We’ve seen how a leader’s roles affect church safety. What will help us effectively fulfill those roles? Since everything we do flows from our heart (Prov. 4:23), the answer must lie in needed qualities in leaders.
Qualities That Help Leaders Fulfill their God-Given Roles in Church Safety Efforts
We need the following heart qualities to effectively fulfill our leadership roles when it comes to church safety. Who we are affects what we do, even in our church safety efforts.
It’s tempting for leaders to feel like they must have all the answers and maintain control over every aspect of church life, even in areas outside their realm of expertise, like safety issues. Humble leaders admit they don’t have all the answers. They have a teachable spirit, willing to get input from other ministry leaders and teachers, even outside help if needed. They then guide the process, rather than control it.
As in all areas of church life, leaders need to be able to say about safety, “Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity.” (2 Cor. 1:12) Talk is cheap. We need to follow through. To expect other ministry leaders and teachers to do their part in church safety, we set the example.
Love:
Love motivates us to put security measures in place because love “always protects” (1 Cor. 13:7). As a shepherd, we care for the sheep, guarding them from dangers within and without.
Once we put safety policies in place, we need to stay vigilant. When we let our guard down, we open ourselves to trouble. As a servant, we put the interests of others above our own (Phil. 2:3-8). That means persisting, even when it’s inconvenient.
In a list of eight qualities in 2 Peter 1:5-7, we find self-control. One quality leads to the next and ties back to the previous. To knowledge, we add self-control. Once we gain knowledge about safety issues, we need self-control to keep it from puffing us up above others. To self-control we add perseverance. This quality therefore helps us maintain vigilance. Then comes godliness. Integrity grows out of godliness, which first requires self-control. The list of qualities ends with mutual affection and love. If we don’t maintain self-control, we won’t love with the kind of love that protects and perseveres in it. As a faithful steward of those God entrusted to us, we need such constraints in our lives.
For more on these topics:
All Posts about Safety Issues:
- Safety Because Love Always Protects
- Safety Coordinated by a Church Security Team
- Safety Takes Everybody Doing Their Part
- Safety Because of the Great Commission
- Church Safety: WWJD?
- Integrity Breaks in Church Safety
- Focus of Church Safety
- Perspective in Church Safety
- Dangerous Gospel?
- Scripture Useful for Church Safety?
- Biblical Principles for Dealing with Safety Issues
- Power of Grace in Church Safety
- Power of Grace for Preventing Problems
- Power of Grace for Coping
- Power of Grace Enables Godly Responses
- Safety in the Name of the Lord?
- Don’t Underestimate the Power of Prayer in Safety
- The Spirit in the Midst of Church Safety?
- Church Safety as a Ministry Using Spiritual Gifts?
- The Real Enemy of Church Safety
- God Has a Bigger Picture When Bad Things Happen
- Leaders’ Roles Dictate How They Handle Church Safety
- Qualities Leaders Need in Church Safety Efforts