Christian Leadership is difficult to define. It is not because the Bible is silent on the topic. On the contrary, examples of leadership and teaching on leadership are found throughout the Old and New Testament. The challenge lies in the fact that a study of Christian leadership could include many aspects. It would include reference to the various qualifications of character. It could speak of a philosophy of leadership guided by heart attitudes and values. It could be understood as a set of actions modeled or taught in the Bible. It could be defined by examining the many models (both positive and negative) or leaders in the Bible. The article will attempt to look at leadership from each of these angles, in order to provide a helpful definition and biblical principles for exercising leadership. It will be focused specifically on church leadership, though many principles would apply to other ministry contexts.
Of first importance is answering the question: “What are the character qualifications of those who would be Christian leaders?” 1 Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:5-9 provide helpful lists of character qualifications for Elders and Deacons, the two official positions of the leadership in the church. Though these are meant for local church leadership, there is appropriate overlap with various leadership positions in para-church ministry and the Christian home. The most basic assumption for the Christian leader is that they are in fact a Christian. Not only that, they have a close and growing relationship with Jesus Christ. The general requirement is that the person be “above reproach,” while the remainder of the list provides specific qualities that fall under that umbrella. This is a person who has set a pattern of life in humility, holiness, and good works. They are recognized by the congregation (and even the outside world) as being mature and of good reputation. The leader’s character is a key contributor to their credibility as a leader. People will not follow (and should not follow) if they believe that the person leading is not “walking in a manner worthy of the gospel” (Phil 1:27, Ephesians 4:1). As Paul instructed Timothy, even as a young man, he was to set an example for the believers in every part of his life (1 Timtohy 4:12).
Another necessary angle is to consider the heart of the leader: “What key heart attitudes and values must this person have?” These will flow from the person’s character, but it is worth noting these distinctly. The Christian leader must have God and the Bible as their highest authority. Deuteronomy 17:18-20 tells of the command that every King of Israel should personally copy the entirety of the Law of the Lord as a way to humble himself, maintain reverent fear of God, and not stray from God’s commands. Christian leaders will not “lord it over” those they lead, as the Gentiles do, but humbly serve the needs of the body (Mark 10:35-45) as Christ did in giving himself up for the church (Eph 5:1). This element of self-sacrifice is only possible if the shepherd genuinely loves the sheep under his care. The Christian leader will always be an under-shepherd of the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:1-5), Christ Jesus, who is also the one before whom every knee shall bow to the glory and praise of God. They will be glad to function with a team of leaders for accountability and shared decision-making (Acts 15). The Christian leader must always be working for the glory of God, and never for themselves (1 Cor 10:31). All of these attitudes stem from a humble heart- submitted to God and His Word, serving others selflessly, and pursuing stewardship and not ownership.
Appropriate to ask at this point “Yes, I understand that their character must be above reproach and they must submit themselves to God’s Word and desire to serve rather than be served. But what does the Christian leader actually do?” A helpful image is that of a shepherd, which the New Testament employs often to describe the leader in the church. The shepherd will feed the sheep through sound teaching, whether that be teaching the Bible through faithful exposition, teaching sound doctrine, or developing a Christian worldview for every part of life. Every leader will be a teacher. Just as a shepherd leads the sheep in the direction they should go, the leader must have a vision for what the organization can and should be. But this vision is a result of a conviction that the leader has that comes from Scripture. This vision will need to be communicated to others in an effective way, which motivates them towards investing their time and energy towards that goal. And then, the leader needs to commit themselves to achieving the goal, often with perseverance and courage. They will need to take responsibility for making difficult decisions when it is necessary, for God has given them responsibility for the people they lead (Heb 13:17). Leaders will also protect the sheep, from outside threats and from themselves. Wolves may come to devour the flock, those false teachers and worldly influences which threaten the very souls of the people. The Good Shepherd laid down His life for the sheep, as the Christian leader is called to do likewise (John 10:15, 17). Shepherds will also provide a loving correction to the sheep when they start to stray. Though it is not always pleasant, discipline is a necessary and biblical mandate for dealing with sin (Matt 18:15-20). In order to fulfill all of these roles, the leader will need to be competent for the position- able to teach, knowledgeable in sound doctrine, strong interpersonal skills, intentional in planning and a clear communicator.
As the people within the organization see the consistent pattern of Christ-like character they will trust the leader and begin to follow his example. As they see the heart attitudes of submission to Christ and loving service to them, they will in turn love and follow the leader. As they see the leader competently and thoughtfully doing what Scripture has called them to do in leading and communicating, they will be motivated to follow with great zeal and sacrifice on their own part.
Synthesizing these three streams of thought, I would define Christian leadership in this way:
a biblically qualified person, with a heart submitted to Scripture and serving others, shepherding towards the goal of glorifying God.