Core Value: Church Leadership

The values listed under “Church Leadership” are somewhat unique and have a big impact on how churches are governed. As leaders go, so goes the church. Healthy leaders create healthy churches.  The following resources were recorded at the Pastors’ Summit 2025 in Bloomington, Minnesota. These resources are designated as an important part of a core values discipleship training group. Additional messages were recorded at the Pastors’ Summit 2025 and can be found here.  

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"What is a Pastor?"

Presented by Chris Martin (Linworth Road Community Church, Columbus, Ohio) at the Pastors’ Summit 2025.

One of Jesus' most oft-used descriptors for New Testament Leadership is 'shepherd'.  Drawing on that imagery enables us to paint a picture of the kind of church leader Jesus envisioned.  Further, Paul's application of Jesus' vision set into motion an approach to church leadership distinguished by its simplicity.  This unencumbered design facilitates leaders staying connected to Jesus and close to the needs of those they serve.

This message reflects our core values:

  • We believe that the term “elder,” “overseer,” and “pastor” each refer to the same position (Acts 20:17).
  • Our practice is for elders to be active as the spiritual leaders in the church, whether or not they are paid church employees.

"The Radical Paradigm of Servant Leadership"

Presented by Brent Knox (Hometown Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota) at the Pastors’ Summit 2025.

The world sees leadership as a way of exalting self, by exerting power over people or gaining affirmation. Jesus calls us to lead differently—to see leadership was a way to serve people. Additionally, God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble. And we desperately need grace!

This message reflects our core values:

  • Leadership in the church must be radically different from leadership in the world. The greatest in the church must be the servant of all. Church leaders are to be humble servants, very teachable, responsive to criticism and models of always learning, growing and improving.
  • A pastor/elder is to be a servant, modeling Christlike humility, teachability and love, as well as a leader, demonstrating faith, courage, and strength in managing the church (Luke 22:26; Hebrews 13:7).

"The Skillful Pastor"

Presented by Frank Liu (Awaken Church, Jacksonville, Florida) at the Pastors’ Summit 2025.

Biblical eldership is inescapably tied to the qualification of biblical character. Yet that singular focus on qualified character can often result in appointing elders with 'good enough' character, who might lack certain key skills necessary to lead and shepherd effectively.

We will take a different look at those Biblical character qualifications and identify a key skill that aligns with each quality. That distinct perspective will, hopefully, unlock a means of training our elders in ways that free our qualified men to operate out of their character with increasing skill and effect.

This message reflects our core values:

  • Elders/pastors are to be appointed based upon the character qualities described in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9.

"Character Matters"

Presented by Jerry van Dalen (The Rock Church, Miami, Florida) at the Pastors’ Summit 2025.

Character-based leadership is essential in cultivating trust, integrity, and long-term success within any church. Unlike leadership styles that focus solely on results or authority, character-based leadership emphasizes core values such as honesty, accountability, humility, and empathy. Leaders who embody strong character lead by example, creating a culture of respect and ethical behavior.

This message reflects our core values:

  • Elders/pastors are to be appointed based upon the character qualities described in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9.
  • We value and esteem women in the church and encourage their ministry in various roles. In accordance with the New Testament, we reserve the office of elder/pastor/overseer for men alone (1 Timothy 3:1, 2:12).
  • In training for church leadership, a man who has a family, we give special attention to equipping him to lead in his home as a husband and as a father. We evaluate a married man for leadership, we look at the strength of his marriage and his family before evaluating his ministry skills and other credentials (1 Timothy 3:4-5, 12).

"Plurality in Leadership"

Presented by Tony Pierson (Blacksburg Ablaze, Blacksburg, Virginia) at the Pastors’ Summit 2025.

This message discusses the biblical basis for a plurality of elders, the benefits of this model, and the various ways this model can be practiced.

This message reflects our core values:

  • The New Testament model is that of a Christ-centered submissive plurality of pastors rather than a single-pastor leadership structure (Acts 14:23; Philippians 1:1).
  • We have practiced a plurality of elders model with elders having equal authority in the church, rather than a traditional senior pastor model. Some churches have chosen to select one of the elders to provide servant-leadership to the community of elders for the management of the church. Yet, even in these cases, the church is being led by Jesus Christ through the community of elder, not through just one man.
  • Our preference is to have more than one elder in each church. However, where this does not exist, our preferred practice is for that one elder to select a group of mature men to act as an advisory group in order to protect, encourage, and confirm him in his leadership of the church.

"Elders Raised from Within"

Presented by Rob Gerber (Cedarcreek Community Church, Eau Claire, Wisconsin) at the Pastors’ Summit 2025.

One of our most unique distinctives is the practice of developing and recognizing pastors from within the local congregation.  While this may not be a Biblical 'mandate', it is Biblical wisdom that serves us well.  The character of an elder, the heart of a shepherd, and the work of an overseer are all best seen and developed in relationship over time.  These things happen best in the local church.

This message reflects our core values:

  • We believe that the character qualities and doctrinal understanding needed to become an elder/pastor/overseer are best developed within the local church. We view additional training (such as that offered by Bible schools are seminaries) not as a qualification for a pastor, but rather as a possible supplement to the equipping of a pastor within the local church (Titus 1:5).
  • Although there are exceptions, our general practice is to develop and appoint leaders (elders and staff) from within the local church.

"Leadership, Gender and the Bible"

Presented by John Meyer (leads a house church in Loveland Colorado and participates in the leadership of the M28 network of churches) at the Pastors’ Summit 2025.

The traditional male role in church leadership is becoming increasingly unacceptable in our current cultural understanding of gender equality and human value.  Because of this, the recognition of different leadership roles within the church based on gender is being dropped in more and more Christian circles, including conservative ones.  How important and how biblical is this doctrine?  The answers must begin by understanding the why and what of God’s purpose in creating gender.

 This message reflects our core values:

  • We value and esteem women in the church and encourage their ministry in various roles. In accordance with the New Testament, we reserve the office of elder/pastor/overseer for men alone (1 Timothy 3:1, 2:12).
  • Our practice is to encourage men and women to share the Word of God with each other (Colossians 3:16) –and to do so in a way that does not violate 1 Timothy 2:12: “I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man.” How this verse is interpreted and applied varies somewhat from church to church and culture to culture.

"Biblical Authority of a Pastor"

Presented by Rob Gerber (Cedarcreek Community Church, Eau Claire, Wisconsin) at the Pastors’ Summit 2025.

Every human organization has some form of authority.  The church is no different.  What is the Biblical authority structure of the local church?  How much authority does a pastor have, and in what areas?  This is an important question, particularly in a world that increasingly looks at authority with suspicion.

This message reflects our core values:

  • Recognizing Christ as the Head of the church, we further recognize that He has appointed certain men of character to be spiritual elders, or pastors, in the local church. These men, rather than someone outside the church, have final human authority in their church’s affairs and decisions. In addition to elders, we recognize the role of deacons in the church—those individuals who are officially appoint servants of the church (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Philippians 1:1).

"Maximizing the Impact of Women in Our Churches"

Presented by Tony Pierson (Blacksburg Ablaze, Blacksburg, Virginia) at the Pastors’ Summit 2025.

In complementarian churches, it can be easy for women to not know the boundaries or limits in what they can and cannot do. Additionally, many women worry about asking about the boundaries in fear of being disrespectful. This phenomenon leads to a sticky floor situation where women's impact is limited. Clarity about the limits releases women to be all God intended for them to be.

This message reflects our core values:

  • We value and esteem women in the church and encourage their ministry in various roles. In accordance with the New Testament, we reserve the office of elder/pastor/overseer for men alone (1 Timothy 3:1, 2:12).
  • Our practice is to encourage men and women to share the Word of God with each other (Colossians 3:16) –and to do so in a way that does not violate 1 Timothy 2:12: “I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man.” How this verse is interpreted and applied varies somewhat from church to church and culture to culture.

Other Resources: