Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, Daniel, Isaiah, John, Paul, Timothy, Jesus… does the Bible, through its primary characters and events, give us examples of leaders, or does it actually teach leadership skills and principles? The answer to the question is both. However it’s important to consider leadership in the Bible as a facet of its overall teaching. Leadership is not the main topic or purpose of Scripture. Instead we find important nuggets for leadership and life scattered among its pages, which exist to tell God’s story of creation, purpose and redemption.
The first question one asks when reading the Bible is not “What is God trying to teach me about leadership?” Rather, the key to understanding the Bible is to always be asking, “What is God trying to teach me about Himself?” The Bible, as a God-inspired book, is foremost about helping us know the God who created us. Throughout the narrative of the Bible we also find instructions for us, and many apply to or are directed at leaders. And we read stories of men God chose to lead in various capacities from creation through Revelation. What might we specifically learn about leadership from the Bible?
The Bible teaches us about God as Leader. The foremost leadership story in the Bible is of God Himself, and His leadership of His creation. The Bible details a number of characteristics of God which are unique to Him. We cannot emulate many these because they are God’s alone, but they confirm God’s authority as absolute leader. These include:
Aseity. God is independent and does not need anyone or anything (Acts 17:25)
Eternal. God exists beyond time (Psalm 90:2)
Goodness. God is the standard of God and everything He does is worthy of approval (Nahum 1:7, Psalm 34:8)
Gracious. God gives His forgiveness and blessings to those who are undeserving of it (Exodus 34:5-6)
Holiness. God is separate from sin and incorruptible; He can do no wrong (Isaiah 6:3, Revelation 4:8)
Immanence. God is in the world as He wills and participates in His creation (Acts 17:28)
Immutability. God cannot change (James 1:17)
Incomprehensibility. God is not able to be fully known (Isaiah 40:28)
Infinity. God is immense beyond our comprehension (Isaiah 40:28, 1 Kings 8:27)
Omnipotence. God is present everywhere at all times (Psalm 139:8)
Omniscience. God is all-knowing (Psalm 139:1-24, Provers 15:3, Psalm 147:5)
Sovereignty. God is in complete control and directs all things, is and subject to no one (Isaiah 46:10)
Veracity. God does not lie and anything He utters is absolute truth (Tutus 1:2)
As we understand these characteristics of God, we do not emulate them to become better leaders. Rather we understand that God’s Words are absolute and trustworthy because of Who He is, and so our leadership is subject to His will and ways. To know God is to know our Creator, and to serve God is to serve our highest purpose.
The Bible teaches us how to lead others toward God. The Bible contains the story of man’s fall and God’s grace and redemption plan for him. Scripture contains instructions on how to be reconciled to God through His Son, Jesus Christ. The purpose of the Bible is to give us the means to know God and then to share this with others so that they may also know Him. One of the chief tasks of a faith-centered leader is to lead people toward God. Scripture confirms this command to leaders:
And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Mark 16:15-16
Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 2 Timothy 4:2
And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. Luke 14:23
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8
The Bible gives examples and principles for leaders. The Apostle Paul’s letters, 1 and 2 Timothy, are written to early church leaders and contain many leadership principles that can be applied to faith-centered leaders, whatever their specific occupation or role. We do not see examples of leaders in the Bible as attaining position, power or privilege. Rather we see leaders following God as they have a role in His plan for creation. Consider:
Noah obeyed God even when everyone around him thought he was crazy.
Abraham embraced God’s promise for a future he could not comprehend.
Joseph continued to follow God through impossible circumstances.
Moses led God’s people despite their obstinance, complaints and disobedience.
Joshua led Israel by example instead of by command.
David stood up to a giant by trusting in God.
Isaiah rose to the challenge of leadership against ungodly pagans.
Peter recovered from personal failure to be a New Testament leader.
Paul reversed course to become the New Testament’s foremost theologian and advocate for Jesus.
In each of these examples, leadership centers around how the leader himself listens to, obeys, follows and trusts God. The characteristics we identify and emulate in Bible leaders are those which most closely connect them to the heart and character of God.
The Bible teaches more on followship than leadership. The word leader only appears four times in the entire New Testament. However the words follow and follower appear 589 times. In Matthew 4:19, Jesus called His first disciples, saying, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” The concept of followship or servanthood—listening and learning from Jesus Himself and then doing what He said—is the core concept for growing as a New Testament believer. Today we lead as Christ-followers through this serving-first model. Indeed Jesus said of Himself, “Even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve…” (Matthew 20:28).
Time and again we see that biblical leadership is not to make decisions or chart a vision for others. Rather, it is to serve others in obedience to Christ, out of selflessness and sacrifice, in order to bring other people toward God. The Bible does teach leadership, but it is the opposite or in contrast to what we might model as leadership in today’s culture. The Bible shows us the servant leader. Jesus talks of the Kingdom of God, saying “But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first” (Matthew 19:30). Leadership in the Bible is not a race to the top for a crown, but a race to meet the needs of others, in humility and grace, because of Christ, and to point the way to our Heavenly Father.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834 – 1892) was an English pastor of the New Park Street Chapel (later renamed Metropolitan Tabernacle) in London for 38 years. He became known as the “Prince of Preachers” for his spellbinding sermons, which sometimes ran two hours or more.