be courageous in facing issues in church life. Paul faced down both Peter and Barnabas peter Galatians 2:11-21. The apostle was gentle, 2 Corinthians 10:1. Yet he was heavy if need be, 2 Corinthians 13:1-3. We must not be afraid to grasp nettles and deal with issues in the church.  Leadership can be lonely, 2 Timothy 4:16. Sloppy service must not be tolerated in the church because members are "volunteers". Bad theology. Church members have been enlisted in the service of Christ.

4. Hard work

Paul commended those who worked hard in Romans 16. He worked hard,  1 Corinthians 15:10. But in working hard we must do the right things, Ephesians 5:15, Philippians 1:10. That said, a workaholic is not a good leader. 

5. Pastoral care

Paul could be very tender and motherly, 1 Thessalonians 2:7, but he could also be firm and fatherly, 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12. He knew care or anxiety for the churches, 2 Corinthians 11:28. The same word is used in Matthew 6:25 and Philippians 4:6. This was not a selfish anxiety, but an expression of Paul's pastoral heart, 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5. See also his concern for the believer under discipline at Corinth, 1 Corinthians 5 cf.  2 Corinthians 2:3-11. Paul prayed for his co-workers and the churches.

6. Practical encouragement

According to USA's President Trueman, leadership is about "getting people to do what they don't want, and to like it". Paul  led by encouraging the churches and his fellow-workers. He thanked God for them, Colossians 1:3-8. Sometimes we can become jaundiced and have a narrowed vision of the what the Lord is doing, but we need to encourage our people that God is working in the world today. Paul warmly commended people to the churches, Philippians 2:19-24 & 25-30.  See also Romans 16, where he mentions 30 people, 11 of whom were women. Recognition and gratitude are important. Remind people that their labours are not in vain, 1 Corinthians 15:58.

7. Tact and diplomacy

Tactful teaching on giving, 2 Corinthians 8.

Tactful handling of the issue of Onesimus the runaway slave in Philemon.

Tactful intervention to reconcile warring church members Philippians 4:2.

8. Clear vision

Paul knew which battles to fight,  Titus 3:9. We don't have to win every battle and always insist on having our own way. He had a vision for training leaders 2 Timothy 2:2. He was good at delegating work to others, Titus 1:5. He knew the difference between tactics and strategy, keeping his focus on the latter.

9. Sincere humility.

Paul wasn't threatened by the ministry of others, Philippians 1:12-18. He had the mind of Christ, Philippians 2:5-11. He changed his mind about John Mark, Acts 15:36-41 cf. 2 Timothy 4:11. Sometimes we need to be willing to admit we were wrong and make a u-turn. Humility is essential for ministry, Hebrews 5:1.

An interview with Brian Edwards

Brian Edwards

GD: Hello, Brian Edwards and welcome to Exiled Preacher. Please tell us a little about yourself.

BE: I am a Devonian by birth, though I spent most of my childhood and teenage years in Kent. After studying in London, Barbara and I were married and I was assistant to Derek Prime in south-east London for two years and teaching at the same time. From there I came to Hook Evangelical Church in south-west London. Having told the Lord I would go anywhere except London, forty-five years later I am still here.

GD: Where did you train for the ministry and what did you find most helpful in your studies?

BE: I spent four years at the (then) London Bible College and took the London Bachelor of Divinity degree as an external student. Actually the best part of my time in London was being introduced to the ministry of Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones at Westminster Chapel; I was one of his ‘Friday-nighters’ when he was working his way through Roman 7 and 8. It was all very new to me and certainly mind-shaping.

GD: How did you sustain so many years of fruitful ministry in one church?

BE: By a strongly supportive wife, a wonderfully supportive church fellowship and a never failingly supportive Saviour.

GD: What is the relationship between preaching and the power of the Holy Spirit?

BE: Preaching without the Spirit is a dead letter. I fear that too much of my preaching is the latter. Even enticing words of wisdom and superb rhetoric are poor relations to the demonstration of the Spirit and power.

GD: What kind of ministries are you involved in now that you have retired from full-time pastoral work?

BE: I am preaching every Sunday unless I choose not to, and as many midweek meetings as I consider it wise with my other commitments. Apart from my own writing, I edit the Day One Travel Guide series and there are always a number of these working their way through our schedule.

GD: Some men find it hard to adjust to life beyond full-time pastoral ministry. Any suggestions on how preachers can enjoy a happy and fruitful retirement?

BE: If they stay in the church where they ministered, as I have, the number one rule is not to interfere; there’s nothing worse than the previous pastor poking his nose in. Then, keep preaching for as long as you are able and as long as the invitations come; when you are past your sell-by date, the churches will kindly stop inviting you.

GD: Do you believe in revival? If so what is it?

BE: It is better described than defined, but it is a sovereign work of God pouring out his Holy Spirit upon the churches bringing an awesome sense of the presence of God, a deep conviction of the holiness of God and the sinfulness of sin, and a passion to reach the lost with the gospel.

GD: Can we do anything to help promote a revival?

BE: First, by understanding what revival is NOT as well as what it is. Biblical revival is not running a mission or holding a ‘revival meeting’. Our preparation is to know what it IS by reading the stories of revivals in the past and then to set ourselves to pray earnestly for it.

GD: Your latest book is on the canon of the New Testament. Why do we need to give attention to that subject at this particular time?

BE: Why 27? answers the question: How can we be sure that we have the right 27 books in the New Testament? The importance of this question at the present time is that trivial novels like ‘The Da Vinci Code’ and thoughtless polemics like ‘The God Delusion’ — and they are only examples of many — have given people the confidence to dismiss the Bible as rubbish; sadly it is a dismissal based upon ignorance rather than knowledge. The subject of what books should be in the Bible needed to be dealt with in an accessible way for the church member, and that is what I have tried to do.

GD: You have also written biographies of William Tyndale and John Newton. What are the great lessons that we can learn from these two men?

BE: Far too many to abbreviate adequately here. However, Tyndale was a brilliant scholar of single minded passion to give England the Bible in our own language – at a time when this was illegal. Newton illustrates the grace of God par excellence, a beautiful marriage, and caring pastor and a preacher of sound common sense.

GD: You once made a distinction between "essential truth" that is essential for salvation, "significant truth" covering matters like church government and baptism and "phantom truth". How would you define "phantom truth"?

BE: Those many things that are so very important to me and for which I can so easily make a big issue, but in reality they are simply part of my culture, tradition or personal preference and have little or nothing to do with the Bible. Evangelical churches normally argue and divide over phantom truths (which are not really truths at all) and rarely over vital or even significant truths. In other words, we make a big issue about issues in reverse order to their true significance.

GD: I would have to agree with you there. We often seem unable to cope with differences over secondary matters in a mature and gracious way. Now, is it possible to be faithful to the gospel and truly contemporary?

BE: I don’t like to say ‘that depends on what you mean’, but it does depend on what you mean by ‘truly contemporary’. If you mean, in touch with where people are, using the language they use, and understanding the real world that we live in, then the answer is certainly yes. It is folly and not wisdom to worship, preach and behave as if we were still in the nineteenth century — or earlier. All that is old was not spiritual and all that is new is not worldly.

GD: You have a website. What kind of thing might readers find there? Ever thought of starting a blog?

BE: I haven’t time for a blog — I leave that to people like you, and my two sons! On my website, visitors will simply learn about my ministry and my books.

GD: It seems to me that evangelical publishers are falling over themselves to publish too many books (your own titles excepted!). For example, Banner of Truth, Evangelical Press, IVP and Day One all have at least two commentary series on the go. Some books I have read were poorly edited, suggesting that they had been rushed to press far too quickly. Isn't it about time that publishers slowed down a little?

BE: There is no excuse for poorly edited books and sloppy proof-reading. You can read old books of 500 pages with close type and barely find a single error, and that with old fashioned compositing. Today with our spell checks and ease of production we sometimes make any number of howlers. One problem is that the computer age demands that books are prepared more quickly and that is where errors come in. Are there too many books? Yes, I think there are. I believe publishers should be perhaps even more selective than they are. However, I’m glad I don’t have to make the decisions as to which books….

GD: That said, what is the most helpful work of theology that you have read in the last twelve months? It is a must read because?

BE: The Bible, because that is where the best, and most straightforward theology is found! Apart from that, I haven’t read a helpful book of theology in the past twelve months, not because there isn’t one, but because I have not read it. My reading is more historical than theological at present. G W Bernard’s The King’s Reformation is a must for anyone who wants a new take on Henry VIII and his role in the Reformation — which won’t be too many of your blog readers I guess.

GD: You never know. What is the biggest problem facing evangelicalism and how should we respond?
BE: The downgrading of our Christian values and the upgrading of a wholly secular society. In response, the church must be what she is supposed to be: salt, light and the aroma of Christ and resist the easy temptation to absorb the mindset of the world into the life of the church.

GD: What are your top three songs or pieces of music?

BE: I don’t have a favourite musical taste — it all depends on my mood and the occasion; my taste is very eclectic. But when I am driving (a lot) I listen to talking books rather than music and that way I catch up on my reading.

GD: Thanks very much for taking part in this interview, Brian.

Note: Details of Brian Edwards' books can be found here.