The next section of Bro. Boardman's book deals with the lack of sanctified leadership. This is a real issue in modern holiness churches. When pastors, staff and leadership lack a real death to self holiness experience, they are incapable to lead others into the experience. Most likely, those leaders' mentors lacked a true holiness experience. So on and on, each leader's experience is lacking so an entire church grows weaker and weaker. If you are a church leader, have you died out and experienced true holiness? If you have, testify to what God has done so you can lead others in the narrow way.
LEADERSHIP'S LURID LACK
In the light of these testimonies one wonders how many church leaders, with their followers, have failed to "die out" to the bottom of their hearts, and become genuinely sanctified holy. The challenge of St. Paul in I Thess. 5:23-24 should set all human hearts on fire with an overwhelming desire to be at their best for God. Listen to Paul's challenge: "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body he preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it."
In instances where church leaders do not possess a pure white experience, regardless of how sincere they may be, their carnal, unsanctified influence is certain to put a damper on the spiritual tone of their church. God grant that as we prepare our young people for future leadership in the church, we will be thorough in our altar work and instruct them to face their carnal nature until they definitely pray through, and are sanctified both "holy" and "wholly." But how can this take place when those instructing the seekers (sometimes the pastor or evangelist) do not have pure sanctified hearts? If they have never taken the "death-route" themselves, how can they understand it, or intelligently instruct seekers? There is hardly anything more deteriorating to the spiritual life and power of any church than to have leaders who do not presently know the radical crucifixion of self, and the equally radical baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire.
If you are a leader, or official, on any level in the church, local or otherwise, there are those who are following you, and being influenced by you. My friend, does this thought not frighten you, or at least arouse judgment day solemnity?
BLJ: I remember my district moderator saying to me: “Brother Jenkins, your people will never pray more than you do, or study their Bible more than you.” I said that frightens me. He told me that the day it quit scaring me I needed to leave the ministry.
"If Christ would live and reign in me, I must die;
With Him I crucified must be;
I must die;
Lord, drive the nails, nor heed the groans, My flesh may writhe and make its moans, But in this way and this alone
I must die.
When I am dead, [dear] Lord, to Thee I shall live;
My time, my strength, my all to Thee I shall give.
O may the Son now make me free! Here Lord I give my all to Thee;
For time and for eternity. I will live."
BLJ: Leadership needs to lead people into holiness. However, when leadership is not sanctified, it will not be stressed in their churches.
LEADERSHIP'S LURID LACK
In the light of these testimonies one wonders how many church leaders, with their followers, have failed to "die out" to the bottom of their hearts, and become genuinely sanctified holy. The challenge of St. Paul in I Thess. 5:23-24 should set all human hearts on fire with an overwhelming desire to be at their best for God. Listen to Paul's challenge: "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body he preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it."
In instances where church leaders do not possess a pure white experience, regardless of how sincere they may be, their carnal, unsanctified influence is certain to put a damper on the spiritual tone of their church. God grant that as we prepare our young people for future leadership in the church, we will be thorough in our altar work and instruct them to face their carnal nature until they definitely pray through, and are sanctified both "holy" and "wholly." But how can this take place when those instructing the seekers (sometimes the pastor or evangelist) do not have pure sanctified hearts? If they have never taken the "death-route" themselves, how can they understand it, or intelligently instruct seekers? There is hardly anything more deteriorating to the spiritual life and power of any church than to have leaders who do not presently know the radical crucifixion of self, and the equally radical baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire.
If you are a leader, or official, on any level in the church, local or otherwise, there are those who are following you, and being influenced by you. My friend, does this thought not frighten you, or at least arouse judgment day solemnity?
BLJ: I remember my district moderator saying to me: “Brother Jenkins, your people will never pray more than you do, or study their Bible more than you.” I said that frightens me. He told me that the day it quit scaring me I needed to leave the ministry.
"If Christ would live and reign in me, I must die;
With Him I crucified must be;
I must die;
Lord, drive the nails, nor heed the groans, My flesh may writhe and make its moans, But in this way and this alone
I must die.
When I am dead, [dear] Lord, to Thee I shall live;
My time, my strength, my all to Thee I shall give.
O may the Son now make me free! Here Lord I give my all to Thee;
For time and for eternity. I will live."
BLJ: Leadership needs to lead people into holiness. However, when leadership is not sanctified, it will not be stressed in their churches.
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