Theology and doctrines are more than information and knowledge for ethereal discussions between theologians and scholars. Through the study of God (theology), we find truth and principles (doctrine) to be taught and applied in our daily lives. Transformation comes from the application of truth, moving knowledge from the ethereal into praxis (Luke 1:1-4, New American Standard Bible). One such doctrine is Reconciliation, which we will view through the lens of leadership.
Leadership theories and principles are being applied within Church contexts to form strategies for leadership development and infrastructure with a radical shift in organizational government away from biblical models in favor of business models. This shift denotes a fall or separation from fundamental truths in support of current trends under the disguise of efficiency and relevancy. In this environment, the gospel becomes a product rather than a strategy. The goal of this post is to reverse this course through a gospel-centric look at leadership. Our focus is on the effect of reconciliation on specific areas of leadership.
Reconciliation is, by nature, the outworking of the gospel and should govern the leadership actions of both leaders and followers and bring definition to leadership context and methodology. The approach to analyzing the connection between reconciliation and leadership will be two-fold. An explanation will be done in theological terms and through a biblical survey on the doctrine. Once we build a theological and biblical foundation, we can then move to the application of this doctrine in the life of the leader in areas such as purpose, roles, methodologies, and context.
The shift of focus to bring this specific central theme to the forefront of leadership activity is paramount based on the life-shaping nature of doctrines. Doctrines motivate change, help us to know God and understand his character, define our purpose, and bring context to actions. A leader who understands the centrality of reconciliation will be motivated not by efficiency and relevancy, but a greater understanding of what God has done and is doing. This understanding equates to growth and spiritual health, which is vital to the demand of leadership and outworking of the gospel. “For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in spiritual wisdom and understanding…bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” Colossians 1:9-10.
Explanation of the Doctrine of Reconciliation
The doctrine of reconciliation is a central theme in Christianity. According to Elwell (1984), “Since a right relationship with God is the heart of all religion, reconciliation which makes access, welcome, and fellowship possible for all may be held the central concept in Christianity” (p. 917). James Denney, a Scottish theologian, describes reconciliation as cited by Rowan (2012), “the central and fundamental experience of the Christian religion…not so much one doctrine as the inspiration and focus of all” (p. 17). The reconciliation experience according to Berkouwer (1965) in a commentary on Paul writes “to the relationship of peace which is brought about by the death of Christ, to the communion in contrast with the previous enmity, to the reconciliation as the removal of all obstacles, to the access to the Father” (p. 255). God is a personal God who wants a relationship with His creation, and this is the essence of the gospel message. Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the famous preacher in a sermon on 2 Corinthians 5:18, says the object of true gospel ministry is reconciliation (Spurgeon, 1877).
Reconciliation is a doctrine widely attributed to the Apostle Paul (Elwell, 1984, p. 917). While Paul’s writings may act as the primary source for understanding, this truth is part of the redemption narrative from the entrance of sin in the world to the death of Christ on the cross. Sin separated man through alienation from God and created a hostile relationship. Through the death of Christ on the cross, the antagonistic relationship has a path to peace with God, initiated by God (Colossians 1:19-22). According to Chafer and Walvoord (1974) “The Greek word katallasso, meaning “to reconcile,” has the thought of bringing God and man together by thoroughly changing man…reconciliation is not that God changes, but that His relationship to man changes because of the redeeming work of Christ” (p. 62). The translation of katallasso as “reconcile” in NT texts appears in Romans 5:10, 1 Corinthians 7:11, and 2 Corinthians 5:18-20. The thought of reconciliation, according to Thiessen and Doerkson (1979), is as follows:
“God and man stood face to face with each other in perfect harmony. In sinning, Adam turned his back upon God. Then God turned his back upon Adam. Christ’s death has satisfied the demands of God and not God has again turned his face toward man. It remains for man to turn around and face God. Since God has been reconciled by the death of his Son, man is now entreated to be reconciled to God. In the largest sense of that word, God has reconciled to himself, not only man, but also all living things in heaven and on earth.” (p. 239).
Conner (1980) defines “to reconcile” as “to make friends and bring together those who are at variance, or enmity, or to cause to be conformed to, or adjusted to, a specified norm or standard” (p. 242). Sin created separation and alienation from God (Colossians 1:21). It is man, not God, that must be reconciled (Colossians 1:22). Conner (1980) agrees with Thiessen and Doerksen on the thought of reconciliation and adds the references of Hosea 5:15; 6:1-2; Isaiah 59:1-2; Genesis 4:13-14 into the conversation (p. 242). Reconciliation is used in other applications in the New Testament that sufficiently supply a further illustration of this doctrine: (1) marriage (1 Corinthians 7:11) and (2) family relationships (Matthew 5:24). According to Conner (1980), “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself…the Church has been given the…ministry of reconciliation. As the Body of Christ in the earth, the Church stands in Christ’s stead to beseech men to be reconciled to God (II Corinthians 5:18-21)” (p. 243). The idea is that reconciliation is not just a single transaction in simplistic form but a complicated action that is incorporated into the Church to be an outworking of the gospel (Martin, 2010, 238).
Biblical Foundation
From Genesis 1:1 through Genesis 3:6a, God and man are in a harmonious relationship where there is no alienation or separation. In Genesis 3:6b, sin enters the world, and in Genesis 3:7, Adam and Eve recognize a change in their Garden experience. Genesis 3:8, God shows up in the Garden of Eden, and from Genesis 3:9 through Genesis 3:24, God sets forth the new relationship parameters between God and man and between Adam and Eve. After God casts judgment, God drives out Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden as an act of mercy and judgment. Genesis 3:15 is the promise that God will provide a way to reconcile the relationship between God and man. In this passage, the actual term reconcile is not used. However, this verse is the foundation of both the need and solution for reconciliation.
Old Testament
Reconcile is found five times in the King James Version (KJV), and reconciliation is found eight times in the KJV. According to Connor (1980), “The word “reconcile” in the Greek language has its own particular meaning, different from the Hebrew word” (p. 242). In Hebrew, there are two words: kaphar and chata’. Kaphar is used in Leviticus 8:15; Ezekiel 45:15, 17; Daniel 9:24 and can also be translated as atonement and means “to cover.” Chata’ is used in Leviticus 8:15 and translated purified, and 2 Chronicles 29:24 as to make or cause reconciliation. According to blueletterbible.org, 1 Samuel 29:4 is a unique passage that uses the Hebrew word ratsah “it is of some importance in guiding to the New Testament meaning.” Ratsah means to be pleased with or to accept favorably. The Hithpael form of the word which is used here means to reconcile oneself.
New Testament
In the New Testament, there is one reference to reconciliation not in Paul’s writings. The reference is Matthew 5:24, which has to do with reconciling with a brother before presenting an offering to the Lord. The principle is applicable and is in alignment with the doctrine and underlines the importance God puts on reconciliation. All references for doctrinal purposes, however, come from Paul in Romans 5:11, 2 Corinthians 5:18-20, Ephesians 2:16, and Colossians 1:20-22.
Romans 5:1-11, 11:15
Paul writes in Romans 5:8-9, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.” God reached out while sin still separated us and made a way through the death of Christ to be reconciled to Himself. Justified we no longer live as enemies of God, but by faith, “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). This is reconciliation—an act initiated by God—by the death of His son to defeat sin and death to give us life in a right relationship by faith with Him (Romans 5:10-11). The word used in Romans 5:11 and 11:15 is the Greek word katallage, which is a noun. According to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, katallage means an “adjustment of a difference, reconciliation, restoration of favor.”
2 Corinthians 5:18-20
In 2 Corinthians 5:18-20, Paul emphasizes God is the one who initiates reconciliation. The key verse, “Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18). The word used here is the Greek verb katallasso, which means restoration to favor. Paul, using a verb to describe God’s actions, tells us that it is through Jesus that reconciliation takes place. This is an echo from Romans as we are incapable of reconciling with God on our own.
Ephesians 2:16
Reconciliation is rooted in the relationship between God and man. As discussed earlier, sin created a hostile relationship that could only be reconciled by the redemptive work of Christ on the cross (Colossians 1: 20-22). Paul here writes, “and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.” As we recall Genesis 3:15, God says, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.” This was a reference to Jesus Christ, and Paul links the work of the cross to the very instance that fractured the relationship. Paul used the Greek word apokatallasso, which is a verb that means to bring back to a former state of harmony.
Colossians 1:20-22
Colossians 1:20-22 is a summation of the doctrine and the key to understanding its application. It unifies the message in Romans, 2 Corinthians, and Ephesians in a singular and distinct declaration. “and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross…and although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you.” Paul uses the same Greek word here in Colossians as he did in Ephesians 2:16.
Application of Reconciliation to the Life of the Leader
Reconciliation is, by nature, an outworking of the gospel that affects all areas of leadership. The nature of reconciliation, according to Bar-Tal (2004), “involves modifying motivations, beliefs, and attitudes” (p. 1). The most central doctrine of the Christian experience transforms a leader’s identity, shapes character, connects the leader to God’s mission, and gives definition to the purpose (Colossians 1:20-22). Therefore, having been reconciled, molding our motivation, beliefs, and attitudes to be in alignment with God’s word is crucial to staying in God’s purpose for leaders in a broken and fractured world. According to Paul 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 we are (1) prepared the purpose of God by God (2 Corinthians 5:5), (2) controlled by the love of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:14), (3) given a new life (2 Corinthians 5:17), (4) given the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18), and (5) identified with Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). The God-given purpose is not a singular concept and includes the sum reason to exist, and mission frames purpose into actions.
Leaders bring hope and serve God by restoring God’s image (Harris, pg. 1). Leadership creates a framework for mission fulfillment through the ministry of reconciliation (Radzik, Linda and Murphy, Colleen, 2019). Rowan (2012) quotes the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelisation, “The Mission of God in our fallen, broken world is reconciliation” (p. 34). What is that reconciliation? It would be the same as what God did for us, which was to bring peace (Romans 5:1). Volf (2001) writes, “Reconciliation contains a turn away from enmity toward people, not just from enmity to God” (p. 19). Enmity is a consistent part of societal life since the fall of man. The purpose of leadership is to reflect the image of God to a broken world bringing peace and hope; according to Rowan (2012), “hope is an important dimension in the motivation to live transformed lives and for churches to be agents of reconciliation” (p. 48).
Role of the Leader
The purpose of the leader is to be the initiator of reconciliation following the example of God in Scripture (2 Corinthians 5:18). Conflict resolution is a core competency required by leadership. Leaders are to be grounded in doctrine and shaped by reconciliation. According to Campbell (2017), “Research shows organizational leaders view interpersonal conflict through the lens of personal perceptions, values, and beliefs, and conclude they must be true” (p. 19). Paul reminds us that while we operate the ministry of reconciliation, it is still God at work through us as ambassadors. It is not a work that we start, it’s Him, and the role of the leader is to initiate the action here on earth (2 Corinthians 5:19-20).
Strife and conflict are nothing new, especially between people. Sin created a chasm not only between God and man but also between individuals. Between individuals, there is a space. Sebastian (2003) describes the area as “the in-betweenness of human beings that the issue regarding the lack of peace and the necessity for reconciliation ought to be located” (p. 201). Leaders are to identify the space in between and be agents for peace and reconciliation.
A leader who has a proper perspective of reconciliation understands that it is only made possible through sacrifice. Investing in people and working through hostile situations is demanding and weighs heavily on leaders who are involved. Leaders must do what is necessary regardless of the difficulty. The motivation to keep going is the same as God’s motivation to carry out reconciliation, love for others. The role of the leader is to be a facilitator or reconciliation as a representative of God, staying grounded in values and principles, and motivated by love above all else. Actions by leaders are to come from a place in which we have been reconciled to Christ and are living in a way where there is alignment between actions and beliefs (Danaher, 2004).
Role of the Follower
The role of the follower is to (1) remember where we were rescued from, (2) we are reconciled to peace with God, (3) we are no longer alienated and hostile toward God, (4) engaging in evil deeds, (5) been reconciled to God through the death of Christ, and (6) to be presented holy before God (Colossians 1:13-22). These six items serve a two-fold purpose, which is to have a right and proper perspective of who we are, and of our new relationship in Jesus because of what he did. Perspective and relationship will lead to spiritual growth, staying steadfast in the faith.
Primary to the role of the follower is the attribute of learning and being teachable. Reconciliation is a gospel-centric doctrine born through sacrifice and forgiveness that transforms the follower into the image of Christ. The gospel and the connection of reconciliation and forgiveness orientate outward actions allowing the gospel to go forth, speaking hope and peace (Torrance, 2017, p. 7).
Paul, not only a leader, but he was also a follower. He was sold out to Jesus and became hyper-focused on the specific call and purpose for his life. To his followers, Paul tells them to follow his example as he follows Christ. Another aspect of the role of a follower is to do simply that, follow. In following, the believer is, according to Lozano (2012), “is called to participate in God’s mission of reconciliation. This includes obeying Jesus’ command to humbly make disciples of all nations” (p. 5). Lozano (2012) concludes with, “The Christian faith embraces reconciliation as the mission of God in our fallen and broken world…people who participate by being transformed into ambassadors of reconciliation to a broken world” (p. 20).
Leadership Methodology
What is leadership methodology? Leadership methodology is defined by Toney (1996) as “the sequence of actions, traits, and skills, that result in goal achievement.” Johnson (2019) writes, “as the world changes at an unprecedented pace, organizational leaders continue to contend with complex and more challenging problems, and the Church is no exception” (p. 25). What is true is this world is growing more complex as technology advances, and the Church needs to develop leadership methodologies to fulfill the mission of reconciliation.
Methods are the framework of attitudes, beliefs, and values created in context by leaders to accomplish the purpose of reconciliation. The source of this framework should come from the theology of Paul based in Romans, 2 Corinthians, and Colossians. There are underlying foundation principles that are the same; however, the application can look different depending on church governmental structure, size of Church, and culture.
One of the most important factors of leadership methodologies and reconciliation is motivation. Reconciliation motivated by selfishness is the opposite of the act from Jesus himself, and a current cultural paradigm shift has directed the dynamic of reconciliation toward individuals rather than God (Hamber, 2007, 120). Jesus has already done the work of reconciliation. Leaders’ responsibility is not giving reconciliation but inviting others to share in it.
God has a singular mission in the world, and it’s only recently that reconciliation is seen as the foundation to it. This new shift and understanding that the purpose is reconciliation have carried forward new perspectives and dimensions to evangelism, fellowship, and worship (Schreiter & Jorgensen, 2013). Understanding reconciliation leads to practice and application of new leadership methodologies needed to reach people
Specific Leadership Setting / Context
Reconciliation is a complex process and is expressed in different ways and contexts. The past has oversimplified this concept and, by doing so, has skewed the meaning and methodology. The process of reconciliation speaks to wholeness and thereby is messy and complicated. There are two concepts of reconciliation: biblical and secular. Before we can understand how lead in secular society creating policy, running companies, forming governments, and de-escalating world powers, we must first understand the biblical concept. Reconciliation has the power to transform nations when understood in the right context and all the dimensions and facets (Little & Maddison, 2017, p. 147).
Organizations operate on both a micro and a macro level. Each requires a different conceptualization for organizational leaders to be effective in creating a culture where reconciliation can exist (Campbell, 2017). There is a considerable amount of content related to leadership and leadership style amid conflict and organizational influence to move forward constructively due to the interpersonal nature of the process. Organizational alignment comes from leaders who can create a culture where reconciliation is understood, practiced, and applied in all levels of the organization.
A leader must be able to navigate conflict and understand the landscape of their sphere of leadership. (Kelman, 2010) identifies conditions in which groups have conflict can revise their identity and move forward in reconciliation. These conditions are to facilitate change. This concept of changing identity has biblical implications and can be understood in the work of the Holy Spirit to conform us to the image of Christ.
Concluding Thoughts
Doctrine is essential to everyday life and is critical in shaping our character, behavior, and our relationship with God. Of all the principles central to our Christian faith is the doctrine of reconciliation. As a result, reconciliation is, by nature, the outworking of the gospel and should govern the leadership actions of both leaders and followers and bring definition to leadership context and methodology.
Fresh insight is given by (Rice, 2012, p. 5) to the vision of reconciliation from a Christian perspective, which embodies a new reality created by God. This reality is not rooted in traditional science and strategy, but the message of the gospel. This new reality is a gift from God, where we participate in what God has done through His initiative. This ongoing journey is not just a historical event remembered, but a current and present reality of the outworking of what God is doing in the earth as He builds His Church.
Redemption is the story that is forming our future to become more like Christ. One of the most potent parts of this story revealed is that reconciliation is keeping the actions of God at the center and not our own. This is reconciliation—an act initiated by God—by the death of His son to defeat sin and death to give us life in a right relationship by faith with Him (Romans 5:10-11). Martin Luther King, Jr. (1956) said:
“But the end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the beloved community. It is this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform opposers into friends. It is this type of understanding goodwill that will transform the deep gloom of the old age into the exuberant gladness of the new age. It is this love which will bring about miracles in the hearts of men.”
Paul understands as a leader the change taken place inside himself because of reconciliation as he writes in Colossians 1:29, “For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.”
The work of reconciliation is an outworking expression of the gospel that produces change first in us, and in the people, we lead.
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