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There are some questions you don’t need to ask believers. One of those is whether he or she is a leader. God has called all of His children to lead. Though we do it differently and we have differing gifts of leadership, the one common thread that weaves through the body of Christ is that every person should be leading.
The most basic idea of leadership is replication. Paul talked about this in 2 Timothy 2:2, “And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men.” Christ said it differently, but the theme is the same.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Amen (Matthew 28:19-20).
Jesus taught His disciples to be like Him, which is our primary objective. His disciples then taught others to follow them as they followed Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). Jesus identified a group of folks; he trained them. He died on a cross, rose from the grave, ascended to heaven, and left His disciples to carry out His missional strategies.
Jesus left behind a Christlike group of disciple-makers. There is more to biblical leadership than you replicating your Christ-life into another person, but if there is not at least a replicating effect into your sphere of influence, you will hinder the purposes of God in succeeding generations.
You and I must lead in such a way that it leaves the transformative effects of Christ on others. Any leadership activity that does not move a person toward Christ is not biblical leadership. No exceptions. Husbands must influence their wives to love Christ more. Wives should have a similar effect on their husbands. Parents impact children for Christ, as well as the kids motivating the parents to live for Christ.
Part of the reason that all Christians are leaders is that God made the human family into His image: God is a leader, and we mirror that image (Ephesians 5:1). Jesus gave us a perfect example of what biblical leadership looked like while He was on earth.
I’m not talking about having any kind of effect on someone. We all can impact a life, good or bad, merely by being themselves. My point here is a distinct gift of leadership given by God for the express purpose of replicating the Christ-life into another human being. That perspective is narrow in scope, though redemptive in the outcome.
Christian leadership means the believer is on a mission from God, which is different from someone trying to influence another for self-serving purposes. God profoundly communicated this perspective to Jeremiah as He laid out the trajectory of his life: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5).
It would be wrong to assume that every image-bearer will use his God-given gifting for redemptive purposes. There are millions of examples from the human family that highlight the abuse of the privilege to lead others. Adolf Hitler had a distinct leadership gift, and he used it for vile and heinous purposes. He is a picture of how a person can take an excellent gift and corrupt it.
Biblical leadership, on the other hand, is the purest form of leadership—the kind God intended. It is a person who uses their distinct leadership gift to lead people to a higher, better, deeper, and more passionate understanding of God. You measure the result by how they export to others what their leader gave to them. The two essential methods that a leader employs for these aims are their example and expertise.
To lead anyone well, you must be the most precise possible imitation of the person that you want others to emulate. Secondarily, but just as important, are the skills you use to help a person to become Christlike. Your example provides a picture for them as you teach them with expertise how to follow you as you follow Christ.
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Christian leaders are always on the prowl, identifying potential leaders who they can train. The husband is continuously thinking about his wife and how he can help her mature in Christ. She serves him similarly. The parents are identifying the uniqueness of their children and training them up in the way that they should go. This type of training is as pneumatic as it is principled.
Because each person is different, you do not “cookie-cutter” your training. You must ask the Spirit to illuminate your mind with the insight needed to train a unique person in Christlikeness. Principally, you’re making character and capacity assessments and then sculpting a plan to help this individual grow up into Christ.
Most Christians will only lead their spouses and children. Some of them may influence others, i.e., on the job or within the church. The scope or quantity of your influence should not be vital to you. The primary objective is to use what the Lord has given to you so that you can influence others.
Once you identify a potential leader—spouse, child, friend, etc., you want to isolate that person and begin a practical discipleship process. Your approach is always a mixture of assessments, training, application, and more assessing. You measure the results by how that person is influencing others.
Though you may be caring for many people at the same time, you’re developing those who are the closest to you. Even a pastor must follow these guidelines. He could have hundreds of people in his church, but his first call is to lead and develop his wife and family. Everybody will receive a leader’s care, but the leader does not treat everyone the same.
Here are a few leadership concepts that have universal application for all of us. The stay-at-home-mom and the corporate executive will benefit from these ideas. The pastor and the plumber can implement these truths within their spheres, hopefully impacting more future leaders for Christ.
Presence, Not Perfection – Since all image-bearers are leaders, what you don’t want to do is assume that each person is a fully-actualized one. My point here is that you’re not looking for the perfection of a leadership gift in a person but the presence of it. Who has perfected their leadership skills? Rather than focusing on where they are falling short, you want to identify their strengths and help them to mature in them.
You’re looking for the gift, even in its smallest and undeveloped form. Rarely do people come to you with a “perfected gift” of leadership. My daughter has a gift for leading, but she has not perfected it yet. It is my job to help her develop and grow this gift with a Godward orientation. It’s exciting and challenging to direct her path according to how God has gifted her.
All Spouses Are Leaders – I’ve made this case already, but it needs its own space; if you are married, you are a leader. Your gift might not be as pronounced as the most exceptional leader that you know, but you are still a leader. God has called you to lead your spouse. If you have children, He has called you to lead them, too. A spouse and parent’s responsibility is to lead their family to the fullness that God intends them to be.
Leadership Is Consistent – A true leader is consistent in their leadership endeavors. This idea means they are not just leaders at the office. If they lead at the office but do not lead at home, they are abusing their gift by not bringing glory to God or serving their family. This kind of compartmentalized leadership points to a sinful character issue. The leader should confess this sin to God and others, and a repentance process must happen.
Character Is Most Vital – Perhaps you have heard of someone getting a job because of his/her ability, but you knew there were character flaws in the person. This approach to hiring staff in the church happens regularly. In many cases, the hire proves to be a relational disaster. Having Liberace as your piano player at church may create a joyful noise, but it will be devastating to the church. If a person’s “public gifting” is the primary criterion for hiring or promoting, disappointment will follow.
Leadership in Dating – Girls, take note of what your boyfriend does with you during your dating season. I have written on how Sex Before Marriage Is the Beginning of a Trail of Tears. If he is not leading you spiritually before you are married, things won’t be any different after you tie the knot. Some people will dichotomize dating from future marriage. They see dating as a time for fun and their future marriage as a time for responsibility. These immature girls will assess their boyfriends on how much fun they have rather than how responsible he is.
Boys will make similar mistakes. They like her for her looks or how she makes them feel. Any relationship that has “what’s in it for me” as the main thing will not end well. Her character, good or bad, will set a trajectory in your lives that will reap a fruitful harvest or many bitter herbs.
Don’t Compare Yourself – You’re not Paul, the great apostle to the Gentiles. Don’t sweat it. There was only one apostle Paul, and he had a pronounced leadership gift. Perhaps you have someone else in your sightlines with whom you’re comparing yourself. Don’t be naive or immature. It does not serve you to compare yourself to anyone unless you’re squaring yourself up to Jesus. The better question is, how are you honoring God with what He has given to you?
Rick Thomas leads a training network for Christians to assist them in becoming more effective soul care providers. RickThomas.Net reaches people around the world through consulting, training, podcasting, writing, counseling, and speaking.
In 1990 he earned a BA in Theology, and in 1991 he received a BS in Education. In 1993 he was ordained into Christian ministry, and in 2000 he graduated with an MA in Counseling from The Master’s University in Santa Clarita, CA. In 2006 he was recognized as a Fellow of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC).