首領比對領導
作者：盧國禮
韋氏辭典將首領一辭定其義為一位執行者，智慧的權力核心﹐譬如：公司執行長、香港政府特首、美國總統、英國女皇等﹐他/她是領袖，思想與意志的主導者 ，乃是領導力、權柄和榮譽集大成者。
但參考聖經有關此辭，首領並不是領導的同義語﹐他/她卻不應該是決定和導向之惟一權力。並無支配統制。
不過，一位領導者會指引方向、途徑、行動、意見，帶入或引進影響力等。作為首領的他/她走在前面行動或指揮，宛似一位領導者。
耶穌對使徒說："外邦人有君王為主治理他們，那掌權管他們的稱為恩主。但你們不可這樣。你們裡頭為大的，倒要像年幼的；為首領的，倒要像服事人的。是誰為大？是坐席的呢？是服事人的呢？不是坐席的大麼？然而，我在你們中間如同服事人的。"(路加福音：22：25-27)。
David W.Augsburger 在《人與婚姻》（The Man and His Marriage）中說：
"......領導是一種應該共享的功能。管轄權於某情況下，乃是互相經過誠意商榷後之承責。這種商榷可隨時重新進行。
共同生活就是生活共享。共享愛、共享工作、共享機會、共享領導才能，甚至共享初步計策。男人，哪有名稱的首領，可代表二人在公事上履行公開的領導能力。女人，被認同彷如他同等伴侶，可共同引領，非逆他而行﹐他們共同選擇成長。......"(56 頁，For Men Only, J.Allan 編)
以弗所書5：22-33："......你們作妻子的，當順服自己的丈夫，如同順服主。因為丈夫是妻子的頭，如同基督是教會的頭，祂又是教會全體的救主。教會怎樣順服基督，妻子也要怎樣凡事順服丈夫。
保羅沒就此停止，他繼續說：
你們作丈夫的，要愛你們的妻子，正如基督愛教會，為教會捨己。要用水藉著道把教會洗淨，成為聖潔、可以獻給自己，作個榮耀的教會，毫無玷污、皺紋等類的病，乃是聖潔沒有瑕疵的。丈夫也當照樣愛妻子，如同愛自己的身子，愛妻子便是愛自己了。......然而[我]們各人都當愛妻子，如同愛自己一樣；妻子也當敬重她的丈夫。"(以弗所書5：22-33)
所以，丈夫彷如首領，在婚姻關係的歷程裏，必須負起責任，實行某些功能，使他倆共同邁進目標。領導權可交替，並無支配統制。阿們。
Headman vis-a-vis Leader
Francis Loo
The Webster's Dictionary defines "headman" as an executioner. Head is the seat (i.e., the centre) of the intellect. For instance: the director of an institution, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Government, the President of U.S.A., the Queen of U.K. . . . He or she is the leader, chief of the mind and brain—a place of leadership and greatest authority or honor.
Nevertheless, with reference to its meaning in the Bible, headman is not a synonym of leader. He or she ought not to be the sole authority in decisions and directions. Not dominating.
But a leader guides in direction, course, action, opinion, brings or induces influence . . . He or she goes at the head acting or conducting as a leader.
Jesus said to [his apostles]," The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors.
But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.
For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves" (Luke 22:25-27).
David W. Augsburger in The Man and His Marriage wrote:
". . . Leadership is a function which should always be shared. Authority in one area or another is a responsibility which is mutually designated to one or another through honest negotiation. It can be renegotiated at any time.
Life together is life shared. Shared love, shared work, shared opportunities, shared leadership, even shared initiative. Man, the nominal head, may function officially for both in public matters of leadership. Woman, recognized as his equal in partnership, leads with, and not against him. Together, they choose to grow. . . . "(P56, For Men Only, edited by J. Allan Petersen)
In Ephesians 5:22-33: Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. (Emphasis is mine.) Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Paul did not stop here. He then continued:
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. . . .
[E]ach one of [us] also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband (Ephesians 5:22-33).
Therefore, the husband as the head must accept responsibilities and perform certain functions in a marriage relationship in a way that advances both together toward their goals. Leadership may alternate but not a domination. Amen.