Our Leadership
The leaders at GCC exist to cultivate the body's progress and joy of the faith. We do this by equipping them to make disciples and live on mission.
We think every believer is called to the full-time ministry of making disciples...the only difference is where we get our paychecks. Some, by His grace, are selected to lead the church as examples. We call them elders and deacons. At GCC, some are paid, some are not.
But quite frankly, we just don't think it's their job to do all of the work of the ministry. That's what the body of Christ is for!
Think of it like this: if parents do for their children what their children should do for themselves, the child's maturity is stunted and the parents energy sapped. Likewise, if church leadership constantly does things for the body that the body should do for itself, both are hurt. The body is weakened because it's not growing into maturity, and the leaders become exhausted because they're carrying everyone else's load.
So, we don't think it's our leaders job to raise the church's children, do everyone's personal devotions, serve all the wives, help all the husbands, and share Christ with all of the lost people within the church's massive sphere of influence...that would be absurd (not to mention completely inefficient!). Biblical leadership serves the body by helping them grow in the gospel so they can do those things themselves. Biblical leadership doesn't simply do the work of the ministry; biblical leadership equips the body for the work of the ministry.
This discipleship happens as we live life-on-life together on mission for Jesus. It happens as we endeavor to "walk with the wise" (Pr. 13:23). It happens over dinner, at a soccer game, celebrating birthdays, correcting our children when they disobey...in other words, it's disciples making disciples during the every day rhythms and stuff of life. It's learning how to live ordinary life with gospel intention.
The result is less leaders who are burned out (because they're carrying more than they should and pulling of ministry events), and more members growing in the gospel (as they put their shoulder to the plow of gospel ministry in everyday life). It's a picture of disciples making disciples (not church programs making disciples), and it's how we grow our church and the mission of GCC!
