Issue link: https://cp.revolio.com/i/1303633
So You Want To Be A Leader? WHAT IS CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP Campbells University Church leaders do not have the strong arm authority of military leaders or the financial incentives of the corporate world; they only have leadership skills on which to rely. Those leadership skills will define whether church leaders or all Christian leaders (because they have the same values and ) are successful. Where do they find the leadership principles needed to lead?" We need to look in God's Word." Christian leadership is not rooted in worldly notions of success, such as the love of money or power. Jesus Himself spoke against this when expressing the importance of serving others. But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." Matthew 20:25-28, NKJV 7 Christian Leadership Principles 1. Love: God is love (1 John 4:8) and "the love of God ha s 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. In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul famously wrote 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. In this light, may other people recognize the heart and motives of that leader. 2. Modesty: We've all encountered the know-it-all leader, the 'submit-or-else' type of leader," but 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 3. Self-development: Jesus modeled self-development . Jesus often slipped away to spend time with His Father. One of the most striking examples of this is when Jesus prayed in the garden at Gethsemane just before His arrest. Jesus knew "all things that would come upon Him" (John 18:4), including the painful flogging and crucifixion. 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 leade rs need to make time to grow spiritually. 4. Motivation: Instead of misleading or exploiting people, good leaders motivate others. In Nehemiah 2:17, Nehemiah fearlessly 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. 5. Correction: Max Dupree said, "Leaders do not inflict pain. Leaders bear the pain." Correcting others in the right way is important for all Christians. Many passages in Scripture speak to this principle (Hebrews 10:24-25, 1 Thessalonians 5:13-14, 2 Timothy 2:23-26). How can Christian leaders 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. 6. Integrity: Good leaders practice and value integrity. (Proverbs 16:13) People don't follow leaders who lack integrity. Integrity involves actions as well as words. 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." 7. Follower of God's Will: Is there anything more important in a leader than he or she seeking God's direction? 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)