“And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.”

1 Corinthians 12:28

The Bible has many men and women who were great leaders – Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, Daniel, Esther, Deborah, Paul, Peter, John and so many more.

However, the greatest example of Christian Leadership was set by Jesus.

Jesus’ leadership style

1. Focused

Jesus knew from the beginning what the Father purposed for Him to do and nothing or no one could deter Him from fulfilling that divine purpose.

At the age of 12 Jesus asked His parents who came searching for Him at the temple, “Do you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?”

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10

“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.” Matthew 20:28

A leader must know the purpose for which God has called them and stay focused on it. It means that we are disciplined and continue steadfastly in the task that God has entrusted to us.

1. Prayerful

Jesus fasted and prayed for forty days before He began His ministry and before He chose His twelve disciples.

“And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray” Mark 6:46

“In these days he went into the hills to pray; and all night he continued in prayer to God”

Luke 6:12: 

“I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.” John 17:9

Jesus prayed for Peter —Satan has asked to sift you as wheat but I have prayed for you.

Jesus prayed at the Garden of Gethsemane and even when He was crucified on the cross.

In being a leader we must spend much time alone with God and with other believers. We must pray much for those whom God has entrusted to our care. When we are in leadership there will be attacks from unexpected quarters. If we are not prayerful, we will falter in many ways.

1. Led by the Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit

Notice how all through His life on earth Jesus would do nothing without the Father’s approval and was led by the Spirit. He waited for the Father’s time, approval and submitted entirely to the Father’s will.

Today we have the Holy Spirit of God to lead, guide, counsel and teach us. A good leader should keep in step with the Holy Spirit and walk in obedience to the Holy Spirit. We must ask the Holy Spirit of God to fill us and anoint us so we can be mighty instruments in God’s hands. Often we try to do many things in our own strength or according to our own thinking. Only when we lead with the power of the Holy Spirit will we see real and lasting fruit.

1. Wisdom

 Jesus handled every situation and every person who came to Him with godly wisdom. He knew how to respond to different people. Think about the way He handled the scribes, Pharisees and religious leaders who were after Him to corner Him. He gave them apt replies, but sometimes He was quiet and did not speak at all like the time when He was before the High Priests before His crucifixion, and also before Herod who questioned Him at length.

This is something we as leaders need. We don’t know how to respond to certain situations, we don’t know how to deal with certain people and we need God’s wisdom to make the right decision.

1. Humility

 Jesus’ humility was unmatched.

 “Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:6-8

At the triumphal entry into Jerusalem – “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”

Matthew 21:5

Jesus washes His disciples feet – “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” John 13:12-15

 We live in a world where position is everything. This has become part of the church too. Sad we have politics within the church today. Our example is Jesus the servant leader. Serve others with humility, don’t expect rewards or praise. Sometimes, we may even be misunderstood, taken for granted and our efforts belittled. Someone said, “He who is too big to do little things is too little to do big things.”

1. Love and compassion

 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another”. John 13:1 Jesus commands his disciples to love one another in the same way he has loved them. 

 “When Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” John 13:34-35

Jesus loved and set the example on how His disciples should love others. Jesus loved Judas Iscariot who betrayed Him, Peter who denied Him, and all the disciples who fled from Him when He was arrested.

There are many incidents we read that He was moved with compassion.

“Jesus sees crowds of people who are weary and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd. He is moved with compassion” Matthew 9:35–38

A good leader must love the people God has entrusted to Him unconditionally, and must also have compassion and a burden to reach the lost.

1. Empowered others

Jesus gave authority to the twelve disciples. “Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.” Matthew 10:1

 Luke 10 we read that Jesus sent 72 others and sent them out two by two. The disciples were so well equipped that they were able to do what Jesus did and more than what He did after His ascension.

We have a responsibility as leaders to equip people, especially those younger and encourage them to serve the Lord in various ways. Someone said, “Find someone half your age and train them in all that you know and are doing. They will do it twice as good, twice as fast and in half the time.”

1. People were His priority – seeking the lost

Think about the time Jesus spent with multitudes of people. He went out of the way to meet some people. Zacchaeus, the Samaritan woman and so many more. He spent days teaching people and His disciples were in the best Bible College with the Best Teacher for three and half years.

The more time we spend with those whom God has entrusted to us, we will see tremendous changes in their lives. Teaching them the word of God, praying with them, counseling them and encouraging them in their spiritual growth.

1. Exemplary

Jesus led by example. There was no dichotomy between what He spoke and what He did. He was the perfect leader.

“In all points He was tempted just as we are yet without sin” Hebrews 4:15

Pilate declared that Jesus was innocent and that He was handed over because of envy.

As a Christian leader our words and life must be in perfect harmony. If there is any sort of dichotomy we will never be effective. “Who you are speaks so loudly that I can’t hear what you are saying” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

1. Never condemned others

Think about Jesus’s approach – Samaritan woman, woman caught in adultery, Nicodemus, Zacchaeus, Judas Iscariot, Peter or anyone else. Not once did Jesus condemn anyone.

When we work with unbelievers or even new believers they will come with lot of baggage. We are called to love and teach the truth instead of condemn people. The same applies to youth, children or anyone we are working with. Instead of telling them what is wrong we should teach them to do right.

1. Accepted everyone

Rich, the poor, the women, outcasts, possessed, lepers, sick, the thief on the cross, accepted and loved by Jesus. Jesus shunned no one. He was judged for spending time with tax Collectors and sinners and eating with them.

A leader must not show partiality and not reject anyone for any reason but accept everyone just as they are. As someone said, “At the cross the ground is level.”

1. Dealt with criticism, false-accusations, slander, gossip

Jesus faced it all. Some said He was demon possessed, His own brothers doubted His identity and motives, many walked away from Him. The Jewish leaders were antagonistic towards Him, falsely accused Him and handed Him over to be crucified. Nothing deterred Jesus from fulfilling His mission and ministry.

If you are a godly leader you will face all sorts of hardships, trials, criticism and trouble from every quarter. Jesus said, “Blessed are you when men revile you, persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad because your reward is great in heaven.” Don’t try to fight all your battles. Let God fight on our behalf.

Paul gives the qualities of a Christian leader in 1 Timothy 3:1-16

Above reproach, Faithful to his wife, Manage His family and children well, Temperate, Self-controlled, Respectable, Hospitable, Able to teach, Not a drunkard, Gentle, Not quarrelsome, Not money minded, Not proud, Must have good reputation with outsiders

Except the part of the family, Jesus exemplified all of these leadership qualities perfectly. We have this leadership role in the family, at church, or work and we must make sure that we lead others the way Jesus led.

Let me conclude with the words of John Maxwell, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way”.

Mrs. Esther Collins