Our lives are inundated with leadership information and resources. I, myself, am a junkie of leadership blogs, podcasts, and resources. However, I started this blog two years ago because I felt that I heard from too many people in my networks and saw from too many Christian leaders a reliance on good leadership principles that were devoid of Scripture and Christ-following foundational principles. Leadership is great, but Godly Leadership is essential for the Christ-following man or woman. It’s not that the skills, experience, gifts, and aptitudes of leadership development are bad. It’s just that for the Godly Leader, those things need to be built on the essential ingredients of Godly Leadership.
Today, I want to highlight four essential reasons as to why Godly Leaders are different from other leaders.
#1 – IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE GODLY LEADER TO BE A SERVANT.
To be a “Christian” literally means to be a “little Christ.” As a Christ-following leader, that means that we follow Jesus’s example of servant leadership. Instead of relying on titles or job descriptions or offices or org charts or even large personalities, Christ-following leaders lead out of humility and service. Godly Leaders look for ways to serve those they lead and serve with those they lead. Check your egos at the door and leave your selfish ambitions and vain conceits behind you. It’s not about money gained, it’s about blessings given.
Godly Leader, what is one attitude or action you can take today / this week to start to move your leadership one step toward the Essential Godly Leadership trait of being a servant leader?
Matthew 20:26-28 (NLT) “But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
#2 – IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE GODLY LEADER TO BE A SHEPHERD.
“What have you done for me lately?” is the mantra we often hear, isn’t it? Why is that phrase so prevalent in our society today? Because so many of us, including Christ-followers, are just out for number one. We are looking out for what’s “best for our families” as a guise to actually look out for what’s best for us. It’s about money, influence, power, and prestige in our schools, businesses, communities, and yes, even our churches. True Godly Leaders realize and recognize that it is essential that Christ-following leaders look to shepherd the people in their networks and neighborhoods. We are to disciple, mentor, encourage, show Jesus to, help, care, and lead those that God has entrusted to our influence.
Is that how we look at our coaching on the baseball sidelines? Is that how we look at our team meetings? Is that our lens at our school functions? I propose that, while contrary to “What have you done for me lately?” our mantras should be “What have I done to shepherd you lately?”
Godly Leader, what is one action you can take today / this week toward the Essential Godly Leadership trait of being a shepherd?
Psalm 78:72 (NIV) “And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.”
#3 – IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE GODLY LEADER TO BE A STEWARD.
We love stuff, don’t we? Man, I hate it when I fall for those Instagram ads – they know what stuff I like, and they make me think I need it! The reality is that too much leadership focuses on accumulating more and more and thinking more and more about ourselves. Leadership can lead to pride, hoarding, entitlement, jealousy, envy, and selfishness. Godly leadership leads to sacrifice, generosity, humility, and appreciation.
Christ-following leaders realize it’s only by God’s grace (giving us what we don’t deserve) and mercy (not giving us the punishment that we do deserve) that we have what we have – relationships, health, finances, opportunities, etc. Godly Leader, please realize it is essential to know and acknowledge that God owns it all, and He gives us the blessing of being a steward of our small corner of the universe.
To live this out, we need to honestly evaluate our talents – are we using them as a foundation of our lives 24/7 and in part for ministry to expand Christ’s Kingdom? What about our time? Are we generous to others and to Christ’s church with our treasures for the expansion of Christ’s Kingdom?
Godly Leader, what is one prayer you can speak to the Lord today / this week, to help move your perspective from entitlement and pride to generosity and humility?
Psalm 24:1 (NLT) “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.”
#4 – IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE GODLY LEADER TO BE AN INTERCESSOR.
You might say it goes without saying that Godly Leaders are prayer warriors and intercessors. But then we need to evaluate our daily lives. Do we pray for our baseball sideline parents or just for our kid to do well? Do we pray for our co-workers or just hope we hit our quotas and get praise more than they do? The best way for someone to move from leader to a Godly Leader who is a servant, shepherd, and steward is to pray. Pray prayers of confession, pray for ourselves, and pray for those God has entrusted to our leadership.
Godly Leader, what is the prayer of confession that is overdue in your life that you can pray today / this week? Who are the three people that you need to start praying for? What is the top prayer you need to pray today / this week for yourself?
Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT) “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
We could talk a lot more on this topic, but we’ll leave it there for now. What are your thoughts or questions? Leave them in the comments.
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Love being on this Essential Godly Leadership journey with you!
Essential Godly Leadership: “Leading your life, your family, your work, your relationships, and your world in a way that is seeking wisdom from, and pleasing to, the Lord Jesus.”