You may be reading this because you feel called or led to be a leader. Being a leader is a great responsibility and one that should be affirmed by the Holy Spirit, Scripture, and otherwise and godly leaders. In this post, I’ll address a few keys to becoming a great Christian Leader.
Before I went into full-time ministry at my church as the Creative Director, I prayed… a lot about accepting this position that I had been offered. I sought wise counsel from Scripture and other leaders in my life. I wasn’t just accepting a position to accept a calling, but a position that was in leadership. This brought many important responsibilities… but I’ll come back to my experience later.
Perhaps you’re facing a similar situation as I did. Perhaps you’re already in a position of leadership, whether that be at work, in ministry, in your home as a husband, father, or older sibling. Many of us are in a position of leadership that we may not even realize. One thing I’ve learned through my time of Biblical Counseling and training to become an ACBC-Certified Biblical Counselor: we all counsel and influence people around us. We are always being counseled. I’ll be writing a blog post on Biblical Counseling: A Call to Wisdom soon, stay tuned!
Whatever leadership position you’re in or going into, I’d like you to consider some helpful tips for being a great Christian Leader. I want to take you to 1 Timothy 3:1–12 so pull out your Bibles and get to reading!
The summary statement for the entire list simply says, “The overseer is to be above reproach” (v. 2). Leaders in the church are to have no moral or behavioral handles that others can grab onto and say, “This disqualifies this person from leadership.” A careful examination of the leader’s qualifications reveals someone who has their private (family) and public life in balance. This person exercises moderation and humility while maintaining a good reputation with those outside the church.
I also wanted to bring into light a few ideas which are not in any specific order:
KEYS TO BECOMING A GREAT CHRISTIAN LEADER
Remembering it’s not about you – Thinking too much about yourself will wreak havoc in most areas of your life, especially in leadership roles. Make sure that when you lead it’s about them not you.
Being ok if someone is better or more gifted than you – It’s easy to feel threatened when someone under you is better qualified, gifted, or favored. Don’t give into fear or insecurities.
You stay sensitive to the Holy Spirit – It’s important to stay soft towards the Holy Spirit as He speaks to you and tugs at your heart.
You stay grounded in the Word – The Bible speaks truth to us, grounds us, gives us wisdom, and a whole lot more. As leaders, we should be getting into the word consistently!
You serve those who are under you – Being a leader is not about how people under you serve you and your vision. It’s about how you serve others.
You believe in others – You believe that people have the potential and ability to achieve what God has called them too.
You give others a platform – When you see someone who is ready to move forward in their gifts or abilities you provide for them a place for them to shine.
You communicate clearly – Hiding details or making yourself unclear about tasks, opportunities, or activities can really cause people to feel unsure and confused under your leadership. Nothing sucks up empowerment like not knowing what your leader wants from you.
You don’t control situations or people – Control is one of those things that will destroy any team. If you feel like you need to control someone or a situation it’s a good time to ask yourself why and if you are feeling fearful.
You give room for failure and learning – Everyone makes mistakes including yourself. Give room for others to make a mistake and help them grow from them. When babies learn to walk we don’t punish them when they stumble and fall.
You don’t micromanage – This is another form of control.
You give your people wings so they can fly away from the nest – There will be a time when those you lead need to leave the nest. Some people are only meant to be with us for a season(s). When God has called them to go, give them wings. Bless them and help them to transition well.
