Consensus or Voting

What would be the best way for church leadership (elders) to work through projects and challenges for the congregation? The denominational culture of elders in Baptist churches tends to resolve issues through voting. My personal concern is that voting seems to leave room for rivalry, which would not be healthy for the church’s challenges and projects. I understand that, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, everyone should be led in light of John 16:13: "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come."

My main goal is, first of all, to draw the attention of the church’s spiritual leadership to the way they decide on projects and challenges before presenting them to the congregation. As I have already mentioned, voting does not seem to me to be the most ideal method, but rather consensus.

In my ministry, I have always chosen consensus, because I have always understood it to be the most appropriate way. In voting, the losing side may feel a sense of loss — something that can be especially noticeable in the divisions that occur in churches.

That feeling does not exist when consensus is sought. Look at the greatest example: "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." (Philippians 2:5-7)

Of course, our mindset will never be the same as Jesus’ mindset, because we still carry the weight of our sinful nature. But even with that nature, we are challenged to always do Jesus’ will — and that is not impossible, because we are not alone in the battle against the flesh. We have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us and empowering us to overcome it.

May the greatest example we have in our Master inspire and equip us to do what He did: He emptied Himself, laid down His rights, and humbled Himself. The best way to lead the church is through consensus, because in it there is no sense of defeat, but rather the imitation of our Master, Christ Jesus.

Pr. Antonio Mendes Gonçales.

President of the Board of Lead by the Name

and Mentor