We live in a world where we generally communicate with the use of words. Interestingly, what we hear and read is often presented with an incredible, spectacular, and unbelievable multiplicity of adjectives.
What adjective would you use to describe your leadership?
Godly! Spiritual! Righteous! Knowledgeable! Patient! Compassionate! Faithful!
Such descriptive terms have a nice ring. Today, let us strive to lead others in a manner that is described biblically.
Enduring life’s challenges is an ability strengthened by victorious faith. Understand that others have also overcome. See the great cloud of witnesses, biblically, historically, and personally.
Trust that God will keep His promises. He will see you through every trial. The adage claims, “If He brings you to it, He will see you through it.” Run with endurance the race that is set before you.
No matter how great the obstacle, at its worst it is still temporary. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus who for the joy before Him endured the cross, despised the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of God.
Developing a familiarity between leaders and followers takes time and a process that involves several key factors.
A mutual respect for the life experiences of each other builds a stronger relationship of trust in the common goals and expectations.
Another critical component to familiarity is to share life experiences with each other. The biblical teaching of “weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice” must be applied.
Create an open door policy that contributes to the approachability of everyone involved. Achieving this task is not easy, but the results bring lasting leadership.
How we address familiarity can hinder or strengthen our leadership.
What are we doing to address the present condition of leadership? What are we doing about the future of leadership? What are we doing to develop biblical leaders?
Challenges face every move to improve the situation. Efforts to make a difference are viewed with skepticism.
Enthusiasm to learn and implement something new or different is sequestered off in the halls of youth and familiarity.
What are we doing to change eternity if the only thing we do is exactly what we have done for the past 50, 75, or 100 years?
At some point, we need to recognize where we are, where we are going, and what we must do to get there.
Jim Rohn expresses an incredible thought: “If someone is going down the wrong road, he doesn’t need motivation to speed him up. What he needs is education to turn him around.”
The basic understanding of a leader is someone who is able to move others from point A to point B.
A biblical development of leadership prescribes the idea of helping those who are outside of Christ (point A) to turn from a self-directed life to obediently follow the Savior (point B).
A key element of this prescriptive help is an education built on biblical truth.
Leaders often struggle with making decisions.
Leaders need to practice the following: 1) examine the scripture to make sure that a decision is biblical and not just follow the flow of popularity or opinion, 2) never rush a decision, but do not hesitate between two opinions either, 3) if the decision is right, then make it, 4) remember, not every decision will please everyone.
The next generation of leaders needs to learn how to make sound, biblical decisions.
More could be said, but the responsibility of training the next generation of leaders to be decisive is crucial to the future.
As leaders, several questions are important to consider regarding principles.
1) Why should we have principles to govern behavior?
2) What rule or belief governs our personal behavior?
3) Do we have a rule or belief in place for this purpose?
4) Are these rules or beliefs based on humanistic or biblical foundations?
5) Will others see consistency between our principles and behavior?
A life lived by biblical principles will always influence others. Consistently living by our principles directly connects to the integrity needed for powerful leadership.
When leaders answer these questions in relationship to principles and behavior, the steps to harmonize them develops a leader worth following.
When leadership exists without the suspicion of motives and actions on the part of followers, a environment exists described as unsuspecting leadership.
When a leader’s character exemplifies the kind of integrity that is built on values of godliness, then the motives and actions of the leader are not questioned by followers.
The beauty of biblical leadership is found when both ideas are present in the relationship. The result displays trust, not a trust that is superficial, but one that provides transparency and strengthens the core of the church.
Developing this relationship takes time. Quality and durability are rarely the reward of implementing something quickly.
Mark Twain expressed the following idea, “Great things can happen if we don’t care who gets the credit.”
John Maxwell took this idea to another level saying, “Great things can and actually do happen when we give others the credit.”
We know from a biblical perspective that spiritual leadership will not allow a self-centered attitude to exist. Instead, scripture indicates over and over the need to seek after the well-being of others.
Jesus provided this example for us and He desires we pursue the same direction. The result might just develop what Simon Sinek refers to as a “Circle of Safety.”
A description of the need to study leadership covers a wide spectrum. God’s design is the overarching premise by which we understand the necessity of leadership.
The lack of leadership, or the representation of poor leadership, is plaguing the church.
Decisions are left to the majority vote in a men’s business or congregational meeting. Sadly, the minority generally rules when this occurs.
According to God’s design, elders (leaders) were appointed to shepherd and provide biblical direction for God’s people. When this does not occur, the church suffers.
Therefore, the urgency for biblical leadership must be a priority for His church today.