What the Bible Teaches About Leadership

Hymn: God leads his dear children along

We’re going to talk about leadership. Everyone leads at one time or another. Pastors lead churches, husbands lead families, wives lead children, and children lead their friends from time to time. The dictionary defines "leadership" as "guidance or direction," a "leader" is someone who leads or guides. We’re not talking about government, government doesn’t "guide," it "rules."

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. I Peter 2:13-14

George Washington said, "Government is not reason and it is not eloquence. It is force! Like fire it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master." To govern is not to persuade through reason, it’s to ensure obedience through force or the threat of force. Columnist George Will wrote on April 7, 2004, "the first task of government (is) to establish a monopoly on violence." "Monopoly of violence" means that only the government is allowed to be violent, those of us who believe in guns don’t trust any human government to use force wisely. In 1890, John James Ingalls said, "The purification of politics is a dream. Government is force." The Bible agrees:

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Rom 13:3-4

This verse is often used to argue that God commands the death penalty, another example of government by force. The Bible speaks of "terror" and says government "bears the sword" for wrath. Government isn’t guidance, it’s coercion. We obey government, but what government does isn’t leadership, it’s force. Leaders guide, governments force. Employment isn’t necessarily leadership either:

Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. I Peter 2:17-18

When you accept pay, you’re selling your boss the right to tell you what to do. So long as government and bosses don’t tell us to go against the Word of God, we owe them obedience. We obey bosses in return for money, we obey government by command of God.

If we’re not talking about government or employment, what sorts of leadership are there? Every one of us leads. A pastor leads a church, a man leads his family. I Tim. 5:14 says that women "guide the house," and "guiding" is what leaders do. Children also lead, I’ve seen older children leading younger ones, I’ve watched our more mature teens lead other teens, and so on. We all lead at one time or another. How we lead makes all the difference in how successful we are. Let’s see an example from the Bible:

And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate! And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD. And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men. II Samuel 23:15-17

David was careless in what he said. David "longed" for a drink of Bethlehem water. He didn’t demand, he didn’t ask, but his "mighty men" risked their lives to give him his wish because they wanted to please him. They carried out David’s wish because they loved him, not just because he was above them in the army. When you lead, watch what you say, you may get more obedience than you wanted. The Bible tells wives to submit to their husbands and tells children to obey their parents, but the Bible puts limits on leaders. Ephesians 6:4 tells fathers not to "provoke your children to wrath," that is, don’t abuse your authority as David abused his.

All of you have worked for bosses. I’ve had bosses whom I obeyed willingly and for whom I looked for ways to help and I’ve had bosses who were so nasty that it was dangerous to try to help, I’d get yelled at. Which sort of boss gets your best work, the one who explains things to you and gives you freedom to do your best as unto the Lord for him or the one who yells?

Although the Bible and history both say that government is force, coercion, and terror, force alone cannot make government work. At the time the Berlin wall fell as the East German government collapsed in 1990, about 1/3 of the East German people were working for the government as spies, police, informers, or busybodies of one form or another. Even though 1/3 of the people worked for it, the government fell when people decided not to obey any more. As a practical matter, force works on only a few people at a time, when too many people decide not to go along, any government falls. If people lose confidence in a leader, he can’t lead any more.

I. Wise governments and wise bosses earn loyalty. You can command obedience, but commanding isn’t enough, a leader has to earn loyalty. How does a leader do that? We’ve seen that David’s followers loved him and wanted to make him happy, let’s look at some more Biblical leaders and see what they did. Paul was the greatest church planter ever, what did he do?

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; II Cor. 5:10-11a

II Leader Paul persuaded men that his ideas were best even with heaven or hell in the balance. He didn’t use ridicule or sarcasm, he didn’t confront or force, he persuaded. Not that Paul was afraid of confrontation, Galatians 2:11 says that Paul withstood Peter "to his face." Paul got in Peter’s face when Peter was wrong, but that’s not how we’re supposed to lead under normal circumstances:

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. II Timothy 2:24-26

"Meekness" is defined as "a calm temper of mind that is not easily provoked." Leaders are not to strive, that is, they must stay calm and shouldn’t argue. They have to teach patiently and gently. You’ve had bosses who taught you how to do the job and bosses who yelled at you and expected you to know things you didn’t. Which type of leader gets your best work?

Let’s look at leadership again, this time by reading what God said about followers. Paul was a leader, and he said:

Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. I Corinthians 11:1

Paul didn’t expect people to follow him unconditionally, he knew he was a sinner and that people should follow him only as he pointed them at Christ. Ephesians 5:1 makes this clear, it says, "Be ye therefore followers of God." Let’s look at other followers:

Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Ephesians 5:24

A wife’s submission is not unconditional, she’s supposed to follow her husband as the church follows Christ. For this to work, her husband must lead her as Christ leads the church. Let’s look at some examples of how God leads His people:

And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people. Exodus 13:21-22

What does this teach about leadership? III The leader must know where he’s going. IV God led the people day by day, every day. God didn’t expect the people to know where to go, He showed them, every day. God told Noah exactly how to build the ark and told Moses exactly how to build the tabernacle, a leader goes into detail when it matters. V A leader should also explain why:

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. Isaiah 1:18-20

God used logic and reason in explaining how His forgiveness worked. If His followers followed His rules, if they got with His program, their sins would be forgiven and things would go well, but if not, they were in for trouble. What could be more logical? God also used reason when He told Abraham that He planned to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah:

And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? Genesis 18:23-25

VI Leaders must tell people what’s going on. God gave Abraham a briefing, and Abraham had questions. Abraham pointed out that killing good and bad people together would be unjust. This was a good argument because God values justice. VII Leaders must explain overall policies so people will know when the plan won’t work. Pres. Nixon told his people that he wanted to be reelected, but he didn’t make it clear that burglary was out of bounds. He had to go, not because he himself did wrong, but because he didn’t make sure his people knew he wanted them to stay within the law. Let’s continue with Abraham’s discussion with God:

And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD, which am but dust and ashes: peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it. And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake. And he said unto him, Oh let not the LORD be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there. And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake. And he said, Oh let not the LORD be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake. Genesis 18:26-32

VIII Good leaders accept input. God and Abraham finally agreed on a plan – 10 good people would save Sodom. Husbands should discuss plans with their wives, in detail. IX Leaders must handle problems; you’ll recall God had a problem with the golden calf:

And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation. And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever. And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people. Exodus 32:9-14

God told Moses that He planned to kill all the Israelites and make a nation from Moses children, and Moses talked Him out of it. Moses 2^nd argument was to remind God of His promise to make a nation out of Abraham and Isaac. Killing everyone except Moses wouldn’t have canceled that promise because Moses was part of Abraham’s family. Moses’ 2^nd argument was bogus, but his first argument was sound. Moses pointed out that if God killed the people, the Egyptians would conclude that God had lied. God told Pharaoh that God wanted Pharaoh to let His people go because God cared about them and wanted to do them good; killing them would make the Egyptians think that God had lied. This was a sound argument, God bought it, and didn’t kill them.

Leaders should listen to their people even when some of their arguments aren’t right. Husbands have a particularly hard time with this. It’s often hard for men to understand what their wives are saying, but in I Peter 3:7 God commands men to listen.

In this case, Moses pointed out that although God’s idea seemed sound, it would have effects that God didn’t want, namely, that the Egyptians would think God lied. This is the sort of "help meet" task at which wives excel, I can’t begin to tell you all the times my wife’s input has saved me trouble. When Pilate was judging Jesus, his wife did her best to keep him out of trouble:

When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. Matthew 27:19

Isn’t that just like a woman, expecting her husband to pay attention to her dreams! But he should have listened very carefully!

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, and kept back a part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. Acts 5:1-10

Ananias exhibited fine leadership. He had an idea, he didn’t command his wife, they discussed it, and she agreed. Isn’t that what submission is? Your leader has an idea, you discuss it, and you go along, but Sapphira failed her husband. She should have said, "Do you really think that’s a good idea?" My wife has helped me avoid great trouble; X leaders must listen, XI followers must speak!

XII Leaders must persuade people to do things. When God called Moses to lead His people out of Egypt, Moses didn’t want to:

And Moses said unto the LORD, O my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. Exodus 4:10-12

God told Moses, "I made your mouth, I know what you can do, just do it," but Moses didn’t shut up:

And he said, O my LORD, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. [In other words, God, anybody but me.] And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses,… Exodus 4:13-14a

God dealt with Moses’ objections, but Moses still wouldn’t accept the assignment. God was upset! God went along with Moses and gave Aaron to help him, but Moses should have done the job by himself as God wanted him to do.

When your leader wants you do to something, you generally wouldn’t be asked if you couldn’t do it. Wouldn’t it save a lot of grief just to volunteer? I’ve done a lot of leading over the years, I can testify to this:

For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. I Cor 8:12

As a leader, my biggest problem is convincing people to be willing to try the job I ask. I’ve never been able to figure out whether they’re just lazy or whether they’re being modest. Was Moses being modest when he told God that he couldn’t speak? Was he afraid? He’d been tending sheep for 40 years since leaving Egypt, did he like being a shepherd? Or was he just unwilling to give up his wants and do what God wanted? What about us? Are we afraid, or is it just that we don’t want to get involved?

So here are God’s short rules for leadership:

Explain and discuss the plan. God told Abraham He was about to destroy Sodom. Ananias discussed his plan with Sapphira.
Explain overall policy. God taught Abraham that God valued justice; Abraham knew to appeal to God’s overall policy for Sodom.
Listen for objections. Moses objected to God’s plan to destroy Israel, Sapphira did not object to Ananias’ plan to lie.
Ask people to do things, but be prepared for objections. Moses didn’t want to lead God’s people out of Egypt.

There’s more to leadership than explaining, discussing, and asking. Why did David’s mighty men risk their lives to get him water from one special well? Because they loved him. The lost recognize this. There’s a song, "We’ll follow the old man wherever he wants to go…" Ever hear that song? Notice it says, "Wherever he wants to go," the men follow because the leader has a goal, he knows where he’s going, he has a vision. That’s Biblical, Proverbs 29:3 says, "Where there is no vision, the people perish."

The song has a chorus, "Because we love him, we love him, especially when he keeps us on the ball." Followers love leaders who have a goal and demand their very best. That gives us two more rules for leadership, XIII have a vision and XIV encourage your people to do their best. You can’t lead unless you know where you’re going and you can’t get the best out of your people without knowing them well. That’s another reason for lost of discussion, it helps you know your people.

But that doesn’t explain the most important part of leadership – to be a really effective leader, XV you have to be loved. David’s men got him water when he only wished, what did they do for him when he wanted something badly? Jesus’ men went to their deaths for His sake even though He was no longer with them. This love comes from the Greek word agapao, this is an active love, it’s not how people feel, it’s something people do. How do leaders get to be loved in that way? By serving their followers. Mothers lead their children, and most mothers end up being loved. Why do children love their mothers? Because mothers serve their children.

Mothers also encourage children, that’s another way to be loved. God encourages His people, too. I Kings 18 tells how Elijah challenged the people to choose between God and Baal. They put a sacrifice on the altar, but didn’t light the file. The priests of Baal prayed, but Baal didn’t do anything. Then Elijah poured water over the sacrifice, and called on God. God sent fire and burned up the water and the sacrifice. The people decided to follow God, and they killed all of the prophets of Baal. Then what happened?

And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time. And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. I Kings 19:1-4

Right after Elija’s greatest victory for God, he ran for his life. He was so discouraged that he didn’t want to go on any more, he asked God to kill him. Who says God’s people don’t get discouraged? And what did God do? Did God criticize Elijah for running?

And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. I Kings 19:5-7

No, God didn’t criticize Elijah, God sent an angel to feed him. The angel said, "Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for thee." XVI Leaders worry about practical matters like food, especially when their followers get discouraged.

And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God. And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. I Kings 19:8-10

That’s outstanding leadership. Elijah lost heart, he cut and ran, he bailed, and does God blast him? No, God asks, "How’s it going, Elijah." And Elijah tells God how it seems to Elijah. LISTEN TO YOUR PEOPLE!! They may not see things the way you do.

The next few verses show God relating to Elijah. God tells him to anoint Hazael and Jehu and to teach Elisha to be a prophet after him. XVII When your people are tired, explain the plan once again and give them something to do. A discouraged person with nothing to do sits, soaks, and sours, but God kept Elijah too busy to sour. And then God told Elijah he was on the winning side:

Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. I Kings 19:18

That’s great leadership, it got Elijah back on the job. Following God can bring trouble; obeying Jesus got Paul in a lot of trouble:

Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. II Corinthians 11:24-27

Isn’t that the sort of follower any leader would want? Paul just wouldn’t quit. And why did he obey so faithfully?

For the love of Christ constraineth us; II Corinthians 5:14a

Paul obeyed Christ because Paul loved Christ; his love for Christ made him want to follow. The best results happen when people obey out of love. God expects His people to obey Him out of love. How does a leader get to be loved? Napoleon Bonaparte, a leader of men, said, "The best way to gain their affections is to do them good." XVIII A leader becomes loved by serving his people:

If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all and servant of all Mark 9:35

But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Mark 10:42

That’s the secret of leadership – a Godly leader serves his people. A man serves his wife, a mother serves her children, a military leader takes care of his men, and a boss takes care of his people. Those who want to lead the most should serve the most.