Models of Christian Leadership
The other day I was invited to teach a class in New Testament leadership. The material seemed to go over real well with a group of Doctor of Ministry students. So I thought I’d share some excerpts with the online audience here.
One of the biggest challenges in any kind of faith work these days is leadership. Without leadership few good things happen in this world, yet how do you do good leadership? Do you follow the models of western corporations? How about those of democratic governments? Or would you prefer the more autocratic leadership style of a Vladimir Putin or a King Abdullah? Does the New Testament have anything to say about these various styles of leadership? Should followers of Jesus exhibit a leadership style that is different from the models in the popular consciousness?
It goes, perhaps, without saying that the ultimate source of all leadership models is God, the author of creation. Like the manufacturer of an automobile, who provides a manual for that car’s use and care, God is in the best position to understand human beings and how they function as individuals and in groups. But this assertion does little to assist us in the project of understanding leadership principles. No one has ever seen, heard or touched God. So direct knowledge of God, or of the leadership principles He manifests in governing the universe, is not available to us.
In Scripture, however, God has chosen to reveal Himself in human language. The Bible is not a complete revelation of God, but it offers inspired testimonies of how God spoke and acted in specific human situations over many centuries. While God’s self-disclosure is limited by the human context, the Bible offers the clearest revelation of the eternal God available to the human race. This is the place where all Christian leadership models must be tested.
The New Testament portion of the Bible is centered on the life, death, resurrection and heavenly ministry of Jesus Christ. As God in human flesh, He is the clearest revelation of God. He models God’s way of leadership in terms that human beings can understand. As a result, nearly every leadership title in the New Testament is applied to Jesus at one time or another. He is called "servant" (Phil. 2:7), "apostle" (Heb. 3:1), "prophet" (John 4:44; Acts 3:22-23), "overseer" (1 Pet. 2:25), "deacon" (Rom. 15:8), "ruler," (Rev 1:5), "captain" (Heb 12:2), "shepherd" (John 10:1-7; Heb. 13:20; 1 Pet 2:25), and "lord/master," (Eph. 6:9; Phil. 2:11; Col. 4:1), among others. Any study of Christian leadership principles, therefore, must begin and end with Jesus Christ.
Jesus not only modeled on earth what God is like, He also mentored the apostles in the divine principles of leadership. After His ascension He sent the Holy Spirit to inspire the apostles and the Christian prophets to carry on the work that He had begun on this earth (John 14:16-17, 26; 16:12-13). The apostles then passed on to others what they had received from Jesus (1 Cor 11:23; 15:3; 1 John 1:1-4). As He Himself told them, "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you." (John 13:15, NIV, cf. 13:13-17) Those who were closest to the earthly Jesus absorbed His leadership skills directly. Jesus is the clearest revelation of God. His apostles have passed on the clearest revelation of Jesus.
In the New Testament, this role was particularly played by Paul (1 Cor 11:23; 15:3). While not one of the twelve disciples, Paul frequently applied the title "apostle" to himself (Rom. 11:13; 1 Cor 9:1-2; 15:9). In Acts 20:17-35 Paul gathered the elders of the church of Ephesus at Miletus to pass on what he had learned from Jesus. As the faithful disciple of Jesus (20:19, 24) he is able to mentor the elders of Ephesus. The heart of Christian leadership is to be like Jesus, doing and teaching what Jesus taught. Following in the leadership path of Jesus includes servanthood (Luke 22:24-27; John 12:26; Acts 20:19), self-sacrifice (Acts 20:19-23), a strong sense of accountability (20:26-28), vigilance in the face of spiritual threats (20:29-32), and service, not for pay, but out of a strong sense of being commissioned by Jesus Himself (20:33-35). This is the starting point for a New Testament view of leadership.
Categories: Biblical
Tags: leadership New Testament Acts 20 Jesus as model of leadership
Thank you very much for sharing.
God bless your ministry!
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Why is it that the real name for God and even a generic name, such as Elohim, is translated? Why don't we use original names?
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To use the Hebrew names is certainly an option, but is not mandatory as some suggest. I am confident in saying that because the New Testament writers did it only occasionally, they normally translated instead of "transliterated." For example "messiah" (anointed in Hebrew) becomes "Christ" (anointed in Greek) and Yahweh becomes kurios or lord. So it is an option for us, but most feel it doesn't communicate as well as translation.
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I am blessed by the written article. I am also inspired to serve my Lord by leading my community in knowing His grace. I am exofficer who taught himself through job experience. I do have any diploma and degree; but enough knowledge to understand the bible. Can you help me in getting exended knowledge.I am a Seventh Day Adventist believer of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I am needing an intimated contact with you in helping me to know more about Jesus Christ and christianity.God bless you abundantly.
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My brother, the web site is my free gift to all who are interested in my theological work. With 50-75 emails a day I am unable to respond one on one in most cases. I will continue to post many more materials through the years as God gives me health and strength. If I ever have the opportunity to visit Addis Ababa please look me up.
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I do find this leadership concept very enriching,when one reflects on the servant leadership model taught by Jesus.What I find interesting is the inability of the church today to utilize a leadership structure that is neither western ,or autocratic,but one whose values as you indicate resonate with the servant leadership.How do we as an end time remnant rise to this need,viz a vis the representative model we have, but which has been abused really into a western model often susceptible to abuse by my unsanctified nature?While the model must have been designed to espouse servant leadership and I believe it can,we have politicized it so Christ's spirit just cant work through us,yet we must have Him!Not the model, but we are the problem I believe!Thanks
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Kenneth,
The SDA church has no official position on Ellen White and Sept 11. You are not the first to notice some parallels between these recent events and 9 Testimonies. I do not believe that 9T is a specific reference to Sept 11 for two reasons.
First, reading EW as specifically prophesying Sept 11 goes contrary to the evidence of fulfilled prophecy, how prophecy works (see chapter two of my book Deep Things of God). Visions are not “movies of the future” they function in a different way. So reading 9T as a movie of the future would be contrary to the way God works elsewhere.
Second, even if one reads it as a movie of the future there are several aspects of 9T that don’t fit the events of 9/11, such as the big issue in putting out the fiers being fire trucks that didn’t work. Read closely.
I have written in detail on Sept 11 in the book The Day That Changed the World, still available in the download on the web site.
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I sent you a request on how we should understand and interpret sep 11,in light of Ellen White's commentary in Testimonies Vol 9,pg 11 onwards.Should this be seen as an unfolding of the prophetic scroll on end time lines before for instance the formation of the image of the beast and subsequently the National Sunday law,given the escalating signs globally since this date,including the global financial crush?Lam looking at your article on terrorism and your thoughts as inclined to see the global concert against religious dissent as something Osama Bin laden's campaign has brought to the fore.What if it was a remnant adventist,I hear you ask?The broader question for me would be, should we not see in this event of sept 11 something really potentious,and a watershed of prophetic fulfillment, going forward as a church, to anticipated timeline events as embellished by scripture and spirit of prophecy predictions?Thanks and sorry for change of subject,I could not be sure that my request on contact will get to you,hence this approach.Thanks for understanding
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Thank you
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