Leadership Loves to be First

Jeremiah 50-51; 3 John 

“I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.”

3 John 9, 10

For many years, John the apostle was Bishop of the churches in the Ephesus region. However, even this loving apostle could not prevent leaders like Diotrephes from causing division and confusion within the church. Diotrephes loved to be first. He could have chaired the church council or elder’s team. But Diotrephes’ pride and divisiveness, along with selfish ambition, meant that John was a threat to him and his leadership. Neither John nor visiting church leaders were welcomed under Diotrephes’ leadership in Ephesus. His leadership was marked by control, fear, competition, and ambition. John pointed this out to Gaius, a wealthy leader who hosted the Ephesian church in his house (Romans 16:23), and then indicated that Demetrius was a more mature leader for the local church. While we can recognize the same problems of unhealthy leaders in our own context, we must pray for our leaders and their work which is critical for the health of the Church. 

“Lord Jesus, I pray to be a leader who will take whatever position you desire, for your glory.”