Legacy Leadership: Wisdom Of The Apostle PaulShembull

Influence Without Asserting Authority – Part 3

Paul refused to rely on the reward and coercive power that were inherent in his formal position as an apostle. He could easily have manipulated his followers by offering rewards for obeying his commands and punishing them for not meeting his expectations. He imitated Jesus by following the Lord’s instruction to not “lord his authority over his followers.”

Although he refused to rely on his formal authority, Paul utilized a full range of influence and persuasion tactics. This is clear in his very personal letter to Philemon. He wrote to persuade Philemon to accept the return of a runaway slave named Onesimus, whom Paul had met and led to faith in Christ.

Therefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper, yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—since I am such a person as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus—I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment, who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me. I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart, whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel; but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will. (Philemon 8-14)

In this short letter, Paul again refuses to lean on his position as an apostle, even though he had “enough confidence in Christ to order” (v8) Philemon to do what was proper. Instead, he makes an explicitly emotional appeal for “love’s sake” (v9).

Paul also recognizes Philemon as a generous person who opens his home and through whom “the hearts of the saints have been refreshed” (v7). He asks Philemon to extend this same generosity to Onesimus. This appeal also incorporates the norm of reciprocity. Paul had been very generous to Philemon. In fact, Philemon owed his own salvation to Paul (v19). Now he is calling in that debt by urging him to follow Paul’s appeal to accept Onesimus not as a slave, but as a fellow believer and a “beloved brother” (v16). He asks that Philemon accept Onesimus as he would Paul himself (Philemon v17).

Paul could have relied on his apostolic authority and ordered Philemon to accept Onesimus. Instead called for a response based on the relationship and the bond of love he now had with both Philemon and Onesimus. Paul’s used a full-range of influence tactics that were directed to Philemon’s sense of generosity, honor, loyalty, and debt.

Reflect and Act on these questions:

• Have you ever been in leadership role where you did not have the legitimate authority of a formal title or position? In that situation, how effective were you? What contributed to your effectiveness?
• As with the Thessalonians, Paul refused to lean on his formal authority to influence Philemon. Which of Paul’s tactics would have had the most impact on you?
• We began this study plan by defining leadership as “intentional influence that takes place in the context of a relationship.” As you reflect on the way Paul led the Thessalonians and Philemon, how important was the context of the relationship?