We believe in one God,
the Father almighty.
Nicene Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty.
Apostles’ Creed
Are you a creedal leader?
Which is to say, ‘What influence do the core truths of the faith expressed in the early creeds of the Church have on how you lead your church?’ This is the question I’ll be considering in this new series of blog posts. At this point, some of you may already be reciting one of the creeds in your head. Perhaps they form a regular part of corporate worship in your church tradition.
Others may have already switched off. Like me, you may come from a tradition in which the creeds are never used in corporate worship. You may even be suspicious of them.
For my own part, I came to appreciate the creeds deeply when I was seeking a way to evaluate church planting by evangelicals in Northern Ireland. That was the focus of my PhD studies. I needed a manageable set of principles about the Church that have been shared by Christians throughout the centuries. The creeds provided me with four words about the Church that became a lens through which I could assess what I saw in my time and place: one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.
I came to see that the creeds have a timeless quality.
They are not Scripture, but they are a faithful distillation of the most important biblical truths, communicated in words that are accessible and memorable. When originally written, they served a dual purpose of uniting believers and guarding against heresy. In this series, I want to suggest that they can also shape leadership and help us guard against distortions of the leader’s task. I’ll be considering twelve great truths to which the creeds call us.
The two creeds I am working with are perhaps the best known. The Nicene Creed (also called the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed), which reached its final form in the late fourth century, is the only creed accepted and used by all three major branches of Christendom (Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant). The Apostles’ Creed was written a little later, and derives from second and third century formulae that were used in baptisms. The Nicene Creed is plural (‘We believe’), while the Apostles’ Creed is singular (‘I believe’). Together, they call us to commit ourselves afresh to our core beliefs as individuals and as communities of God’s people.
The starting point of the creeds is belief in God, the Father almighty. That is quite right, since Scripture also begins with God. He is the source and the starting point of all things, including humankind. He is almighty. Those who wrote the creeds could have started with any of God’s wonderful attributes—his holiness and justice, or his mercy and love—but they chose to emphasise his power.
And by using the word ‘almighty’, they made clear that God’s power is without limit.
ALMIGHTY
There is an exclusivity to the word ‘almighty’. Only God is all-powerful. Indeed, all power derives from him, and by the exercise of his power he accomplishes what the creeds describe. He has power to create, to judge, to save, and to raise the dead. He has given created beings power, but they are accountable to him. All power belongs to him and any power he assigns to his creatures should be used by them according to his will and for his glory. The sovereignty of God is also implicit in the word ‘almighty’.
POWERFUL LEADERS
The fact that God is almighty has implications for Christian leadership. Leaders have power. That is good and necessary. By definition, we can’t do anything without power. But we must always remember that the power we have is a gift from God, and we will give an account to him for our use of it. In Living Leadership, we encounter many stories of the misuse and abuse of power, both by leaders and against leaders. We want to help leaders understand how to handle power for God’s glory. My colleague Marcus Honeysett’s book Powerful Leaders is a great resource to help with that.
If there is one piece of advice I could give you about exercising power well, it is to keep in mind at all times that one day, you will give account to almighty God for your use of power. Knowing that, do not wait until the judgement seat of Christ to seek accountability. Do it now. Find someone (or more than one person) who can help you remain faithful. If you don’t do it intentionally, it won’t happen. Let others speak into your heart and receive their counsel without defensiveness or pride.
OUR FATHER
Yet God is not simply all-powerful. The creeds state that he is the Father almighty.
Not a father, but the Father. And not like a Father. He is the Father.
Contrary to the claims of Sigmund Freud and other atheists, we did not dream up a heavenly Father in the image of our earthly dads. God is the eternal Father (Isa 9.6). The very concepts of fatherhood and family flow from him (Eph 3.14-15).
This title tells us how God exercises his power. Not as a despot bent on his own aggrandisement, but in loving care for his children. The Father loved before we existed. The trinitarian structure of the creeds reminds us that mutual love exists eternally within the godhead. In creation, God extended this love towards his creatures and supremely towards humankind. He exercised his power for our good. He poured out—and continues to pour out—blessings on us. Because of our sin, he sent his Son to redeem us (John 3.16). The almighty God is resolute in his commitment to the people he loved before creation (Eph 1.4-6). His power is focused on the goal of transforming us into the likeness of his Son. Nothing can prevent him bringing that glorious plan to completion.
What does this mean for Christian leaders?
Well, Christian leadership is a lot more like parenthood than we may sometimes think. The apostle Paul writes that he was ‘like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children’ (1 Thess 2.7b). That’s why the family is the primary place where potential leaders are tested. These verses, in which the apostle Paul addresses the role of leaders, are instructive.
He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)
1 Tim 3.4-5
An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.
Titus 1.6-7
Christian leaders are called to exercise their power in a similar way to a parent. Parents are committed to the good of their children and to their growth to maturity. That is how God fathers us. It is how we should lead others.
As a good Father, God sees, knows, and cares for us (Matt 6.4,6,18,25-26). He gives generously to us (Matt 7.11; Jas 1.17). When we are in need, he comforts us with his compassion (2 Cor 1.3). He also disciplines us when we might be trapped in sin (Heb 12.5-11). He judges fairly, showing no favouritism among his children (1 Pet 1.17).
He loves patiently, relentlessly, and selflessly.
As leaders, we need to find rest in the father-heart of God, and we need to lead others to experience that same rest. The way we lead should reflect the way God fathers us.
Tender care as well as honest warnings.
Comfort and discipline.
Fairness and generosity.
Of course, we won’t always get this right. When we don’t, we should confess our sins and weaknesses. We should set an example by taking responsibility for our mistakes and showing due humility. This model, when exhibited properly, will lead people to the Father whose heart of forgiveness is extended to them at all times. He will never disappoint them.
Christian leaders, ‘We believe in God, the Father almighty’. What a sure and solid foundation on which to build. As creedal leaders, I encourage you to learn from the Father’s example. Learn to love others with the same abiding love shown by your Father, who loves you. And remember that the way you exercise power should always have the goal of serving your people and helping them grow. One day, you will give an account before the throne of God, the Father almighty.
So, make this your confession today: ‘I believe in God, the Father almighty’.