The heart of a leader demands a love that will get involved in the struggles, difficulties, mistakes, and messes that their followers face in life, a love that will confront out of a security drawn from knowing God and His purpose in our lives.
To accomplish the purpose of developing leaders, the leader developer must have:
- A clear understanding of the nature of leadership
- A sound sense of self-awareness
- In-dept relationships
- The courage to take loving stands
- The willingness to be vulnerable
- The willingness to humble one’s self
- Clarity of vision
- An understanding of truth
- Insight into the heart of others
- The willingness to risk rejection
- Sensitivity as to know how to respond to others
If true leadership entails positive influence, then it is important to know that influence comes from serving by:
- Modeling
- Instructing
- Exhorting
- Evaluating
- Confronting
- Training
- Releasing
Influence does not come by:
- Overpowering
- Belittling
- Manipulating
- Threatening
- Avoiding
- Competing
- Controlling
Serving is slave leadership – a radical commitment to Christ in every follower’s life that impels the leader to act in love with truth no matter what it costs that leader (Matthew 20:26 – 27; John 13:16; Philippians 2:5 – 11; II Corinthians 4:5).
Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave (Matthew 20:26 – 27) NKJV
Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him (John 13:16) NKJV
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5 – 11) NKJV
For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. (II Corinthians 4:5) NKJV
- The leader focuses on God’s purpose for and through the followers.
- God’s purpose for the followers is to grow them into Christlikeness, and the leader is one of His prime instrument in guiding the followers to become more like Christ.
- God’s purpose through the follower is to participate with Him in accomplishing the great commission in accordance with their gifts and opportunities.
- The leader focuses on both the functional and the foundational in the followers’ lives.
- The functional refers to the tasks the followers undertake and to their competence in light of their gifts, knowledge, and developed skills.
- The foundational refers to the follower’s character, the core essence of their being on which all they do rests.
- The foundational determines how well the leader and the followers function.
- It relates to their character, that is, who exercises the knowledge and skills to get the vision accomplished.
- It relates to their motives, that is, why they do what they do.
- It relates to their actions, that is, what they do (for example whether they confront, avoid, forgive, overlook, exhort, lie, cheat, steal, say harsh words) etc.
- It relates to their method, that is, how they do what they do.
- It relates to their situations, that is where they act (eg) public.
- It relates to their timing, that is when they act in relation to the need at the moment.
- When the foundational and the functional integrate with consistency, leaders and followers will show an uncommon Christlikeness. In a real sense, character controls competence. Leadership is not only getting something done; leadership is getting someone grown.
Christian leadership is not rooted in worldly notions of success, such as the love of money or power. Jesus Himself spoke against this when expressing the importance of serving others.
But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25 – 28) NKJV
Leaders are not to oppress and overpower others with their authority, like the Gentiles practiced. Instead, leaders serve others, which Jesus demonstrated when He made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
“But made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross”. (Philippians 2:7 – 8) NKJV