Lesson Outcomes
At the end of this lesson you should be able to:
- Know what Christian leadership is about
- State the characteristics of Christian Leadership
- Quote the scriptures related to Christian Leadership
Watch Video Lesson
One John Maxwell said
Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.
Warren Bennis also says
Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.
Robert Clinton, in his attempt to define leadership, says,
Leadership is a dynamic process in which a man or woman with God-given capacity influences a specific group of God’s people toward His purposes for the group.
Christian leadership is a process of influencing a community to use their God-given gifts toward a goal and purpose as led by the Holy Spirit.
Christian Leadership is about Empowering others
Christian leadership, the kind that honors God, is not about the accumulation of power. Rather, it is about empowering others.
When we find ourselves in positions of power, we have to be willing, to view our role as leaders as opportunities to serve others through love; it is always an opportunity to serve.
Leaders are not to oppress and overpower others with their authority, like the Gentiles practiced. Instead, leaders serve others, which Jesus demonstrated when He “made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:7-8).
Being respected or gaining some honor because of the positions we hold is just God’s glory on us for our service.
The moment we move from glorifying God to glorifying self, then pride comes in. Then we begin to Lord it over others. It is a very thin bridge and that is why we must constantly pray for the Spirit of humility
Christian Leadership Principles
- Love
God is love (1 John 4:8) and “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5).
Expressing the power and influence of the love of God is difficult to overemphasize. 1 Corinthians 13, speaks about the transformational nature of love and how it is greater than spiritual gifts like faith and hope. Jesus told His disciples that other people will know them by their love (John 13:35).
Any Christian leader should be driven in his or her life by the love of God in anything that he or she does.
- A prayer life.
Every leader chosen by God must be prayerful.
But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
Luke 5:16
Jesus was always escaping ministry opportunities to pray. He would get up early and go out to pray. He would climb a mountain or go into a garden and pray. It was during these times of prayer where he got his orders to move from the Father.
Jesus understood that to be a great leader you had to first be a great follower. And Jesus was following the Father’s lead.
In John 5:19 Jesus gives us his secret to great leadership,
Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
Jesus used his prayer times to see and sense what the Father was doing and then follow his lead. We, too, must make time to escape and pray. Whether it’s going on prayer walks with the Father or finding that quiet space in our houses, we must make time to pray!
3. Modesty
Proverbs 16:5 says the proud of heart are “an abomination” to God. Being arrogant does not help model or demonstrate Christ’s interests. Rather, it is in direct conflict with Christian leadership.
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
Proverbs 16:18-19
4. Self-development
You also need to learn a lot to be better at it
Jesus often “constantly slipped away to spend time with God.”
Christian leaders can follow Jesus’ example of seeking God for insight into His will and for strength. Becoming more righteous is a lifelong process for all Christians, and leaders need to make time to grow spiritually.
5. Motivation
Instead of misleading or exploiting people, good leaders motivate others.
Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace
Nehemiah 2:17
Nehemiah motivated the people to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. He laid out a vision, he shared a plan and he reassured God’s people that God was with them.
When we are moving people for our benefit, we manipulate and exploit them. But when we call people to a higher purpose, we motivate them.
People development works best through inspiration, not authority. When people are inspired, they bring out the best in them rather than when they’re forced
6. Correction
Correcting others in the right way is important for all Christians. Many passages in Scripture speak to this principle, as the following examples illustrate:
And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching
Hebrews 10:24-25
And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all
1 Thessalonians 5:13-14
But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will
2 Timothy 2:23-26
Here are a few steps Christian leaders can use to approach correcting others in the right way.
- By understanding their temperaments
- By respecting their concerns
- By believing in their gifts
- By supporting their dreams
- By challenging their flaws
7. Integrity
Good leaders practice and value integrity. People don’t follow leaders who lack integrity
Righteous lips are the delight of kings, And they love him who speaks what is right.
Proverbs 16:13
Integrity involves practicing what we preach, being consistent and dependable, doing what we say we will do and living in such a way that others will trust us.
8. Follower of God’s Will
A good leader seeks the Lord, commits his way to the Lord and the Lord establishes the next steps.
The preparations of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD. …Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established. …A man’s heart plans his way,But the LORD directs his steps.
Proverbs 16:1, 3, 9
God bless you and make you a great leader.