Shared Leadership and Co-working

<Ex 18> 13 The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. 14 When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?”

15 Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will. 16 Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and instructions.”

17 Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. 18 You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. 19 Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him. 20 Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave. 21 But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22 Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. 23 If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”

24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. 25 He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.26 They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves.

27 Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own country.

Not good to depend only on one human leader.

• “Why do you alone sit as judge” <v14> … “The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.” <v18>
• Moses might not be egoistic, but over-responsible, just trying to be faithful to God’s calling.
• But it was impractical.
• It took a toll not just on him, but also on the people.
  • Moses sat alone as judge, while all these people stand around him from morning till evening” <v14>. “You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out.” <v18>
• May lead to burnout, inefficiency, and bottleneck.
• Humans are limited.

A leader should be humble to consider advice from others and share control.

• Even advice from someone young in faith like Jethro.
• Have faith to “take the risk” to share the job with someone else.

Faithful stewardship is to focus on our primary calling, instead of being bogged down by secondary things.

1) We must serve others, but cannot let others dictate how we are to steward what God has given us.

2) Should give fuller attention to our primary mission, and distinguish between essential and optional things.

• Moses was responsible for teaching Israel the law of the Lord, so that Israel could follow God.
• If God calls a person to be a preacher, it would not be God’s will for him to be entangled with miscellaneous things that impedes his primary calling.
• <Ac 6:2> – The apostles were clear that it would not be right for them to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.
• No need to feel “guilty” about passing the job to others.
• Must establish the right priorities.

3) Importance of shared leadership (co-working).

• Moses >> Judges
• Apostles >> Deacons
• Church pastors >> Co-workers
• If each person plays their roles well, will build up the church.
• But the “chief leader” must teach the newer ones:
  • Teach the Israelites God’s decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave.” <v20>

Leader selection.

• <v21> But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain
• Spirituality, morality, and ability.
• <Ac 6:3>: “pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom.”
• Similar requirements in selecting Israel’s king (Deut 17:14–20), and church elders and deacons (1 Ti 3:1–13; Titus 1:5–9).
• A good and right relationship with God.
• A good and right relationship with people.
• Capability to perform the task well.