Spiritual Leadership – Battle of Compromise

The Battle of Compromise is closely linked to the Battle of Worry (yesterday’s article). The Battle of Worry is fought internally and will most certainly result in a challenge to compromise; however, the Battle of Compromise is fought on many battlefields other than the field of worry. For example, the Battle of Compromise can be fought on the field of politics or manipulation by the spiritual leader who does not know or succumb to fear and worry. That is, a spiritual leader can be challenged or tempted to compromise in order to get “what he wants” or “what he thinks is best.”

Enter Leanne. This tremendously talented leader can lead many people. She is not necessarily a great speaker nor a great influencer but she is passionate and willing to sacrifice anything to get her mission accomplished. This type of “all out leadership” and desire combined with a truly noble mission have resulted in her leading others to accomplish many great things. She has unfortunately failed to keep her internal spiritual life healthy enough to support the challenges of spiritual leadership. Her compromise was fought in on the battlefield of the “Ends Justify the Means.” The result is that her mission has to be para-church and moves every few years because those who work with her find their integrity compromised. The great work continues on (thank God) but she is not a spiritual leader and in fact by our definitions not a leader at all. She has fallen on the battlefield of compromise.

In meeting after meeting with pastors I have found myself nauseated as I listen to strategies and planning to get the church and the people to go along with a plan. Unknowingly and knowingly they work akin to secular trade business by using the mentality of “I scratch your back and you scractch…” I see pastors and leaders compromising to survive or to “not split the church” (this is the aspect of compromise that is related to fear). The others are compromising to achieve “something good and better” or their own personal agendas. These leaders are toying with politics and manipulation.

Spiritual leaders can lead, achieve difficult changes, accomlish tremendous missions and work in compromised situations that challenge them to compromise without losing their integrity. It can be done. It should be done. It must be done. Spiritual leaders are not spiritual leaders if they fall in the battlefield of Compromise.

Robert and Bill are examples of men who can survive spiritual leadership without compromise. Called for a season to help lead a church, they suffered the impossible challenge of carrying a church through spiritual attack, defeat and recovery. When a minister built a secret following of some 1/3 of the young church through a music program and then staged a coup, they stood firm against division in the Body of Christ. When others tired and the 1/3 left, Robert and Bill remained consistent and steady pushing for unity without compromising Biblical truths to keep the 1/3. Then the pastor’s wife left with a man in the church and divorced the pastor. Robert and Bill stood by the Biblical teaching that she had left on grounds of adultry and he was not compromised in his right to lead. They held a great amount of the 2/3 together without compromising or playing politics behind the scenes. They simply stood for Biblical truth. Then the pastor decided to get remarried, Robert and Bill stood for unity and Biblical truths. They were tired. They did not try to manipulate him or the church. These two men (along with many others) stood and did not compromise even when dear friends, family and denominational leaders pressured them about a divorced pastor. Their understanding of the Bible was that he was free. Right or wrong they stood for it because it was the Bible. Years later, the church is still healthy, vibrant and conducting worldwide minsitry.

The Battle of Compromise can be to get a certain ministry running or a certain person hired. It can come on the field of fear, worry or manipulation. No matter where the Battle comes there is only one sure cure. A spiritual leader must never change vision, mission, direction or process without God’s clear direction. A spiritual leader must never violate any Biblical precept personally or corporately. A spiritual leader must look closely at his process of management and influence to ensure that in every case he retains his Christian integrity and does not compromise the integrity of Christ.

The ends do not justify the means. Christ is the only one who can justify the means and spiritual leaders better make sure that the means and costs are able to be justified by him.