Godly Leadership
by Garth Patterson
West End Bible Fellowship
Atlanta, GA
Many Christians have been hurt by destructive leaders -- so much so that in some circles, "leadership" has become a dirty word. But God has designed a godly kind of leadership that is a blessing to God's people rather than a curse. And the one man who most perfectly exemplified this type of leadership was, of course, Jesus Christ.
Let's take a look at John 14, where Jesus is having a discussion with his disciples.
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
Some have interpreted verse 9 to mean "Jesus is God," or "Jesus is the Father." But that is not what Jesus was talking about here. In response to Philip's request, "Show us the Father…," Jesus' response was, in essence: "I have lived my life before you in such a way that words, works and will could be clearly seen in all that I said and did."
In other words, Jesus was saying: "God is like me. I don't do my own will; I do the will of my Father. I don't speak my own words: I speak what my Father gives me to speak."
In this we see one of the key characteristics of godly leadership. A godly leader is not his own man. He is, in the words of a certain centurion, "a man under authority." Just as Christ spoke and acted under the authority of his Father, so we likewise act under the authority of Jesus Christ.
Jesus was also talking about something deeper here. In what sense is Jesus like his Father? Not in appearance, for his Father is "the invisible God" (Colossians 1:15.) Not in power, for Christ attributed his mighty works not to himself, but to his Father. But Jesus IS like His Father in character. The character of Christ is an accurate reflection of the character of God, so that when one sees what Jesus is like in terms of character, one sees also what God is like.
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Jesus wasn't a leader who cracked the whip over his disciples. In verses 16-18 he promised them another comforter. His godly leadership was a comfort to his disciples. In preparing them for his departure, he had to prepare them for the fact that he would no longer be around in person to comfort them. But they would not be left alone. God would give them another comforter.
What I want you to see is that godly leadership comforts people. Jesus didn't lead by barking out orders; he led by serving people. Jesus was a leader who washed people's feet!
Jesus was not the only godly leader described in the Bible. In I Timothy we are given some of the characteristics of a godly leader.
1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God)
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
These aren't the characteristics that a leader is supposed to develop over time; these are characteristics that he or she is supposed to start with!
In II Corinthians, Paul deals with a touchy subject: money.
1 For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:
2 For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.
3 Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:
4 Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.
5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.
6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.
10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness)
11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.
12 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;
What's beautiful about this passage is that Paul did not use his leadership position to extort money from God's people, either for himself or for some worthy cause. He was perfectly willing to leave it up to God to work with His own people concerning giving. Here we see another important principle: A godly leader trusts God to work in His people's hearts, and trusts God's people to give or to act out of love of God.
13 Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;
14 And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.
15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
Many of us who are leaders are tempted to "enforce" God's will. But God's ways are not our ways. The more we do things our way, the more we mess things up. When we trust God, things may seem uncertain, because we're trusting in what we can't see. But in the end, we will see that our trust in God is well rewarded, as things move the way He directs them to go.
One key characteristic of a godly leader is trust in God.
1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
We are to trust in God rather than "'play God." (What we call "playing God is more like "playing the devil!" God doesn't act the way most of us do when we play God!)
In all our ways we are to acknowledge God, not our denomination, our creed, or our favorite leader.
7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
In the end, everything depends on our relationship with God. As long as we have the right attitude toward God, we will have the right attitude toward God's people. Keeping God in His proper place keeps even leaders humble.
Ultimately, we are each leading somebody, so we all need to learn to lead in a godly way. Whenever you teach God's word, whenever you lead someone to the new birth, you're exercising leadership. We all have Christ in us, and he has all the leadership ability and capability we will ever need.