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Keller on what you most need in a leader
Most churches make the mistake of selecting as leaders the confident, the competent, and the successful. But what you most need in a leader is someone who has been broken by the knowledge of his or her sin, and even greater knowledge of Jesus' costly grace. The number one leaders in every church ought to be the people who repent the most fully without excuses, because you don't need any now; the most easily without bitterness; the most publicly and the most joyfully. They know their standing isn't based on their performance.
(Tim Keller, "What are the risks for evangelicals?" speaking at the Evangelical Ministry Assembly 2007)
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Excellent post, and I agree with Keller completely, but practically speaking, how many churches would select a leader with a spotted past? As one who has been both "broken" and "repaired", it has been difficult to find that church. "Wounded healer" doesn't seem to read well on a resume.
Brokenness doesn't necessarily mean a "spotted past". But it should always mean humility, the absence of arrogance and the complete retreat from the attitude that states or implies that they are the experts and everyone else the lucky followers. In terms of the quote provided (and I haven't read the whole thing) it seems Keller is getting at the attitude that knows and feels the pull of sin, the awfulness of sin and the lies of sin and lives with the knowledge that repentance in the leader is not only an exemplary thing, but a qualifying thing for spiritual leaders. It shouldn't take a great fall in a leader to produce a repentant spirit. God requires perfect sinless perfection for entrance into glory and only Christ has done that. Only those who hide in Him, including leaders, will make it. This is true for those who have fallen big time or not.
Brokenness and confession should not only be seen as a Christian repenting of the "BIG" sins like immorality, embezzlement, etc. A leader can show his spirit of humility and brokenness by confessing and asking forgiveness from his staff (and church) when he is overbearing, project oriented rather than people oriented, when he refuses to listen to advice, etc., etc., etc. I know/have known leaders like this and respect them greatly - but not "Dr. Bigbritches" who is always right - and proud of it.
I see an alarming trend in many churches today to have a son follow his father as pastor. It sounds like a wonderful thing until the church decides that is not the way they want to go and the father pushes the issue anyhow. We finally had to leave our church because the leadership was going to start discipline against me for speaking out. That church is nothing more than a club and if you follow the rules and support the club, you are welcome. I no longer want to be a member of any church because membership is usually a one way street. The member is accountable to the church, but the church (leadership) is not accountable to the member(s).