New City Church is led by a team of elders. Our elders are equal in authority. This means that our elder team makes decisions together and all share an equal "vote" on the decisions we share in leading the church. As New City church downtown's Lead Pastor I am considered the "first among equals." This simply means that I lead the team of elders who govern and shepherd New City Church. I am first among EQUALS which means that while I may lead our Elders, we are still equal. I have no more authority than any other elder. My vote carries the same weight as his vote. We believe that this best describes the example of church leadership, and elder specific leadership that is described in Scripture... but this isn't a post on how we are structured as much as it is on how hard this sometimes is. Most church planters make all or almost all of the decisions of the church in its first days, months, and even years. A leadership team of some sort (external elders who are not a part of the plant, internal leadership who are not yet elders...) is put in place to help in decisions and offer wisdom, but most often the decision rests on the planter. I am not saying that this is right or wrong, only that it is largely a fact.
Over time the elder team develops from within the church - as it has at New City. As the elder team grows (and it should) it also becomes more diverse (as it also should). Now decisions are shared. With diversity comes differences of opinion, different informational needs in order to make decisions, schedule conflicts, time conflicts (especially for lay-elders), and sometimes just plain conflict! All of this often leads seemingly to a slowing of forward motion and loss of energy as decision making on larger items requires much more effort, longer discussions, the acquisition of more and more information, and much more time.
It would be much simpler and much faster as well as less draining if one man (read if "I") just made the decisions. There is truth to that. It would be simpler, and faster... and much more dangerous. Shared leadership is hard - this transition can be very frustrating and draining... but it is good and necessary. Team leadership brings wisdom that one person doesn't have. It brings perspective that no single leader can possess. It brings options that and solutions that one leader may never have thought of. It brings accountability that not only protects the body of Christ, but also protects each leader. Shared leadership is hard, but it is good.
I write this for any planter who hasn't made it to this point! The transition is hard. But it will be and is worth it.
