I was recently revisiting a study I'd done on godly leadership, back when Tara and I were engaged and in the process of premarital counseling, and thought it might be beneficial to share here.
This will be a little different than my typical rambling post that goes on for paragraphs. I've opted instead to leave my thoughts in bullet-pointed lists, with links to all applicable passages for anyone who is interested in further study. Hopefully this will be both as humbling and encouraging to you as it was to me.
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Godly Leadership
A leader is first a
follower
- a follower is humble and submissive to imperfect human authorities; this means choosing to submit even when one knows the authority is wrong (Luke 2.51; John 19.11)
- a follower practices submission, not stubbornness; meekness, not weakness (Phil 2.5-8; Isaiah 66.2)
- a follower is continually dependent upon the Spirit – daily surrendering self for the purpose of glorifying God, allowing the Spirit to do the living (Gal 5.16, 25)
- a follower allows himself to be led by the Spirit -- recognizing that He will lead to places of suffering and trials, and still going willingly (Matt 4.1-11)
- a follower cannot move toward the death of self without daily learning to deny self (Luke 9.23-26).
A mature disciple lives like Jesus lives, denying personal "rights" and following with a submissive spirit; in so doing, he becomes a leader among men.
Characteristics of
a leader
- mature, devoid of youthful foolishness, and spiritually strong (2 Tim 2.22-26; 1 Cor 16.13-14)
- delights in keeping the commands of the Lord, recognizing that keeping them is the “whole duty of man” (Ecc 12.13, John 15.8-13; Psa 119.97)
- mourns for his sinful condition (Matt 5.4)
- is exuberantly thankful for God's grace (1 Thess 5.18; Psa 100)
- rejoicing in forgiveness (Zeph 3.15-17)
- sacrificial, the way Christ sacrificed for us (John 10.11; 15.13)
- daily devoted to reading, studying, and teaching the Word (Psa 1.1-2; 19.7-11)
- values productivity and a good reputation (Matt 12.33-37; Luke 6.44)
- practices vigilance (Luke 12.35-37)
- practices humility (Jas 4.10)
- Prophet: effectively communicates truth in encouragement, rebuke, and instruction
- Priest: prayerfully intercedes on the behalf of others, and inspires/encourages daily worship
- King: leading versus lording: provides direction and exhibits authority with kindness, grace, and humility
A leader's ultimate goal is to be like Christ, delighting in becoming holy
as He is holy. His ultimate desire is to not just see the grace of God revealed to him personally, but also to
share the power of that grace with others.
A leader recognizes
that sin begins in the heart
- a leader recognizes that protection against sin begins with mental preparedness (1 Pet 1.13; 2 Cor 10.5)
- a leader flees from places/areas of temptation, recognizing that half the battle is removing areas of weakness (1 Cor 10.13; 1 Peter 2.11; Jas 4.7; Matt 6.13)
- a leader understands that we have a tendency to fool ourselves into thinking we are living well (Jer 17.9); therefore, a leader checks his confidence with genuine self-evaluation, seeing himself through God's eyes as opposed to the lens his own thinking (1 Cor 10.13; Heb 4.12)
- a leader is not shackled by past failures; a leader remembers God's faithfulness (Isa 43.18)
- a leader specifically addresses issues of temptation and removes them at the root to prevent falling into sin (Matt 18.9)
- a leader practices regular confession and repentance, keeping a short account of sin (Jas 5.16; 1 Cor 13.7)
- a leader recognizes his responsibility to protect himself and those under his leadership from things that could potentially lead to temptation (1 John 2.16)
A leader understands that it is not enough to treat just the presenting symptoms by changing behavior, but that the source of the problem must also be addressed.
A leader recognizes the
priorities of God
- a leader takes joy in loving others (causing joy in them through his expression of joy) (John 15.11)
- a leader practices a lifestyle which reflects the requirements of the Lord and exhibits the fruits of holiness (Gal 5.22-23)
- through love and truth, a leader edifies both peers and followers (Eph 4.15-16)
- a leader glorifies God, not himself (John 7.18)
- a leader passionately follows the commandments of the Lord (John 14.21)
- a leader is motivated both by future reward (Rom 8.23; Phil 3.21), but also by the immediate benefit of glorifying God through loving others (John 13.34)
- a leader recognizes the temporal nature of things of this world, valuing instead the steadfast love of the Lord (Psa 63.3; 1 John 2.17; Heb 10.34)
A leader is more concerned with the pursuit of righteousness and wisdom than pleasing self or others.
A
leader recognizes his responsibilities to others
- a leader takes joy in others' joys, and sorrows in others' sorrows (Rom 12.15)
- a leader recognizes that true blessing comes not from self-motivated morality, but as a result of worshiping the Father through love for others and joy in Christ (Acts 20.35)
- a leader practices whole-hearted ministry and service (1 Pet 5.2)
- a leader is committed to growth through interaction and accountability (Prov 27.17), and practices the type of conduct which inspires others to godly action (Heb 10.24)
- a leader is prepared for proactive and defensive Christian living through careful study of the Word (2 Tim 3.16-17; Eph 6.10-20)
- a leader recognizes that the underlying joy in sacrificial lifestyle lies in doing what is truly pleasing to God (Micah 6.8; Psa 51.17; 2 Cor 9.7; Deut. 10.12)
A leader is willing to give up what he wants for the benefit of others: love always requires some kind of self-denial, and often demands suffering.
Therefore
A leader is a type of Christ, a man or woman who values the things of God more than the things of this world, and loves other believers in the following ways: by encouraging growth, by actively serving, by placing others' needs ahead of his or her own, and by valuing other believers the way the Father values them. In mirroring Christ, a leader should “rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep” (Rom 12.15), an empathy that can only be developed through careful and considerate attention to the other's needs. Therefore, a leader should practice the discipline of "gracious listening" -- in the same way that God hears our prayers and bears our concerns on His heart. A leader will seek to portray the Father in every way, being ultimately devoted to the command to be holy as God Himself is holy.
A leader is a type of Christ, a man or woman who values the things of God more than the things of this world, and loves other believers in the following ways: by encouraging growth, by actively serving, by placing others' needs ahead of his or her own, and by valuing other believers the way the Father values them. In mirroring Christ, a leader should “rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep” (Rom 12.15), an empathy that can only be developed through careful and considerate attention to the other's needs. Therefore, a leader should practice the discipline of "gracious listening" -- in the same way that God hears our prayers and bears our concerns on His heart. A leader will seek to portray the Father in every way, being ultimately devoted to the command to be holy as God Himself is holy.
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