4. Methodist Class Meeting - Its Leader

Transcription of article in the Primitive Methodist Magazine by R. Newman Wycherley

EVERYBODY is not qualified to be a leader. This is just where societies make a fatal mistake. “Wanted a leader! Brother So-and-So is a very good man and regular in his attendance at the services. I move he be appointed. He is capital at collecting money and will hunt up the contributions.” He may be all this, but it does not follow that he will make a good leader. The conception of leadership, as indicated by an appointment of this kind, is seriously at fault. It reduces the office to a financial agency, whereas it is the throne of an essentially spiritual ministry.

“To set the blind to lead the blind,
To set the dull to instruct mankind,
To set th’ unskill’d to show the way
From dark despair to perfect day,
Is not the Spirit’s ordination,
But a human innovation,
Which loudly calls for reformation.”

A leader must, of course, have a rich experience of the things of God. This is essential. It is not enough that he is as good as the members to whom he ministers and walks among the same verities of life. He is leader. He goes before. He indicates the way. He removes the barriers that have been placed by unfriendly hands. Hence he must be superior to the members. He must frequent higher planes, so that when he descends he can lift them to the same lofty abodes. He must catch the visions and listen to the still small voice and contemplate the transcendent glory for the sake of those who are in the rush and turmoil of the valley. The leader must be the most spiritually minded man of the society. Otherwise he cannot lead. He will only confuse and muddle. Wesley was unbending in this condition. It was the first qualification for which he looked.

A leader must also be familiar with the Bible. It will be an advantage if he knows other books. Ignorance is never a source of strength. Knowledge is power. To know is always better than not to know. But the man who is called to be an under-shepherd and to have the care of souls must be acquainted with the Bible. It is by means of the Bible that his best work is done. A good leader does not depend solely upon his own experience for advice. That is a variant and sometimes is worthless. He falls back upon the Word of God and fashions His counsels to perplexed minds according to the inspiration of its message.

A leader must be accessible. A reserved man rarely succeeds in this office. He may be kind and thoughtful and “adorn the doctrine of our Saviour in all things,” but his reserve raises insuperable barriers to his usefulness. Members evade him. They feel a reluctance to open their minds to him on religious questions. A frank, cheerful disposition inspires confidence and makes testimony easy.

A leader must also be aflame with zeal for his work. There is much to be said in favour of specialising. The duties of this office are so many and exacting, they press themselves upon one’s attention so continually that they are quite enough to monopolize all our energy and time. Many leaders have failed because they have tried to do the work of several offices at the same time. It is mistaken devotion and never pays.

And he must be a man of affairs. The life of a recluse is unfitting for the duties of his position. He deals with weary and jaded and perplexed men, who have left the field of strenuous endeavour for quiet and refreshment of soul. And he must understand the experiences of these men if he is to-help them. 

Given this equipment, and a leader will make his class throb with abundant life.

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1909/676