Leading God's Way (Introduction)
When you think of the term “leadership”, what words come to mind? What makes a leader effective?
Maybe you have images of a strong leader, authoritative and decisive. One who won’t be swayed or moved by public opinion. A “my way or the highway” kind of leader.
Or maybe you’re thinking about a quiet, gentle leader who, in his or her humility, is great at listening, great at attending to your needs, but lacks the confidence to make a firm decision.
The first one is clearly effective at being action-oriented, while the second one is clearly effective in tending to the needs of others.
Why is it that so few leaders are able to bridge the gap between those two styles?
If we study perhaps the most effective leader of all time, we see, in the life of Jesus, a brilliant balancing of these two characteristics: strength and compassion. Decisiveness and listening. Conviction and flexibility.
In this series, I am going to unpack the way Jesus navigates this tension, in the hopes that we can all become better leaders–leaders who impact God’s kingdom in our own unique ways, using our own unique giftings, and in our own unique style–all while leaning in to God’s plan and design for our lives.
If you’re a strong leader who needs to learn flexibility, this series is for you. If you’re a timid leader (or one who wouldn’t even consider themselves to be a “leader”), then this series is for you.
Because the Bible says we all carry the banner of Christ. And whether we’re an up-front kind of leader, or one who sits more comfortably in the background, we are all leaders: we are all called to be imitators of Christ, for our joy, and for the benefit of others.
For when we learn to do this effectively, we can be a new kind of leader. One who patiently, lovingly, courageously, points others to Jesus, the Ultimate Leader.
I hope this series provides a stepping stone in your own journey of discovering who God has made you to be, and the type of leader He is calling you to become.
Here’s to the journey…