5 Sermon Illustrations on Church Leadership

The strongest walls are useless if the gates are weak or if the gatekeepers are careless or disloyal. The Great Wall of China was penetrated by enemies at least three times, and each time the guards were bribed. The church desperately needs strong gates and loyal gatekeepers.

It is said of St. Charles Borromeo, that all his own private revenues, as well as those of his diocese, were expended in public uses: he kept nothing for himself but what sufficed to purchase bread and water for his diet, and straw for his bed. He travelled through every district and village, examining into the state of the people and the conduct of the priesthood, conversing with and catechizing the poor. Up among the mountains, into the secluded valleys of the Italian Alps, where the neglected inhabitants had long remained in a state of physical and spiritual destitution, did this good man penetrate; he sent missionaries among them to teach and to preach, and then went himself to see that they performed their duty: on one occasion, he was found in a poor mountain-but, lying on some straw, shivering with ague, which had seized him in one of his excursions on foot. With all his excessive austerity, his fasts, and his penances, he lived in public with the splendor becoming his rank, and exercised the most munificent hospitality, wearing under his cardinal's robes of scarlet and fur, a ragged black gown; and where the feast was spread for others, contenting himself with a little dry bread and glass of water. Mrs. Jameson

Every church, it is presumed, is desiring a good minister, yet every one may not in their own apprehension be favored with such a blessing. Many churches often feel that their minister is not quite what they desire him to be—not quite the man for the place which he is in. Their eyes are therefore turned away from the minister whose labors they enjoy, to some other man, or to their *beau ideal* of a minister, and they desire a change. For the benefit of such we would relate the following circumstances which we are told are substantially matters of fact.

A young man was settled in a large and popular congregation in New England, under very flattering circumstances. The church and people had settled him with the belief that he was a young man of more than ordinary talents, and with the expectation of his becoming a distinguished man. After a year or two, when the novelty of the thing had worn off, the current seemed to change, and the feeling prevailed that Mr. B— was not, nor likely to be, quite what they expected. He did not grow as they thought he would; he did not perform that amount of labor which was needed to build up the church and interest the congregation. Things dragged heavily. The young man felt the influence of the chill atmosphere which thus surrounded him. His spirits sunk, his health ran down, and it was whispered around in the society, and in the neighboring towns, that Mr. B— would probably have to leave, he was not the man for the place, he was not the man of talents which they had anticipated.

While things were in this state, at a meeting of the church when the pastor was absent, (perhaps called to see what should be done,) Mr. O—, an intelligent member of the church arose and said, "Brethren, I think we have been in fault respecting our minister. I think he is a young man of superior talents, and will one day be a distinguished man. But we have not sustained and encouraged him as we should. We have not spoken of him to others with esteem and confidence as we should. We have been standing and looking on, expecting him to raise both himself and us to eminence. Now let us adopt a different course. Let us encourage our minister with our prayers, our sympathies, and efforts. Let us speak of him with esteem and confidence to others, and say that we think him a man of talent, and who bids fair to be a distinguished man."

The thing was agreed upon. The leading men set the example. Very soon every one was speaking in favor of Mr. B——. His people visited him, sympathized with him, encouraged him; and people out of the society began to think how Mr. B—— was rising in the estimation of his people. The young man felt the change. The cold damp chill by which he had been surrounded, and which had benumbed the energies of his soul, was exchanged for a warm genial atmosphere. His spirits rose, his health returned, his energies awoke, and he soon showed to all that he had within him the elements of a man. Several revivals have attended his labors. In the affections of the church and people he has long since firmly established himself. They delight in him as a man of talent, as well as a good man. His name has become honorably enrolled among American authors, and he is one whom his own church, and the churches of New England delight to honor. Reader, Christian, would you have a good minister? Go thou and do likewise.