Speaking at the All India Conference of Rev. Ak Rama (Aikosim), chairman of the Asia-Pacific Baptist Federation and vice-president of the National Council of Baptist Churches in India, the Vice President of the Indian Church issued the Indian Church’s Call to build leadership that can survive beyond personality, office and title.
In the broad overall speech on the second day of Congress, Rama emphasized that “sustaining” leadership is rooted in integrity, sustainability and spiritual authority. He warned that he created a personality-driven move to centralize power, stick to position, and to step into the foot when the founder is gone. Instead, he urged pastors and leaders to prepare for succession, empower the younger generations, and embrace the humility of service.
“This council reminds us that the church is not built solely on the charisma of one leader,” Rama said. “It is built on developing disciples, leaders who can pass through the baton and serve beyond us.”
Learn from past examples
Lama began by noting that there are no leaders who are not free from criticism, but no leaders. Even Jesus was betrayed by one of his own disciples. However, he said that the Bible defines leadership not through human achievements but through faithfulness to God. Quoting Luke 2:52, he pointed out Jesus’ growth as a model of overall leadership development “in wisdom and height, and in favour of God and man.”
He urged representatives to learn from both the successes and failures of leaders he had done before. “Those who do not learn from the past are destined to repeat this,” he said, citing the “great cloud of eyewitnesses” of the Hebrews as an example of lasting faith.
As a modern illustration, Llama briefly referred to the life of evangelist Billy Graham, who was recognized as one of the most influential Christian leaders of the 20th century. Graham’s integrity, humility and willingness to adapt to new technologies helped him maintain his global ministry for 60 years. Lama noted that Graham’s early commitment to accountability and transparency (known as the Modesto Manifesto) protected him from scandals that often involve public leaders.
“Billie Graham showed us the value of humility, focus and team building,” Lama said. “But even his ministry raises questions about how well the power of the succession and the next generation are given. We must learn from both his strengths and the challenges left behind.”
The risk of centralization
From there, Rama turned to what he described as a significant weakness of many churches and ministries in India. It is the centralization of authority of one leader or family. He said that when too many decisions are concentrated in a single office, the organization is stagnating and struggles to grow.
“In both the East and West, people praise their leaders to the extent that the movement’s vision is privatized and detained,” he said. “The bylaws have even been amended to maintain power in order to place the power of a few hands. However, when leadership is reduced to dynasty and personality, the future becomes unsettling.”
Rama drew his own experiences in ministry leadership to explain how decentralization can change an organization. In the North India province he assessed in 2014, he found that everything was “over-centered” and thus its growth was hampered. When the group finally adopted the variance model, staff of 24 and 16 were expanded to 70 from one centre to 11 centres and six language groups.
“Should the Bible move to believe in the placement of the Holy Spirit of all believers practice decentralization?” asked the llama.
Rama pushed his point with a candid story about the dangers of clinging to leadership.
“I recall my experiences at church, where the young people asked if it was okay to pray that someone would die early,” he said. “I said I can’t answer until I know the context. He said the pastor is a great man of God. He founded a church and has been pastoring it for the past 40 years. He is now 85 years old and focuses almost all his decisions and activities around him.
The painful sincerity of the story underlined the llama’s warning. Leaders who refuse to hand over responsibility can restrain the very community they have built. “Leaders have to realize that we are not essential,” he said. “If God can lead you, he can lead others.”
Treat the next generation as sons and daughters
Rama argued that biblical leadership requires treating young leaders as sons and daughters, not as rivals and fans. He pointed out the apostle Paul. The apostle Paul described himself as both a nursing mother and a father of encouragement for the Thessalonians.
“Paul didn’t build any fans or followers around him,” Lama said. “He invested as spiritual children in people like Timothy and Titus and raised them for leadership.”
In contrast, the rama grieved, and many senior pastors in India failed to change the constitution or lead successors to maintain power. Even if an assistant pastor is appointed, decisions often remain centralized in the hands of senior pastors. “They will become the chiefs of the village, not the shepherds,” warned the llama.
He called on the church to create structured opportunities for internships and mentoring so that young pastors can gain first-hand experience. “As planned inheritance and intentional apprentices, the next generation is left without preparation,” he said.
Integrity and sustainability
Turning to the personal qualities of leaders, Rama opposed the temptation of status, fame and financial compromise. Although leadership roles can be attractive, he said, they can also blur their eyesight and create unrealistic expectations.
He spoke of his time as general secretary of the Baptist Church Council in northeastern India, overseeing 8,500 churches and many institutions. After a period of time he decided to resign and resisted the pressure to continue. “It was an attractive position,” he recalled. “But I knew it was time to hand over the baton to someone else.”
He also warned that pastors opposed the temptation of financial shortcuts in a context where they often face limited pay and low security. “No one can serve two masters,” he said. He quoted Jesus in Matthew 6:24. “We must prepare to deny opportunities to undermine integrity.”
Rama observed that today’s leaders are vulnerable to moral and economic pitfalls as well as scrutiny in the digital age. He spoke about a pastor who fell into online gambling because his laptop was only exposed when it was repaired by members of his congregation.
“You’re never alone,” Rama said. “Even if you think you’re alone on your laptop, you’ll have a digital print after you. Above all, there’s a CCTV from heaven. The Lord always watches.”
He emphasized that honesty is difficult to earn, but easy to lose. “Christian leaders may not always be rewarded for their good work,” he said. “But if they are discovered in sin, the world will expand it a thousand times.”
Love as a measure of leadership
At the heart of the continued leadership, the llama is unconditional, undesirable, sacrificial, comprehensive love. He argued that this is the only love that supports leaders through challenges and unites the church throughout the department.
“Leadership shall fail the test of integrity and spiritual authority if we are perceived as part of one community or if we love our own opinions,” he said. “We must embody humility, perseverance, forgiveness and love across tribal, regional and sectarian lines.”
The Lama concluded by urging leaders to measure their influence by the legacy they leave, not the length of their offices. “Leadership doesn’t last long because we chase something outside of ourselves,” he said. “It continues for what we grow in ourselves and in others.”
He cited Indian leaders such as Pastor Ben Wati, who helped translate the Bible into his native language, served in the evangelical fellowship of the Evangelical Alliances of India and the World, and left behind a legacy of selfless service. “People don’t forget what you do as a leader,” Rama said. “A good Bible leader has left examples to emulate.”
Finally, he reminded his representatives that true leadership must always be accountable before God. Quoting 32:23, he said, “You must find thee, and you will never be alone; you will be found in heaven, and you will live in the way that your legacy will lead you to build the body of Christ for generations to come.”
