That is a hefty title for a book that weighs in significantly on understanding New Testament leadership. “Authority, Accountability, and the Apostolic Movement,” by Dr. Stephen Crosby, provides a thorough, Scriptural look at spiritual authority that is not about hierarchy, domination, and control.
Crosby is particularly concerned about the positional leadership that is being espoused through the new “apostolic movement,” but his teaching challenges every aspect of modern church leadership and is important if we are going to see a leadership emerge that truly comes under, serves, gives away, empowers, and releases the church to be fully surrendered to God without human intermediaries.
Here are some quotes to give you a taste:
The themes of honor and submission to authority are, of course, legitimate. They are in God’s Word. However, they are subordinate themes. When presented in a priority and hierarchical way of obligation, rather than the mutuality found in the “one-anothers” of Scripture, and if void of a death and resurrection spirit, empty of love and service, they become hopelessly contaminated and betray the Spirit of Christ…
When these subthemes are emphasized, a church environment can become like a spiritual plantation where the apostle is the master and production overseer of the plantation and subordinates are the slaves, not sons.
Crosby is particularly concerned about using Old Covenant leadership as a model for the New Covenant church in which every believer is filled by the Spirit and called to the priesthood:
The Old Covenant leadership practices belong in the same category as Levitical practices: interesting insights, but in application, not appropriate for the present age.
Crosby does an in-depth study of terms, in the New Testament, that are often used to suggest that one believer is to exercise authority over another. Interestingly, the one term that distinctly means to “exercise authority over another” (exousia) is never used in the context of human leadership as in one person exercising authority over another. In fact, Jesus clearly taught that this type of hierarchical leadership, which is normally seen in the world, should not be emulated by the church.
So then, what are the roles of those leadership gifts that are in Scripture:
The role of the Ephesians 4 minister is as equipper and releaser of others into their visions, not getting his/her own vision and making others submit to it.
Crosby provides a scholarly discussion on the subject of the so-called “spiritual covering.” He also offers an important chapter on the danger of taking the spiritual father-son metaphor farther than it is meant to be taken.
In short, this book is a huge step in the direction of elevating the church to be the church, under God’s leadership, served and supported by leaders without rank, position, or domination. This is precisely what is needed to see God’s church, again, as a movement—multiplying, spreading, and empowering every believer.
Comments
4 responses to “Book on Leadership: “Authority, Accountability, and the Apostolic Movement””
This is proabably the book that best touches on the major issues of leadership today. Stephen does an excellent job of using the “whole counsel” of God, from His Word, to bring forth these truths.
It will not be popular with the “apostolic movements” of today because it exposes the error in the foundations of how these movements are built. Way to go Stephen to stand in the minority against the systems of our day.
As part of his community, I can say that Stephen Crosby completely lives what he teaches. Every believer would benefit from this book, as leaders are often what we make them, deferring what is due Christ alone to man and his ideas. We make tyrants or door-mats by giving too much to them, or expecting too much from them. It is eye opening, and will definitely leave you feeling ‘adjusted’, refreshed by the real living water of truth, and free to lead or support your leaders with true gospel understanding and love. A real treasure.
This book is very refreshing. Stephen Crosby does a great job showing why old covenant models of leadership are not suitable to use within the church, and his sharp rebuke of the authority/submission emphasis within the current “apostolic reformation” is backed with a simple Christ-centered approach and excellent new covenant teaching. This book will do well in immunizing believers from the error espoused by the movement.
Finally! A scriptural, authoritative, balanced approach to one of the most controversial issues in the Church today! Every person entering the ministry should read this book!